Our entry to the 2016 International Fly Fishing Film Festival shares a small portion of my story and my take on the evolution fly fishing is continuing to experience. One Christmas when I was 8 or 9-years-old, my dad bought me and my brother fishing poles. My dad wasn't an angler or really even an outdoorsman, but he was a good dad. Our trips usually consisted of a bit of swearing and not many (or any) fish to hand. Regardless, I fell in love. I was 12-years-old when I started fly fishing. A friend had an cheap kit that he no longer wanted and for unknown reasons, I offered to take if off his hands. I didn't have any family or friends that fly fished and literally knew nothing about it, but I bought it anyway. Russ, at the local fly shop took me under his wing and helped me learn the ropes - including tying my own flies. It took a long time for me to get the hang of it and I never had any instruction on the water but eventually I figured it out. Once I could drive, I spent summer days alone in the middle of nowhere enjoying the fruits of angling in solitude. Those were much simpler days than now.
Technology has brought a lot of change to fly fishing - some good and some bad. Over the last 20 years in the sport, I've had the unique opportunity to spend a decade fishing almost exclusively in solitude to becoming quite involved in the online fishing community. There's a lot to be said about the current state of fly fishing, and while this film doesn't go into too much depth exploring that conversation, the message I am stoked to share is that we live in a day where we can share in those amazing moments we all have on the water. Bonds can be formed and community can be built. It's a choice. As with any developments or changes, there is always the good and the bad. It's our choice whether or not we want to help bring the fly fishing community together. If we're still willing to work for it, the fishing is as good as ever.
Written by Nate Gunn & Nate Leavitt
Produced by Nate Gunn & Nate Leavitt
Directed by Nate Gunn
Director of Photography: Nate Sorensen
Photography: Blake Hansen
Edit by Nate Gunn
Voice Over: Nate Leavitt
Anglers: Nate Leavitt & Spencer Higa
Special Thanks To:
Our Sponsors: Orvis, Smith Optics, Lander, and Causwell
Bryson Bell
Kenji Tsukamoto
Stephen Gelp at Lensworks
Brent Merriam at Nemo
Justin Roth at Petzl
Ridgemont Outfitters
Brady Mortensen
Shot on Red Epic, Kowa Anamorphics
Check out more from the trip;
The Outbound - theoutbound.com/articles/through-the-woods
Lens Distortions - lensdistortions.com/behind-the-scenes-through-the-woods-orvis/
The Inertia - http://goo.gl/93G3kV
Outside Magazine - http://goo.gl/ogpGfv
Contact: nate@outsmartingfish.com