The Complete Angler - Chapter 3

James Prosek (artist/writer), Fritz Mitchell (producer/editor) and Peter Franchella (cinematographer) produced a Peabody Award winning film documenting Prosek’s travels in the footsteps of the 17th century English writer, Izaak Walton.

Way Upstream now brings you Part 3 of the mini-series - The Complete Angler. In this chapter James fishes a tributary of the Thames in London that Walton fished three hundred and fifty years before, the River Lea. Walton was forced out of London during the English Civil War and returned to the pastoral beauty of his homeland in Derbyshire and the beautiful River Dove in the Peak District.

Way Upstream Productions Copyright 2008

The Complete Angler - Chapter 2

James Prosek (artist/writer), Fritz Mitchell (producer/editor) and Peter Franchella (cinematographer) produced a Peabody Award winning film documenting Prosek’s travels in the footsteps of the 17th century English writer, Izaak Walton.

Way Upstream now brings you Part 2 of the mini-series - The Complete Angler. In this chapter James goes to Ireland to experience what may be the earliest form of fly-fishing, dapping live mayflies impaled on fine-wire hooks for brown trout on the lakes of the Connemara region. He visits with a boy who collects and sells live mayflies to the fishermen, and salmon fishes along the Eriff River.



Way Upstream Productions Copyright 2008

The Complete Angler - Chapter 1

Several years ago, James Prosek (artist/writer), Fritz Mitchell (producer/editor) and Peter Franchella (cinematographer) produced a film documenting Prosek’s travels in the footsteps of the 17th century English writer, Izaak Walton—“research” for his senior thesis at Yale. The film focuses on Walton’s book, The Compleat Angler, a book that many have heard of but few have read. Through Ireland and England, Prosek fishes the same rivers and streams that Walton had. He discovers the art of “dapping,” a method of fly-fishing still practiced now, as it was 350 years ago in Walton’s day. He fishes streams flowing under and around London—spring-fed tributaries of the Thames once central to water meadows, but now surrounded by parking lots and high-rise apartment buildings. And he makes his way into the world of private river-ways, fished by the upper-class who own the land through which the rivers flow. He fishes with English gentry, guides and boatmen, discovering a common bond among anglers that erases social barriers.

Izaak Walton was a simple tailor whose genial nature won him the company of kings. Walton was a proto-conservationist who advocated for the pastoral simplicity that the countryside offered. He wrote the Compleat Angler in the mid-1600s during the English Civil War when different Christian denominations were vying for power in London. Through the course of the book, Walton instructs his fishing companion not only in the technical aspects of hooking, cleaning and preparing trout, chub, pike and eels, but in finding spiritual sustenance in the forest, meadow, and on the stream.

Way Upstream now brings you the video mini-series of the original, Peabody Award winning film - The Complete Angler. The mini series will be composed of the seven individual segments that make up the film. Here’s chapter one, where you'll see James leaving Connecticut for Ireland and England, catching a few trout in his home streams and musing about his youth, fishing, and some Waltonian ideals. He visits the library at Yale and examines a first edition of Walton’s Compleat Angler from 1653. Then he sits for a reading of W. B. Yeat’s poem, The Song of Wandering Aengus, by Harold Bloom.

Paintings by James Prosek

Way Upstream Productions Copyright 2008

Footprint Chronicles

The Way Upstream community has been vocal in its appreciation for the transparency that this blog provides with regard to gear for fishing. It has given the community a voice that didn't really exist before. Well Patagonia has taken things a few footsteps further by becoming the first major apparel manufacturer to track and expose the social and environmental impact of building specific products through The Footprint Chronicles, an interactive website that reveals to consumers the good and the bad involved in manufacturing outdoor clothing such as Synchilla fleece vests and rain shells. In a bold move that might make most companies nervous, Patagonia is determined to be candid and forthright about its impact on the environment and created the site to encourage dialog with its customers who are concerned about the environment.

"Our customers are scientists, activists, professors, doctors and more – they have the collective experience and knowledge we’re looking for," said Casey Sheahan (Patagonia CEO). "We’re highlighting exactly what happens in the manufacturing process and asking customers for their suggestions and help in efforts to find solutions to our less sustainable practices. It’s a unique dialogue to engage in – but one that will ultimately allow us to cause less harm to the planet."

According to Jill Dumain, Patagonia’s director of environmental programs, the research involved in developing the Chronicles has proved to actually drive major business decisions at Patagonia. The Chronicles revealed that transportation makes up only about 1 percent of our overall energy use,” said Dumain. “Had we listened to the current media buzz touting transportation as the largest factor in energy consumption, we might have greatly misplaced our efforts by making strides to geographically shorten our supply chain – which would have massively impacted our business financially, logistically and perhaps even effected product quality – and we would only have reduced our energy savings by 1 percent. Instead, we are focusing our energy on areas where we can truly make a difference – right in the heart of the manufacturing process."

The launch of The Footprint Chronicles puts into practice a prototype that hopes to inspire other companies to increase their transparency, and at the very least, raise awareness.

The Footprint Chronicles includes more than 35 filmed interviews and slideshows of factory workers, farmers, owners, designers and third-party auditors to provide an unprecedented level of transparency both internally and externally - from the factories and manufacturing partners that create its products, to the end of the product’s lifespan.

Press release excerpt by Jenn Rapp

Factory photo by Steve Swartzendruber
Footprint photo by Tim Borski

Leap - The Movie

Thanks for the pix. Here's the film inspired by the Leap Day post.

Old School

February 28th marks the anniversary of the very first Way Upstream post. I would like to thank everyone who has visited and especially those who have joined conversations and made their voices heard over the past year. I consider Way Upstream to be a group effort and I feel fortunate to have a global community of people involved who are willing to gauge risk, share ideas and to take action. Keep it up. Now that Way Upstream has reached the one year milestone do you think this blog can be officially referred to as "old school"?

World Trout

The mission of World Trout is to identify individuals and groups that protect native fish, tell their story and support their conservation efforts. Since its inception in January, 2005 (through March 31, 2007), anglers purchased 41,612 World Trout t-shirts and raised $208,060. World Trout supporters have also been seeking out grassroots groups to donate funds and volunteer their time. Patagonia plans to continue the World Trout efforts which help provide funding for groups who protect fish and enhance natural habitats. Help support grassroots groups in your local areas (fresh and saltwater) by volunteering your time and/or providing financial support. In the case of World Trout, simply buying a limited edition, organic cotton t-shirt can help protect species at home and around the world. Click on the bold text to learn more. Visit a Patagonia Dealer or Patagonia Retail Store near you.

Click here to watch a short video on artist and World Trout co-founder James Prosek.

Teach your children well

First-of-its-kind global study shows "a real and fundamental shift" away from nature
Arlington, VA — February 4, 2008 — New Nature Conservancy-funded research shows that across the U.S. and in other developed nations, people are spending far less time outdoors than ever before. The study will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers say this study — the most comprehensive look yet at nature recreation — is a "grim confirmation" of a long-held theory that people, especially children, are spending less time in the great outdoors.

The research builds on earlier studies that showed visits to American national parks were declining, and it illustrates that the problem isn’t limited to parks — and isn’t just found in the U.S. "As a scientist and a conservationist, I find these results almost terrifying," said Oliver Pergams, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lead author of the study. "We are seeing a fundamental shift away from people's interest in nature, not just in the US but in other countries, too. The consequences of this could be deep and far-ranging for health, for human well-being, and for the future of the planet."

To read the complete article click here.



Way Upstream Productions 2008

Good illustration

Matt Boutet sent me an email recently about a story that Dave Sherwood had just written on an open pit mine project that was forced to close. Matt wrote: "I just heard from Dave, his latest project down in Costa Rica was a story on a recently closed open pit gold mine down there. With all the buzz around the Pebble Mine up in AK and the Felt Soul film coming out, it seems like this is a good illustration of what could happen up there if the project gets the green light."

I sent Dave an email asking him for a short overview on this Bellavista story and he wrote back: "Open-pit gold mines are rarely without their problems. But when landslides ripped across the face of the Bellavista open-pit gold mine in Miramar, Costa Rica, mine officials were shocked. The disaster left 350 unemployed and a potential environmental disaster hanging in the balance. Costa Rica's Gulf of Nicoya, a prime fishing ground for snook, red snapper, corvina and sharks is threatened. Miners blamed God. Activists, townspeople and environmentalists believe it may have been something more. "

To read Dave's story on the Bellavista Mine click here.

Photos by Ronald Reyes and Dave Sherwood

Mongolia teaser

The crew at AEG has released a teaser for their Mongolia film. I asked Thad Robison for his thoughts now that the short segment is ready and the film tour eminent. Here's what he had to say:

"We have been working nonstop for months in the editing studio putting together the Mongolia film. Finally getting a teaser out there to share with the public has us all feeling pretty good. We are still plugging away night and day putting the finishing touches on the full length feature. It’s coming together nicely and the footage still blows us away. We finished up the Film Tour piece this week which we will be taking out on the road starting January 30th at the Patagonia HQ in Ventura before we head out to the other 60+ cities across the country. The film tour cut will give people a really good sneak peak on what we have in store for them on the full length film."

SOULFISH

Mikey Wier's film project SOULFISH recently debuted at the ISE show in San Mateo, CA. Here is a 3 minute and 30 second glimpse of the film trailer. I asked Mikey to tell me how he felt about this film now that it's in the public eye. This is what he had to say:

"SOULFISH is a something-for-everyone fly fishing movie. I tried to capture the perspectives of some of the pre-River Runs Through It fisherman as well as the voice of the youth and women in fly fishing today. It's a cool look at travel adventure fishing and a tribute to people who have dedicated their lives to this wacky sport. SOULFISH was a really fun project. I didn't get to do everything I wanted with this project but I am really pleased overall with how it came out. It was amazing to spend time with and learn from all the people who are featured in this flick. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it."

Mike E. Wier

Tickets and Prizes

Tickets for the AEG 2008 Fly Fishing Film Tour are now on sale. Click here to reserve your tickets. Also note that AEG will be giving away great prizes from their sponsors: Loop, Patagonia, Costa del Mar, Scientific Anglers, Rising, RO Drift Boats, Water Masters, Brunton, Gerber, Big Agnes, Loon and The Drake. A new prize will be given each day until the start of the tour, January 30th (Ventura, CA). The winner's names will be announced every day at 10 a.m. PST. GOOD LUCK!

Things are about to change

The face of fly-fishing is changing. AEG Media is launching the 2008 film tour this winter with the kick off event at Patagonia Headquarters in Ventura, CA. Members of AEG Media: Chris Owens, Thad Robison, Justin Crump and Brian Jill, known as the “AEG Fish Bums”, founded the film tour in 2006. Last year, the 2007 film tour screened to over 5,000 attendees. Several venues sold out with over 500 seat capacities and pre-show lines were compared to block buster movie premiers. That film tour far exceeded any expectations. This year AEG is increasing the number of venues and plans to boost the number of attendees to over 50,000.

What can you expect to see at the Fly Fishing Film Tour?
Films shot in extreme, exotic and distant locations; epic scenery, cutting edge music, conservation pieces that are as entertaining to watch, as they are important; and of course fish on the end of the tippet.

If you fly fish you are going to be blown away, if you don’t fly fish you are going to be inspired. Online ticket sales begin January 1st 2008. For more information (locations, dates, times and more) log onto the Fly Fishing Film Tour website.

Havabbor på flue

The world’s first Norwegian sea bass DVD is scheduled to be released in December 2007. It's called Havabbor på flue (sea bass on a fly) by Scanout Productions. Runar Kabbe will share his experiences and tips that beginners on up to more seasoned fishermen around the world will find useful. When, where, and with what plus how does the sea bass take the fly are questions that this DVD answers. It's packed with tips, information, facts and Runar's infectious enthusiasm! Check out this 3 minute trailer.

Animoto

I saw a Moldy Chum post on this new technology called Animoto and decided to investigate. I went to the Animoto website and discovered that this technology could be a fun tool for the photo rich activity called fly fishing (though it's not really marketed toward it). It was relatively easy to use, especially if you have an image database on Picasa, Facebook, Flickr or Smugmug. What is Animoto? "It's newly developed Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology that thinks like an actual director and editor. It analyzes and combines user-selected images and music with the same sophisticated post-production skills & techniques that are used in television and film." Who is Animoto? "A bunch of techies and film/tv producers who decided to lock themselves in a room together and nerd out." Here's a 30 second clip of images I combined with Animoto technology. It's called Bluefin.

Red Gold

Bristol Bay Alaska is home to the last great wild salmon fishery in the world. Multinational mining company Northern Dynasty plans to build the largest open pit mine in North America at the headwaters of the resource. Check out this 3 minute trailer for Felt Soul Media's upcoming film - Red Gold. It does a good job of framing the debate. Let me know your reaction.

Preserve what we have left

Here's a short Felt Soul Media film that highlights James Prosek and World Trout. James states in this piece "The mission of World Trout in part is to preserve native diversity of fishes and the idea is to raise money to give to individuals or grassroots organizations who live in places where trout live and can protect the habitat and the fish. I think the most urgent thing to do is to preserve what diversity we have left." Would you agree?

Check out these links for more detailed information on James Prosek, World Trout and World Trout t-shirts.

Trout Eldorado

This Way Upstream video post follows Svein Røbergshagen (Patagonia ambassador) and a group of dedicated Norwegian fly fishermen as they chase monster browns in a spectacular wilderness setting on the tundra of the Kola Peninsula. The beautiful rivers are teeming with big browns, sometimes hitting the fly with an explosive take. It's awesome to see these fish settled in a steady rising pattern, showing their broad tails in the surface, posing an ultimate challenge for the dry fly fisherman. This wilderness region of Russia has been closed to the public until recently. Now this undisturbed wilderness fly fishing is highlighted on DVD. Check out this 3 minute compilation and get your passport in order.

Contribution by Svein Røbergshagen and Jeff Leopold

Just a little further

Every time I see films and videos by Mikey Wier, I'm, well.., moved. He often casts a certain soulful light on the bigger picture of fly-fishing. In this video he exposes an angling facet that many know, "It's all out there waiting. You just have to go and find it." I recently asked him to write a Way Upstream intro to this 5 minute Fish Eye video. Here's what he said:

"I love catching fish. Don’t get me wrong. They are some of the most beautiful and fascinating creatures on this planet. But for me, a bigger part of fly-fishing is the total experience. It's about that sense of adventure. I love looking at a map and trying to discover new places to catch a fish. I'm always so intrigued to know what's just around that bend, or what does it look like up stream of here. It's that feeling of exploration and discovery that often motivates me to keep searching for the next great fishing spot. There are lots of times when I see a place on a map that looks like it has potential, or hear about a "Great spot", and when I get there, it's nothing more than a nice stretch of river. The fishing might not be good, but I'm still outdoors and seeing something new. Then, inevitably there will be days like this, where it all comes together and I might have the chance to catch the fish of a lifetime. It took my brother and I almost 10 years to get to this spot at the right time of year. It’s all out there waiting. You just have to go out there and find it."

Norway's Oslo Fjord Sea Bass

The sea bass has only been identified in the Oslo Fjord for the last 10 years. With warmer water conditions in recent years this hard fighting fish has become popular for the fly fisherman in Norway. The Norwegian Sea Bass are between 2 and 6lbs and need be pursued early mornings in the summer. Runar Kabbe (Patagonia ambassador) has been the major contributor in opening up the knowledge and developing the techniques to take these fish with the fly. Runar’s DVD will be coming out this December. Check out this six and a half minute gem.

Contribution by Runar Kabbe and Jeff Leopold