For our latest video of the week, we had the chance to sit down with Joey Mara of Waist Deep Media and ask him a few questions about the film.
Fly Lords: How did this trip go from idea to reality?
Joey: Haha well Rod Time doesn’t have a lot of structure or pre planning involved. Really we just wanted to visit one of our favorite fisheries, get mic’d up and do what we normally do. A heavy amount of editing on my end is usually required.
Fly Lords: Looks like you saw some really cool wildlife. What was the coolest thing you saw?
Joey: I always love seeing the wild horses. There were lots of cool wildlife sightings but not many places have wild horses.
Fly Lords: What techniques were you using to catch these fish?
Joey: Our first choice is always to strip streamers but this film wasn’t too focused on the actual catching part as you might have noticed. The Lahontans are cruising the shore looking for food so it is an exciting fishery. There’s one drone shot at 4:02 where you can actually see a big pod of them in the lower left corner of the shot.
Fly Lords: What is the Montana Fishing Film Festival?
Joey: The Montana Fishing Film Fest is a grassroots film festival featuring original content from around the West. It’s now expanded to over 20 stops in five Western states. This year it came to Seattle for the first time and we turned it into a fundraiser for the @wildsteelheadcoalition.
Fly Lords:Â What projects are you working on next?
Joey: We are really excited about the next couple projects. The first is a profile piece about the front range lakes of the Blackfoot Reservation’s giant rainbows shooting early May. The second will be a multi-day float trip on the Kettle River in North Central Washington searching for cutthroat, rainbows, browns and brookies!
To keep up with Waist Deep Media and their future projects, be sure to check them out on Vimeo and Instagram!
This interview was conducted by Fly Lords team member Conner Grimes.
In a great video from the Salmon & Trout Conservation, Sir David Attenborough discusses his thoughts on the protection of all wild salmon populations. The video was produced in celebration of the International Year of the Salmon.
Wild salmon stocks have been a subject of concern for many years with fishery biologists and we are beginning to see strong declines in salmon returning to their ancestral breeding rivers and streams.
Salmon are mainly under threat from overfishing, the poorly regulated salmon farming industry, and climate change. We urge you to do some research and get to know the facts behind why we need to protect these important migratory fish!
Check out our other stories covering wild salmon conservation and discover why you need to make your voice heard if you cherish these fish.
Dialing in muskie can be a tough task, especially if you’re searching for the biggest ones. So we sat down with Captain Eric Grajewski a Michigan muskie guide to ask for his best advice to get tight to these apex aquatic predators!
Structure
Locating structure that is not obvious can pay off as it did in this case with this fish coming off of a nice rock pile.
This is probably the most obvious to fishermen. You find structure, you find fish. There is your visual structure which can be rocky or sandy shorelines, weeds or a log sticking out of the water, and shoreline points. These spots are easy to find and are worth fishing but they can get fished a lot because they are so obvious. So let’s talk about structure, that can’t always be seen by the naked eye. This is where electronics are so important. Use your electronics for locating a patch of weeds or a rock pile in deeper water. Structure can be as small as a slight change in the bottom such as changing from sand to rock or even just a six-inch change in the depth of water. Much like reading a river’s water current where you have seams and pockets think of the bottom of the lake in the same way. Those changes can and will hold fish.
Forage
A large fish that came from some isolated weeds and forage out in the middle of the lake.
Muskies are predators. They will be in areas where there are good amounts of forage. Some lakes have many structure locations discussed earlier and some have very little to none. Having great structure with lots of bait is ideal but what about when you don’t have that. Use your electronics or even visually look for bait. This sometimes can be out in the middle of the lake with no structure but there is lots of bait. Don’t be afraid to try those spots even when they seem like they are in the middle of nowhere. You will be surprised how often these spots hold fish and big fish.
Feeding Windows
On this day the anglers went hours without seeing anything and then within 45 minutes landed three Muskie.
I am a big believer in the ideal that Muskie generally have feeding “windows†most days. Once in a while, you get the great day where fish are active all day. But most of the time you will find that they are really only active during smaller parts of the day. These windows may last an hour or two or can be as short as 20 minutes. These can be brought on by a weather change or moon phase, but many times it is not totally understood why this happens. So keep in mind just because you didn’t move any fish when you fished a specific area in the lake does not mean the fish weren’t there. They may not have been active at that particular time of the day. If you have an area that has really good structure or lots of bait and you didn’t see any fish, revisit that spots multiple times throughout the day. Soon or later you will hit that spot at the correct time when the fish are active. Unlike some fish, muskie will not always follow or eat every time a fly or bait crosses their face even when presented perfectly. I mostly fish a lake that at any given time I know there can be 50+ fish in that area and I will fish sunup to sundown and may only get two 20 minute windows throughout the whole day where those fish decide to start moving.  So keep hitting those higher confidence spots. Soon or later they will pay off!
Daily Moon Phases (Majors and Minors)
Fishing sunset just after a moon rise.
Fisherman knows about fishing new and full moons. But let’s talk about everyday moon phases, the moon majors and minors. The major is when the moon is halfway between the rise and set (directly overhead) and halfway between set and rise (directly underfoot). The minors are the moon rise and set. With consistent weather conditions, it is believed that Muskie will be more active during these moon phases. I will say I did take three years of data keeping track of all adult fish hooked. Statistically, I did not find any correlation that the fish were more active during these events than any other time of the day. However, there are a lot of Muskie fishermen that I respect greatly that believe in moon phases. Because of that, I will never discount a moon minor or major. If I moved a large fish or know the location of a large fish, you bet I will be hitting that area again around a moon major or minor.
Fly Selection
This Muskie couldn’t resist a black, orange and red fly.
Two characteristics of flies that I want to discuss is movement and color. If I had to pick one that is probably more important I would say most of the time it is fly movement over color. I typically like a fly that glides back and forth with each strip. That’s not to say a fly that rides straight or dives up or down won’t have its day, I just have found that flies that have this glide movement seem to get the most action from Muskie. When it comes to the color choice I try to have one angler fish something dark (usually solid black, black and red, or black and orange) and something light or natural (yellows, whites, tans). If I am going to change color, it is usually going to be a drastic change like going from dark to light or light to dark. Going with a couple of colors you have confidence in and has worked for you in the past is usually better than changing a bunch of times. Much of the time it isn’t going to be the color you have on that isn’t working but more the fish aren’t active at that time.
Bonus Tip
Fly retrieve. Most of the time anglers are going to use the conventional strip/pause retrieve. This works much of the time but doesn’t be afraid to mix in a two-handed retrieve. This is tucking the rod under your arm and with both hands stripping in the line hand over hand. It doesn’t always have to be a fast burn as sometimes they just want a steady fleeing baitfish versus imitating a wounded/dying baitfish. There are days where this is the only retrieve that will get a Muskie to eat. This is a retrieve that can be successful on rivers too especially ones with slower currents.
Captain Eric Grajewski is a master of Muskie fishing on Lake St. Clair. If you have musky on the brain and want to check this beastly fish off your bucket list, check out his website or check him out on Instagram.
For this installment of Nonprofit of the Month, we sat down with Indifly and talked about how they are using fly fishing to help impoverished communities. With projects in Guyana, French Polynesia, and Wyoming, Indifly’s reach is far and growing. Additionally, both of Lucy Kreutz’s films Jungle Fish and Kio Kio document Indifly’s operations in Guyana and Anaa. These locations are all unique and offer world-renowned fly fishing opportunities– continue reading to learn more about Indifly!
Flylords: If you were to give someone a brief summary of Indifly, what would you say?
Indifly: Indifly is a nonprofit organization that uses fly fishing as a tool for transforming the lives of indigenous peoples and protecting valued environments. We help create sustainable local economies that empower communities to conserve natural resources.
The local Anaa community. Picture courtesy of @aussieflyfisher
Flylords: How and why was Indifly started?
Indifly: Indifly was born out of a Costa Sunglasses project to help a village deep in the heart of the South American rainforest. This project and its success formed a natural roadmap to replicate the model in other locations around the world. The team that worked together on the Costa-led project believes in sustainable local economies that empower communities to conserve natural resources and a world in which indigenous peoples are empowered and inspired by business ownership and environmental stewardship. We knew we could add value to communities, but we needed a vehicle to do so. From this, we formed Indifly!
Anaa offers anglers unmatched opportunities to catch bonefish and other exotic species, such as Bluefin Trevally. Photo courtesy of @aussieflyfisher
Flylords: Tell us about Indifly’s three pillars of sustainability—culture, economic, and environmental—and how they guide your campaigns?
Indifly: These pillars are critically important to the process of achieving our mission. Each is driven by a general philosophy – protect cultural heritage and empower communities (cultural), create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods (economic), and conserve resources through science-based management (environmental). If you’d like to know more about how we go about each pillar, you can find more information on the Indifly website.
Flylords: You guys have launched successful campaigns in Rewa Eco-Lodge (Guyana), Anaa Atoll (French Polynesia), and Wind River Indian Reservation (Wyoming)—care to tell us what goes into picking locations for new campaigns?
Photo courtesy of Daniel Glick.
Indifly: We would love to empower every community with a need, but like most nonprofits, we are limited in capital resources (human and financial), so when we consider investing in a new project, we do so strategically. As you can imagine, a lot of things go into a decision to launch a new project. The Indifly pillars of sustainability help guide our decision-making process. This is a topic we take seriously and multiple factors are taken into consideration. Here are a few:
Indifly’s mission is most often accomplished through the development of community-owned fly fishing ecotourism operations. The first step is understanding if a project is something the community wants. We do not take a financial stake in operations—our role is to serve the communities—so it’s of importance that the community at large is behind the project.
Most of the locations we consider are subsistence fisheries, and we would never want to negatively impact the community’s ability to feed families. An important step in the decision-making process is establishing an ecological baseline by conducting scientific research to assess and quantify the status of local fisheries.
The destination: If successful, the community-owned lodges and guiding operations create environmentally friendly fly fishing destinations that quickly become part of any fly angler’s bucket list. The entire experience has to appeal to anglers.
Trophy arapaima, like this big one, can be found in the waters surrounding Rewa Eco-Lodge. Photo courtesy of @jtklugphotography.
There is much that goes into a decision as important and complex as this. If anyone would like to discuss this topic further, please contact Indifly.
Flylords: While on the topic, did any of those locations give you any unique challenges? How did the local communities respond to ‘foreigners’ (not sure that is the right word) presenting new approaches to their livelihoods?
Indifly: Each project creates many unique challenges across multiple spectrums – expected and unexpected. One recurring challenge is convincing communities that people will pay to come, catch a fish, and let it go!
Flylords: What is it like being on-location for a campaign?
Indifly: It’s always an honor to visit a project or potential project! Everyone involved in our organization is driven by a set of values, and we find ourselves learning as much, if not more, from our local partners as they do from us. Truly, each visit is an amazing experience on multiple levels.
Flylords: Are Rewa Eco-Lodge, Anaa Atoll, or Wind River Indian Reservation accepting anglers yet? They all appear to be dream fly fishing destinations!
Indifly: Yes! We encourage everyone to visit these destinations. Not only is the fishing unique, but the opportunity to immerse in these cultures is an experience you will not forget. If you’re interested in visiting one of these locations please fill out the booking inquiry form on our website or shoot us a note so we can provide additional information.
Flylords: How is Indifly supported? How important are your partners?
Indifly: Indifly carries out its mission through the passion, generosity and support of individuals, purpose-driven companies, and foundations. We have amazing partners and simply put, Indifly could not transform livelihoods, economies, resources, etc. without this support.
These waters are full of Arapaima and give Rewa Eco-Lodge anglers great shots at these prehistoric beasts. Photo courtesy of @jtklugphotography.
Flylords: How can everyday fly fishermen help Indifly?
Indifly: Awareness and financial support!
Tell your friends and family about Indifly. By sharing our story you become an important part of the cause. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and encourage others to do so as well.
We are really excited to soon be launching a vehicle which will provide people with the opportunity to support Indifly by making a small monthly recurring donation. Being part of this new community will come with some benefits including exclusive content, entry into a monthly giveaway (we have lined up some amazing packages), and an annual giveaway (think a trip or time with a well-known guide). Stay tuned!
In the meantime, you can make a donation on the Indifly website. Indifly is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law and greatly appreciated! If you prefer to contribute by check, our mailing address is PO Box 4460, Saint Paul, MN 55104. We will be sure to acknowledge your donation upon receipt.
In September 2018, California passed legislation to require that restaurants not offer plastic straws to customers except if the customer specifically requests it. Many cities have already outright banned the straws in their city’s businesses, but as far as a statewide ban goes this is the first of its kind.
Los Angles put their version of this ordinance into effect citywide on Earth Day (April 22, 2019).
“Under the ordinance, “all food and beverage facilities†in L.A. — including coffee shops, fast food restaurants, street carts, and food trucks — are prohibited “from providing or offering disposable plastic drinking straws to customers except upon customer request.
The ordinance took effect Monday for restaurants with 26 or more employees. It will then be expanded to all restaurants by Oct. 1.
The ordinance is a more restrictive expansion of a state law which was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last September that bars full-service restaurants from automatically giving out single-use plastic straws. However, state law does not apply to fast food restaurants.”
Hopefully, the ban will soon encompass fast food restaurants which seem like they may be the heaviest users of the single-use plastics.
American Express, in a partnership with Parley for the Oceans, announced plans to launch the first credit card made with recovered and recycled marine plastic litter. Parley for the Oceans is an organization focused on combating marine plastic pollution around the world. American Express is the first credit or debit card maker to use upcycled ocean plastics and has also committed to a program designed by Parley to endeavor to continue to reduce its environmental impact.
Pursue a strategy to reduce the use of virgin plastic in Card products.
Phase out single-use plastic straws and coffee stirrers for all its major offices and Centurion airport lounges globally within 30 days.
Phase out single-use plastic for Centurion airport lounges by the end of the year.
Set a comprehensive waste reduction strategy to reduce single-use plastic and increase recycling rates in its operations globally by the end of the year.
Pursue zero waste certification for its New York City headquarters by 2025.
Enable American Express colleagues to be a part of the solution by engaging in annual company-run coastal and river clean-ups.
Other steps American Express has taken to become a more environmentally sustainable company include:
Reduced carbon emissions associated with its business operations by 50 percent compared to 2011.
All electricity powering the company’s U.S. data centers and New York City headquarters is from renewable energy.
Nearly 50 percent of the company’s global real estate footprint is green building certified.
$3.9 million has been provided in support of the environment and wildlife through the company’s Gift Matching and Serve2Gether programs in 2017.
Commitment to have 100% of its employee business travel be carbon neutral by 2021.
We applaud AmEx for making these changes and being a leader in environmental impact reduction within the financial banking world. We look forward to seeing more and more companies taking their example and applying it to their own practices!
Flylords caught up with Oliver Sutro, Who is a full-time freelance filmmaker and photographer. His work has been featured with many brands across the industry including Columbia Sportswear, Yeti, Stio, Julbo, Skida, Costa, OPST, Temple Fork Outfitters, and Grundens. Check out the interview below to learn how Oliver makes the magic happen.
A rare selfie of Oliver, a man always behind the lens
Flylords: What is your favorite part of being a filmmaker?
Oliver: I like making things. I think everyone likes making things.
Flylords:Tell us about your camera setup? How important is gear to make it this industry?
Oliver: I started making films with my iPhone. My first paid gig was shot on a canon 6d mk1 and that iPhone. I couldn’t afford anything else. If you don’t have much, you have to embrace it and get creative. A good story can even the playing field. If you have a $100,000.00 camera, but your story is bad, your story is still bad.
When you do get a camera, blackout all the logos with gaffers tape. I think it’s a good message to yourself and others that this number or letter doesn’t matter. You’ll find a lot of people asking what model it is, perplexed, “Is that a prototype?†“I can’t really talk about that.â€
Flylords:Do you have any tips for licensing music?
Oliver: The struggling musician is the struggling filmmaker’s best friend. If you make money, the musician makes money. That’s my rule. You would want the same for yourself.
Flylords: What is your favorite software to use for editing?
Oliver: I started on Final Cut Pro, but I have used Premiere when the job calls for it. I personally prefer FCP. I think it is more intuitive and faster. Having said that, learn either one well and it doesn’t matter at all.
Flylords:How do you try and stand out from other filmmakers in the outdoor industry?
Oliver: I focus on subjects that I really care about, and try to stay true to my inner voice, which is pretty weird. Temple Fork Outfitters (an awesome rod company) let me open a scene with a port-o-potty (See video below). How’s that for inner voice? I’m now best friends with a lot of the guys over there. Turns out I’m not the only one that thought pooping was funny.
It also makes the first scene on my film reel (Below)!Â
Flylords:Any advice for pitching clients on a project or how to get funding?
Oliver: Huh…I was going to ask you the same question. I’ve got a few awesome projects that need funding…
Make work that speaks for itself. Building a portfolio of strong, unique work is invaluable. It’s a chicken-egg scenario, where you need funding to make a good portfolio, and you need a good portfolio to get funding, at least that’s what you think. It turns out, you don’t need funding to make a great portfolio, you need time and effort.
Flylords:What is the best way to find models for a shoot?
Oliver: Friends are models. Be friendly, make more friends, then ruin your friendship by making them work really hard, and then build the friendship back up again by showing them the thing you made about them. It’s a super healthy loop.
Flylords: Any advice for people who want to break into the outdoor industry?
Oliver: Get ready to work harder than you ever have in your life and then see nothing come of it. Making it as a freelance filmmaker/photographer can be brutal, especially when you’re starting out. Success does not happen overnight. Make good work, be good to everyone you meet and always follow up on an opportunity, big or small.
Flylords:How do you juggle taking photos and videos?
Oliver: Basically, every stills/video camera being made right now does a great job at both. Sometimes it’s a bit of a hassle, but I really love doing both, so it’s a gear problem that I’m willing to solve every time I pack my bag.
Flylords:Do you have a favorite project you have worked on?
Oliver: By the time I’m done working on a film, I’ve experienced it hundreds of times. It can be tough looking back, even cringy. My favorite project is always the next one.
Flylords: Anything else you would like to add?
Oliver: Right as we were setting up to shoot that port-o-potty scene, a poop-pumper truck showed up to pump out the toilet. So he watched us as we shot that scene and then he proceeded to pump poop. I still giggle thinking about it.
For more inspiration and killer films check Oliver out on Instagram, YouTube, and on the web.
Featured in Strung Magazine Spring 19′ Issue, “Inland Emperor,” is a story by Connor Cockrell about landlocked stripers. Below is a sneak peek of the article and be sure to get your Strung Magazine Subscription for $19.95 by using discount code LANDLORD.
“Morone saxatilis is a juggernaut, ranking as the preferred consumer of baitfish patterns from New Jersey to Arkansas. Typically anadromous, lakebound stripers found across the southern United States run up tributary systems to spawn – remnant behavior deeply ingrained in their DNA. They’re rarely successful because striper eggs need significant turbulence to stay off the river bottom which lake headwaters normally can’t produce. Whereas black bass, white bass, and salmonid eggs hatch on river and lake bottoms, striped bass hatch in open water several days after fertilization.
The first “landlocked†anadromous stripers were found in the Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina. Historically, stripers would run out of the Atlantic and into the Santee and Cooper Rivers to spawn but became trapped inland when the Pinopolis dam was built in 1941, thereby forming lakes Marion and Moultrie. The state natural resources department began stocking stripers once they realized they could help sustain wild populations by artificially inseminating females’ eggs in a large tank with male sperm. The program continued to grow over the following years; now, any lake-dwelling striper in the United States today most likely originated in South Carolina.
Stripers were introduced in lakes around the country primarily as a population control mechanism for shad populations. Shad consume the eggs of attractive – and lucrative – game fish species, making them an enemy of well-intended anglers and fishery managers. Because of their preference for these small swimmers, anglers typically throw lures and flies that resemble the lake’s typical size and color of forage fish. Striper fishing is a unique game when specifically targeting them, but black bass fishermen often catch them when casting topwater lures early in the morning or fishing from rocky banks and points throughout the day. The differences in approach between bass species are myriad”……for the full article get your issue of Strung Mag.
Flylords readers use promo code LANDLORD for a one time option to buy a special introductory subscription at $19.95/year (save $33 off the newsstand price). Offer is valid through May 1st. Click the link here to start your subscription.
With its vast stretches of wilderness, the Norwegian tundra holds endless opportunities of crystal clear rivers. The salmon run wild and lake upon lake upon lake provides some of the best hatches you can imagine. With weeks on the road to explore the rivers of Finnmark, we were sure that this would be a trip to remember!
The van completely filled with gear, we ventured off on the 24-hour drive from Oslo, through Sweden and Finland. As every hour passed, we witnessed the scenery change, knowing we were getting closer to some of the best fishing Norway has to offer.
Three and a half-mad fishing tales later, we were there. A short yet sweet night’s rest was all we would get, but with the aid of some thick, gritty, tar-black coffee we found ourselves at the river bank and our first location.
With great expectations, we worked our way down the usual way, one cast at a time. Throughout the day we encountered several fellow fishermen. But neither of us or them would the fish be fooled. No bite. Nada.
Days went by, arms got sore from the constant casting as well as legs, from constantly moving.
So far we already knew the season had been pretty bad, but this was way worse than we could imagine. I’m not going to lie; at this time, the moral was pretty low.When the invitation came to fish the sea pool on a private stretch that hadn’t been touched for a while, we knew. This was it! Morale back at 100%. With confidence, we made our way to the river, rigged up and ready to go.The river ran clear, the sun was setting and fresh sea-run salmon were entering, stirring up the pools. Not another fisherman in sight. Not long after, the tug finally came, and it came hard. punching the rod followed by an almost violent scream from the reel. It was on! We all came running over to assist, laughing eagerly and screaming. It was safe to say we were a bit malnourished. What came after gave us a good shock.
 It’s a f.. sea trout!!
..and a beast trout it was. Giant, shiny, obese and beautiful. Not the fish we expected at all, but hey, can’t complain when the trout of a lifetime decides to eat your fly.
It’s been a tough trip so far, but finally, we could all lower our shoulders. Our bodies and minds where refueled with motivation and power. Power to trek deeper, and carry on.
We fished our way through miles of water, saw lots of jumpers, but it was still tough. We did end up catching and safely releasing some beautiful Atlantics throughout the weeks, however, the amazing sea trout was the real trophy this time.
With hopes for a better 2019 season, we already started planning the next trip up north on our drive back home.
Burunduk is our second film from Mongolia. This expedition is unconventionally presented by the girl called Lea, a new member of our team, who watches us in pursuit of Siberian Taimen.
In this expedition, we did not just catch fish, but we also traveled through various Mongolian countryside locations. We have become more familiar with Mongolian customs and traditions than ever. We even traveled to Mongolia-Russian border to find the original Mongolians called “Tsatans” who live in tents and run their local shaman traditions.
This film points to the spirit of Mongolia and unconventionally brings the Mongolian way of life to the screen.
Be sure to check out the Catch Me crew, on Instagram @michal.vavro and if you’re interested in joining them on one of their adventures be sure to check out their website https://catchme.fish/#
With its vast stretches of wilderness, the Norwegian tundra holds endless opportunities of crystal clear rivers. The salmon run wild and lake upon lake upon lake provides some of the best hatches you can imagine. With weeks on the road to explore the rivers of Finnmark, we were sure that this would be a trip to remember!
With great expectations, we worked our way down the usual way, one cast at a time. Throughout the day we encountered several fellow fishermen. But neither of us or them would the fish be fooled. No bite. Nada.
When the invitation came to fish the
The river ran clear, the sun was setting and fresh sea-run salmon were entering, stirring up the pools. Not another fisherman in sight. Not long after, the tug finally came, and it came hard. punching the rod followed by an almost violent scream from the reel. It was on! We all came running over to assist, laughing eagerly and screaming. It was safe to say we were a bit malnourished. What came after gave us a good shock.
