Captain Steve Huff. Photo: Livit Films
Captain Steve Huff’s illustrious career and dedication to conserving Florida’s Everglades is showcased in a powerful new film directed by Captain David Mangum and Patrick Rhea and produced by SEAHOLM and Gordy & Sons Outfitters with support from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT), Patagonia, YETI, Captains for Clean Water, and the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). Huff premieres online on February 13 and will be screened at special events throughout the spring.
“Steve’s career has spanned well over 50 years, and during that time he has done very little if anything to promote himself, other than push his boat from daylight to dusk,” said Mangum. “For the lucky few that have gotten to fish with Steve, his charm, character, and overall presence are etched in memories deeper than any fish ever caught. This short film is a chance for everyone to get to share a few minutes with a man that has brought so much to the world of fishing!”
Widely considered the greatest saltwater fly-fishing guide of all time, Huff began guiding in 1968 in the Florida Keys after graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in marine biology. As a pioneer of the tarpon fishery in the Everglades and in Homosassa, Florida, Huff guided angler Tom Evans to six tarpon world records on four different line classes. Together with Del Brown, Huff popularized permit fishing and developed techniques for catching permit on fly tackle. Huff guided anglers to well over 2,000 permit on fly, and set multiple world-records with Brown. In the 1970s and 1980s, he guided anglers to 13 championships in the Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament, the Islamorada Invitational Bonefish Tournament, and the Islamorada Invitational Fly Bonefish Tournament.
“Huff is less a film about fly fishing and more about a man’s life,” said Todd Adams, Founder of SEAHOLM. “Steve Huff has lived a good life. Not an easy life but one that is true. Rarely, does a short film have such an emotional impact.”
Huff possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the details of caught fish, tidal influences on a particular area or flat, or how fishable a location will be in various sets of conditions. His knowledge is not only grounded in the countless hours he’s spent on the poling platform, but also hidden behind the power of observation and his dedication to continued learning at every opportunity. In 2010, he became the first full-time professional fishing guide ever inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame. “He is without question the top fly-fishing guide on the planet,” said angler Sandy Moret, owner of Florida Keys Outfitters and a member of BTT’s Board of Directors. Huff was honored by BTT in 2019 for 50 years of guiding in South Florida.
“Steve Huff is a legend of our sport not only for his prowess on the water, but also for his advocacy to ‘adamantly protect and defend’ the Everglades in the face of so many environmental challenges,” said BTT President and CEO Jim McDuffie. “BTT is proud to support this new film, which offers an inspiring look into Steve’s profound connection with the landscape and waters that have defined his career as arguably the greatest saltwater fly-fishing guide of all time. We hope it serves to inspire other anglers to be stewards of the waters they fish.”
Click Here to watch Huff.
