Fly Fishing for Something Bigger Than Fish | A Full Film "Reflections"
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- čas přidán 17. 05. 2023
- "There is nothing more eloquent in nature than that of a mountain stream." - John Muir
Many people go fly fishing in hopes of landing a trophy trout or an elusive wild species. We choose the perfect fly and cast the line in the picturesque bubbly run, and sometimes there is success on the other end. However, we often leave the rivers we wade into with much more than fish. In the fall of 2022, cohosts of the Storied Outdoors Podcast, Brad Hill and Bryan Gill, along with friends of the show, Hugh Cheek and Blake Walters, trekked to the north Georgia mountains for a weekend getaway on the Noontootla Creek.
The Storied Outdoors is a podcast that is somewhere between Lewis and Tolkien and Lewis and Clark. Brad and Bryan seek to find clarity in the stories they tell and the adventures that shape them. Between interviews with guests and personal essays read aloud by Brad, they do just that. This weekend was one of those adventures they hoped would bring clarity. It was more than just a getaway-it was a chance to reflect and refuel in order to return to their families as better men.
The group camped in tents and cooked over the open fire. The early November air was cool but not cold. The gentle rains falling from the towering pines above was charming and added a restful ambiance to the gently flowing creek that meandered through the canopy of rhododendron hugging the Appalachian hillside. The Noontootla, Cherokee for “the land of shining waters,” was more than generous, and as the sun broke through the clouds reflecting on the waters, these men drew reflections of their own. While there was fishing and plenty of catching, this group left with so much more than fish.
"Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing it's not fish they were after." - Henry David Thoreau
"The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic."- Psalm 29:1
Noontootla Creek is a small mountain stream situated in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in north Georgia. The creek has a healthy population of trout and is managed to imitate a natural stream. Noontootla Creek begins close to Springer Mountain at an elevation of 3045 feet above sea level. From there it flows northwest for approximately eleven miles where it joins the Toccoa River.
Noontootla is a name derived from the Cherokee language meaning either "land of the shining water" or "middle sun"
Filmed, edited and produced by the incredible team at incolr.com
If you have ay questions, comments, perhaps a song or poem, or you just want to say Hi, email us at thestoriedoutdoors@gmail.com
Introduction music written and recorded by Brad Hill
Love this y’all! Visually striking and verbally touching. Keep these coming.
Thank you so much, those are kind and encouraging words especially coming from you guys. We have such a deep respect for the work that you guys do. So for you to say that, means a lot.
I would rather be on a stream thinking about god than in a church thinking about fly fishing 🥰
I hear ya man, we do our best to find a balance between the two. It seems to be good for us. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
Yes! It’s not about the fish. I’m closer to God on a mountain stream, you could say it’s my wilderness church. Fly fishing is just an excuse to attend an awesome worship service.
I've watched this film 4 times since finding it late last night. I've always lived by the motto "Do it for the Stories," chasing stories just like this!
Thanks so much for sharing that! Great words to live by for sure. We genuinely appreciate your willingness tune in and leave a comment! Check out our podcast if you enjoyed this conversation. Tight lines!
Nature is the best! To me, fishing isn't about catching the most fish I can ~ rather, it's about being completely at one with Mother Nature. The added pleasure of fishing while being on the waters is just a big bonus :)
I gotta say this is one of the best films I've seen in a while. It reminds me of why I wander off in the mountains of NC: to unwind from the stresses of life, and listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through nature and the waters ( loved the analogy by your buddy). One can't help but to believe there is a God in Heaven that created this beautiful world after spending time alone in nature. And to think that He made us stewards of His creation... All glory to Him!
On another note... I noticed that some of you aren't wetting your hands before handling the fish. There's a tool called the Ketchum Release tool that solves the problem and you don't have to touch the fish. They cost about $20 on Amazon or eBay and definitely worth the price. I always practice C&R, especially for wild brookies, browns, and rainbows in order to preserve, protect, and defend...anyways, just a suggestion.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you, and give you peace...
I also subscribed, and I don't do that very often. Good stuff my friend!
Thanks for subscribing and for taking time to leave a comment.
Well said and sums up the role that fly fishing plays in many of our lives
Thanks so much Chris!
You guys told me you belong to Him before you voiced it. I sensed it from the start. Well done
Amen and amen thanks for Tuning in! If you enjoyed that you will enjoy our podcast episodes found on CZcams and on your fav podcast platforms.
Thank you for allowing us to capture your adventure. It has served as a reminder to cherish the moments of quiet reflection that can help us find balance, peace, and meaning in our lives.
Something I didn’t mention to y’all was a few months ago My family and I ended up near by the campsite so we made a special trip to the same creek and up to the waterfall. Thanks for inspiring us to reflect and recharge.
Love hearing that Jonathan! This project will remain a special memory for us from now on and an altar of remembrance calling us to look back on where we have come from helping us move on to what's ahead.
Just stumbled upon this. Man, what a beautiful video. Praise the Lord for y’all. Just subbed.
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement, appreciate you subscribing!
When I lived in Atlanta, I fished that river so many times. Great times, better fishing. Not easy but so much fun.
Thank you for sharing this. Such an incredible reminder of the opportunity we have in every adventure we have. That it's more than it is and sometimes exactly what it needs to be.
Thanks for tuning and and we are so honored you took time to speak. Really appreciate the feedback and encouragement.
Thank you. Absolutely beautiful. You have captured the essence of why we step into a river.
Thank you for watching!
...somewhere between Lewis and Tolkien and Lewis and Clark. Wow. That's charged with meaning. Well done.
Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words.
Man y’all hit it right on the money with this video! Getting out on the stream with my dad and just being present with your surroundings is everything! I love it. Keep up the great work
Thanks so much for the encouragement Josh!
Years ago in my quest, I'd park the truck and wander for a few minutes before reaching for a rod. I did this to learn. Now I wander for days in the quest of creating great habitats. My fly rod is lonely. The joy comes from applying new knowledge across North America. Thanks for this video.
I suppose maybe Tolkien was onto something when he wrote that "Not all who wander are Lost." Thanks for watching and thanks a ton for reaching out with a comment! Have a great day
Fascinating take on why y'all fish. It varies tremendously from angler to angler and at what stage of life they may be passing through. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with the world.
Oh absolutely as many fishing techniques there are reasons to be out there. Fly fishing has been a place of healing and rest for us for sure. Thanks for the comments and the encouragement!
Waves of energy that excite the eye.
Thanks so much!
Thank you, inspiring !
Thanks for watching!
Great job seriously appreciate your work on this. Thank you for sharing with us!
It is truly our pleasure and thanks for tuning in to watch!
This video explains why I fly fish, I feel closer to the father in the outdoors the the church building.
Really appreciate you tuning in to our video. The wise Solomon instructs us there is a time and a place for things. Many times the outdoors is the perfect place. But there are other times in a gathering of believers called the church is the right place for me at least. Thanks again for watching and engaging
This is a very thoughtful video. The visuals were really well done. The narration brings that idea, of faith and friendship to another level.
Thanks for the kind words and thanks so much for watching!
That is all so true , I’ve always said the catching fish is only an option but it’s much deeper that , God bless you for sharing this !
Thank you for the kind words and thanks so much for watching!
This was beautiful and captivating. Way to go!!!!
Thanks so much for the encouragement, really glad your enjoyed it.
This is the exact feeling I have when I'm in a stream. Something about standing in a cool mountain stream that I know that my God made definitely brings me closer to him. It is definitely more than fishing, it's spiritual! God bless each and everyone of you guys. Keep doing ya'lls thing!
Thanks so much for the kind words brother! We are so blessed by this message and hearing from folks who have had similar experiences to us. Thanks for watching!
Love it>>
great job
Thank you! Cheers!
What an amazing production.
Thanks so much for watching
Thanks a lot. Thanks for reminding me what is the other reason I fish. That comraderie, friendship. I became to be apart from my fishing buddies after covid and have been fishing alone. Not good. In every sense. Thanks for this video.
Thank you for tuning in and for leaving a comment! Yeah man, fishing alone is good sometimes, but fishing with friends is good for the soul.
Beautifully done!
Thanks so much for the kind words!
A beautifully preserved moment in time.
To find what you were fishing for, whether it be fish or not. This filmed captured that well. The discovery of that which calls you to be in the presence of God's creation. His ever present being in the sounds of the babbling stream calling out His voice. The companionship of men with a similar pursuit. These are the trips that will be etched into a depository of memories for eternity. The smell of the damp forest floor and coniferous eastern hemlocks, fog dancing above the waters edge, the glisten of the sun as light reaches through the trees onto the riffles, the flash of fins moving below the surface near rhododendron, the splish-splash of a wild rainbow brought to hand, the smell of a campfire with sizzling food and streamside coffee roasting, the flickering light against the faces in a semi circle as the day grows dim, the all encompassing surroundings of woods and water. The noise of the crackling fire along with drops of water hitting a rain fly as the stream passes by like the second hand on a clock. Then a spoken voice of contentment breaks the "silence" to softly say..." I needed this." Healing and refreshment to the body, mind, and soul.
Great video, from all involved. - Wade Blevins
Thanks so much friend, well said!
Great job guys!!!
Thanks so much for watching!
Beautifully filmed. Glad this got suggested to me.
Awesome, thank you for the kind comment and for taking time to watch
Lovely film
Thanks so much for tuning in! Really appreciate the kind words
Greetings from River Chronicles in Dallas Tx. Came across this beautiful video. Amazing! I just did a couple of podcasts where I tried to explain that it's not about the fish...its about the journey and how it impacts you, then how you impact others around you. Maybe we can collab soon! Been wanting to learn fly fishing 😊
Thanks so much for watching! The concept of fishing not necessarily being about catching fish is a tough one for folks for sure. Catching is nice though from time to time. Send us an email through our website to start a conversation about a collaboration, we would love to connect.
Great video guys, very nice videography and voice overs! I love fly fishing and camping content, there isn’t enough of it out there. I subscribed!
Much appreciated! We are doing our best to work on more projects like this and add a rich content in the outdoor context.
Fantastic video!
Thanks so much for taking time
To leave a comment and thanks a ton for watching!
That was really good. I had that inner child experience. Remembering why I go out there. Thanks
So thankful to be a good reminder for you! Thanks so much for watching. Hope you can get back out there and wade in the water.
@@thestoriedoutdoors not soon enough my friend
Really like this
Thanks so much for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it!
Great video!!
Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words!
This was a great video guys! Epic narrative. Really enjoyed it! You hit everything on the head. Hats off to you! 🙌🏻
Gosh thanks y'all! Really appreciate your kind words of encouragement and feedback. We are thankful for you taking time to leave is a comment.
@@thestoriedoutdoors seriously loved it. I watched a couple times. So good.
Such a great video! I living in Florida so I can't fish streams like this. But, there is something very purifying about fly fishing. Thanks!
Absolutely, it is similar to wading the surf don't you think? I live in South Alabama and spend a good bit of time on the saltwater. Lots of great fly fishing down here. Thanks for watching!
really beautiful video
Thanks so much for watching and for taking time to leave a comment!
Well said, thank you😉
Would enjoy to meet your fellowship, I li e in the metro Atlanta area 👍
Awesome video
Glad you enjoyed it
Well done
Thanks! And thanks so much for tuning in!
Wow, well done! Your filming is so professional and inspirational Plus great narrative. Subscribed
Thanks so much
This is one heck of a video! I'm going to shamelessly steal some of your framing and shot ideas. Great stuff.
Thanks so much for the kind words. Glad this has inspired you, the guys we worked with were top notch at their craft.
Good video
Thanks a ton for the encouragement, glad you enjoyed it.
so so good guys, really hope you do more videos. I subscribed to the channel and going to check out the podcast too. please keep it coming. I'm actually hoping to work on a video this weekend about fly fishing small warm water streams in the south. how it is not the mountains but it's still getting in the woods and on beautiful pieces of water, even though you're just catching sunfish and bass
Thanks so much for the encouragement, we are excited to see your work. all of the guys in the video live in Alabama and two of us live on the Gulf Coast in and around Mobile. We are use to fishing the warm water down here and I personally cut my teeth in a small creek behind a small college I attended. Nothing like battling the banana spiders in the summer on the trails. It will be a little while before we put out a video of this quality but we will have some other stuff posted soon.
@The Storied Outdoors sorry if this is repetitive. I didn't see my reply posted. I know all about Banana spiders, I live in Long Beach MS. I was fishing the Marsh on the east side of Dauphin Island this weekend. have you ever been on Black Creek south of Hattiesburg
No but I have fished the marsh on the state line a hood bit on the gulf coast. Never fished up that way on the Black Creek. Sounds cool
👍🏻 i stalk brown trout tenkara style here in Yorkshire England in our small rivers and Brooks. ✝️⚔️
That would be a dream to come experience! Thanks for messaging us and watching.
I enjoyed your film, it’s true that the fellowship is vital, but if you have that connection with the stream it’s where you are truly at peace and content, I fish in a stream where people have cast flies since the 1640s or earlier. I often think about the anglers who have visited the pools I visit, who they were, what they thought and how they dressed. They used horse hair lines back then! It’s a wonderful pastime. The land is a national park and very often the public stop and watch the line as it flows threw the air and drops the dry fly on the clear lime stone water, so clear its like air. This part of the river isn’t stocked, the brown trout are native and beautiful creatures. All the best from the U.K.
I hope to come fish there one time in my life! Thanks for this splendid comment and thanks for watching!
@@thestoriedoutdoors you would be welcome, I enjoyed the film which was really well made.
Oh just ic case you want to know, I fish the river Dove in Derbyshire England.
Fishing is a journey. It starts out as a "child" (of any age) in which we try to catch more fish ... and then bigger fish. In the end for some of us we grow up and we glimpse a truth...you've shed some light on that. I've been fly fishing 40 years and now I don't care that much if I catch (I've caught many thousands of fish and killed and eaten a fair few of them). My joy is communion with nature and I love to see a tiny, truly wild trout, with its bright colours... and then release it. I don't care though for any implication this experience is associated with organised religion (ditch any of that divisive I see a God that's mine and not yours). As I've spoken to people around the world I've seen eyes light up and divides melt away when a shared passion for angling have entered a conversation.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and we really appreciate you tuning in and watching our film.
Very well done. And well said.
By the way, There are no fish in that river. It’s stunningly beautiful but no fish. And there are bears. And lots of big snakes. And mosquitoes. Giant mosquitoes. Plenty of fish in the next drainage over. That’s where I’d go. The next drainage over. . 😏
No fish at all just those little tiny bait fish, not worth going.
Love this! Is the majority of this shot at 24 fps? 🎣
I texted with the guys we shot with and he said specifically it was shot at 23.976. fps. Thanks so much for watching and glad you enjoyed it. We certainly loved filming it
“Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” -Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
Couldn't have said it better myself, and I fish this area frequently. It's so beautiful up there in the CNF and a great place to be in God's creation. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Romans 1:20
Amen and amen! Thanks for that word and huge thanks for watching
Fuckin’ A
Thanks for watching!
You chaps went wrong when y'all let a left-hander on the river. Just about everyone y'all ever meet will tell you that there's not a left-handed fish in that river. Talk about trying to alter nature . . .
😂😂
I am moved by this short film. It explains much without being explicit.
Thanks for tuning in!
🪽🦅awesome 🦅🪽
Good video
Thanks for watching!