Review: New film is an extraordinary celebration of fly fishing

Screen “Drift” at The TroutHunter Friday night

_{By ELIZABETH LADEN}

ISLAND PARK — Two thumbs up to the new, full-length fly fishing documentary, "Drift," that will be screened at The TroutHunter Lodge at 7 p.m. Friday, September 26.

A Confluence Film production, "Drift" features a segment filmed in Kashmir, India starring two Island Park fishing guides, Travis Smith and Jon Steihl.

“Drift” is the best fly fishing documentary I have ever seen, and I watch many. I love to fly fish, and enjoy viewing films about the sport just for the eye candy of a perfect cast, a drift boat’s oar slicing the stream’s surface without a splash, the fish ripping through the water after it’s been hooked and slinking away, alive for another time, after the release. I love to watch a good angler tie on a fly he knows will work, and I love the scenery. Fly fishing waters are always in beautiful, interesting places, with mountains, wildflowers, birds, and wildlife to soak up when the fish aren’t active.

“Drift” has all these images, filmed and edited with perfect rhythm — a delicious, coffee table book of a film. Fast motion getting to the water — don’t we all do that? Slow motion when there’s something wonderful happening that we never want to end. Black and white at times in India when a world besieged by conflict seems off color and even frightening.

“Drift” has no chatter about fishing techniques, hatch-matching, and gear to interfere with the enjoyment of its images. Don’t you hate the canned electronic music that so many outdoor films use? I do, and watch them with the sound off. “Drift’s” soundtrack sports the acoustical folk music of the places where it is filmed, with just a small but appropriate burst of jazz in one segment.

My favorite — Bonefish Charlie, owner of the Bang Bang Club in the Bahamas and a world renowned guide, entertains us with folk tunes sung with his bluesy, raspy voice accompanied by his twangy banjo. I want to wake up there tomorrow!

Directed by Chris Patterson, produced by Jim Klug, and written by Tom Bie, “Drift” was shot around the world, with segments on Oregon's Deschutes River, Utah's Green, Colorado's Frying Pan, Montana's Bighorn, and in Belize, the Bahamas, and Kashmir.

You will love meeting the guides who have made these waters the hearts and souls of their lives.

Drifting through every segment is the powerful conservation message that is fly fishing’s hallmark — catch and release, don’t just fish the water, do something to ensure that it’s fishable for future generations.

Friday’s experience will be an outdoor screening on the banks of the Henry's Fork behind The Trouthunter. A large screen will be set up for all to enjoy. Please dress in multiple layers and bring a lawn chair and blankets.

This event is a benefit for the Henry's Fork Foundation. Tickets are $10 at TroutHunter on the night of the show.

The "Drift" DVD is a must-have in your nature library — you will want to pop it in your player often. You can hear the film without watching it, watch it without sound, or turn up your speakers, kick up you feet, and treat yourself to the full experience.
For more information and info on purchasing the DVD when it is released in October, go to confluencefilms.tv

This is part of the September 19, 2008 online edition of The Island Park News.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you. Click here.