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5 Reasons Why There is Nothing Like Exploratory Fishing…

Patrick Perry
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2
5 Reasons Why There is Nothing Like Exploratory Fishing…

We spoke with Jako Lucas of Capt Jack Productions about why he loves exploratory fly fishing across the world and how that interest led to the film, “Bokong”, about a pioneering fly fishing trip for Yellowfish and trout in the African nation of Lesotho. 

1.Planning and Anticipation

It’s my belief that fly fishing is on ofe the most challenging forms of fishing in the world. Fly fisherman are constantly evolving and we keep challenging ourselves in every aspect of our sport. Personally, I love to fish new destinations, especially if it is a place that has never been fished by anyone else! 

However, as amazing as that might sound, there is always the looming possibility that you might fail. Therefore, planning is key to exploring new destinations. It can be very challenging as there are a lot of different variables you have to consider and being able to understand all the elements involved, whether it be within or without your control, this ranges from tides, moon phases, water temperatures etc. 

Once you have poured over every detail and done as much planning as possible, the anticipation and excitement start. 

2. The Journey
We are lucky enough that fishing helps push us to explore some amazing places, and more often than not it’s the journey to get there that makes it an adventure worth sharing. 

The more time I spend fishing these amazing new places I have realized that it is very important to enjoy the journey just as much as the destination. There are so many things to see and experience, and it will just take the trip to a whole new level when you sit back and enjoy the journey.

3. The Unknown
As I said before, there is a very high chance of failure. There is also a lot of trial and error, so you have to be willing to fight through the hard times. However, in saying that, if you have done enough prepping and you work hard and give it everything you can, the reward is just so satisfying and life-changing. It is this element that will drive you all the way through the adventure to a better understanding of not just your skill but also your abilities and a deep respect for the majesty of nature.

4. Being a Pioneer
There is nothing better than the adventure of going out to a place that has not been fished by another person or very few have had the courage or privilege. This might not be for everyone, but it is definitely a very exciting thing for me, especially if you succeed. 

5. The Reward
The reward for me is the ability to successfully bring all these elements together, to not only catch a fish myself but to put a client in a position to catch their fish of a lifetime. I love all the extreme elements of exploratory fishing… where you would mostly find yourself in the middle of nowhere surrounded by all kinds of obstacles, without the possibility to of a quick phone call and all you have is your instinct. It not as extreme as the movie Castaway, but there definitely is a sense of danger that lurks around the corner, and most importantly, a sense of catching a ‘fish of a lifetime’!

Be sure to check out the full film, available on Vimeo On-Demand here!

Photos Courtesy of Capt. Jako Lucas and Tourette Fishing!

https://theflylords.com/2019/03/11/15-year-old-maxine-mccormick-is-a-fly-casting-phenom/

https://theflylords.com/2019/03/09/5-tips-to-get-hooked-up-in-the-new-zealand-backcountry/

https://theflylords.com/2019/03/06/frank-and-jeanne-moore-wild-steelhead-sanctuary-legislation-passed-in-the-senate/

The Patagonia Boots We All Have Been Waiting For, Have Arrived…

Dan Zazworsky
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0
The Patagonia Boots We All Have Been Waiting For, Have Arrived…

Patagonia just released their newest line of wading boots in partnership with Danner Boots. Each pair is manufactured by Danner Boots in Portland, Oregon. These boots have been in the field being meticulously tested by Patagonia’s team of Ambassadors and are finally available to the public.

There are 2 versions of the new Danner-built boots, the River Salt Wading Boot and the Foot Tractor Wading Boot. The River Salt is a lightweight model designed to be used where ever you are fishing and feature more flexible materials making them perfect for long hikes to the river or day-long wades on the flats. The Foot Tractor Boot features a stiffer and more stiff and durable upper and comes with options for Felt and rubber soles, as well as an option featuring Patagonia’s classic aluminum bars for grip in any wading situation.

Discover how each boot is handmade in this video from Danner Boots:

Discover all about the new boots on Patagonia’s website, here.

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15 Year Old Maxine McCormick Is a Fly Casting Phenom

Dan Zazworsky
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5
15 Year Old Maxine McCormick Is a Fly Casting Phenom

Maxine McCormick has been a name that we have been hearing a lot lately. She’s a fly casting phenom from the Pacific Northwest that has been making waves in the world fly casting competitions worldwide. The Portland native is the youngest world champion caster in the sport’s history winning gold at the latest distance world championship in England with a 189 ft cast, as well as taking gold in the trout accuracy casting competition.

Maxine during practice at the 2018 World Championships as her coach looks on. Photo by Mattias P. Rosell.

We look forward to watching Maxine’s performances this year and are stoked to see more and more young people falling in love with the sport of fly fishing.

Check out Maxine’s latest interview with Outside Magazine, here.

Read more about Maxine’s accomplishments in The Oregonian, here. 

Featured image by Marissa Leshnov.

Source: The Oregonian.

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The History of Sea-Run Trout

Patrick Perry
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0
The History of Sea-Run Trout

This article is presented by Estancia Maria Behety and Una Patagon1a. We had the pleasure of spending an incredible week at Maria Behety and could not speak highly enough about the staff, guides, accommodations, food, and fishing. If this is a trip on your bucket list definitely give them consideration, and feel free to send us an email theflylords@gmail.com for any questions.

Considered the finest trout fishing in the world, Tierra del Fuego’s Rio Grande River and the Sea Run Brown Trout is without equal. A bucket list is never finished without experiencing the catch of one of these giants. The migratory Sea-Run Brown trout has the beauty of a brown with the ferocious fighting of a saltwater fish.

Anglers from all over the world make the annual pilgrimage to the end of the earth, Tierra del Fuego. Remote rivers, formed in the Andes eventually reach the South Atlantic where plentiful food supplies attract the trout. 

The Rio Grande, a river located in Tierra del Fuego is home to Sea-Run Brown trout. The fish average 8 to 12 pounds. The river is renowned for producing trout exceeding 20 pounds and records of 30 pounds or more.

The History: Well let’s say John Goodall wanted to do a bit of fishing. The Englishman stocked two tributaries of the 75km Rio Grande with brown trout in 1935. The world at the time was a much different place than it is now. Travel to Argentina was by steamship that took weeks instead of hours. Even though there were formidable challenges, Goodman arranged for a delivery of 100,000 brown trout eggs, from Puerto Montt Chile. The cans were packed with water and moss when exported to Goodman’s estancia in Tierra del Fuego.

Sixty thousand of those planted eggs survived. The trout that did survive found the waters to be devoid of any substantial food. The fish moved their way to the mouth of the Rio Grande and discovered fertile fields of krill, where they flourished.

The Sea-Run Brown trout remain in the waters of the Rio Grande for up to four years after hatching. The trout then head back out to sea. The trout remain in the Atlantic for up to a year before heading back to the Rio Grande for their first spawning. On their initial run, the fish will average around six pounds. One of the greatest gamefish, after spawning the Sea-Run Brown trout heads back out to the Atlantic for feeding. In contrast, the Pacific Salmon spawn and die. Some of these aggressive trout will return to the Rio Grande four to six times. Many of these fish can weigh up to 20 pounds and world records are 30 pounds and more.

Chromed Sea-Run Brown trout start to enter the lower pools of the Rio Grande in December. Peak fishing times are unpredictable as the fish maintain their aggressive spawning into the initial part of the year. April is often overlooked as a peak-fishing month. However, the month can bring the angler a world record catch. The trout have now migrated into the Rio Grande and are at their peak weight. Tierra del Fuego winds are diminished, water is at its lowest level, and the Sea-Run Browns are concentrated in pools all along the Rio Grande.

Genetics and metabolism play a vital role in the Sea-Run Browns migratory patterns. In the extensive waters of the Rio Grande, the trout have no natural predators. Studies have indicated that the Sea-Run Browns of the Rio Grande are 17% bigger than other trout of the same length. It is believed a robust population of around 80,000 thousand adult Sea-Run Browns inhabit the Rio Grande. The aggressive catch and release program has produced trophy trout up and down this extraordinary river.

Tierra del Fuego is at the tip of Argentina and gained its name from Ferdinand Magellan in 1520. The “Land of Fire” is home to an incredible array of wildlife that survives and thrives the ever-changing weather patterns. Warmer months allow visitors to hike Tierra del Fuego’s National Park. Visitors can also visit one of the great natural spectacles, the Martial Glacier.

When it is time to confront the Rio Grande and the Sea-Run Browns there are numerous lodges and guide services available.

Una Patagon1a is a lodge union looking to promote and develop the region of Patagonia. They have partnered with the best 14 lodges in the region so far, including Maria Behety – whom we fished with on this recent trip. We had the pleasure of fishing with the Una Patagon1a founder on this trip to learn more about tourism in Patagonia, and how they are working with these lodges to bring more people to this region. 

The Lodges:

The Estancia Maria Behety fishing lodges are 2 of the premier fishing lodges at the Rio Grande and stand as one of the best fishing destinations worldwide. These two lodges accept a combined maximum of 18 anglers and alternate daily use of more than 35 miles (102 pools).

Most fly fishermen rate the trophy sea-run brown trout on this river the ultimate angling experience. On any other river in the world, the average brown on the Rio Grande would be considered the fish of a lifetime.

There are a handful of other lodges located on or around the Rio Grande watershed: Kau Tapen, Estancia Despedida, Villa Maria Lodge, and Worlds End Lodge. However, if these giant sea-run browns are what you are after look no further than the 102 pools of Maria Behety.

When it is time to book your adventure and make the excursion to the best trout fishing in the world, be prepared. First-time anglers can have a tremendous time with experienced guides helping every step of the way. Experienced anglers will discover the Sea-Run Brown trout a tough fish to bring in. From your initial cast to setting the hook aggressively, there is no fiercer fighter than the Sea-Run Brown.

Techniques: The Rio Grande is an immense river with water levels changing continually. In the latter part of the season, water levels are at their lowest and pools are full. Sea-Run Browns move upstream during the early mornings. The trout seek out cutbanks and faster riffles. Begin each swing as close to a cutbank as achievable. Presentations should be downstream and across, upstream and straight across. Varying presentations, flies, and retrieval are fundamental.

Equipment: Remember you are fishing a fierce rugged fish. To land a trophy Sea-Run Brown takes expert equipment and intelligence. These trout average over eight pounds and a 20-pound Sea-Run Brown is not unusual. Spey style presentations are the experienced angler’s tactic of preference. Single or two-handed rods work well in specialized occasions. Choose rods in the 13 to 15-foot range with line weights of 8 to 11 pounds. Always bring one or two backup rods when fighting Sea-Run Browns.

Reels should have exceptional quality and allow a long smooth drag. The reel should be ready to take 100 yards of 20-pound test line.

Lines on the Rio Grande should be singled out with considerable care. Choose a weight forward line for best results. When the Sea-Run Brown is more surface oriented, a floating line is a great choice in those situations. Have complete set-ups for single-handed and two-handed rods. Polyleaders are a prerequisite when fishing the Rio Grande. The best polyleaders are tapered and act as an essential extension to your line. Warmer water conditions call for a delicate presentation, cast your line carefully in this instance. Southwest winds can be used as an asset. Weight forward lines; cast 35 to 50 feet downstream and across.

Pack an abundance of flies in varied sizes. Be ready to change presentations quickly depending on weather conditions and wind patterns. The Sea-Run Brown can be a puzzling fish. What worked yesterday may not affect the next day. Most recently, larger Sea-Run Browns have been taken with dry flies and nymphs. In the latter parts of daylight, choose a black or purple leech. Do not leave home or the lodge without a complete selection, in all sizes and colors.

When you start to pack clothing, recognize you are heading to the end of the world. Tierra del Fuego can change in a matter of minutes. Winds can be gentle or strong gusts — pack for varied climates and conditions.

Every adventurer should acknowledge the legendary Englishman John Goodall for giving future anglers the finest trout fishing in the world.

Charles Darwin wrote; “we had a scene of savage magnificence, well becoming Tierra del Fuego. There was a degree of mysterious grandeur in mountain behind mountain.”

Goodall understood the mystical grandeur of the Rio Grande. It is impossible for the present day person to imagine the struggle of what John Goodall sought to carry out. In 1935, the Englishman wanted to do a bit of fishing.     

To learn more about or visit these fisheries check out Maria Behety and Una Patagon1a.

Here are a few of our favorite Sea Trout Videos:

 

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Streamers in the Snow – Presented by Ross and Abel Reels

Patrick Perry
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1
Streamers in the Snow – Presented by Ross and Abel Reels

I pulled into Mark’s driveway in the predawn darkness of a cold, February morning and parked the truck in about six inches of fresh snow. The storm had begun late the night before and was forecast to continue for the next 36 hours. The garage door was open and my headlights illuminated a pair of snowmobiles. After grabbing his gear bag, waders, and a couple of rod tubes, he walked right past the sleds like they weren’t even there. He continued toward the truck through the falling snow as the garage door closed behind him. I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of leaving the snow ponies in the barn on such a snowy day.

On our way to the river, we sped right by the lines of cars pulling into ski resorts. “These people don’t even know what they’re missing,” I said as I reached for the volume knob on the stereo, “and I’m happy about that”.

The Black Sabbath got louder and the truck went faster. We finally arrived at the river and were greeted with an empty parking lot. I let the truck run while we sorted through gear in the back and put on our waders. The music was still playing.

With our semi-frozen fingers, we threaded sink tip through the cold, metal guides on our seven weights. We tied our boot laces and our blood knots. Mark uncorked a bottle of rye and we each took a big swig. It was cold, it was snowy, and we couldn’t wait to get in the water. Thoughts of streamer fishing often conjure images of flannel shirts and fall foliage. But in reality, with a few small tweaks to your autumn technique, streamer fishing remains just as effective during the darkest and coldest days of winter.

Meter your expectations. The first thing to keep in mind when you abandon your bobber is to also abandon the hope of a twenty-fish day on the river. You simply will not experience the same kind of numbers fishing a streamer in the middle of the winter as you will with midge rig. Generally, the fish you catch will be a little bit larger and the eat is a hell of a lot more fun.

Bigger is not always better. Although giant streamers have been in vogue as of late, the smaller varieties are what I choose when the mercury falls to the bottom of the thermometer. During the winter, rivers are generally lower and more clear than they’ll be for the rest of the year so high-profile patterns designed to push water when clarity isn’t good are simply not necessary.

Instead of a six-inch streamer with three rabbit strips and a spun deer hair head, reach for something a little with more of a classic profile. Variations on old standbys like a Complex Twist bugger, an Articulated Goldie, and other sparse and simple patterns tend to get more attention this time of year.

Slow and low. When the river temperature drops below degrees and fish are in survival mode near the bottom of the river, they generally aren’t quite as willing to swim across a run to eat your fly like they would during the warmer months.

It’s important to slow your retrieve, and in some cases, be ready to experiment with no retrieve at all. Additionally, you’d be wise to fish a sink tip or use extra weight on the leader to get your fly down in the water column.

Be flexible. Finally, you should be thinking of everything outlined above more as suggestions than rules. Part of what makes fly fishing so interesting and fun is that everything is constantly in flux. The conditions you experienced the last time you were on the river will never be exactly the same again, so what worked then very well may not on your next trip. Stay reactive and listen to what both the fish and the river are telling you.

Photos and writing from Mark Rauschenberger, a talented content creator based in Colorado. When he’s not hunched over his laptop with a cup of espresso, you’ll likely find Mark with his wife, Claudia, exploring new water throughout Colorado and Wyoming on their never-ending pursuit of the next greatest destination.

Check out these other winter fishing tips articles:

https://theflylords.com/2019/01/14/winter-fly-fishing-tips-making-the-most-out-of-winter-fly-fishing/

https://theflylords.com/2018/12/23/landon-mayers-5-winter-trout-fishing-secrets/

https://theflylords.com/2017/12/21/5-tips-help-trick-winter-brown-trout/

 

5 Tips to Get Hooked Up in the New Zealand Backcountry

Patrick Perry
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5 Tips to Get Hooked Up in the New Zealand Backcountry

Had the pleasure of fishing in the South Island back country with Shelen Boyes and top South Island guide Chris Dore, who kindly invited us down for a fish with him over a couple of days he had off from work. We jumped at the chance, and the resulting video is one of many spectacular dry fly takes we had whilst surrounded by some of the best scenery New Zealand has to offer! The fish (a nice rainbow jack) was nymphing and rising hard in a foam line dropping off a shallow pebble shelf and had zero hesitation in eating a size 10 Parachute Madam X.1. Casting
It is absolutely vital that you are able to get your fly in the zone and make that first cast count. Fishing long leaders (18-20ft) is common in the crystal clear waters, so make sure you get some substantial practice in before coming over! Set hoops up on the ground at 15-60 feet and cast a variety of weighted, unweighted and different sized flies at them until you are landing them inside the hoops – this will set you up well for most situations you will come across.

2. Fly selection
Having a variety of sizes and different bead colors is also a must in the South Island backcountry. One particular fish on this last trip really showed how changing the bead color of your fly can make all the difference. In this case, a size 12 pheasant tail with a gold bead was being refused every drift by a nice brown which was nymphing hard, moving aggressively a good distance across the run to eat. Chris suggested the same fly with a dark bead, first cast and he smashed it!

3. Take your time
While walking the river, don’t rush! You’ll only end up spooking those fish that emerge at the last second and you’ll also walk past a lot more hidden amongst the rocks on the bottom! When you’ve spotted a fish, take the time to plan. Choose where to cast from, gauge the distance and locate reference points. That way, if you are helping to spot a fish for another angler it is easy to convey to them were to adjust their cast to if the fish moves while they are out of sight of the fish. You might only get a couple of shots at fish during the day so make them count!

4.Etiquette
This is a major, read the signposts on the river access points! Most anglers have notes written as to where they will be fishing for the day, how many of them and what time they expect to back so check the car windows in the car parks as that can save a confrontation on the river. Jumping another angler is a surefire way to ruin their day, and there is no shortage of rivers to fish so if in doubt, fish somewhere else!

5. Be prepared!
The New Zealand backcountry is not a place to be taken lightly. The weather can change from hot and sunny to raining/snowing, windy and cold in a matter of minutes and if you aren’t ready for it, exposure and hypothermia can quite easily put you in hospital, or worse. Make sure you have sufficient food and water, clothing for all situations, and that someone knows where you are going to be fishing and when you expect to be back. A personal locator beacon is also a very good idea (I don’t go backcountry without one) they can be hired over here if you don’t own one personally.

Hopefully, these tips can give you a bit of an insight into what you need for the trip of a lifetime! See you out there.

Connor Andrew is an angler who specializes in the New Zealand Backcountry. Check him out on Instagram @newzealandflyfisher

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Float Into the Afterlife in This Coffin

Dan Zazworsky
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0
Float Into the Afterlife in This Coffin

Forget cremation, this is the way we want to be buried, as long as we can take our secret fly patterns and fishing spots with us. An Arkansas coffin maker, Glory Boats, is making caskets for the outdoorsman who wants to go out in style. They make a few different colors and can also do custom designs.

Hopefully, a drift boat model is in the works however there is no word on whether or not you can include a custom Yeti on the bow…

Source: CBS News. Glory Boats.

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Frank and Jeanne Moore Wild Steelhead Sanctuary Legislation Passed in the Senate

Dan Zazworsky
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5
Frank and Jeanne Moore Wild Steelhead Sanctuary Legislation Passed in the Senate

On February 12th, the U.S. Senate passed the Natural Resources Management Act, which included the Frank and Jeanne Moore Wild Steelhead Sanctuary. The Sanctuary will protect the North Umpqua River Basin as well as the Steamboat Creek watershed. Wild Steelhead use the Steamboat drainage for spawning purposes once the rains of winter open up access to their breeding waters.

Frank Moore has been working to protect the wild steelhead of the Umpqua for decades, bringing to light the negative effects of poor forestry management on stream conditions and fish health.

For more information, hear Frank Moore’s story in the video above or check out PacificRivers.org.

Source: PacificRivers.org.

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Video of the Week: Goodoo

Conner Grimes
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4
Video of the Week: Goodoo

One of my favorite things about fly fishing is the diversity of species that you can target. Murray Cod is a species that has drawn my attention for quite some time, and this film shows why they are such a cool fish to target on the fly. Although I have never had the chance to target them myself, from videos I have seen they remind me of our aggressive smallmouth bass. This fish will be on my bucket list for a while, and I hope to scratch it off one day.

In this film, Josh Hutchins of Aussie Fly Fisher targets these fish on some tiny creeks in Australia. It is so cool to see such a dominant fish in such a small body of water. Check out this full video to see the aggression and power that these fish have.

This video was created by Aussie Fly Fisher. Be sure to check them out on Instagram and Vimeo for more awesome content!

The video of the week is selected and written by FlyLords team member Conner Grimes.

https://theflylords.com/2016/10/09/faces-of-fly-fishing-joshua-hutchins/

https://theflylords.com/2019/02/27/video-of-the-week-summer-haze/

https://theflylords.com/2018/10/28/costa-behind-the-guides-josh-hutchins/

 

F3T 2019 Behind The Lens: The Return

Collin Terchanik
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1
F3T 2019 Behind The Lens: The Return

Next up on the Behind the Lens feature of F3T we had the pleasure to sit down with our good friend Chris Kitchen to discuss his new film, The Return. The film follows the story of Dave Sweet and his efforts in helping to bring back the Yellowstone Cutthroat from the brink of extinction. Along with his daughter, Diana, a fisheries biologist, he will travel into the infamous Thorofare area of Yellowstone, the most remote wilderness in the lower 48, to see if his efforts have been successful and if the trout has returned to its native spawning runs.

The trek in is two days on horseback through some of the most rugged terrain in the west. Not to mention the highest concentration of grizzly bears outside Alaska, combined with extreme weather and unrelenting mosquitos among other challenges. Working with multiple environmental groups and government agencies, Dave has spearheaded the fight to save this native species that is said to impact over 40 species in this pristine ecosystem. Once there, he will get to witness first hand if these native fish have returned.

Flylords: Tell us about who KGB Productions is.

Chris: We’re just an outdoor focused commercial production company. We started in snow sports when we moved to Jackson, and from there we’ve just kind of branched out to all sorts of commercial video work. Definitely with a focus in the outdoor and action space, because that’s kind of where we live and that’s what we enjoy doing, and the stories we enjoy telling.

Flylords: Tell us about the first time this video idea came to mind.

Chris: It was probably like four years ago or so. Talking with a friend of mine, Pete Lynn, who’s an outfitter. I’d kind of been hearing about the Yellowstone trout and the little bit that was going on. Then another friend of mine is a horse pack outfitter and we were talking about trying to do a trip out there. Do a little story on the how remote the Thorofare is and a little thing on the cutthroat trout; just kind of never came to fruition. We were doing the Find Your Water Series with Redington and we kept trying to pitch it to them this idea. They didn’t want to pull the trigger on it, because it was going to be more expensive than the other episodes. We kept pitching it around, but nobody was into it… I just kind of let it go.

Then about two years ago, we were doing some other work for Trout Unlimited here. Doing before and after drone shots of creek restoration. I got to talking with the local chapter and Leslie Steen. I don’t know what her position is, but I was telling her about how I always wanted to do this trip into the Thorofare and film something. She was like, “Oh my God, we’ve been trying to do this trip for two years with Dave Sweet, a Trout Unlimited volunteer, into the Thorofare.” I got in touch with Dave and started talking about the film a bunch.

We didn’t really have the permits or any money, but Dave was like, “Hey, I’m going in with my daughter in June. These are my dates. You guys are welcome to come, but we’re going whether you’re coming or not.” We just hustled and got the permits, some money, and put the trip together. It’s kind of fortuitous, but I’m glad we didn’t do it three or four years ago, because we wouldn’t have had Dave, this great story, and Dave’s wealth of knowledge of the issue. Teaming up with Trout Unlimited and Dave made it so apparent of what we need

Flylords: What was it like filming in Yellowstone?

Chris: Filming in Yellowstone … It was pretty incredible. I mean the terrain there is beautiful… It was a haul in there, but luckily, we had horses to carry a lot of our gear. We were riding horses with the camera pack, which is kind of annoying and you’ll notice most people don’t ride horses wearing a backpack and there’s a reason for that. It hurts the shit out of your back.

I mean such a wild place out there … It’s the furthest from the road you can get in the U.S, which is kinda crazy. It’s not even that far, but it felt really remote, like really wild, you know?

Flylords: What were some of the challenges the crew faced?

Chris: The biggest thing to contend with was the weather, it’d be raining, thunderstorms would come in and change to extreme heat. Then there was the river, but other than that it was just swamp and creeks everywhere. Being in your waders all day carrying around these big camera packs was a challenge.

The mosquitoes were pretty bad at times and trying to hold a camera still with like 700 mosquitoes buzzing around your head sucked. And that’s literally all you can hear…

There were grizzly bear signs every single day; even though we didn’t see them there’d be fresh scat or there’d be prints. It would rain and then an hour later we would see prints in the mud by our camp, and like, “Oh, this bear came in the last hour…’ So that was definitely a concern.

Flylords: Was the fishing as good as you expected?

Chris: There was a little tension the first day because we started pretty high up on the creek and we weren’t seeing any fish at all in the river. Dave’s like, “Man, I’ve been hearing the fish are coming back, but are they really coming back? Maybe it’s really low numbers, maybe we missed the spawn, maybe we’re just doing this trip and nothing’s gonna happen.” Later that day we went further downstream and we came around a corner, saw a couple fish. Everybody got excited and breathed a huge sigh of relief; however, we weren’t really able to catch any. Then we came around two more corners and it was like the heavens shown on us and there were maybe 15 fish stacked up in this little run. That’s when we started catching fish, everybody was cheering.

Once we started catching fish and he got into that, it was like, okay, the fish are back. We’re gonna have some time, we’re gonna get this.

Flylords: Do you have a favorite moment from your film that comes to mind?

Chris: The creek is freakin’ cold because of snow melt. So I brought my wetsuit, underwater camera, flippers, snorkel mask, and I swam a stretch of the creek. We got some good shots and seeing all the fish, insect life, and little reds everywhere was just mind-blowing.

It reminded me of a salmon run. They were just everywhere you went… You’d come over a little ripple then there’d be fish holding on the left and right. There’d be fish moving up and down the creek. That was really the moment where I was like, “holy cow, this is a serious run.” Crazy to think that just five years ago it was almost not even there.

Flylords: What did the crew look like and what were you guys using to shoot everything?

Chris: The crew was me and Matt Hines, who is our other main guy. We were like the main filmers. Then we had Sam Pope who was taking photos, third camera, angle whenever we needed, time lapses, and audio. We had kind of three main camera sets. We had a RED Epic, a 287Rs, with one of those in the underwater housing, and we had a 5v as photos and time lapse. No drones… You can’t drone wilderness area.

Flylords: Was there a low moment on the trip that comes to mind?

Chris: There is, and I guess in the trailer we kind of allude to it, so it’s okay, but there was … Day two going in, five minutes out from camp we had a horse break its leg, and that was pretty intense. You know, you always hear that saying when a horse breaks its leg you gotta go shoot it. It’s one thing to kind of say that and think it’s funny. To actually have to be there when it happens, it was pretty intense.

At that point, I thought the trip was over. I was like day two, we’re done. But then again, Pete and Dave were pretty strong and kind of dealt with the situation. Cause that was one of our pack horses we had to put the load on a different horses, so then me, Matt and Sam just switched off walking the rest of the trip. Actually when you’re talking with no backpack, no water, anything, you can kind of keep up with horses.

Flylords: If people wanted to learn more about the conservation efforts going on with these fish, where is a good place for them to look for that stuff?

Chris: Save the Yellowstone Cutthroat. https://www.yellowstone.org/what-we-do/native-fish/

Flylords: If you guys have a message that you are trying to convey through this short movie. What would that message be?

Chris: I think the one messge of getting involved in conservation. As outdoorsmen it’s up to us to keep these places wild and as pristine as possible. The message to me is that never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens or individuals can really make a difference. You know, Dave didn’t really know what he was doing. He just thought that hey, this is something that’s an issue to me, I don’t want to see this fish disappear, I’m gonna help out wherever I can.

As he got involved, he started to figure out more and more things he could do. So hopefully this inspires people to either do more and get involved, even when they feel like there’s nothing they could do. Or at a minimum at least donate some time or donate some money here and there about issues you care about. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the Yellowstone Cutthroat, it could be something in your own little backyard stream.

The older I get I realize the more that you can’t just buy a fishing license and go fishing and say I’m doing enough. You gotta kind of put your money where your mouth is. Whether that’s with time or just sharing information.

Then really, it’s a success story. You don’t hear that many success stories in the conservation movement these days. Most of its doom and gloom and I think that this film will resonate with people because it is a success story. It does show that if you get involved, you speak up and you do some stuff, you can actually make a difference. And I think that’s gonna be Dave Sweet’s legacy.

Flylords: Are you excited to see the films?

Chris:  Yeah, I’ve seen the film tour and I saw every film in there. They did such a good job of kinda putting that together and taking the good, diverse selection of film. I really liked “Movements” and think that was visually cool.

Special thanks to for photos. Follow his adventures on Instagram @chriskitchen!

Also, follow along with the film tour @flyfishingfilmtour to see where they will be next!

Find out when F3T is in your town, and buy tickets before they sell out!

https://theflylords.com/2019/02/24/f3t-behind-the-lens-movements/

https://theflylords.com/2019/01/22/f3t-behind-the-lens-bounce/

https://theflylords.com/2018/10/12/video-alignment-project-eric-jackson-interview/

https://theflylords.com/2019/02/04/f3t-behind-the-lens-glorious-bastards/

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