George Browne from FishingTV shares some of his favourite fishing films
The London Fly Fishing Fair, if nothing else, made one thing abundantly clear: there is a new generation of young, enthusiastic and energetic fly fishers who are keen to spread the Gospel of Halford far and wide.
Among the well known names at the event - like Matt Hayes and Charles Jardine – were some of fly fishing’s newest stars: James Stokoe, Marina Gibson and Jo Stephenson. They were joined by representatives of a growing cohort of ‘new media’ content creators such as Instagram star Damon Valentine (aka LondonFlyFisher) and the guys behind the up-and-coming fly fishing video and photography agency Chalkstream Fly, Leo Cinicolo and Chris Cooper.
As media consumption habits have changed in the last few years, it is only fitting that the new generation of fishing ambassadors seek out new ways to reach their audience. The likes of Marina, Jo, Damon et al have made good use of social media to further their cause, and Eat Sleep Fish is no doubt reaching audiences that the traditional angling press will never touch. However, the field of fishing film and television has always lagged behind. But, as we have seen in the last few years, the television networks’ status as gatekeepers and tastemakers is being challenged, most notably by streaming services Amazon Prime and Netflix. And this is where FishingTV comes in.
We’re the ‘Netflix of fishing’ (just think #NetFishAndChill) (sorry) with apps for smartphones, tablets, SmartTVs and a streaming website. There’s no joining fee, and no monthly charge, rather a pay-as-you go, On Demand service.
Our aim is to create a Video Streaming platform that offers content creators – like those mentioned above - a space in which to showcase their work; and the public a one-stop shop where they can find the very best fishing shows and films that the world has to offer, all in one place. We believe that anglers are poorly served by the TV exec’s idea of what fishing is, and that we are equally betrayed by shaky phone and body-cam YouTube videos and ‘sponsored’ films that are little more than glorified adverts for tackle companies.
We want as many people as possible to be aware of the incredible variety of fishing video content that exists, and the astonishingly talented videographers, directors, camera crews and presenters who are working in this area. Recent advances in camera technology (both underwater and airborne) have opened the doors to further creativity, while new and exciting destinations are being explored and documented all the time. Filmmakers are really using these tools to their advantage.
So to help readers of Eat Sleep Fish to find this amazing content we’re going to be contributing regular articles making some recommendations for what’s hot in the channel, whether that’s a film that we particularly love or simply the newest addition. We’ve also created a special sign up page for Eat Sleep Fish readers where if you sign up you get 20 viewing tokens, double the usual amount, enough for about two hours of amazing fishing content.
So without further ado, here is our first batch of suggestions for you to check out. We’ve gone for a selection that best reflects the range of content that’s available on FishingTV, from ‘how to’ videos to serious adventures and all that’s in between.
1 – Only the River Knows
This is probably the strangest and hardest to classify film in the entire FishingTV library. Is it a documentary? Is it fiction? Is it comedy? Tragedy? That’s for you to decide.
What we are sure of is that this film, set between New Zealand’s stunning South Island and Scandinavia, is one of the best examinations that we have seen of the occasionally tenuous relationship that fishermen have with the truth, and that the director’s use of filming and editing techniques show a real understanding of the visual language of cinema.
Watch the full video here [http://www.fishingtv.com/episode/latest-videos/only-the-river-knows]
2 – Stealth with a Fly
New Zealand’s wilderness rivers are legendary among anglers for the huge trout that they hold.
In this feature length film fishing guide Dean Bell shares hints and tips on how to stalk these notoriously spooky fish, advice that will serve trout-bums the world over.
Watch the full video here [http://www.fishingtv.com/episode/cinema/stealth-with-a-fly]
3 – Back Country New Zealand
Finally, this two-parter (North Island and South Island) is just straight-up fishing pornography. The two episodes introduce us to a number of anglers for whom the New Zealand bush is the ultimate fishing destination, and as they tell us why this land of volcanoes, glaciers, ancient forests and big fish is so special to them, we get to feast our eyes on these amazing locations and spectacular fish.
Watch the North Island here[http://www.fishingtv.com/episode/cinema/north-island]
Claim your free tokens here [www.fishingtv.com/esf]