Fly Fishers International Film Contest First Place Winner 2022.
Becca reached out to us at Winged Reel to put together a legacy film for her as part of "bucket list wish". A series of life changing diagnoses and decisions led Becca to fly fishing. She's found healing, peace, love, and passion in this sport. As she faces the complete unknowns of a stage 4 cancer diagnosis, she plans to tackle the challenges with as much grace as she can muster, and 2 feet placed firmly in a river.
A fun project for the 5 Rivers club at UGA. Featured as part of “trout week” by Trout Unlimited and Fly Lords.
Join Trout Unlimited and 5Rivers in the 2021 Clean My Water sweepstakes. From September 25th - October 2nd, improve your local waterway and make a post on Instagram using the #cleanmywater for entry. It's simple: just pick the dang stuff up!!! Visit cleanmywater.org for more information
For those who are passionate about the sport of fly fishing, it is a very small community. I previously knew Jacob only through social media. With the less than modest social media handle of, "fly fishing master", i imagined a cocky, know-it-all millennial. But Jacob isn't that at all. Intermingled among his many Instagram and Facebook posts of fishing, were short videos of him playing guitar and drums. I was blown away by his ability and envious of his skills at his age. After running into him on a stream one day, I reached out to him afterwards via direct message on Instagram, set up a day to spend together on the river, and pitched him on telling me his story (with a twist of course).
We carried into the woods and down to the river: car batteries, a power inverter, an amp and guitar, plenty of fishing gear and several cameras to capture us thoroughly disturbing the peace in as many angles as possible. It's an unlikely combination, and if anyone else was on the river within earshot on the day of filming, I'm sure they were left scratching their head (or banging it). It was a great opportunity to connect with Jacob in the real world, outside of social media, learn more about him and his passion for fly fishing and music.
“One Man’s Trash” is another man’s treasure. This journey takes us into remote areas of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, seldom ventured into with fly rods, after a toothy species widely disregarded as trash. I’ve been talking about making this film since 2012 when I started Winged Reel. 2016 was the year and the planning was pretty cumbersome. The Okefenokee is a special place for me. One of the last truly wild and remote areas in my home state of Georgia. Like my life’s reset button, it’s an escape from my every day grind. I look forward to discussing more what went into making this film; including some awesome [and not so awesome] experiences with our filming team of 4 friends in the heat, trashy old boat builds, grown men sleeping in train cars and some serious streamer crushing action.
Thanks to the musical talents of:
Tedo Stone (tedostone.com/)
Josh Thelin; Music Producer, Audio Engineer and owner of All Points Fly Shop + Outfitter (allpointsflyfishing.com/) in South Portland, Maine.
Blue Blood (bluebloodtheband.com/)
This short film tells the story of fly fishing guide and musician, Hunter Morris. We’re lucky to have worked with Hunter during the past year and was glad he let us tell his story of the price you pay to do what you love.
Thanks to Hunter and the members of Blue Blood, Fly Fishing North Georgia, Noontootla Creek Farms, The Earl in Atlanta & all the others who helped put this one together and help get it released.
Music: Blue Blood – This is the Life
Happy New Year! In the midst of record cold across most of the country, I give you a short edit to either boost your spirits, or make you clinically depressed. I love the seasons, but never really appreciate them until their gone. On a hot weekend in July of 2017, we chose to escape the heat in the shadows of the Appalachian hills under cover of the dense laurels and rhododendrons. And instead of carrying a rod, I only carried my camera gear. Jamie knows these streams better than anyone I know and he lead us to the headwaters in search of Georgia's only true native trout.
In several layers of clothes, and as my tiny space heater struggles to keep my basement where I work above 60 degrees, editing this footage is like watching most of my mid-winter dreams. Wet wading in cool stream surrounded by a sea of green, casting weightless little dry flies to voracious mountain trout.
This year we’ve had the pleasure of touring and filming at Noontootla Creek Farms (NCF) in Blue Ridge Georgia on a few occasions. As most who know it are aware, the fishery is incredible with some very impressive and very “clean” fish as a result of a well managed stream and wild trout population. I was lucky to have had a chance in December to see a part of the farm I hadn’t seen, which was one of their upland bird hunts. We worked with Carter Morris, Taylor Morris and their Spaniels Chuck and Belle to film a hunt for quail and pheasant. I’ve done my share of Turkey hunting, but this is my first time around bird dogs in the field and I have to tell you, I’m impressed! Incredibly fun to see the dogs work. It also didn’t hurt that it was an incredibly mild and sunny Georgia December day.
If there is any way possible you could get tired of fishing NCF in a day, a break to hunt birds would surely be a welcomed treat. Noontootla Creek Farms is a one of a kind place for those who love the outdoors.
Visit www.ncfga.net for more information on booking your trip.
Headed out on a Fall morning that was just above freezing temps with pals Brian and Joe for some Fall Bassin’. Sunrise was absolutely incredible and I’m kicking myself for leaving lenses at home. I hate to be the guy to show up with more camera gear than fishing gear but now-a-days that seems to be the norm. I grew up the son of a tournament bass fisherman but dabble very little in bass fishing now. Usually invitation only by someone with a private pond or boat. Can’t say I hate any kind of fishing though. No matter the quarry, I just love the sport. Bass fishing on the lakes isn’t just for the tourney conventional tackle guys. Stripers, hybrids, whites and spots call our GA big lakes home and the cooler weather has fish on the move. Fly fishing is constantly evolving and I try to learn as mush as I can about fishing for all species. Looking forward to searching for the big bass on the fly.
