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Trouts Journal

Trout’s Spotlight: Copi Vojta

Ivan Orsic / Feb 7, 2013

Trout’s Spotlight: Copi Vojta

If you have picked up a recent copy of the Flyfish Journal and have been stunned by the photography, you’ll want to meet the man who helps to make it all happen. In addition to being the Photography Editor at Flyfish Journal, Copi is a rock star behind the lens himself. His work is being shown tonight at Surface Film and his photography has been hung on the wall since the event was created three years ago. In addition to a great eye for photography, Copi can fish. We know so because we’ve fished with him.

Copi will be down in Denver tonight at Anthology Fine Art. We were lucky enough to catch up with him for a few minutes earlier this week to find out what is going on in 2013, we poached a quick river report for the Roaring Fork River Valley, and picked up a few tips for budding photo journalists interested in breaking into the magazine world of fly fishing. We also found out that Copi has an aversion to leeches and has aspirations to star in Superbad II… who knew? Enjoy another Trout’s Spotlight.

Trout’s Fly Fishing (Trout’s): First things first, how's the fishing been on the Fork and the Pan?

Copi Vojta (CV): Well I have been doing some fishing, but it is still January, err February, lets just say winter, so if you can keep your expectations in check you'll have a great time out on the water. I'm stoked we're allowed to fish all year round here in Colorado. I fished the Pan for the 15 and 1/2th time ever a few weeks back. The guy at the liquor store in Basalt called me "bud" five times and then he "bossed" me on the way out so I "chiefed" him right back. It was snow storming and we didn't fish the toilet bowl. I caught a real nice brown. I saw some fish rise to small bugs.

The Roaring Fork is far more appealing to me than getting "budded" and "bossed" in Basalt on the way to the 'pan. Find the sun and it's more comfortable on those chilly winter days when the computer has lost all appeal. We had some gnarly ice flows roll through this year with the extended cold temps. Be warned, keep an eye upstream if you fish here in the winter. On occasion with warm temps this time of year we get a Crystal River blowout from low elevation snowmelt so have a back up plan, like bringing the guy at Alpine Angling a beer. It'll fish good if you find the right water, but it is winter. Some days I find some really nice fish and others, well, I find a really nice walk through the snow on a riverbank with a dumb flyrod getting in the way.

Trout’s: You are the Photography Editor for the Flyfish Journal. What's the best part of the job?

CV: I think the best part of the job has yet to come, travel perks to fish somewhere I never have, I mean travel perks to photograph in places I have never been.

But really, for me the best part of the job is seeing and smelling each new issue and appreciating the work that we all have done to make it happen. It's a team effort, the writers, the photographers, the artists, the designers, the publisher, the color guys, the printers, the editors, the flyshops and bookstores and of course the readers who support us. I forget about all of the things I smashed around my basement and the proverbial blood sweat and tears really pay off when I get that envelope with the new issue in the po box.

Trout’s: We have a lot of customers/followers who would love to get published in a magazine like Flyfish Journal, what is the best advice you have for an aspiring photographer?

CV: Study great photography. Success is defined in many different ways and being 'published' does not necessarily define it. Find out what you want to get out of your photography before you worry about being 'published'. Show us something different and be consistent in your style, even though you might not be able to say what that is. Be easy to work with, patient, use spell check and be professional in your mannerisms and if your work is unique and if there is something about it and you are actively marketing it, it won't take long for someone to notice. Or just take a really awesome mind blowing image of something that will never ever be duplicated in the world of flyfishing, ever. Someone is bound to jump on that.

The Three Amigos: Copi, Geoff Mueller (the Drake Magazine), and Clyde

Trout’s: What's on the horizon for Copi? Photography? Work? Trips? Train Rides?

CV: The rest of 2013 is gonna be rad. I got my ass kicked by the last quarter of 2012 and not that I have it rough or anything but I'm excited for the future. I try not to get too far ahead of myself, but I do have a lot of new ideas and work that I'm excited to share with folks. A good friend in Maine invited me to his wedding and I've never been east of Mackinac Island, well, in the US, I flew to Africa once, but that's not what I meant, so I'm stoked to see the Atlantic Ocean from the ground. Especially in October. Maybe I'll take a spey rod and try to catch a salmon? I want to ride Amtrak and Greyhound cross country with a backpack and a flyrod(s) for a few months and document the trip, stills, audio and journals only, no video. Sleep next to rivers, fish, meet folks to fish and hang with, run from security guards...like Superbad meets a Stand By Me fly fishing trip, just need to find a message, a McLovin and avoid the leech parts.

And there you have it...

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