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Since it’s that time of year, we’re offering you the best we have, and since you follow Le Mouching, you know that with us, it’s Christmas all year round! But now, we’re taking you to meet Tommy Batun. Tommy is a guide in Xcalak, Mexico, on the Yucatan Peninsula, south of Ascension Bay, where you can find all the fish you need for a Grand Slam or a Super Grand Slam: bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook…

But Tommy is not like other guides. He has something extra, an intuition, a feeling that is enhanced by his disability. We’ll let you discover this film, which is so human it will bring tears to your eyes.

Silent Spotter explores the extraordinary life of Tommy Batun, a deaf and mute fly fishing guide in Xcalak, Mexico. With humor, sincerity, and a touch of irreverence, narrator Jesse Colten offers us a glimpse into Tommy’s remarkable journey, which questions the notion of “hero” in the world of saltwater fly fishing. Tommy’s story is one of innovation and resilience, family and tradition. For him, fly fishing is not just a source of income: it is his passion, his refuge, a place of comfort and sharing. Trained by his father, Alejandro, a lifelong fishing guide, Tommy uses his eagle eye and boundless enthusiasm to guide anglers through the intricacies of shallow water fishing, without a word or a sound. His unique communication style, born out of necessity, combines lip reading, intuition, and a sign language he invented himself. This film combines humor, compassion, and Tommy’s spirit with breathtaking images, challenging stereotypes about what a guide, a fisherman, or a hero should be.  His unique communication style, born out of necessity, combines lip reading, intuition, and a sign language he invented himself. This film combines humor, compassion, and Tommy’s spirit with breathtaking images, challenging stereotypes about what a guide, a fisherman, or a hero should be. Much more than just a fishing film, “Silent Spotter” immerses us in a sensory world of silence and connection, contrasting Tommy’s unique perspective with the hustle and bustle of everyday life as a fisherman. From creating new flies to catch the elusive permit fish to managing the environmental challenges facing the ocean in the face of climate change, Tommy and Alejandro transform adversity into creativity. The film reveals the beauty and passion that drive fly fishing and how a shared passion reflects our common humanity. Silent Spotter is not about fishing. Nor is it a condescending portrait of a young man from a rural community in a developing country overcoming a physical disability and succeeding despite the odds. It is a celebration of a shared passion, a beautifully told story of relationships that transcend cultures, languages, and physical differences.