You’ve likely seen or heard of Joseph Evans, a full-time seasonal fishing guide, who’s been creating content in the fishing world under the handle “@Travel.Fish.Film” (TFF). This passion-driven LLC that emphasizes camaraderie and pure stoke for angling became a big focus during the 2020 pandemic and has remained that way since. For the past 4 years, Joseph, alongside his childhood friend Bradley Funkhouser and many others, has continued to grow and evolve in the spaces of fishing and digital media with the overarching goal of creating authentic content that focuses on the core elements of fly fishing and everything that goes into it. They’ve created many long-standing relationships with people and brands in the industry who’ve helped facilitate trips and experiences that won’t soon be forgotten.

Paul Nicoletti, a past member of the Simms marketing team and friend/mentor of Joseph, eventually connected the TFF folks with the Aguas Arriba crew in Southern Argentina. Aguas Arriba, a series hosted on ESPN for Latin America, collectively embodies years of experience creating cinematic, professional fly fishing videos for television. Aguas Arriba co-founders, Fran Mariani and Pablo Rodrigo Perez, ensure Aguas Arriba remains a hallmark for exploring Patagonia’s fly fishing through their high-quality production.

“When we decided to invite two young American fly fishing guides to Patagonia to help film episodes for Aguas Arriba, we expected to infuse our 18-year-old show with fresh, modern perspectives and innovative ideas. Our goal was to update and revitalize the way we shoot fishing content, ensuring that Aguas Arriba remains current and engaging for our audience while staying true to our passion for fly fishing.”  - Fran Mariani, co-founder of Aguas Arriba ESPN

“Inviting the TFF crew of Joe and Bradley down to South America created a unique exchange of experiences. We wanted young American anglers to share their perspectives and techniques with us while also allowing them to experience firsthand how we fish our home waters." - Fran Mariani

In March of 2024, Bradley and Joseph headed to Bariloche, Argentina equipped with camera gear, Tailwinds Luggage packed to the brim, and some minimal Duolingo Spanish lessons to meet the Aguas Arriba crew at their first location: Rio Manso Lodge.

The two groups worked together to create some Aguas Arribas episodes in English, with Joseph and Bradley operating as fresh American hosts. Their time in Patagonia was transformative, with each crew learning from the others' different styles and experiences, and bonding over the shared passion for fishing and filming in beautiful locations.

“While we were all in South America, both teams accomplished several significant milestones in content creation. We managed to capture a vast amount of high-quality footage, producing two complete episodes in English tailored for the US audience. Additionally, we had the privilege of collaborating with many top brands from the USA, enhancing the overall production value. Most importantly, this experience laid the foundation for a long-lasting relationship between our teams, promising more collaborative projects in the future.” - Fran Mariani

The crew spent 7 days at Rio Manso Lodge fishing for Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brook Trout with full sinking lines in lakes, as well as some rivers and streams. The scenery was simply unmatched in the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Trout fishing among stunning mountain views was something the TFF crew was used to coming from the Rocky Mountain West; however, Nahuel Huapi National Park in Patagonia was on a different level.

The two different filming styles collided, with different perspectives on content creation playing off each other. TFF is from a newer generation. Their typical way of creating content takes a vlog-style approach to storytelling and allows raw footage to speak for itself; whether it's going to end up in a long-form video for YouTube or short-form content for social media. In contrast, Aguas Arriba is a TV series containing professional-level production with interviews, voiceovers, cinematic B-roll etc. Combining these styles was intentional and led to higher-quality, engaging content that covered a spread of platforms, audiences, and geographic regions.

One of the most enriching aspects of TFF’s time with Aguas Arriba was the opportunity to connect with the local community and learn about their way of life. Whether sharing stories over a traditional Patagonian meal or exchanging fishing techniques with local guides, they learned that this trip was a whole lot more than just getting a job done, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The delicious food, wine, and service they were treated to at Rio Manso Lodge was something these young trout bums were not used to, but more than happy to accept. From steaks and red wine to traditional yerba mate, Aguas Arriba immersed TFF in Argentine culture.

After seven days of Fishing at Rio Manso Lodge, Pablo and Nehuen of Aguas Arriba, and Joseph and Bradley of TFF loaded up in Pablo’s vehicle and drove 5 hours to their next location: Estancia Tecka Lodge. Although obvious from the get-go, this car ride cemented the fact that Joseph and Bradley were being escorted around South America by the Patagonian fly fishing legend Pablo Rodrigo Perez. Pablo’s father was one of the first notable fishing authors in Patagonia, and here, the Perez family can be compared to the United States’s Mike Lawson or Flip Pallot. Getting to fish for 14 days with Pablo watching him do his job on the water and as a TV host, and simply be in his presence, was a treat for Bradley and Joseph.

“Pablo is the best fly caster I’ve ever seen, hands down.” - Bradley Funkhouser

“When arriving at Estancia Tecka, we drove a dirt road for what felt like two hours. I’ll forever remember it as one of most gorgeous and vast dirt road drives I’ve been on, and I’ve driven a lot of dirt roads.” - Joseph Evans

Estancia Tecka encompasses 435,000 acres with every species of wildlife found in the Andes Mountains. From freestone rivers to spring creeks, this ranch offers over 96 miles of private water. Since its inception in 1910 when the British imported Merino wool sheep from Australia, this Estancia continues to produce the finest wool and some of the best trout fishing anywhere in the world. Similar to their time at Rio Manso, the crew spent the first two days capturing B-Roll footage throughout the facilities and interviewing guides and lodge staff. From there, they fished the Tecka River, chasing hatches of mayflies and spotting fish from high on the eroded banks. Additionally, one of the lakes here led to big Rainbow and Brook Trout on hoppers, and another dubbed “monster lake” was fished with leeches on dry droppers. Tecka boasts a wide variety of fishing and to say the least, some great footage came from their time there.

“Our experience with Aguas Arriba in Argentina not only deepened my love for fly fishing but also reinforced our commitment to share this sport with the world.” - Joseph Evans of TFF

“My favorite part of our time with the Travel Fish Film boys was watching our relationship grow daily. We shared countless experiences both on and off the water, bonding over our mutual love for fly fishing. One particularly memorable moment was when we all relaxed after a long day of fishing, sharing stories and laughter over a few glasses of fernet, a drink neither Joseph or Bradley had had previously. Those moments of camaraderie truly highlighted the joy of our collaboration. In the future, we envision continued collaboration, creating more content together and leveraging the strengths of both parties as a unified force. Our goal is to introduce the joys of fly fishing to a broader audience, inspiring new enthusiasts to take up the sport. Additionally, we aim to develop products and experiences that make it easier for everyone to fish in Patagonia, ensuring that the beauty and thrill of this region are accessible to all.” - Fran Mariani of Aguas Arriba

"Thank you, Aguas Arriba, for sharing your passion, expertise, and home with us, we’ll see you again soon….” - Joseph Evans and Bradley Funkhouser of TFF