When the Quirky Filmmaker Met the Fishing Phenom
Opposite: Fishing buddies Grant Langmore, Will Sunby, and Charlie Lewis are a regular sight on— and sometimes in —Lady Bird Lake.
naturally incredulous. “There were some people who had a hard time believing I caught it myself and some people on Facebook said maybe I'd doctored the picture," he says matter-of-factly. "It doesn't bother me. I think they realized later that wasn't true. Most people are really nice. I've met so many awesome people down here fishing." Records and double-digit catches notwithstanding, Langmore relishes the camaraderie in fishing and the chance to share his passion with anyone interested in learning. "One time my dad and I took some family friends fishing and I helped the boy, who was about eight, catch his first fish,” Langmore tells me. “Seeing someone do that is so fun. You just get really excited when they get all excited. That's a really good feeling inside." Standing around holding a fishing pole is the opposite of boring, says Langmore. "It's actually totally addicting," he maintains. "I guess fishing for me and my friends is like what video games are for some people. But this is outside, on the water, and it's so much better."
An easy kinship exists among those whose love of the outdoors borders on an obsession. Such is the case for Austin-based independent filmmaker Bradley Beesley and fisherkid Grant Langmore. Though separated in age by 30 years, the two quickly forged a bond over their common passion when Beesley was commissioned by outdoor lifestyle brand YETI to direct and shoot a short documentary about Langmore. “Grant is a skilled fisherman, especially for his age, and he and his fishing club buddies can geek out for hours on the most minute details,” Beesley says. “But, there’s much more to Grant than that. He loves just being out there, on the water. I love that we both share this over-romanticized ideal about being in nature, on a river.” In certain circles, Beesley, a self-described “river rat,” is something of a fishing legend himself. His 2001 documentary about fishermen who eschew rod and reel for their bare hands, “Okie Noodling,” (yes, he’s that guy) has been in continual rotation on PBS nationwide since its first appearance over 15 years ago. Subsequent projects depicting offbeat Americana have won Beesley acclaim at SXSW and Sundance, on HBO, A&E, the Discovery Channel and the History Channel. Turning 60 hours of footage into a compelling seven minutes about Langmore was no small task, but Beesley says he enjoyed every minute of it. “The Catch” screens this summer.
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| APRIL 2017
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