Worth a watch this week
Just some of the better online fishing content we think is worth a watch this week
Monday 20th April 2020
We’ve trawled the big wide world of YouTube and other online content platforms to bring you some of the best recent fishing entertainment and inspiration. From foreign adventures to small streams, game to coarse to sea, there’s a little bit of something for everyone. Grab a cuppa or a beer, sit back, relax and enjoy!
A Passion For Angling – Autumn Glory
49mins
In case you haven’t heard the amazing news, Hugh Miles and co. have recently agreed to release the iconic ‘A Passion For Angling’ series online for the first time, via the Drennan International YouTube channel. First aired way back in 1993 (BBC), ‘Passion’ is widely acclaimed to be the best fishing series ever made. Featuring the incomparable Chris Yates and Bob James, with evocative narration from Bernard Cribbins and simply sublime videography from Hugh Miles, the series is, quite simply, unparalleled. If you’re stuck at home during the Covid-19 lockdown and can’t go fishing (who isn’t!) then this is probably the next best thing to being there. ‘Autumn Glory’ is the third episode in a six part series and features coarse fishing for classic autumnal species such as barbel, chub and perch. It even has a brief cameo from the late Bernard Venables, of ‘Mr. Crabtree’ fame. Magical.
Eleven Years Afloat – Terry Hearn
46mins
Carp fans rejoice as ESP have just released their latest in a string of superb story-type films focused on Terry Hearn, arguably the best English carp angler of the modern era. This installment centres around a boat-based adventure on the River Thames, chasing a truly gigantic 50lb mirror. As well as catching fish, Terry has a real knack for storytelling and you’ll feel like you were right there alongside him. You’ll want to grab the rods even more after watching this! Pure inspiration.
FLY VS JERK – Siberia edition
20mins
There can be very few freshwater predator anglers who haven’t heard of the FLY VS JERK series in recent years. The pike-focused competition, based in Scandinavia, has been a huge success for the guys over at Kanal Gratis, and it has become a bit of a global phenomenon. Unsurprising, then, that the idea has now expanded eastwards in to Russia. This is the first episode of the Siberian revamp and, as you might expect it’s full of some hard-hitting, teeth-filled, pike action as two anglers battle it out to see which method is best, fly or jerkbait!
Things Don’t Always Go As Planned – Tight Loops
14mins
A tale of dodging forest fires, remote wilderness and beautiful trout. This is the latest short film from Tight Loops, the husband and wife duo of Chase and Aimee Bartee who spend much of life roaming around America in a campervan, fly fishing! These guys have a wonderful filmmaking style and, like all of their content, this is definitely a ‘there’s more to fishing than catching fish’ sort of video. You’ll wish it was a lot longer than fourteen minutes.
“By summer, we were driving 36 hours in Aimee’s VW Jetta from MA to ON with our canoe on top and ready for an adventure. No amount of research could prepare us for the conditions we encountered upon arrival, but then again, that’s why we love wilderness expeditions so much. The fishing may have taken a back seat, but in the end, we found far more than we were looking for.”
Coq de Leon Jig Nymph – Piscari Fly
10mins
A shout-out to one of Ireland’s own and regular Off the Scale magazine contributor Peter Driver, owner of the Piscari Fly company. What this guy doesn’t know about fly tying and fishing with them isn’t worth knowing and in his latest video he shows you a step-by-step guide to tying his take on a nice and simple nymph pattern, utilising Coq de Leon, a Spanish feather used in fly tying for centuries. This can be deadly for wild brown trout and tying up a few might just help to while away those long, lockdown hours.
Reservoir Diaries Season 3 – Carl and Alex
42mins
Another UK film for you carp fans, this time from the affable Smith brothers, Carl and Alex. These young lads have revolutionised fishing content on YouTube in recent years and this is the highly anticipated third series of ‘Reservoir Diaries’. Shot in their typical, atmospheric style, this is another highly inspiring film about overcoming difficulties and never giving up in the pursuit of big fish. Top marks, as usual.
Small River Salmon in Denmark – FLY TV
22mins
Ever thought of Denmark as a salmon fly fisherman’s paradise? Well think again… Falling under the top-notch kanalgratis.se banner, this episode of FLY TV sees Steffan Jensen from Fly-Dressing meet up with Kim Sørensen from Outdoor Xperten Holstebro. Kim is undoubtedly one of the most experienced salmon fly fisherman in Denmark, so with his knowledge about the river, and Steffan’s knowledge of equipment, this is built up for something epic. A short video which should teach all of us something about the King of fish, wherever they swim.
Amy’s Flounder Trace – Amy’s Fishing Adventures
5mins
Prepare for your heart to melt as 8 year old Amy, daughter of top Irish specimen angler and OtS contributor Sidney Kennedy, runs through how to tie up a flounder rig. This girl is the youngest angler ever to receive a ’10-specimen’ and ’10-species’ award from the Irish Specimen Fish Committee, which has been going since 1955! She appeared on the front cover of Off the Scale issue 13, look’s set to become an international-class angler and perhaps even a Youtube sensation. She’s already putting many adults to shame and her enthusiasm is infectious!
Solo Beach Fishing: Man Alone – Totally Awesome Fishing
19mins
The Totally Awesome Fishing brand, fronted by the legend that is Graeme Pullen, may have achieved a YouTube first here – combining the world of fishing and ASMR (if you know, you know). Graeme fishes off a beach in southern England and doesn’t say a single word during the entirety of this POV-style film. All you hear are the sounds of nature, the surf and fishing. It’s actually rather good and surprisingly absorbing!
Have we missed anything this week? Feel free to message us across our various social media platforms or drop us an email and let us know if you’ve seen something recently which you think other anglers would enjoy 🙂