Video

Candidate For The Darwin Awards Almost Blows Head Off

October 6, 2011, by Tom Chandler 11 comments

I saw this on the better-fishing-reports-than-the-world-deserves Fly Fishing In Yellowstone blog, and couldn’t help posting it myself:

Without even commenting about the challenging seven-foot range between shotgun and target (this guy’s an achiever), I’d like to point out there’s a reason they tell you not to look down the barrel of a loaded gun.

Don’t make toast while you’re in the tub.

Don’t crawl under jacked up cars until you’ve chocked the wheels.

Don’t run with scissors. Don’t look directly into Donald Trump’s eyes.

And don’t look down the barrel of a loaded gun.

There. That wasn’t hard.

Pebble Mine Partnership Can’t Even Collect Data Without Mucking Things Up…

September 22, 2011, by Tom Chandler 3 comments

The Pebble Mine Partnership promises they can mine responsibly, but they’re already screwing up the area, as this video pretty plainly documents. (Note: I’m not sure why a rock soundtrack was needed, but just turn off the sound — and see what the world’s largest remaining salmon run has to look forward to if Pebble’s approved…):

Win A Copy Of Rivers Of A Lost Coast (CalTrout’s Giving Two Away Every Weekday)

September 12, 2011, by Tom Chandler 2 comments

Because the Underground’s only real concern is putting its readers onto free stuff, I’m pleased as punch to point you towards the CalTrout Rivers Of A Lost Coast DVD giveaway.

CalTrout’s sponsoring the broadcast of the multiple-award-winning documentary Rivers Of A Lost Coast (Underground review here) on San Francisco’s KQED TV station, and every weekday until the first broadcast (9/24), they’re giving away two copies of the DVD.

To learn how to enter the contest, click here (hint: follow CalTrout on Facebook or Twitter or join their email list).

In case you missed my review, Rivers Of A Lost Coast is a riveting documentary about the rise and rapid fall of California’s steelhead fishery, over which is laid the story of the ultimately bitter relationship between two fly fishing legends.

Simply put, it’s not to be missed.

(If you can’t wait to win your own copy, you can buy the DVD here.)

Broadcast Times

September 24 @ 2:30 pm: KQED (Channel 9)
September 25 @ 8:00 pm: KQED WORLD (Comcast Channel 190)
September 26 @ 2:00 am: KQED WORLD (Comcast Channel 190)

See you watching the good stuff, Tom Chandler.

Rivers Of A Lost Coast

Somebody’s Video Interview of John Gierach

August 31, 2011, by Tom Chandler 4 comments

While I wrestle the twin alligators of work and family obligations, here’s a little gem found on Moldy Chum; a short video interview with John Gierach (by these guys):

The Tom Waits music playing underneath obscures some of Gierach’s words, but almost anything having to do with Gierach is interesting, and not just because he’s fly fishing’s best-selling writer.

Given the trends in the fly fishing magazine world (they’re paying less than they were in the late 70s), Gierach might be the only — and possibly even the last — writer to make a <em>decent</em> living solely in the fly fishing space.

See you in the alligator pit, Tom Chandler.

Feeding Eagles (or, What The Wonderdog Would Do If He Had Wings)

August 12, 2011, by Tom Chandler 11 comments

You’re in your little float tube (a southern reader calls them “Gator Bobbers”), you hook a trout, but the local eagle population sees to it you don’t land that trout.

Hell, happens to us all the time (only in my case it’s not so much the symbol of our country as it is a slobbery black lab/basset mix):

Anyone else get the feeling the eagle had swooped down before, and the fisherman was trying to see if he’d grab a fish?

(found via the OrvisNews.com Friday videofest)

A World Record Striper Caught; Another Hitler Downfall Parody Video Released…

August 9, 2011, by Tom Chandler 3 comments

Satirizing current events via this now-famous documentary of Hitler’s final days (Der Untergang) has become a YouTube staple; no sooner does something happen than the satires appear.

In this case, it’s the catching of a new world record striper…

These things are hilarious (though probably less so if you understand German).

(found via MoldyChum)

Video: Juvenile Alaskan Salmon vs Airboatzilla…

August 9, 2011, by Tom Chandler 2 comments

Watch what happens to these juvenile coho salmon when an airboat blasts through the area:

The videographer reported the fish were feeding again within the hour, but it does illustrate the typically unseen effects of high-speed boat traffic on underwater environments.

A Wholly Unrelated, Have-To-See, Non Fly Fishing Video…

July 16, 2011, by Tom Chandler 6 comments

If anyone ever asks why you head to the outdoors instead of the local mall, show them this video.

(A brief explanation of what you’re looking at here, though nobody seems to know what the lights moving along the horizon are).

(found at the Horse’s Mouth)

More Proof Fly Fishing Is Better Than Pottering About on Mountains

July 1, 2011, by Tom Chandler 2 comments

via The Goat blog

Scott Fly Rods Rolls Out Commercial Worth Watching…

June 23, 2011, by Tom Chandler 6 comments

This Scott Rod company video is making the rounds online, and while one person amusingly called it a documentary (it’s a “commissioned” work — a commercial), it’s significant for a couple of reasons.

First, Felt Soul Media are pretty clearly in a class by themselves, and the video’s damn good stuff. If you’re going to hire someone to do something, might as well hire the best.

Second, it’s nice to see one of fly fishing’s less-inventive marketers finally loosen the straitjacket.

Scott is one of fly fishing’s iconic brands, but it’s also a company that might not exist in its present form if it weren’t for what we’ll term “vanity” ownership. With the appearance of direct sales models in the fly fishing world, companies like Scott Rods will be facing new pressures, and need to respond with new tactics.

See you on TV, Tom Chandler.

p.s. — I’m still waiting for someone to pull their head out of their ass and hire comedy fly fishing guru Steve Apple to produce a killer viral video…