Welcome to The Wire | The Felt Soul Media blog. The Wire will allow us to keep you informed on our current projects and give some insight into the inner workings of all things Felt Soul. We hope you enjoy.
We have had some inquiries about donations for our current project on Bristol Bay. We welcome donations and they are greatly needed to complete the project. You can make a tax deductible donation through Trout Unlimited, that will be earmarked specifically for our project right here. Thank you for supporting our efforts to bring awareness to this amazing topic.
hi ben and travis,
i want to introduce myself. my name is steve stracqualursi and i am the product line director for patagonia’s fly fishing line. we haven’t met yet but i want you to know that i’m very anxious to connect. i know you’ve been involved with patagonia for quite some time now and your efforts are very much appreciated. i’m aligned with those efforts and i want you to consider me an important contact. please drop me an email when convenient. thank you.
all the best,
-ss
http://www.wayupstream.com
http://www.patagonia.com/flyfishing
What’s up fellas,
Just finished getting updated on the current project. Wow. . . so far so good. I wouldn’t expect anything but excellence from you guys and I’m really excited to see the outcome of the Bristol Bay project.
I hope the dangers are less frequent and may you be able to piss on yourself if necessary. Good luck and keep up the good work. Travis, let Ben catch a fish every now and then.
Take care guys,
Jesse
We met in Anchorage and went out for dinner with Lauren.
You might want to get some comment on the proposed Jay Hammond Refuge legislation.
Jeff Parker
Great work guys………
I have been guiding floats in the katmai for10 years…….You have nailed it! right on. Cant wait to see the finished film….and hey , the bears are only as scary as you make them in your mind- 10 yrs camping and no incidents requiring lead… perhaps a rock every now and then.
NO PEPPLE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rachel Finn
Hi Guys
I just spend some more time on your site, you guys are doing some cool stuff. I would like to introduce myself, I am Brandon White, Chief Angler at Lateral Line. Lateral Line is a technical year round fishing apparel company.
We have a program called “2% for the Fish” where we donate 2% of our top line sales to our non-profit arm, the Lateral Line Foundation which supports grass roots fisheries conservation efforts. We very much would be interested in learning more about your project.
Please drop me a line at Brandon@LateralLineCo.com .
Thanks and nice work,
Brandon
Travis/Ben!
I’ve been enjoying your blogs. Am wondering if your new film project will be ready for our festival (Durango Independent Film Fest) February 27-March 2, 2008. Can’t wait to see it. I know the music will be great! Also, I am supposed to ask you if you would be interested in signing a release to have Running Down the Man selected for the Documentary Channel. You OK’d The Hatch….just email me or call the festival office @ 970-375-7779. Take care~jane
You guys are producing a “documentary” just about as much as Micheal Moore produced a “documentary”. The minute you accepted any support of any kind from Bob Gillam, your credibility as unbiased film producers went down the shitter.
Why not present both sides of the conflict about Pebble in your “documentary”. Who knows, you might just gain more than a nice trip to Alaska.
Ta Ta!
Mongo
Hi Guys,
Hope the gear is working out and the filming is as good as the fishing…looking forward to more great stories and photos.
Good luck,
jk
Way to get after it you guys…Until I travelled to Alaska and put my hands in the rivers, landed large fish, saw huge mountains and met the real people of Alaska…I only had my fathers images from scrapbooks of his travels there to go on. There will always be a piece of me in Alaska, forever.
I lived in an economically depressed area for a long time and I know how hard it is to make ends meet. But there just has to be a better way to make the economy of the Bristol Bay region balance itself. As a logical person, I can understand Mongos point, but at some level, someone has to take a stand and say aloud what everyone is thinking. I can at least give Michael Moore credit for that. We have reached a time in our planets life where we cannot walk on egg shells…we need to take action and keep this big blue marble spinning. No more mining! No more screwing up the one planet we have!
I wish you had a different name.
Felt soles have wreaked some serious devastation. Do you think the whirling disease in the Madison river in Montana, for one, was spread by felt soles? I do.
Personally I have grave fears that anglers that are serious enough about their fishing to have damp felt soles bring potential devastation to Alaska fisheries. I’d like to see felt soles banned here. The Xtra Tuff neoprene boots everyone wears in Southeast Alaska work better than felt.
I’d like to see you add in some info on measures that traveling anglers need to be taking for protection from invasive species.
Other than this, I enjoyed your site.
-Vinnie in Juneau
Awesome work! Looking forward to the finished product. I’ve been fishing out of Iliamna at Rainbow King for 8 years. Those leach fields will turn the Bristol Bay area into another Leadville Colorado. It’s going to cut it off at the source, the Kijak. Thanks for the help stopping or slowing down those mofo’s.
hey you guys, im just a local ripper living in Aspen (a-town) and just wanted to say, keep up the great work! if your fiending for cougars, you know aspen has one of the highest sightings in the country, especially in the winter. A-town stomp!
HI there Travis and team. I have just watched the Gin Clear Fly Fishing movie festival tonight in Cape Town South Africa. This is Wed Dec. 5th our time 10 to one in the morning. I just want to let you guys know, your piece on “matching the hatch” got the most crowd support and the loudest applause.
The music selection was by far the best. Just thought I’d give you guys a heads up. Great effort.
Cheers
Roland
Hello, in new year 2008 our friends wish a lot of goldfish in fishing.
Hi guys, I am not sure how you figured out a way to travel the world and fish, it is the dream of many people, but few people get the chance or the opportunities to get to do what you do, and BTW you do it well. Both of you are artists and talented, keep up the good work and I look forward to seeing your next film.
I get up to Telluride every so often ( I like the Jazz Fest the best) hope to bump into you someday.
Mark
Sandia Park, New Mexico
Just read Travis’ essay on patagonia.com, feel you need to correct the part about Baikal fresh water seals.
Fresh water seals are alive an kicking in Baikal…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerpa
http://www.pinnipeds.org/species/baikal.htm
I don’t doubt the worthiness of The Cause, but we have to get the conservation story right, otherwise people blow holes in our credibility.
And thats a kick-ass cool lake if it has seals. Awesome film too…
Andy
Felt Soul Team,
This film clip was amazing, I believe it truly dives into the heart of the issue. I spent four years in Ak and would hate to see the natural beauty that is Bristal Bay destroyed. I have a up and coming new company and am interested in the 1% program, any intput is appreciated. If you guys get up to Idaho look us up if you need a boat.
David
Travis and Ben,
My name is Seth Berling. In July of 2009, three friends and I will embark on a 17,000 mile bike trip from Prudhoe Bay, AK to Terre Del Fuego, Argentina in hopes of raising awareness for your cause. This bike trip is 3 years in the making; however, I was recently inspired to help stop the mine after seeing your trailer at the San Francisco screening. We are currently working on putting together our website but would be interested in hooking up with you guys in order to combine our efforts. The four of us are extremely passionate individuals between the ages of 24-29. Shoot me an email at your convenience. Look forward to joining your plight.
Cheers,
Seth
woops meant to write fight.
Guys,
Whats happening with the ‘Felt Soul Media’ website?
Haven’t been able to log in for a week. Already have a copy of ‘Running Down the Man’ great flick, but wanted to get a copy of ‘The Hatch.’
Keep up the good work
Geoff
Please contact Gloria at 907-561-5452, she would like to purchase the picture of the salmon swimming in a creek.
Great work fellas, keep it up! Maybe selling No Pebble Mine/Red Gold/Save Bristol Bay Tshirts would be a good way to raise money & promote the film? Let me know when they go on sale and I’ll buy one.
What’s Palin’s stance on the Pebble Mine issue?
Catch ‘em UP
Eric
Great site and always enjoy sites with such good fishing info!
Palin on Pebble? “Let the state’s permitting process dictate the outcome” is her official stance, but the process if flawed. Her daughter is even named “Bristol.” However, the Governor took a very visible stance against Ballot Initiative 4, which was an attempt to stop Pebble through more strictly enforced water quality standards. Our friends who sponsored that initiative, Alaskans for Clean Water, have filed suit to find out just how much her Administration worked with the foes of that initiative.
Hi guys, just came across your site and ordered the DVD. I think it is truly inspiring what you guys do. 15 years ago I did a documentary about a cyanide leach mining operation in Montana. It still amazes me to this day, that with all the superfund sites we have in this country and the billions it costs to clean up the mess left behind by these mining operations, that politicians still will not address the issue and revise the 1872 mining laws. I wish you all all the best and continued success!!
Marcel Siegle
Hey – loved Red Gold which I just saw in Berkeley tonight in the Banff traveling show.
I especially like the opening photos. How did you do that effect?
Just watched RedGold on the Vancouver Mountain FilmFest Tour – I wanted to congratulate all those involved in making a movie where the audience was IN it – on the boats, in the floatplanes – an incredible achievement – on all fronts – music, dialogue, editing, opening 3D photos, cinematography, etc, etc.
FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!
You ROCK!!!!!!!!
What is the name of the flyfishing outfitter on Red Gold?
The outfitter is Dave Egdorf and the lodge is called Egdorf’s Nushagak Wilderness Camp. Here is a link http://www.flyfishingtravel.com/alaska/nushagak.html
Hey Guys
I wanted to let you know that we will be showing RedGold on Wednesday night in honor of Earth Day here in Kalamazoo, MI at Kalamazoo College. Looking forward to sharing the story with the local community. Cheers and keep up the good work!
Cheers
Sam Snyder
Where the HELL is Eastern rises? You guys ever gonna finish it? Better yet are you ever going to market with it. I was on the Sedanka the same year as you (Magic Island rocks) and would like a copy
I am also a 45 year Alaska resident and see both sides of the Pebble issue. I have hunted and fished all the headwaters up in that area, floated many of the streams and rivers and commercial fished Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea. The long term situation proposed for containment scares the hell out of me. Alaska has been forced to tiptoe the tightrope of progress for generations. I will be curious to see how this one works out.
Yeah fellas, Eastern Rises neeeeeds to come out soon. I’m dying here!