Amazon Prime Video has an incredible amount of documentaries and other content focused on outdoor activities. Whether you’re into climbing, cycling, backpacking, dogsled racing, sailing, or fishing, Amazon has something for you.

If you’re like me, you’ve been stuck on the couch for much of 2020, cycling through new and old shows and movies on various streaming services. I’ve been astonished at the abundance of high quality outdoor sports documentaries on Amazon Prime Video. Listed below are a bunch of fly fishing focused movies and shows that I’ve watched this past year. Several of these are available on other platforms such as Hulu and YouTube if you don’t have access to Amazon. Without further adieu, here are….

 

Dave’s Faves

Silver Kings (2014-2019) – Series spanning over six seasons focused on tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys. There are also episodes focused on different parts of the world and different species. I was supposed to go to the Keys in May to go tarpon fishing for the first time but we canceled the trip, so this has been the next best thing. Each episode is around 20 minutes long. Must watch for vicarious saltwater flats fly fishing. The series’s website is here.

 

Trout Grass (2005) – Documentary on bamboo rod making with a focus on the sourcing of bamboo from China. Originally released in 2005, this is the remastered edition released in 2020. If you’re curious about bamboo rods, this is a good place to start. 50 minutes. The film’s website is here.

 

Land Of Little Rivers (2019)  – Feature length documentary on trout fishing in upstate New York. Has a section on Joan Wulff. Centers on the Ausable River, the Delaware River, and various fly shops and guides. History of fly fishing in the Catskills and Adirondacks. 92 minutes. Rob Lewis and Ben Rinker in particular provide plenty of laughs. The film’s website is here.

 

Live The Stream: The Story of Joe Humphreys (2019) – Feature length documentary on fly fishing legend Joe Humphreys. Mesmerizing cinematography, one of the best outdoor sports documentaries I’ve ever seen. Arguably the best documentary footage of professional flycasting ever captured. Comment below if you’ve seen better! Must watch for the coldwater enthusiast. Learn about Joe Humphreys’s conservation efforts, trophy fish chasing, and trout fishing in Pennsylvania. 92 minutes. The film’s website is here.

 

The Lost World of Mr. Hardy (2008) – History of Hardy tackle, the shop, and those that have worked for the company. A bit slow, but worth watching for understanding why so many are obsessed with Hardy reels. Includes old footage of salmon fishing. Not a must watch, but good for a rainy day. I’m lucky enough to own a couple beat up old Orvis reels made in England that function as well as the day they were made. 93 minutes.

A few others:

• Fishing with Ladin – These two guys are very good anglers who travel all over Canada and the United States chasing trout and other species. A ton of episodes. They’re funny and entertaining and find a lot of big fish. Episodes are short. Website here.
• Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing – Good for beginners and veteran anglers alike! Pete Kutzer and Tom Rosenbauer and others drop knowledge for your viewing pleasure.
• Planet Fly Fish – Three episodes from 2015 of anglers and species around the globe. Great cinematography, worth a look.

There are other shows and series and movies available too, a search for fly fishing will dig them up. Happy watching!