Now Airing on Discovery, This Week's Episode of "Fly Rod Chronicles with Curtis Fleming" Features Shelly Fleming's World Record Breaking
By Julie Perine on January 08, 2021
This week's episode of Fly Rod Chronicles with Curtis Fleming features Shelly Fleming and legendary guide Sage Indendi dominating the waters of King Salmon, Alaska.
Honoring FRC's late office manager Sonya Moore-Coats, the Season 18 premiere follows the Flemings' second visit to Katmai Trophy Lodge in King Salmon owned and operated by the James Johnson family.
During the excursion, Shelly Fleming broke three International Game Fish Association world records - for Pink Salmon, Arctic Grayling and Dolly Varden caught on a fly rod.
"After listening to Sage and turning everything out except for how far in front of the trophy fish I needed to land my cast, all of the record-breaking takes seemed to move in slow motion as they took my fly and began the play," Shelly Fleming said.
The thrill and adrenaline were accompanied by a surrealness of the environment and situation she found herself in.
"All three (catches) seemed like I was watching a 4K high-def movie," she said. "I have been truly blessed to see many beautiful natural colors before, but the pink colors on the Dolly Varden and orange on the Grayling were nothing I could ever ask an artist to capture. They were simply unbelievable."
Another reason this week's show is a banner one is that it is the first to air on the Discovery Channel (6:30 a.m. Saturday), as well as a long list of digital components. The show continues to air on Pursuit.
Featuring the Flemings of Bridgeport and their special guests, "The Fly Rod Chronicles with Curtis Fleming" will be viewed in an estimated 179 million households in 2021.
“I think it’s going to be the year we literally blow up,” Curtis Fleming said.
He, Shelly and FRC crew members left for Alaska on the very day that Coats was buried. She was not only the FRC office manager, but also Curtis Fleming's first cousin. She died in August after a battle with COVID-19.
Coats had worked tirelessly on the contract with Discovery.
“She orchestrated everything – the phone calls, linking everything together and the final inking of the papers. She had all the paperwork ready. All I had to do was sign it,” Fleming said. “She did all that and didn’t get to be part of it.”
But the Flemings carried her memory, spirit and energy with them during their nine days in Alaska. The show features some special tributes to Coats, including the breaking of the IGFA world records.
Shelly had done it once before for somone she loved.
“In 2016, her sister passed away after a battle with cancer and she broke the IGFA world record for her,” Fleming said. “So, she went back this time and rebroke it for Sonya.”
Shelly Fleming said it was a most memorable time for her.
"We were in Alaska looking at snow-capped mountain tops, so you know the air was chilly," she said. "But I felt a warm comfort on my shoulders as if Sonya and my sister Pam were close enough to warm me."
Curtis Fleming said he couldn't be prouder of his wife, who in addition to being a fly fishing extraordinaire is principal at Union Elementary School in Upshur County.
"Shelly has always amazed me as a wife, mother and an educator," he said.
"With the loss of Sonya, Shelly put a huge band-aid on my life to ease the pain with this trip to Alaska. With her breaking three world records, job security might be an issue for me now!"
"With the loss of Sonya, Shelly put a huge band-aid on my life to ease the pain with this trip to Alaska. With her breaking three world records, job security might be an issue for me now!"
Named "Redemption" - the show turned out to be a perfect way to memorialize Coats, her hard work and passion for FRC.
The 2021 season features some other epic episodes.
The year started with trips to Patagonia and Argentina, where collectively, five shows were filmed. Fleming said it was if God was preparing them for the quarantine that would soon follow.
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, trips to Russia, Iceland, England and Nevada were cancelled.
“So, we fished in West Virginia and went to some remote places,” Fleming said. “We practiced social distancing and worked really hard for the state of West Virginia that I love and call home."
Season 18 also includes a trip which Fleming, his crew and daughter Autumn took to the Seychelle Islands off the African coast, as well as excursions to Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.
Stay up to date at flyrodchronicles.tv. See air times below.
Editor's Note: Pictured are Shelly Fleming and guide Sage Indendi, Curtis Fleming and guide James Johnson, Curtis and Shelly Fleming and Sonya Moore-Coats.
Discovery Channel
Saturday 6:30 AM
Pursuit Channel EST:
Tues 9 AM
Wed 9:30 PM
Fri 1 AM
Sat 12 PM
Wild TV EST:
Thu 9 AM
Fri 11 AM
Sat 7:30 AM
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