The International Fly Fishing Film Festival, running this week in Spokane, will help support some projects along the Spokane River. The film festival will happen Wednesday evening at the Bing Crosby Theater.
Organizer Sean Visintainer of Silver Bow Fly Shop says the event will feature eight different films, and proceeds are going to pay for non-motorized fishing boat access on the upper part of the river.
Visintainer: “Through the Spokane River Forum they’ve been able to design and facilitate a boat take-out place, near Plantes Ferry park. Hopefully the first of some boat slides that will be put along the river.”
Plans also call for 500 feet of needed riverbank restoration. Future plans also include putting in boat access on the lower section of the river, near Glover park or the Maple Street bridge area.
Visintainer says the festival, which began last year, also provided funding to help out the red band trout populations in the river which have declined over the years. He says that funding is going to research projects conducted by the Spokane chapter of Trout Unlimited.
Visintainer: “You know if you have a healthy population of fish that attracts more users on the river, that are interested in protecting the river. And it brings more people to the area, which is great for the local economy”.
The film festival starts at 7pm Wednesday at the Bing Crosby Theater.
