The Studio
On a small Minnesota stream, an eight-year-old boy made a slight cast up and into the current. From the bank, his father watched with patience… gently instructing as he thoughtfully documented the moment on his phone.
The small caddis fly pattern bobbed in the waves, eventually floating directly in front of them both and, as if on cue for the camera, a tiny brown, from somewhere deep in the run, rose for and ate it.
Neither father, nor son, could contain their excitement.
Scot Simmons reminded his son, Cooper, to keep the line tight. Cooper did everything just right. He landed the fish. And both father and son soon admire a trout this young man landed on a dry fly… all by himself.
“That moment on the creek filled my soul in a way that completely overwhelmed me,” said Scot Simmons, some weeks later, as he recollected that moment.
There is a video of all this, which has rightly been shared thousands of times across the Instagram platform. The outpouring of positivity, support and the direct messages that spawned only served to strengthen the elder Simmons’ bond with the greater fly-fishing community.
Scot Simmons has dealt with various forms of anxiety, PTSD and depression for most of his adult life. He admits he hasn’t always made the best choices in life. More recently, considering the tragic murder of George Floyd in his hometown of Minneapolis, Simmons has wondered if “that could have been me.”
He is committed to creating a better life for himself and others, and he strives to be a better role model for his own family. Fly fishing has helped him find this equilibrium.
Learn more and support the Twin Cities Chapter youth education program here:
www.tu.org/scot-simmons-the-s...
Пікірлер: 56
Simply fantastic seeing that young man catching his first fish!
Stoked Scot got to share his story and highlight how getting out on the water can help us all mentally. That clip of Cooper hooking up with a trout with a dry fly is timeless and never fails to bring a smile to my face. Every. Single. Time.
@TroutUnlimitedNatl
Жыл бұрын
Big thanks to you Carf for being a huge part of telling Scot's story and for sharing your own in TROUT Magazine too!
Beautiful
This was awesome...great way to share the stoke.
I go trout fishing every chance I get, for the same exact reasons. The only thing I think about while I’m trout fishing is trout. It has taught me to appreciate the beauty in things that I hadn’t in the past. There’s no other fishing that can compare to trout fishing
This is great.
Looks what you're doing is incredible. Keep moving forward. Stand firm.
Awesome film. Well done.
What a story, what a film, powerful stuff, thank you
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
Love it! Keep being great and spreading positivity within the community! 🙏🏽🎣
Awesome!
Precious moments with your son. Go dad!
Scot Simmons deserves a lot of credit to volunteer his time to organize the program Foster the Outdoors with Trout Unlimited! This short film should be promoted to the public on social media and major networks.The world would be a better place if people would get outside, appreciate nature and go fly fishing!! Let’s hope this program spreads through out our country. We have a mental health crisis and this is one approach that could offer a solution to the on-going violence in the U.S.
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much! To clarify, I volunteer for the FTO program but would love your support for a similar but new program that I will be heading. I'm excited to introduce fly fishing to BIPOC and underprivileged communities.
@phallberg2650
Жыл бұрын
@@ssdover69 Thank you for your reply! Please provide more information and the link to your new organization.
fantastic. nice job all around.
Thank you for this thoughtful 12 minutes.
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
You're welcome!
This is such a beautiful film! Scott -- thanks for opening up, being vulnerable, and inspiring me! Life can be hard, but it can also be beautiful - - it will be both, for all of us. In this short film I smiled, I cried, I felt inspired, I felt moved to be a better version of me. Sending you a big hug brother! Thanks also to TU -- for sharing this wisdom and for protecting our precious rivers!
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Ben, thank you! We're stronger together. ✌🏾💜
Great job! Love hearing stories like this!
What a beautiful story & beautiful film! As a Minneapolis native who grew up fishing the city lakes and a passionate fly angler this really touched my heart. Thank you Scott for sharing your story and thank you Trout Unlimited!
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
I really appreciate this. Thank you! I was 3 years old when I moved to Bloomington, MN in 1972
Wonderful story! It hits all the soft spots and left me feeling inspired, thank you and Scot you’re the man!
The smile this young man gives off radiates through the screen. So neat..Nothing beats the smile of a child as it is joy at it’s purest form! So awesome you are involved in this program and that you are mentoring young people through it.
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
Thank you for your contributions to community, family, and to yourself. I think many of us in the fly fishing community share the same feelings about how being on the water calms our souls and renews our spirit. More importantly, thank you for reminding us of our humanity and the sanctity of lives.
@capriole22
Жыл бұрын
Amen
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! I couldn't agree more. 👏🏾👏🏾
Absolutely adorable. So awesome. Hooked for life now . Beautiful
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
Beautiful video
Much respect hope to see you and your boy out on the water on day ❤
Well done, sir. Well done..
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Respect. Thank you 🙏🏾
This clip continually brings me smiles and joy. Can't wait to see the whole film premier tonight.
@TroutUnlimitedNatl
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Curt! We are super excited to share.
@alganeshberhane6591
Жыл бұрын
What a wonderful story and so well told. Thank you for sharing to everyone involved and thank you to Scot for being such a positive light in an already amazing industry!
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
Brilliantly captured story. Great work TU
U are wonderful
Beautiful! Saw the end of the clip on tv today… looked it up on KZread 😊
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
💜🙏🏾 much love. Thank you.
You guys over here making grown men cry...
I have PTSD/Depression , I wish I had a car to take my son fishing and other places* I feel trapped*
@ssdover69
Жыл бұрын
I'm here if you want to talk.
@carlajaywinters2941
Жыл бұрын
@@ssdover69 July 22, 2020 at Liberty Heights Park here in West Allis, Wisconsin there was an argument among some young folks , the park is located across the street from where I live with my special needs son* The argument turned into a shooting in front of my home* I was on the phone with 911 while standing in the front doorway giving description , a bullet entered my foyer hitting a bracket that holds up a shade, took a different direction then hit the wall* The debris flew through my hair, I thought it was the bullet at first* I was Subpoenaed several times over 2 years* I still can't sleep well, still live in the same place* The worse thing is, I made an impact statement last November, because of what I said there has been a threat on my life by one of defendants family members* The person who works for Victim/Witness services at the court house heard the threat which led to police keeping watch on my home for awhile* I don't leave my house, people say they will help me but they do not* The park across the street from us gets worse every day* I have not left my house in a very long time* I'm trying to save so I move us from the city* By the way, I begged the D.A. to NOT place me on the witness stand, there was no way my spirit could handle that yet I was there every single day for the trial* It will forever hurt the fiber of my being*
I think dad was more excited than the son...Gotta love that fly fishing thing....not so much for the george floyd nonsense.
@JustinCarf
Жыл бұрын
Please rewatch the video and listen to Scot, and how that affected him. It's not nonsense. Have a great day.