Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) returns to the Whiteside

The Blueback Chapter of Trout Unlimited, based out of Corvallis, will host a showing of the Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Whiteside Theatre on Saturday, February 21st.  “F3T” as the tour is known to those familiar with the event started in 2007 and has grown more than 30% each year since then to reach a nationwide audience of over 50,000 anglers during the 2014 tour.  F3T offers a collection of short- and mid-length films that showcase some of the world’s premier fly-fishing destinations, top guides, and well know fly-fishing personalities.   If you were fortunate enough to squeeze into a packed house at least year's Fly Fishing Film Tour showing at the Whiteside, you already have some idea of what's in store for this year's event. Proceeds from the Whiteside Theater's F3T screening funded a survey on the South Fork of the Siletz River conducted alongside by volunteers with the Bluebacks Chapter. Rewind to 1984, when the Valsetz Dam which blocked access to spawning grounds of Native Steelhead and Salmon populations was removed. Fast forward to present day when Polk County has been considering rebuilding the dam to pull drinking water for residents. The surveys have collected data that show the area of the South Fork above the old dam site is still actively being used as a spawning ground for native anadromous fish, as well as surrounding tributaries that would also be affected by the rebuilding of the dam. Last year's survey was a less accurate but very low-budget version of fish counting methods, based on volunteers organized by the Bluebacks and trained by the Oregon Deparment of Fish and Wildlife along with a professional rapid bio assessment conducted by Bio Surveys LLC. While some major river systems are monitored using electronic sonar to track fish passage, the survey used the eyes of contractors and volunteers to spot spawning redds of South Fork Siletz fish. The future of the program will monitor the progress of woody debris habitat restoration conducted by ODFW and funded by the Bluebacks, so buy a ticket and give a smolt a home!

Trout Unlimited Bluebacks Chapter
volunteers surveying the Upper Siletz

This year’s tour will include a showing of “Wild Fish Works” from Sage Lion Media based out of Denver Colorado.  Filmed entirely on the Oregon Coast, “Wild Fish Works” tells the story of how wild steelhead and salmon are important to more than just anglers and have represent significant social, cultural and economic ties up and down the Oregon coast.  Filmmakers Russell Schnitzer and Alan Moore will be on hand to discuss the film and what they learned about the importance of wild steelhead and salmon through their efforts on “Wild Fish Works.”

Corvallis’s Blueback Chapter of Trout Unlimited started in 2013 and holds monthly meetings at Watershed Fly Shop from 7-9pm on the first Wednesday of each month.  The chapter seeks to create community around fly fishing and conservation and has adopted the Siletz Basin as their “homewaters.”  All profits from the Corvallis F3T event will help fund steelhead monitoring and habitat conservation work in the Siletz Basin.  During the film, the Bluebacks will be offering a 50% discount on introductory memberships to Trout Unlimited for first-time members for $17.50.  Members of TU can participate in Bluebacks events including steelhead spawning surveys and snorkel surveys, receive a quarterly magazine from the organization, and join a community of conservation-minded anglers in the Corvallis area.

The show will screen on February 21st. Doors will open at 6:30pm and the show will start at 8pm. Advance tickets are available for $10 online at https://ticketriver.com/event/13490 or at Watershed Fly Shop (2085 NW Buchanan St, Corvallis) or for $15 at the door.  There will be an after-party at Cloud and Kelly’s (126 Southwest 1st Street, Corvallis) following the conclusion of the film tour.  

Thanks to Brian Boggess for contributing with press release