On February 22nd, Confluence Films and the Wild Steelhead Coalition present the premiere of the new film, Connect, created by Jim Klug and Chris Patterson.

CONNECT introduces a number of new locations, exotic species and compelling characters that epitomize and exemplify the sport of fly fishing. Shot on location in Japan, Yellowstone National Park, the Yukon Drainage of Alaska, the flats of Cuba, the coast of Maine, and in the wilds of Tanzania, Africa, this feature-length movie will once again transport viewers around the world in search of new waters and exhilarating travel experiences. CONNECT features well-known anglers Greg Vincent, Jeff Currier, Jimmy Bartschi, Craig Mathews, Masa Katsumata, Brian Porter, and Captain Eric Wallace, and more than a dozen different fish species, both freshwater and saltwater.

As with DRIFT and RISE before, the cinematography, sound, and feel of CONNECT come together in a visual masterpiece that promises to re-set the bar for fly fishing films.

Don’t miss this incredible film and fundraising benefit for the Steelhead Coalition. Doors open at 6pm, and the film starts at 7. $5 bucks get you in. Enjoy good beer, raffles, and all sorts of fun!

Sometimes, the simplest things are the best, right? We came upon this excerpt from the book Letters of a Woman Homesteader, by Elinore Pruitt Stewart, and really fell in love with the language and the visual imagery it creates about life for the early homesteaders in Wyoming. It captures that inherent love of fishing so deep in all of us:

“Presently, about noon, we came to a little dell where the grass was as soft and as green as a lawn. The creek kept right up against the hills on one side and there were groves of quaking asp and cottonwoods that made shade, and service-bushes and birches that shut off the ugly hills on the other side. We dismounted and prepared to noon. We caught a few grasshoppers and I cut a birch pole for a rod. The trout are so beautiful now, their sides are so silvery, with dashes of old rose and orange, their speckles are so black, while their backs look as if they had been sprinkled with gold-dust. They bite so well that it doesn’t require any especial skill or tackle to catch plenty for a meal in a few minutes.”

You can buy this book from Amazon.com, and we think you should.

You like fish photos, don’t you? How about some of the best photographers in the country?

Check this:

The Greenbacks of Trout Unlimited are excited to announce the 2nd Surface Film event showcasing top professional fly-fishing photography across the country at the Anthology Fine Art gallery (635 Santa Fe Drive Denver, CO 80204) on Thursday February 2nd, 2012 from 7pm to 11pm.

This is a free event. All ages are welcome to attend. Live music, yummy food.
Last year they had over 250 people at the event, and expect more this year, so please RSVP at the following link to guarantee admission: http://surfacefilm2.eventbrite.com/

You can get more info at their website, so check it out.

MFC pro Cody Townsend posted this video on his fly fishing blog (great to be able to say “Cody Townsend’s fly fishing blog!!!) of some friends in Alaska doing the full-on fish porn shoot. Some great imagery, some beautiful scenery, and some lovely fish!

Love it! It’s 20 minutes of purty, so settle in the big chair, and dream you are the one with the rod in your hands. Click on the photo to get over to his blog and the video.

As we posted in early November, pro freeskier Cody Townsend has joined a growing cadre of folks who are fish obsessed. Cody has begun sharing much of his experiences on his blog – The California Fly.  (Maybe, um, a little too much information…)

Recently, Cody was up on our neck of the river, and we did not miss the opportunity to take him north to the pristine waters of Fernie, British Columbia in search of bull trout. The adventure for Cody ended up being a lot more than just casts and catches…

from: The California Fly:

“This would be my first time targeting Bulls, my first meeting with all the ladies and gentlemen of MFC and as it would turn out…the first time with food poisoning so bad that I wouldn’t eat for 3 days, sleep for 14 hours a day and yes, folks…s*#% my pants. Now this may seem like quite the revelation on the internet, but I don’t really care, because as the infamous bumper sticker of the 70′s and 80′s said, “S*#% Happens”. And regardless, it makes for quite the hilarious story.”

You won’t want to miss the full story. Cody let’s it all hang out, and as long as you can handle a bit of gastro-intestinal details, you should enjoy his tale.

Montana Fly Company has a brand new reel series for 2012, including the Madison II and Madison IIa. The Madison reels have a solid drag system, a super large arbor, and “V” shaped spool floor, which adds backing capacity. The Madison II reel is indexed (meaning, it has holes) in order to keep weight down, and there are various models (for a range of line weights) which also come in the MFC Artist Series and MFC River Camo artwork.

Here’s a pretty pic of the Madison IIa, which features a solid side with stunning artwork:

Our friends at Midcurrent made a great video, showcasing the Madison reels. Check it out.

We are excited to announce the release of North Fork On-The-Fly Whiskey from Glacier Distillery in Coram, Montana. MFC teamed up with the distillery to bring this special edition spirit to market with a unique twist: Every bottle of On-The-Fly has one of four beautiful MFC flies adorning the bottle.

North Fork On-The-Fly is a peach-infused whiskey in the North Fork line. On-The-Fly is a six-month aged North Fork Flood Stage whiskey infused with hand-cut white peaches. The barrel imparts a light oak spice and the peaches give it a golden sweet finish. Wax sealed and adorned with a hand selected Montana Fly Company bug, this limited edition bottle would make a great gift for any fly fisherman.

“Glacier Distillery is a local spirit maker, right here in Northwest Montana,” says MFC President, Adam Trina. “It was a natural fit for us. We are excited to make this special edition happen.  I guess we all know that two things that pair nicely are fly fishing and a great whiskey!”

On-The-Fly is non chill-filtered and bottled at 88 proof for maximum flavor. They are only bottling ten cases, so get yours soon. They are available at the Whiskey Barn in Coram, on your way to fish the North Fork. Each bottle has a ready-to-fish bug, one of these for designs:  Oswald’s Rastaman Golden #10, Swisher’s PMX Royal #12, Royal Stimulator #10, or Perry’s Bugmeister#12.

We probably don’t even need to suggest that fly fishing is a great activity for kids – you know that already!

Fly Fisherman Magazine has a great piece in its latest issue about getting kids involved in the thrill of the catch, including a nice batch of advice, and suggestions for great products for kids under 10.

The story highlights the work of Kirk Werner, who is dedicated to helping bring kids into the sport. He runs TakeKidsFlyFishing.com, and has published several books in the Olive the Woolly Bugger series for kids. Good stuff, go check out the website.

And Olive has her own website too. Visit it here and watch the video interview with Kirk, talking about his motivation for the series.

Of course, MFC is happy to have a mention of our own Olive the Woolly Bugger line of products, like this great fly box. Put one of these beauties under the tree and get your kids out on the river this year!

Fiberglass Manifesto is featuring MFC as part of their 12 Days of Christmas Gear Giveaway.

No thank you, Partridge in a Pear Tree, we’ll take MFC Stainless Steel Flask and Fly Boxes every day of the 12, thanks. Boat Box? Yes. Turtle Doves? You can keep those. MFC has offered up a Boat Box and FOUR prize packages of flasks, fly boxes, and travel mugs. 

Get all the deets over on the TFM and tune in starting December 5th. Runs through December 16th – just have to email to enter, winners chosen at random (just like love, right?).

You’re in the boat. You’re on the river. You got your rod, your reel, your leader, your cooler of  Kokanee. Where, oh where, are your flies? Are they in one of your zillion vest or pack pockets, or in that rusted-out fly box getting kicked around the bottom of your boat?

WRONG ANSWER!

MFC has you covered with our incredible waterproof fly boxes. Here’s a nice video shoot with Sammi J, outlining the features of these sweet boxes.

So, keep your beers in the slimy boat juice if you want, but keep your flies dry!