Published Oct 13. 2011 - 12 years ago
Updated or edited Nov 5. 2019

Video review: Stepping into the Stream

A video about women fly fishing, and not just about fly fishing, but also about connecting with nature and themselves.


Info
Author: 
Barbara Klutinis
Publisher: 
Barbara Klutinis
Publishing year: 
2010
Minutes: 
43
Price: 
25.00
US$

Reviewed by: 

Before watching this for the first time I was a bit afraid that just being a woman would be the key to partaking in this video. Well, it is of course, since the video is about fly fishing women. But it's obvious that you also have to have something on your heart to get in front of Barbara Klutinis' camera.

It seems that these women vocalize a lot of the things that we all think. It might be the classical Mars and Venus thing: We men are reluctant to express what we really feel. I'm not a big fan of the idea that there is such an enormous difference between women and men when it comes to doing things: leading business, being politicians, raising kids... or fly fishing for that matter. But I have to admit that there is some truth to the fact that women talk more, and in this video they manage to talk about a lot of the things that I think we men also feel, but rarely say.
I thoroughly enjoy the fact that it's women who express their feelings for casting and fishing. Not just because it's women, but because the really nail it. They say things that are more than worth listening to, and that clearly expresses what a lot of us feel about fly fishing, be it men or women, but what we men might not feel comfortable to put words to - or may not be able to phrase. Interviews with male anglers easily drift into the hog, bum, gear, drink-smoke-swear realm. We have seen several examples of that in lots of videos. Not that men don't talk about the beautiful, joyful and relaxing sides of fly fishing. It's just that the fishing itself takes up more space. In this video it is done in a more poetic spirit that actually suits fly fishing very well.

One thing is the general opinions about fly fishing, which will strike a cord with both genders, but fly fishing seen from the female perspective is probably a real eye opener to many of us men. I have fished with female fly fishers twice in my fly fishing life. Twice! And I have fly fished for more than 30 years. I have bumped into women on a couple of occasions while fishing, but I think the number of times can be counted on one hand. That is most likely the same as most men have experienced, so it's no wonder that we male anglers have a man's perspective on our pastime. We meet men, fish with men, get guided by men, meet men in shops, see men in ads. The fly fishing scene is totally dominated by men.
And that only makes this video more interesting and relevant.

It's the women and what they say that's in focus. There's fishing action, beautiul locations and casting, but this is not an action video or a how-to, but gentle portraits and patient interviews with some women who have interesting things to say about fly fishing. We have young and old women, amateurs and pros, newcomers and seasoned anglers. They all get time to tell their story and express their opinions. Of course the video focuses on the female views (if there is such a thing!), but as I said: most of what's said, could easily cover the view of any angler.
But there are women's stories like the one about the way shops and the industry accepted women as fly fishers and started treating them as customers and not just their husband or boyfriend's partner. I also love the story about Donna O'Sulivan who has taken up Spey casting. Being a smallish woman mastering a two hand rod leads to some interesting observations.
All interviews are set in suitable scenes, on streams, on the porch, in landscapes or somewhere else that offers a nice backdrop to the person talking. The technical quality isn't breathtaking, but that's not the idea anyway. I'd personally have liked to see it in a 16:9 format rather than letterbox, which offers less justice to the images, but it's a small issue.

Baby, move over! There's no way you can hide this anymore. Mama has come!

Don't skip the extras, where you get more interviews with more women, and even get some great (and really entertaining!) advice about gear and gadgets. 33 minutes worth, and absolutely as interesting as the main content.

One of the women in the video says: "Baby, move over! There's no way you can hide this anymore. Mama has come!"
We men obviously can't keep the secret joys of fly fishing hidden from the women any more, so we might as well bid them welcome. I would personally love to see more female anglers, and this video can hopefully entice some of them to go fly fishing.


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