I hate to admit it, but I don't have any exciting fish stories. My life's experience is limited to a handful of summer camp adventures, outdoor trips and that old plastic fishing game with the magnets. I've caught a few over the years, but I've always been too chicken to clean and gut 'em. Not exactly a "man of the sea", right? Since birth, I've been a city boy---not quite "big city", but always within close driving distance of a Long John Silver's or Arthur Treacher's. Fishing purists might cry foul, but I'll take the #3 combo with extra hushpuppies and no coleslaw.

Of course, some people do have exciting fish stories. No matter where they live---even in New York City, of all places. Most wouldn't think of the Hudson River (or its surrounding tributaries) as a fishing hot spot, but first-time filmmaker Robert Maass has gone and proven us doubters wrong: his 2003 documentary Gotham Fish Tales offers a portrait of the local fishing community as they live, work, bait hooks and cast off in the shadows of skyscrapers. It may be an odd premise, but that's only one of the film's strengths.

Though the film's initial focus appears to be the characters themselves---and trust me, there's some real characters (as seen above and below)---Gotham Fish Tales doubles as an optimistic portrait of the city itself. There's plenty of proof that the marine life is better now than 30 years ago, thanks in part to newer anti-pollution laws. Different species of fish---many of which aren't usually native to the region---have surfaced in recent years, bringing a greater amount of variety to the marine population. If anything else, Gotham Fish Tales pulls triple-duty as a testament to nature's power and resiliency---after all, if fish can make it here, they can make it anywhere.

Still, I'd be lying if I said that Gotham Fish Tales was a straightforward documentary. Director Robert Maass has balanced everything nicely, anchoring his story around a series of interviews with local fishing enthusiasts and a surprisingly appropriate soundtrack. Viewers can look forward to meeting some interesting oddballs: no matter if they're fishing for a living or just for fun, it's a relaxing outlet that keeps them coming back for more. Even if you aren't an experienced fisher, Gotham Fish Tales is a labor of love that should appeal to any fan of unusual documentaries.

Despite some dodgy editing and a few loose spots, Maass has assembled a well-crafted film that holds up well on DVD. Unfortunately, those who crave feature-packed discs should cast their nets elsewhere, as Gotham Fish Tales doesn't offer viewers much more than the film itself. Still, this one's too big to throw back: it's an interesting documentary, not to mention a good choice for New York natives and ardent fish followers the world over. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Presented in its original 1.33:1 fullscreen aspect ratio, Gotham Fish Tales looks good for its low-budget roots: the footage was shot on standard digital video and displays a moderate level of detail and crispness. The natural color palette is accurate and digital problems are kept to a minimum, rounding out the solid visuals quite well. The 2.0 Stereo mix is passable, offering a basic but serviceable soundstage that fills the front channels nicely. Dialogue and background noise are balanced evenly, so everything's easy to understand…yep, even with the varying degrees of New Yawk accents. Unfortunately, no Closed Captioning or subtitles are included.

It may be a tough blind buy at just under $20 (shipping included), but at least Gotham Fish Tales exercises truth in advertising: it's an interesting and funny portrait of a most unusual subject, so documentary fans could certainly do a lot worse. The DVD offers little more than a decent technical presentation, so this one's only recommended for the die-hard documentary (and fish) lovers out there---all other interested parties should dip their toes in the water before jumping in. Rent It.