The 2025 Fly Fishing Film Tour is just around the corner! Before the films hit the screen, take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of each film in this year’s F3T Behind the Lens series. Plus, don’t forget to check out the 2025 tour dates HERE for the full schedule and to grab your tickets!
In this Behind the Lens article, we catch up with Helmut Zaderer in his newest film, Bumpyland. We discuss the intricacies of fishing for Bumphead Parrotfish and Zaderer’s world travels in this exclusive interview. You won’t want to miss this one! Check out the full interview below!
Flylords: It sounds like the Seychelles are a frequent destination for you. How many times have you been? When did you take your first trip there?
Helmut: “The Seychelles definitely hold a special place in my heart. I took my first trip there more than ten years ago. Since then, I have been regularly fishing and exploring the Seychelles. If I add everything up, I have fished for 25 weeks across the various outer islands of the Seychelles.”
Flylords: What is “Bumpyland,” and why did you choose that to be the name of the film?
Helmut: “We thought the name Bumpyland was fitting for the film. It’s all about fishing for bumphead parrotfish. After all. where are there more bumpies on the flats than on Providence? Nowhere else in the world. There is a flat in Providence called Bumpyland, so the name came fairly naturally. We just wanted to make a film about bumpies because there was hardly anything on video, and these fish deserve a little love.”
Flylords: Tell me a little about the Bumphead Parrot Fish. Why did this become a target species for you?
Helmut: “This fish is simply fascinating. It is extremely beautiful and ugly at the same time. It also seems prehistoric somehow. Just watching these schools on the flats is a wonderful thing. The way they move over the turtle grass and feed is fascinating. I had hooked 2 bumpies on Providence years ago but never landed one. At that time, there weren’t many bumpies on the flats. In 2024, the year we shot the film, a US group was in Providence for 2 weeks before us and saw absolutely no bumpies. When we arrived, it was full. The biggest schools we saw were more than 100 fish. So it all started happily.”
Flylords: What was preparing for this trip like? Did the knowledge that you’ll have cameras following you around on this mission make you nervous?
Helmut: “I have so much experience in saltwater that I more or less have a tackle list ready for every destination. Despite this, I always spend a lot of time packing. Too much, actually. For bump fishing, I tied orange and white Flexo crabs with strong hooks. I fished with a 10-weight floating line on 10-weight rods. The fight takes place via my Mako reel anyway. You can’t stop bumpies when they go off. You can only make it not too easy for them and hope that they don’t pull off too much line and reach deep water. Because then the fight is usually over. Like a triggerfish, bumpies look for a cave, a hole, simply a place where they can find shelter. As for filming, I don’t mind cameras at all. In fact, I’m used to it. I have my friend Vaidas with me on almost all of my trips as a filmmaker. We’re a close-knit team.”
Flylords: It wasn’t long before we saw some bumpy action in the film. How long did it take before you guys were able to find some schools of the target fish?
Helmut: “There is hardly any other destination with bumpers on flats, and your only chance of targeting and catching them is on a flat. I only know Providence myself. We fished for two weeks in a row in 2024. There were lots of bumpies to be found every day. We hooked a lot of them, and everyone in our group landed their bumpies. So it was easy to get enough material for the film. As I said, we were lucky with everything in the 2 weeks. Lots of fish and almost always good weather and good visibility made things fairly easy for us.”
Flylords: What makes these fish so difficult to catch as opposed to some of the other species that inhabit those flats?
Helmut: “Bumpies aren’t particularly hard to fool. That said, the big difference is simply the size and power of these fish. If you find schools on the flats in wadable water depth, you have a very good chance of getting one to eat. It is important that there is enough distance to the deep water and that you can stop the fish on the flat. Then the chances of landing it are good.”
Flylords: How was working with the guides on the trip? You all seemed to have a lot of chemistry.
Helmut: “We have known all the guides for many years. I have known Cameron, the manager, since I first fished in the Seychelles ten years ago. All the guides are super professional and are happy for every fish you catch. I think sharing these emotional moments is wonderful and is part of fishing. I like to think this came across in the film.”
Flylords: Was there a moment after you lost that first fish that you were afraid that may have been your only chance? How was your mental state after that first loss…?
Helmut: “Haha… it was actually the other way around. The first cast was successful. But I generally never put pressure on myself when fishing. The important thing is good weather and good conditions, then success usually comes by itself. What is even more important is spending such holidays with my friends and being privileged to fish in such places. I am grateful for that.”
Flylords: What is the actual process of casting and hooking up on a bumpy? (paint a picture of the emotions and physical sensations experienced)
Helmut: If you have a school of bumpies in front of you, then you hope that you can get close enough to them without attracting attention. Often, you can sense that they have already noticed you. Because they always keep so far away that even with a good cast it is hard to make it close enough. Then, when the moment comes, consider casting into the school. That can often result in the surface of the water exploding and all fish running away. Sometimes, they stay calm, though. That’s why I fish with a long 11-foot leader. It gives you a better chance of not blowing up the school. Then, you let the fly sink briefly and strip very slowly. The bite often feels like a snag for a short time, but only briefly, and then the train takes off. If the fish are very shy, it’s better not to cast into the school but try to cast in front of the lead fish.
Flylords: Once you finally landed that big fish, what was going through your mind? Were you worried about losing it, with it being such a violent fish even in the net?
Helmut: “Personally, I always get excited when I catch a nice fish. Especially when I see lots of coral and dangers in the area. The guides often help and walk along the fly line and hold the line up so that it doesn’t get tangled in corals. It’s not easy for a big bumpy to fit in a net. That particular fish jumped out not once but twice. That’s when the nerves really started to set in.”
Flylords: Looking back —was the hype worth it?
Helmut: “Yes, definitely. These two weeks were perfect in every way. We had lots of fun with good friends and a paradise-like environment. The fishing was simply a bonus. The stars really aligned for us in terms of conditions, and everything just came together. The end result was another one of our films that made it into the cinemas.”
Flylords: Who are some of the people who made this film possible? Any “Thank-yous” or dedications you want to make?
Helmut: “We always get support from our cross-media partners, and for that, I would like to thank Cortland and CTS Custom Rods made by Vstick and Ahrex. I also have to give special thanks to my friend Vaidas Uselis. He is simply a brilliant filmmaker and is always there when there is action. Thanks also to my good wife who allows me to spend a lot of time on the water.”
Flylords: What’s next?
“Since filming Bumpyland, I’ve actually been fairly busy. I just finished up a trip to Magbay, Mexico, exploring the incredible marlin fishery there. This coming February, I’m actually off to fish in Cosmoledo. I can’t wait to go there again. As far as films, you’ll just have to wait to see what’s next.”
