A RIVER SOMEWHERE

Andrew Warnes revisits a life-changing television series.

With Rob Sitch and Tom Gleisner being followed around by a fuzzy snowstorm on our videos, the release of A River Somewhere on DVD could not have come at a more appropriate time. This ABC TV series will always be special to me, inspiring our family to discard the lures and pick up the fly rod.

Now if you were after a hard-core fishing show to watch then I would advise you pick up NZ Trophy Waters or something in a similar vein. A River Somewhere is not all about fishing and the catching of fish. It’s more of a travel show, mixed with a dash of comedy, cooking and yes, a bit of fly fishing. There are few other fishing videos I can get away with watching with my partner, but A River Somewhere has far broader appeal. The wit of Rob and Tom demystifies fly fishing and makes it accessible and appealing to all who watch the series.

That is not to say that those already possessed by the sport will not get as much out of the series. A River Somewhere really opened up our eyes to the possibility of chasing fish all over the world, not just in our own backyard. It gave me a real sense of wherever you go in the world you should pack the fly rod because there is always a river, or a lake, or a fish somewhere.

It has also given me an ultimate fly fishing goal: to fish every place in the series once in my lifetime. A goal that I know is shared by many devotees of the series.

The DVD’s themselves are exact replicas of the TV series —13 episodes and nearly 6 hours viewing in total. There are no extra episodes or features, although the boxed set does include a bonus double CD (approx 80 mins) featuring original music from the series composed by Liam Bradley.

Watching Rob and Tom again, in crisp digital format, has reminded me about the magic of fly fishing and why I took up the sport. It is not necessarily about the fish you catch; it’s the places fly fishing takes you, and the experiences and memories you bring back, that make fly fishing so special.

This attractively boxed set would have to be the ideal Christmas gift for anyone with a fly rod, or anyone you think might benefit from some gentle persuasion.

Priced at $49.95, the boxed set is available direct from FlyLife Publishing. www.flylife.com.au