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10. BENT(Simms Shoot Out Winner)

Back in April when this video was released, I must have watched it 10 times. Well thought-out, great editing and camera work with hilarious moments this piece from Montana Wild is a super fun video to watch. It’s particularly rewarding (and all-too rare) to watch a very skilled angler sting a bunch of fish and Dan “Rooster” Leavens is perfect for the role. This film was the runaway winner of the Simms Shootout in 2013. I really enjoy the music, the dynamic and diverse shots, the pacing, and to think it was done in 3 days is a pretty amazing feat. Without further adieu, here is BENT:
(Contains NSFW language)

Awesome year Travis and Zach. Looking forward to more awesomeness in 2014.
Number 9 tomorrow. What is that crawling down your neck?

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11. Tailout

You feel the anticipation build as your fly swings across the tailout of a beautiful run. After several hundred casts down the long run you have seen river otters and a bald eagle. A couple small trout toyed with your fly. Was that a boil just under your muddler? Question asked and answered within seconds as a pissed off 15lb. torpedo heads for the pool below. For the first time in your fishing career you feel helpless and left awestruck by the untamed nature of a wild steelhead.
Tailout by Scumliner Media exquisitely captures the allure of chasing these magnificent creatures in their turf. A film this good takes not only skill but sacrifice on the part of the film maker who must sit for hours wondering how to make casting look good on film in between the brief but exciting flurries of action. Like other Scumliner Media videos the editing and camera work is excellent, the sound and interviews are well done and the excitement and beauty of the setting are captured perfectly.

Awesome film and edit John. Brings me back to some great times swinging in Steelhead Paradise.
We are now moving into the top 10 list. No David Letterman but instead 10 of the best fly fishing films of the year.

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13. Cold Blue Nights

As one that enjoys throwing purple chubby chernobyls at selective rising fish and dead drifting steelhead flies, I get a kick watching others that think outside the box. I can’t stand the idea that there’s only one way to do things. This creative and well-done short by The Fly Collective (the talented team of Russell Schnitzer and Ivan Orsic) is a novel look at one hardy angler’s adaptation to a fishery on the heavily pressured Blue River in Colorado. Its not easy filming or fishing in the cold and the dark but the crew captured plenty of distinctive urban scenes and the musical choices were spot on.

Great first effort gentlemen, and the carp follow-up was equally cool. Love the storytelling aspect and look forward to 2014.
#12 will be Friday night worthy!

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14. Fly Fishing Vibes with Hooke in Patagonia

Incredible energy and enthusiasm. Professional productions flawlessly edited and filmed. Great fishing and scenery. If you have not seen fly fishing videos from Hooke before you’re in for a real treat. These French Canadians are prodigious producers of some of the best fly fishing films available. The majority of their focus is typically eastern (Atlantic Salmon, Great Lakes Steelhead etc…) but for this endeavor they travel far to Patagonia to capture some wonderful footage. The guys seem so cool they could lowhole me, catch a trophy steelhead, and I’d high five them while giving them my last brew in the cooler. I have included the full length video (33 minutes) and the shorter teaser. Enjoy the vibes!

The shorter trailer:

Amazing work Hooke. Love the vibe!
#13 tomorrow is proof you don’t have to travel far to have a good time.

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15. It’s Hardly Ever Like That

Slowing down the tempo tonight is a classy piece from Jazz & Fly Fishing. With nights getting longer and days getting colder, this Scandinavian film is a great reminder of longer days on the horizon as well as the promise that you’ll hit “one of those days”. As always, the music is perfect and performed by Jazz & Fly Fishing. Editing, camera work and sound are top-notch. I also find the humor and gentle nature refreshing. Lastly, this is likely the first fly fishing film with a reference to Petter Northug.

Always a pleasure to watch (and listen to) your work Jazz and Flyfishing.
What will be on tomorrow’s menu served hot at 9pm?

OBP’s day that stokes the fire till next fall.
https://vimeo.com/75841725

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16. Cielo Grande

You buy a GoPro, head down to the river, cast some line and chuck some bugs. If you’re lucky you catch a few nice fish all of which are captured from your noggin’ mounted camera. Now you upload the video and wait for instant web celebritydom. You hope a few big flyfishing industry types will come calling and start giving you some free schwag. Maybe you will be on first name terms with April V.

After a few months, you start wondering why your awesome video has only 42 views on Youtube. Aunt Jackie accounted for half of those. Hmmm. What happened?

Ivan Orsic’s Yukon Goes Fishing has been laying it down before GoPros hit the scene. He’s made over 50 videos. Each one is creative, extremely well-edited and synchronized with the tune. The pacing is a LeBron fastbreak. The cuts are Chris Paul. 95% of GoPro fishing videos resemble security camera shots of the janitor sweeping the Knicks locker room. Watch some YGF videos. Be inspired. Add your flourishes and catch some good fish. Show us the goods. Have fun. Take notes. The master class is in session:
https://vimeo.com/72149243
Extra credit (released on Sunday December 15th).
https://vimeo.com/81914262
You the man Ivan, keep on killing it!
No. 15 is simmering in the crockpot. It will be good.

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17. REEL Love

Another film from central Oregon, REEL Love is the first from the team of Kellan Broderick and Austin Montreil Leonard. I REELLY hope it’s just the beginning! These guys have an eye for capturing the essence of a great time on the water. Well shot with solid editing and pacing, a good tune from Moby, and some sweet lake action for acrobatic rainbows. Most importantly, I like the genuine nature and humor in the piece as well as the appreciation that was shown for the awesome fish they caught. More please.

You guys got game, lets see an encore next year!
#16 tomorrow just might be a double feature.

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18. ‘boo

So here is what I learned in this video: combine some sweet scenery and healthy trout from the Big Sky state. Throw in some stunning bamboo rods(made by Sweetgrass Rods) and shake with a killer soundtrack from the Montucky Cropdusters. Stir in the impressive skills behind the lens from John Arnold (Scumliner Media) and what do you get… one helluva entertaining video! Damn where did summer go?

Great stuff Scumliner!
Stay tuned as tomorrow will bring another round of summer trouty goodness.

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19. The Town Ninja

This summer, film makers RA Beattie and Steven Yochum teamed up to produce a sweet short about a young anglers (Timmy Yochum) daily life which revolves around work and fly fishing (something we can all relate to!). Shot in and slightly upstream of Bend Oregon, this is yet another crisp edit from RA who is one of the very best in the business and is a fixture on the film tours. The film seems very real, with no pretension, and it works well with the mix of in-town and on-stream fishing shots. The use of soundtrack, narration, and great slo-mo camera work make this effort very rewarding to watch.

Great job to RA, Steven and Timmy!
#18 is up tomorrow!