The 4th annual Fly Fishing Film Tour kicked off Saturday night in Colorado Springs with an exited crowd of anglers, film-makers, and others just interested to see what the buzz was about. The 2010 tour is sure to be a hit, as it zig-zags around the country hitting over 90 cities before wrapping up in April. The festival features segments from both hemispheres and includes footage from 25 different waterways in 9 different countries. This year’s edition is especially unique, as over 70% of the footage has never been seen.

Each film has a distinctive flavor and message, and while all of them showcase incredible footage, each has their own blend of comedy, storytelling, and some of the most impressive fish ever caught on film. “We love that our tour has become the ideal venue for fans to get together and celebrate their common passions”, says The Drake magazine editor Tom Bie. “Watching fans cheer, swap stories and get generally stoked for the sport we love is an awesome experience.”

The tour’s party-like atmosphere and global reach are only one half the motivation of the mission. They also recognize the importance of supporting local fly shops and conversation groups.

As the tour swings out to California Tuesday, January 26th, it returns here to Colorado for a showing in Ft. Collins on January 28th, then a double billing in Denver on Saturday, January 30th. I will be joining the Drake team for the next Colorado shows in support of the festival and the movement to stop the Pebble Mine in southwest Alaska. Please join me, and if you have any questions about the proposed mine in Alaska, look for me in the black “No Pebble Mine” hat and say hello.

Hope to see all of you there!