Welcome to Week CLXXVII of ‘Fishing Parkland Shorelines’. Like most of us I am a novice fisherman, loving to fish, but far from an expert. In the following weeks I’ll attempt to give those anglers who love to fish but just don’t have access to a boat, a look at some of the options in the Yorkton area where you can fish from shore, and hopefully catch some fish.
On a rainy weekend when a cold bug is merrily nipping at every joint in your body to the point the idea of casting a fishing line from the shore seems a very bad idea, what is a fisherman to do?
Well a good place to get some good fishing vibes is to pop onto the computer and head over to YouTube.com and start going through the hundreds of great videos on fishing.
In my case I did a pre-visit Google search and founder Bobber Down Films. The films intrigued because they are based in Canada, the Maritimes to be specific, and they are shorts.
The idea of short films have long intrigued, maybe the influence of living in Yorkton, home of the longest running short film festival in North America, but more likely because I can view more fishing experiences in a shorter period of time.
The short films were just right in terms of enjoying something that just wasn’t going to happen personally on the weekend.
Not all the fish were monsters, but there was an obvious joy of the experience of fishing whether it was a huge strike, or just a tiny fish happening to have a robust appetite and taking the hook.
So of course I had to find out more, so I emailed the guys behind Bobber Down Films.
The response was quick, which of course is the wonder on the information age and email.
“My name is Mitch Edwards. Bobber Down Films is something my good friend Jamie Gilbert started doing with his new go pro he got years ago,” came the reply, adding they started in 2012.
Edwards said initially he wasn’t sure what to think of filming their fishing experiences for the world to look in on.
“I didn’t really know if I liked the idea of putting videos of myself on YouTube,” he said. “Then over time I got more into it, got a camera myself and started helping film, and bought an editing program.”
Edwards said it was interesting to see a trip condensed on film to the memorable strikes.
“It was neat to see a fishing trip after you cut out all the boring stuff,” he said, adding they don’t film for a grandiose purpose. Rather the experience of capturing a trip on film adds to the experience of the actual fishing. “We just do it for fun, something cool to do with our fishing memories.”
Having people watch the films is a bonus.
“The goal for the films is to hopefully reach some fisherman who enjoys the show as much as we did type thing just for fun,” said Edwards. “But we would love to get paid to fish, but who wouldn’t. You gotta have a dream right?”
Of course there are challenges that come with filming and fishing.
“The hardest part of making the videos nowadays is just really finding time to meet-up and edit footage, you know kids, girlfriends and life stuff,” said Edwards, adding the filming remains a secondary passion. “Just as long as we get out fishing is the main thing.”
That said Edwards said when they pack the cameras they head out with some established goals in mind.
“There is pre planning to do,” he said. “It depends on the wind, the weather, season, time of year.”
Filming is also influenced by what species they are targeting.
“Our favourite species really is trout mostly because in Nova Scotia if you find good trout you’re probably in the middle of no-man’s land in a really peaceful spot,” said Edwards.
It also comes down to having the right gear.
“We try our best to have good gear and keep up on our fishing maintenance, packing everything but the kitchen sink,” said Edwards. “We do a lot of camping and wilderness on our adventures. We try our best to make the most from our trips.”
Edwards said people have seemed to like the films, generally at least.
“Feedback is good and bad,” he said. “People are very opinionated about the ways of fishing. It can really make you carefully choose what you’re going to show I guess. People can be critical of fish handling, catch and release or anything you do. I personally am confident in my fishing ways hate it or love it.”
As for his own background as a fisherman, Edwards said it is a lifelong interest.
“I’ve been fishing for as long as I remember, starting with my dad, brother, cousin Jarred,” he said. “Then with friends as I got older.
“I would drive my bike all over the city after fish as a young guy. My grandfather, who unfortunately I never had the pleasure of meeting as he died before I was born, happened to be a fresh water marine biologist here in Nova Scotia. I used to read all his old books and use his hip waders and stuff. I was hooked right off the get go. I guess it’s in my blood; fishing and studying up and learning on fish and nature has always been a hobby of mine.”
Check the films out at www.youtube.com by searching for the Bobber Down Films channel.
