If it feels like the winter blues are about to descend and that your fishing options will soon narrow down to stillwater trout and perhaps (if you’re lucky) the odd trip for tigers or yellows, fear not. As the 18th (yes, 18th) Fly Fishing Film Tour rolls into Mother Africa, at the very least you can live vicariously through the exploits of others. And boy does F3T deliver some exploits. Expect almost pornographic fly fishing footage, excellent story-telling and deep dives into the brilliant characters found in the fly fishing world. Don’t believe us? Check out the sizzle reel below.
WHAT YOU WILL BE WATCHING
A couple of films we have highlighted from this year’s lineup include local boy gone global Si Kay’s What Lies Above, which covers the change in feeding behaviour of Mexican permit as they begin to eat floating crab flies; Helmut Zaderer’s Rio de Gigantes looking at massive (20lb+) peacock bass on fly in the Amazon and Fred Campbell of Hookรฉ’s work on Atlantic salmon called Only The Salmon Know. Also, keep an eye out for the Marlin Fly Project a fascinating scientific deep dive sponsored by Costa on the billfish of Baja, Mexico. Watch each individual trailer below.
EXTRA ADDED BONUS!
F3T will be accepting two local South African (or somme just African) films this year. The two winners will each receive R2500 and have their film shown at the South African shows. Got something uniquely African that you think audiences will appreciate? Submit your films of no longer than 10-12 minutes to us at info@themissionflymag.com
WHERE TO WATCH
Aside from the usual shows in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, there are two independent screenings happening this year with the Garden Route Flyfishers’s club showing the films in Knysna, while a private fishing tournament is even showing it on Fothergill Island in Zimbabwe’s Kariba Dam.
For the main cities, you can get your tickets from Eventbrite.
Durban – Tuesday 11 June, Barnyard Theatre, Suncoast. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.
Johannesburg – Wednesday 12 June. The Tryst, Woodlands. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.
Cape Town – Thursday 13 June, The Labia Cinema, Gardens. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.
Knysna – Wednesday 29 May. GET YOUR TICKETS via Adventure on Fly.
Fothergill Island, date TBC. To get tickets, best you call in some favours from your Zimbo shummers.
For the latest updates go to flyfilmtour.com or follow them on social at @flyfishingfilmtour
WHAT LIES ABOVE
South African film maker Simon Kay is making headway with his debut Fly Fishing Film Tour feature ‘What Lies Above‘. Read more about Simon and his gear in Issue 43’s “What’s in My Bag”.
“What Lies Above is a film that tells the story of a unique change in feeding behaviour of permit along the Yucatan Peninsula. An increase in the amount of a floating seaweed called Sargassum being driven into the coastline is creating havoc with tourism and the environment as it piles up and rots. However, a crab that the permit in Xcalak, Mexico have learnt to hunt as a regular food source lives in this floating mass. Join Chase Looney and guide Raul Sanchez on the hunt for permit on the surface in this extraordinary town.”
RIO GIGANTES
“Peacock bass unquestionably stand out as one of the most intriguing catches on a fly in the Amazon, and Rio Marie is an exceptional location. Helmut Zanderer had previously targeted various peacock bass species but landing a trophy fish, one exceeding 20 pounds, was uncharted territory for him. Follow him and his team as they venture deep into the Amazon jungle as they chase Cichla temensis, the largest in the family of the peacock bass.”
TRANSITIONS – THE BOW
“This short film features Kate Wilson, her husband and friends, as they seek out to make the most out of the spring โshoulderโ season in search of large brown trout, in between turns up at the local ski hill. This film showcases what taking advantage of your backyard can look like and how two passions can overlap within the same season, spring!”
VISIBILITY
“Lael Johnson, Steelhead guide, navigates Washington waters while unpacking challenges faced throughout his youth and present day. And how these experiences effected him, shaped him, and ultimately saved him.”
MARLIN FLY PROJECT
“The project, which took place in Southwestern Baja, Mexico, December 2022, stands as the ultimate culmination of community and conservation. Led by Costa, it brought together Costa Pros, leading billfish scientists, conservation organisations, and community partners to pursue this mission in tandem with local captains, guides and the San Carlos community.”
RODS, ROLLS AND REALITY ON THE SOฤA
“Swapping paddles for rods, this crew of kayakers attempt to learn how to put the hook in the right spot. Under the emerald waters of Sloveniaโs Soฤa River hides an endemic trout, creating both a classroom and a playground for misadventure.”
ONLY THE SALMON KNOW
“For the past 15 years, Fred Campbell has traveled relentlessly across eastern Canada to fly fish for Atlantic salmon. In the rich territories of Nunavik, Labrador, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Quebec, he has discovered beautiful rivers where these mysterious fish come to spawn. After all these years, his passion and curiosity are still strong. His desire to get in touch with the fish of a lifetime has grown over the years, pushing him to continue learning and exploring. Stories of great salmon have been heard, but for them to take the fly, many factors must align.
This year, to celebrate Hookรฉโs 10th anniversary, Fred went on a trip to three rivers where he had never fished, in search of the fish he had been dreaming of all these years. Accompanied by local guides and good friends, he ventured out on the Causapscal, Patapedia and Restigouche rivers for the trip of a lifetime where only the salmon know why they take the fly.”
A LINE IN THE SAND
“The island of Andros is a pristine ecosystem, with the largest freshwater source in the Bahamas, massive mangrove shoreline, of the worldโs largest barrier reefs, and a legendary bonefish habitat. Now, a small group of anglers and activists are raising their voices in an effort to stop a 5,000-acre limestone mine threatening its future.”
TRIPLE TROUBLE
“For MB, itโs time. Sheโs long dreamed of going to the salt to chase a new species on a fly rod, and now, itโs her opportunity. But thereโs a hitch. Sheโs not interested in the A-list of fly fishing species. Permit? Not right now. Bonefish? Might be nice. Trevally? Well, thatโs a long plane ride. No, MB wants to do this her way. She wantsโฆ a tripletail. For Danielle, saltwater species are home. From the Eastern shore of Mobile Bay, all the way to the Florida Keys, sheโs cut her teeth on every saltwater species imaginable. Sheโs passionate about protecting tripletail and raising awareness for the species. Together, theyโll travel across the south, deep into the Alabama River delta to try and catch what many consider one of the most unique fish in saltwater.”
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Brilliant news and way to go Mission! Garden Route Fly Fishers will be hosting the event in Knysna and we appreciate the inclusion into your schedule as per above.