LORDS OF THE FLY DVD
Brad Harris checks out some footage
from Australia’s far north.
This DVD turned up at the perfect time. I’d just been on the phone about a possible trip to Cape York, which would be my first real taste of saltwater fly fishing other than in southern estuaries. I thought a saltwater DVD might be just the thing to whet the appetite.
The Lords of the Fly is, according to the cover, a ‘salt and freshwater fly fishing adventure in remote northern Australia.’ Well, that pretty much sums it up, as this is really a good ol’ fashioned DVD about two blokes on a fishing road-trip, doing it cheap and cheerful. Self-guided, with a hired boat and car, they ask around for a bit of local knowledge, then just get out there amongst it.
The film is filled with lots of fishing, species and locations, and while there’s nothing groundbreaking about the style of shooting or editing, there is plenty of information for newbies if they choose to look for it. It probably won’t be hailed a cinematic masterpiece either, but I don’t think that’s its aim.
The stars—Matt and Wazza—seem to know what they’re doing with a fly rod (well, to my untrained saltwater eye anyway), although I doubt they’ll ever make it as radio announcers or news readers (far too many “woo-hoo’s” for serious presenters). Species caught include barra, golden trevally, sooties, queenfish, finger-mark and saratoga; from beach, mangrove, estuary and open water environments. They even hook an unfortunate manta ray, which makes for an interesting few moments.
A few . . . ahem . . . older people who watched it didn’t dig it as much as I did. Perhaps they missed the point. It’s just a simple film about a couple of guys having a bloody good time chasing fish.
So, did it whet my appetite? You betcha nanny it did. If I have half as much fun as these guys I’ll be (in the vernacular of the surf-bums who made the movie) “stoked”.
If you’re interested, check out a preview at www.oceanicimages.com.au or buy the DVD at your local tackle outlet. Trade enquiries phone 02 4333 4561.