Anchorman

I’m back from Belize, and as I edit the images I shot there, I’m going to write a series of blog posts about my experiences. Some about travel, some about the great people I met, and some will be a little fly-fishing-centric as that was the bulk of my assignment there.

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Today we’re headed 20+ miles out from Placencia, Belize to a pristine flat near a small key, shooting Igor Glinda: guide, fly fishing lodge owner, and editor from the Polish fly fishing magazine Sztuka Lowienia “The Art of Fly Fishing“. Igor is a great caster and all around fly fisherman trying for his first Permit, a notoriously difficult fish to catch on fly tackle.

Our guide Dermin is scanning the flat for them. It’s a windy day and we’ll have to get relatively close to the fish which means we have to wade, because fishing from the boat in these conditions will spook them. Dermin is out of the boat pulling us along by the bow, spots a school of feeding Permit, gets Igor out of the boat and into position and without hesitation, hands me the bow rope.

©Dominick Spolitino

We’re not going to get the shots we need unless I hold the boat, so what the hell, I’ll see what I can do! I switch to a longer lens, loop the rope over my shoulder and hold the boat in the wind and current while I shoot. I manage not to wreck and continue to shoot while they fish. (Note from the voice of experience: if you’re ever in a position where you’re lashed to a 23ft boat on a windy day and your wading boot comes untied: don’t mess with it).