About Austin Green

The Uncommon Angler is a fly fishing photography and filmmaking project by Austin Green. Based in the Mid-Atlantic, Austin documents predator fishing adventures — pursuing Esox, musky, pike, and smallmouth bass — across Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Vermont.

His work has been featured in This Is Fly Magazine and by Southern Culture On The Fly. He is a member of the 3-TAND Pros+Bros Team and shares photography tips through the Flymen Fishing Company Blog. View his portfolio at austingreenphotography.com.

The Uncommon Angler is a fly fishing photography and filmmaking project rooted in the pursuit of predator species across the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. It focuses on the raw, visual storytelling of chasing esox, musky, pike, and smallmouth bass in rivers and lakes that rarely make the glossy pages. Every image and film clip is driven by a fascination with toothy, aggressive fish and the landscapes they inhabit, from Virginia to Vermont. This is not about stocked trout or manicured streams; it is about wild water, hard-fighting fish, and the uncommon moments that unfold when an angler commits to the hunt with a camera in one hand and a fly rod in the other.

Photography sits at the heart of this project, capturing the tension of a strip-set, the explosion of a surface strike, and the quiet beauty of mist rising off a cold river at dawn. The goal is to freeze the fleeting seconds that define predator fly fishing: the bend of the rod, the spray of water, the eye of a musky just below the surface. These images are crafted with an eye for light, composition, and authenticity, avoiding heavy staging in favor of real moments on the water. The result is a portfolio that feels immediate and honest, reflecting the patience and persistence that pursuing these fish demands.

Filmmaking extends the visual narrative into motion, bringing the sounds and rhythms of the water to life. Short films and documentary-style edits follow the search for apex predators in overlooked watersheds, blending cinematic sequences with the grit of long days and tough conditions. The camera becomes another piece of gear, as essential as the rod and reel. These films aim to share not just the catch but the entire arc of an outing: the preparation, the miles of water covered, the near misses, and the rare, hard-won victories that make this style of angling so addictive.

The project has gained recognition within the fly fishing community, with work featured in publications such as This Is Fly Magazine and through Southern Culture On The Fly. Being part of the 3-TAND Pros+Bros Team connects this visual work with a community of anglers and creators who share a passion for pushing the boundaries of the sport. Contributions to the Flymen Fishing Company Blog offer practical insights into photography techniques tailored for anglers who want to better document their own time on the water, bridging the gap between professional imagery and everyday fishing adventures.

Predator fishing demands a different mindset. It is a game of long hours, calculated casts, and the mental endurance to keep throwing big flies when nothing shows itself for days. Esox and musky are famously called the fish of ten thousand casts, and that reputation is earned. The pursuit becomes a meditation on persistence, where the strike, when it finally comes, is explosive and unforgettable. This project documents that journey honestly: the blank days alongside the banner ones, the gear failures, the weather that turns, and the electric moment when a giant follows a fly to the boat.

The Mid-Atlantic region offers a surprisingly rich canvas for this kind of fishing. Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia hold waters that support healthy populations of smallmouth bass, musky, and pike, yet they rarely receive the same attention as more famous destinations. Exploring these rivers and reservoirs reveals a quiet, accessible fishery full of opportunity for anglers willing to put in the time. Each watershed has its own character, its own seasonal rhythms, and its own challenges, and getting to know them intimately is part of the creative process behind both the photography and the filmmaking.

Gear and technique play a supporting role in the storytelling, with an emphasis on the tools that hold up under demanding conditions. Big flies, heavy leaders, and reliable reels with smooth drags are not just preferences but necessities when targeting fish that can destroy inferior equipment in an instant. The project shares practical knowledge about fly tying for predator species, rod selection, and the cameras and lenses that perform well in wet, unpredictable environments. This information is woven into the visual content naturally, offering value without turning the focus away from the art and experience.

Beyond the images and films, The Uncommon Angler represents a broader philosophy about what fly fishing can be. It steps away from tradition and embraces the unconventional: targeting species that many fly anglers overlook, exploring water that does not appear in guidebooks, and documenting the pursuit with a creative eye. It is about finding beauty in the raw and the real, celebrating the predators that swim beneath the surface, and sharing that vision with a community of anglers who feel the same pull toward something a little different, a little wilder, and a little less common.