married and says he has two teenaged daughters, one 22, the other 16. Growing up, humor was a big part his life. “My dad is certifiable and I think it all started with that guy,” Swartz said. “I grew up trying to be funny and my friends are some of the funniest people in the world. I’m not even the funniest one – well I probably am, but I’m trying to check the ego.” He cultivated his talent as an actor in Shakespearean theater, working in New York, Oregon and California. He was also part of the Idaho Theater for Youth where he worked in 120 shows all over the state. After that he learned to shoot and edit independent films working with Director Michael Hoffman to produce “Out of the Blue,” a film about Boise State University’s undefeated 2006 football season and upset of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. What brings everything together for Swartz is fly fishing. Developing an intimate understanding of the sport over the years allows him to poke fun at it. “I’ve been fly fishing for 20 years but if you watched me you’d wonder if I started a month ago,” he said. “I compare it to gambling. If you’re sitting at a slot machine and you think it’s going to hit and you just can’t get yourself to leave, that’s fly fishing to me. It takes my mind off things and nothing else seems to exist. I love every minute of it.” But not being afraid to make fun of fly fishing has cast a few negative comments in Hank’s direction, Swartz said. “I’ve had a few negative com-
ments and I don’t expect everyone to like Hank,” Swartz said. “I don’t like cilantro but if I’m at a Mexican restaurant and they’re serving it, I don’t go in and flip the bird to the cook. I just realize it’s something I don’t like.” What’s been pleasantly surprising about Hank’s videos is broad acceptance from people who make their living at fly fishing. Industry insiders say Hank’s humor is appealing to young people and that helps grow the sport. “Most everybody who approaches me about a sponsorship has a real interest in attracting the younger generation to the sport of fly fishing and they think that Hank communicates with the younger generation,” Swartz said. “We try to be somewhat respectful to the sport. People might think we are making fun of the old guard and the stuffiness of it but I think we are having fun with the stuffiness of it.”
flow, but changes are coming. Swartz and his film crew recently returned from a trip to Montana where they fished and filmed on rivers from Livingston to Missoula. They are planning to release six new five to ten minute videos on YouTube and produce a short film called “Hank Patterson’s Reel Montana Adventure.” It tells the story of how Hank came to be a fly fisherman and walking in the footsteps of Norman Maclean, author of “A River Runs Through It.” The video will be made available for download for a small fee, Swartz said. Among his most proud accomplishments is a relationship developed with Reel Recovery (reelrecovery.org), a non-profit organization that sponsors men who are recovering from cancer
on fly fishing retreats. Swartz’s friend Reese Ferguison, who plays the part of Hank’s fishing client in all of the videos, but rarely utters a single word, was a participant in one of the retreats and the pair teamed up to make a video for the organization. Ferguison is a long-time friend and creative contributor who helped develop and find new opportunities for Hank. “What they did for Reese and all the participants at their retreats is pretty awesome,” Swartz said. “We made a really cool film about it for them, it’s goofy and ridiculous, but it’s amazing what a little laughter can do for people in a tough situation.” See PATTERSON, page 12
His sponsors include Trout Unlimited, Orvis, Redington, Smith Optics and several others. Swartz says he won’t include advertising on his YouTube channel so Hank isn’t making money, but he gets a lot of free gear, and it’s top shelf gear. “RIO Products in Idaho Falls has been kind to us,” Swartz said. “When we approached them about a sponsorship it was long after their budget was spent but they gave me a really nice shirt. I use it as a rag around the house, but it’s really nice.” Hank’s YouTube videos are approaching a half million views. Swartz says it takes a lot more than that to create cash Idaho Farm Bureau Quarterly / FALL 2013
11