LEVIATHAN is the latest fly fishing film from director and Rise Fly Fishing Film Festival organiser, Nick Reygaert.
Fans of Reygaert’s earlier films the Source series and previous release Predator won’t be disappointed by this latest production. Leviathan, the feature film of the 2013 RISE festival, sets out to document the pursuit of monster fish on fly and does so in familiar, slick style.
The film begins in New Zealand’s North Island where secret tiny back country creeks are home to enormous wild brown trout. This is challenging fly fishing requiring pinpoint casting – and 20lb tippets! – to land giant browns that average double figures in old fashioned pounds. A great opening segment.
The adventure then turns to Argentinian Patagonia where under the shadow of the Andes live some of the biggest, fastest growing rainbow trout in the world. Lago Strobel or “Jurassic Lake” as it is commonly called by anglers is an isolated waterway where strong winds blow constantly to provide the highly oxygenated water these giants thrive in. While Predator featured a feast of slick slow-motion footage, Reygaert has gone for a less is more approach this time around. That said, a slow-mo sequence featuring monster Jurassic rainbows rising to dry flies is a Leviathan highlight.
The prized bonefish is the next to feature. The footage was shot at a little known atoll in French Polynesia where bones twice the average size of more famous locations are common. Due to their outlandish size the bonefish at this destination are the subject of a scientific research program. The local sand flats where these monster bones live are also home to predatory giant trevally to over 100lbs; a supreme fly rod challenge as the ensuing GT segments demonstrate!
A film about targeting big sportfish on fly wouldn’t be complete without the giant tarpon. The mouth of Costa Rica’s Rio Colorado is where giant tarpon gather to spawn and the backdrop for a memorable few minutes in Leviathan. Amazing slow-mo action of hooked leaping tarpon portrays the speed and power of these majestic silver giants. Seeing an angler snap a rod during a battle with a big tarpon demonstrates why so many fly fishers regard the species as the ultimate fly target. The sheer speed and excitement of a big “poon’s” first run has to be seen to be believed! There’s an amazing sequence shot offshore where river meets sea and hundreds of big tarpon and trevally feed on a herded bait ball. The underwater and surface footage is worthy of an Attenborough doco.
The film concludes with footage shot during a Nomad Sportfishing Adventures at Bugatti Reef in Australia’s Coral Sea – home to the giant trevally – and scene of an epic fly rod battle.
Leviathan is narrated by Greg French and is beautifully shot and highly entertaining. It runs for around 47 minutes and is highly recommended.
Available now at: www.gin-clear.com
