What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Someplace just to show that reel collectors do have a life
Post Reply
User avatar
mtcm76
Big ORCA Fan
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:54 am
Location: North Texas

What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by mtcm76 »

Recently I have been thinking about the fishing shows that I have watched over the years, the ones that really inspired me.

First as a very young kid was an outdoor report on our local news on WAFB in Baton Rouge was Bob Scarce the old Beachcomber. His report was on all outdoor sporting activities from tarpin fishing at Grande Isle, La. to deer hunting. It was a very short portion of the news but one I never wanted to miss.

Later on in my Jr. High School years I use to watch Virgil Ward's Championship Fishing. I couldn't wait for that show to come on every week and several of my school friends and I would talk about the show the next day. My first fishing reel that was given to me by my dad was a little inexpensive Zebco outfit. When I purchased my first reel for myself it was a Johnson reel because that is what Virgil advertised on his show.

Years later it was Bill Dance's fishing show. Loved that show because it was not only informative but very entertaining. He was a funny guy.

Lastly and most recently is the Oklahoma hand fishing show. I haven't seen it on in a while so maybe it has been canceled but love the concept of noodling. Though I love to watch it with the waters that I grew up around there is no way I am going to stick my hands and feet in some of the places they put theirs.

What are the TV shows that you watched over the years. I am sure many have seen local shows that many others are not aware of. How about sharing your favorites.
User avatar
Jonathan P. Kring
Super Board Poster
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:28 pm
Location: McMinnville, Tn.
Contact:

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Jonathan P. Kring »

Used to like "The Fishin Hole".
User avatar
Midway Tommy D
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3135
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:23 pm
Location: Eastern NE

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Midway Tommy D »

I remember Championship Fishing and The American Sportsman were the "Ground Breakers". Virgil Ward was quite interesting, and fun to watch at the time, and Curt Gowdy had just about every male in America, including me, watching his worldwide fishing and hunting episodes on Sunday afternoon throughout the winter, but my favorite, which came a little later, and because of their unselfish willingness to teach and share tips, tricks and knowledge with everyone, was Al & Ron Lindner's In-Fisherman. I still enjoy Doug Stange but the show lost a lot of its appeal after the Lindners and Dave Csanda departed. I also enjoyed Babe Winkleman's Good Fishing because it was realistic, family driven and oriented, and included his wife and children in numerous episodes.

The Lindners are still going strong w/ Lindner's Angling Edge & Media Productions, and Babe Winkleman is still strong with Good Fishing, Outdoor Secrets and Babe Winkleman Productions. :cool

RIP Curt and Virgil, you both truly started it all. :bow:

Tom
User avatar
Jonathan P. Kring
Super Board Poster
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:28 pm
Location: McMinnville, Tn.
Contact:

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Jonathan P. Kring »

The Fishing Hole may have been Jerry McKinnas, can't recall for sure.?
User avatar
mtcm76
Big ORCA Fan
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:54 am
Location: North Texas

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by mtcm76 »

The American Sportman. How could I have left that out. I agree, I loved watching that show as well.
User avatar
Bill Sonnett
Super Board Poster
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:19 pm
Location: Jackson Michigan

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Bill Sonnett »

A show I grew up with in the early days of television was "Outdoors with Don Mack" in the early 1950's Don was the outdoor editor of the Columbus Dispatch in Columbus Ohio. He had a weekly live show on which his panel of "experts" answered questions sent in by the public and prizes such as Coleman lanterns were given out. He also had well know folks on there who gave wonderful presentations in many out subjects. They even did a live in-studio demonstration which required firing a model 12, shotgun into a baseball cap with barrel removed. It made a heck of an impression on me as a kid. Can't imagine any studio allowing it today.
User avatar
Paul M
Ultra Board Poster
Posts: 2200
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:10 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada
Contact:

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Paul M »

In the late 1960's I liked to watch the Red Fisher Show. It was a Canadian production with a US born host. He would typically take famous sports personalities to a remote fly in lodge and catch rediculously large brookies etc. They would do something like a silent home movie of the trip and the TV show set was like an old fishing lodge where they would talk to the movie, brag, promote catch and release and act friendly. I looked for original episodes of this iconic Canadian TV show on YouTube but could only find the parodies made eg Red Green and Fishing Musician starring John Candy- Hot Air Ballon trout fishing with Jimmy Buffet - not too funny but check out the rediculously wide fishing reels. In days gone by, I also liked the Bob Izumi Real Fishing Show that taught me to hold my fish way out in front of me so it looks bigger to the camera LOL.... Like this:
Last edited by Paul M on Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Midway Tommy D
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3135
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:23 pm
Location: Eastern NE

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Midway Tommy D »

that taught me to hold my fish way out in front of me so it looks bigger to the camera LOL.
Now this is how it was really done. From the late 40's @ Big Round near Balsam Lake, WI. First pic is of "Skinny Hiatt" from Truro, IA & second is my dad, both with the same 13" Northern. :lol: Hang it w/line from a tree branch, stand back, line up the hand and snap it. :bow: Gotta love the old forgiving B&W days. :cool


Tom
nomdeplume57
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:44 pm

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by nomdeplume57 »

[quote="Bill Sonnett"]A show I grew up with in the early days of television was "Outdoors with Don Mack" in the early 1950's Don was the outdoor editor of the Columbus Dispatch in Columbus Ohio. He had a weekly live show on which his panel of "experts" answered questions sent in by the public and prizes such as Coleman lanterns were given out. He also had well know folks on there who gave wonderful presentations in many out subjects. They even did a live in-studio demonstration which required firing a model 12, shotgun into a baseball cap with barrel removed. It made a heck of an impression on me as a kid. Can't imagine any studio allowing it today.

OK. Ya got me ,Splain it to me Lucy ??????
User avatar
Bill Sonnett
Super Board Poster
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:19 pm
Location: Jackson Michigan

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Bill Sonnett »

When you load a Winchester Model 12 it is possible to screw the barrel off while the gun is still loaded. About 1/2 inch of the brass base of the shell is still in the receiver while the rest of the shell at that point hangs out in thin air. The purpose of the demonstration was to show that the actual amount of gas produced when the gun is fired is fairly small and it is only by restricting the direction in which the pressure can be relieved that force and velocity are achieved.
So they held a baseball cap about 10 inches in front of the gun and fired it. the wad and all the shot went into the hat with very little force and no damage to the hat. The shell peeled back like a banana to the brass base giving the pressure plenty of places to go. Before you try this at home I would remind you that shotgun shells were paper at that time not plastic, though I am sure that the plastic part of the shell would be blown to kingdom come.
Teal
Ultra Board Poster
Posts: 2033
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:23 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by Teal »

Up in Duluth we had Butch Furtman's Sportsman's Journal every Sunday night. My dad always liked Butch because he was one of the few to never over-hype his sponsor's lures (some of the bass guys were just awful about that), and he always avoided putting his fish way out in front of him when they were photographed. Plus he always seemed to catch fish. We watched religiously from the 1970s onward.

Imagine my surprise when my first year on the Freshwater Fishing Hall-of-Fame Selection Committee, Butch's candidacy was being hotly debated. I was very happy that he was voted in as I think he did as much as anyone to promote fishing in the upper midwest in my lifetime. So Butch is a Hall-of-Famer now and still doing his show. And still catching fish!

-- Dr. Todd
nomdeplume57
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:44 pm

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by nomdeplume57 »

Bill Sonnett wrote:When you load a Winchester Model 12 it is possible to screw the barrel off while the gun is still loaded. About 1/2 inch of the brass base of the shell is still in the receiver while the rest of the shell at that point hangs out in thin air. The purpose of the demonstration was to show that the actual amount of gas produced when the gun is fired is fairly small and it is only by restricting the direction in which the pressure can be relieved that force and velocity are achieved.
So they held a baseball cap about 10 inches in front of the gun and fired it. the wad and all the shot went into the hat with very little force and no damage to the hat. The shell peeled back like a banana to the brass base giving the pressure plenty of places to go. Before you try this at home I would remind you that shotgun shells were paper at that time not plastic, though I am sure that the plastic part of the shell would be blown to kingdom come.
Thank you sir for the Winchester info .
Things act different in Venturi ,Compression,Expansion and catalytic situations.

Back on topic to Fishin shows.
My Favor rights were Don Wallace Outdoors out of Norman Oklabygosh Homa,and anything Jimmy Houston did.
User avatar
stidog
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 281
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2015 8:33 pm
Location: Sebring, FL

Re: What were / are your favorite fishing shows

Post by stidog »

They've been on our TV for as long as I can remember, but I guess my favorite has to be Roland Martin, I just sold his producer a Camaro, and he had Roland send an autograph pic :P
Post Reply