Salomone: Who watches fishing?
Courtesy photo
I grew up fishing. Never knew life without angling in it. Fishing was just part of who we were. In the early ’90s, a movie came along that captivated young anglers rooted in largemouth bass and rubber worms. “A River Runs Through It” made fly fishing cool. It presented fly fishing as a part of the Maclean family — part of who they were.
I had never seen a movie that exalted fishing in such a way, and I liked it. As a kid enthralled with angling, this movie made me pay attention. The film had gorgeous scenery, a story about brothers (I have two) and it elevated fishing. Intrigued, I learned about fly fishing as soon as I moved to Colorado in the fall of 1992. And I have never looked back.
It is weird how a film can influence who we are in real life. All the Hollywood glitter and flash never seemed to coincide with fishing, until then. I still watch the movie; if I catch myself scrolling through channel selections and see the title, I click on it. It always feels comfortable, like a happy place.
“Jaws” was another fishing movie, if you can call it that. It influenced a generation, though not in the most positive light. It was a story on a big screen that shaped the psyche of moviegoers in a way that had not been done before. People who watched the movie never approached the ocean the same.
More recently, the fly-fishing movie “Mending the Line,” embraced fishing as the connective tissue in the healing process a veteran experiences. Every so often, a fishing inspired film makes for worthwhile watching.
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Short films about fly fishing have become big business with the popularity of the annual fly-fishing film tour. Much in the same way that Warren Miller films get snowboarders and skiers pumped up for the coming ski season, the fly-fishing film tour does the same to fly anglers suffering from cabin fever and a late-winter snow/ice aversion.
What is the fly-fishing film tour? It’s a collection of short films about fly fishing from all over the world. The tour started almost 20 years ago. Anglers, photographers and amateur film makers all heard the call and began compiling clips into attractive and entertaining short movies. The majority of the short films are around 10 minutes in duration. Check out flyfilmtour.com to find information about submitting films and to watch movie previews.
The Riverwalk Theater, Vail Valley Anglers and other sponsors proudly support an evening of camaraderie and entertainment centered around our passion sport on March 13, 2025. Tickets are $25 and the proceeds from the film tour benefit the local Eagle Valley Trout Unlimited chapter.
Ticket holders can expect opportunities to win raffle prizes, drink free beer (as long as it lasts) and reconnect with friends only seen in passing at boat ramps. A happy hour is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m. with films running from 7 to 9. Vail Valley Anglers have purchased the first one hundred beers. Get there early and have a couple free drinks courtesy of Vail Valley Anglers.
Two of the movies on the roster for the evening that I am looking forward to viewing are “Mouse Trap” and “Bumpyland.”
“Mouse Trap” follows two guides on a quest in darkness to connect with the largest brown trout of their lives. Bathed in the glow of lunar light, these anglers tempt the meanest, baddest trout they can find. They chuck rag doll-sized flies and strip them across the surface under the dark of night repeatedly until finally a leviathan emerges.
“Bumpyland” is one of the films I await with some anxiety and anticipation. After having three parrotfish take my fly and bully me around on the Palm Beach Inlet in Florida last summer I have a score to settle with the brutes. One of them ate my small crab fly then proceeded to rock me to the point I almost lost an entire fly line. I can only imagine the power in one the size of the fish on Providence Atoll.
Join fellow anglers from across the valley for an evening of laughs, prizes and heart-pounding, fly-fishing action. From everyone at Vail Valley Anglers, we will see you at the show.
