Home Interview Faces of Fly Fishing Faces of Fly Fishing: Tatum Monod

Faces of Fly Fishing: Tatum Monod

September 26, 2017

Tatum Monod is a professional freeskier from Canada with an incredible passion for fly fishing and the outdoors. She is a true role model in the outdoor community and we are excited to announce her as our latest feature in the “Faces of Fly Fishing” blog series from Fly Lords.

Fly Lords: Who is Tatum Monod?

Tatum: A professional freeskier, all Canadian girl, lover of animals, fashion, good food and fun, fly fishing obsessed.

Flylords: If you could describe fly fishing in one word what would it be?

Tatum: Electric

Fly Lords: How long have you been fly fishing for, who got you into the sport?

Tatum: I’ve been fishing since I was six years old. Some of the first memories I have are of my dad putting me in a big plastic container in his drift boat. We would fish all day rain or shine and I loved every minute of it. Long before I learned how to cast my dad would catch a fish and immediately pass me the rod to reel it in. I think thats what really got me hooked (no pun intended) on fishing

Fly Lords: How long have you been skiing for? Do you see any parallels between the two sports?

Tatum: I started skiing quite late at the age of twelve, I was fishing long before I was skiing. To me fishing is so dynamic and a lot like skiing, I am constantly trying to perfect my cast like I am trying to perfect my turn. People who don’t know fly fishing assume it’s boring, for me there are times that fishing is even more riveting than skiing. Sometimes I get so excited while fishing I get the jitters.

Fly Lords: I know you have been recovering from a torn ACL. Have you been fly fishing more since the accident? Do you think it is helping with the healing process?

Tatum: Along with my ACL I also tore my LCL, MCL, lateral and medial meniscus, I bone bruised my femur and stress fractured my tibia. About a month after my surgery when crutching around became more bearable my dad took me fishing. I posted up on the seat at the front of the boat and my dad would walk the boat up a run and line me up so I could cast. It was so good for my mental headspace, I felt true happiness again for the first time since my accident, I was back to living!

Fly Lords: Favorite place to fish? Favorite fish to catch?

Tatum: I like fishing on the Bow River in Alberta and salt water fishing in Baja.

Fly Lords: I saw you worked on a short video with Jimmy Chin and North Face, that came out awesome! What was working with Jimmy like?

Tatum: I’ve worked with Jimmy on several projects but this one was really special. Jimmy was the one that approached me with the idea, it originally was meant to be a project based on my skiing but after a knee injury we started thinking about plan b. Fishing is such a huge part of my life and Jimmy suggested we try and capture that. When Jimmy has an idea you really want to get on board because his creativity and storytelling is on another level. we set camp up on one of my favorite rivers in Alberta and started shooting. The fishing had been going off all summer and for some reason this trip it was really slow.

My dad and I sort of looked at each other like holy shit what if we don’t actually catch anything, that would kinda defeat the purpose of a fly fishing film. We weren’t able to move through the river because we had a big camera crew which limited our chances even more. Finally, we made our way up to a nice pool where I ended up throwing a big streamer at a bull trout I saw and I was able to land him. I was relieved we finally caught something needless to say the look of shock on my face in the film was truly genuine.

Fly Lords: Favorite food?

Tatum: I love good food! Everything from Italian to Alberta Beef.

Flylords: Do you have any books you recommend reading?

Tatum: How to make friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie.

Fly Lords: If you could fish with one celebrity for a day who would it be?

I would prefer to fish with my dad, brother or a few select friends that way I don’t have to waste a good day on the river teaching someone how to cast 😉