Published Oct 31. 2006 - 17 years ago
Updated or edited Nov 6. 2015

Video review: Mel Krieger's Patagonia

40 years fly fishing in Argentina

A beautifully filmed journey in Argentina with casting wiz Mel Krieger. Fishing, cameraderie, local people and impressions of a lovely and friendly country. Filmed in high definition video (HDV) and a boon to the eye. Review copy provided by Springforelle in Germany


Info
Author: 
Juan Pablo Reynal (Mel Krieger)
Publisher: 
Patagonia Publishing Company
Publishing year: 
2006
Minutes: 
80
Price: 
29.90
Euros
Reviewed by: 

The first words spoken on this DVD are: "Every so often in life comes a person that is one step above the rest...", and it continues talking about Mel Krieger - who is the person in question as "Not just any mortal...".

Now, I do not doubt that Mel Krieger is a special person and I know he is a special angler and instructor, but I would certainly have thought twice before I introduced anybody in angling with words like those. On the other hand this intro leaves no doubt about what this DVD is about: it's about Mel Krieger. And it's a lot more about Krieger than it is about Patagonia and the people fishing Argentina.

There is of course plenty of coverage of the Argentinian streams and rivers and about guides, friends, food, wine and cozy places, and everything is filmed in exquisite HDV 16:9 wide screen format in almost unsurpassed quality. But even so it is still evolving around Mel Krieger's person and I personally had to get to terms with that extreme Krieger-centric view of things before I could really enjoy the DVD.

Once over that hurdle I must admit that I thoroughly did enjoy it. The quality of the images and the mixing of fabulous video footage, patinated B/W historic photos and the soothing music with South American nodes is way above average.
The stories told by the narrator and Mel Krieger himself are of course worth listening to, and there are things to learn even though it's neither a how-to or where-to film, although you can certainly pick up names of rivers, lakes, lodges and shops. But I cannot help return to that constant praising of the man and his obviously almost unearthly ability to fish and tell or read stories about fishing. Other people in this DVD just seem to be there as extras, always facing the main character and giving him their full attention - just as we as spectators are supposed to do.

For any Patagonia wannabe like myself this DVD is a must, Mel Krieger or not. It's visual qualities are top notch, and most of us fly-anglers will sit and watch spellbound all through the 1 hour and 20 minutes that it lasts.

The review copy was provided by Springforelle in Germany from whom you can buy the DVD.


Comments

Watched 15 mins. of ...

Watched 15 mins. of this before I turned it off. Don't care much for some rich geriatrics waving their fly rods and patting themselves on their backs for their "achievements" in their South-American playground, and boasting about the good life like they invented the place. Patagonia seems beautiful though.

Martin Joergensen's picture

Pawel, We don't s...

Pawel,

We don't send anything anywhere... because we don't sell anything.
Direct your question to a dealer somewhere in Europe (or Poland!) and order your copy of this DVD from there.
Use Google or some other search engine to find it.

Martin

Do you sent it to Po...

Do you sent it to Poland?

Morten2's picture

Huuu, what a relief ...

Huuu, what a relief reading Martins review just after watching this Mel Krieger DVD, Now I Just can't wait to get to Patagonia, and see for my self. Regarding Mr Krieger, I guess this is first and the last of his DVD's I will ever buy or watch, he is just to mutch a p i t a.

I would like to poin...

I would like to point out that for a number of years Mr Krieger has been lobbying here alongside those who, thinking themselves above the law, keep illegally closing public accesses to our rivers (remember: basically, there's no such a thing as "private waters" here in Argentina, despite what outfitters like Mr Krieger would like you to believe). The same rivers he tells us he love so dearly, are the rivers he contributes to keep illegally unaccesible for its true owners (that is all argentinians) as well as 'not worthy' visiting fishermen, as any of you could experience by yourself if you ever come here and try to fish his beloved rivers in many places, where his partners would eagerly bully you out before you can tell them what the law says about water courses. I'm sure he love our rivers, yes, almost as much as he loves your dollars/euros.

By the way, many fishermen here wonder how come that loving Patagonia so dearly, and after four decades, he can't articulate a single sentence in Spanish?

Here in Argentina is...

Here in Argentina is not uncommon amongst people to regard others either as heroes or foes, with nothing in between.
Encouraged by him or not, Mr. Krieger does not escape from that point of view, which I think not only damages him as an instructor but also destroys great opportunities to learn what ever is worth learning from anyone and just move on.
Regarding the public waters Mr. Krieger loves to fish in Patagonia, I wish to add that Argentine anglers without dollars in their pockets are kicked out, sometimes at gun point, exactly from some of the very same places.

Guillermo

You are so right abo...

You are so right about this video. It's all about mr Krieger. His audience sits in speechless adaration before him. It seems no one else has the ability to say anything worthwile about flyfishing.

However, I visited some of those wonderfull places: stunning, he certainly picked the right places to flyfish!!

Martin Joergensen's picture

Peter, I don't kn...

Peter,

I don't know whether any Danish shops have it, but Springforelle in Germany provided the DVD for review, and you can easily order it there.

Martin

Martin. Nice review....

Martin. Nice review.
Where in Denmark can i buy this dvd ? Or is it only available over the internet ?

Hi Martin, my name i...

Hi Martin, my name is Martin and I just read your comments. I agree on your comments and being from Patagonia, I found it very well done, but a little slow. It lacks (on my humble opinion, and maybe I am wrong) that sense of adventure that moved Mel and other great fishermen to Patagonia in the first place. The guys who did the DVD are excellent people and did a huge effort with it. I hope their next DVD put a lot more excitement.
Anyways, I think Global Fly Fisher is excellent, great interaction with mere mortals like me and lots, LOTS of useful information. Tight lines and continue doing a great job. Martin Carranza

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