Cable TV Fishing Shows To The Rescue

The rivers are locked up. What to do? What to do? Where's the remote?

It’s late January and the rivers are locked up with ice. There’s no place to throw a fly, and I can only spend so much time checking equipment for the next outing, whenever that is. I never thought withdrawal would be part of fishing, but weather permitting, year-round fishing is possible, especially with steelhead in the rivers from October to April. So, any layoff longer than a week brings on heart palpitations and nightmares. The only medication for this type of withdrawal is the fishing shows on cable television shown this time of the year.

My cable provider pipes in the Outdoor Channel and NBC Sports Network. Beginning in early January, these channels begin a new season of shows geared toward fishing. The shows have just about all types of fishing covered, from saltwater to freshwater, from bass to bonefish. Unfortunately for me, but fortunately for my wife, we do not receive the World Fishing Network. This network broadcasts fishing shows 24 hours a day. My wife is afraid I wouldn’t get off the couch for days at a time.

While I’m a fly fisherman, I will watch shows that feature spinning and bait casting gear as well. I find that the best way to watch all the shows is to DVR them. This allows the viewer to blow through the commercials. Total watch time for a 30 minute show can be reduced by about 12 minutes. I’m sure many of the sponsors aren’t happy about that but they get product placement throughout the show.

Some of the shows do have teachable moments where tips on how to use a fly or lure, where to use it, and why, are given the viewers. To me, this is something all shows should do. Think about it. For every older viewer like me, there may be two or three young kids watching who want to be better fishermen. But there is a downside to some of the shows that I believe should be addressed, and it has to do with how the fish, a valuable resource, are handled.

With all the young kids watching it may make sense for the hosts and fishermen on these shows to set a good example on fish handling. Many shows talk about preserving the resources but will then mishandle the fish they catch. I am surprised how poorly some the fishermen on these show handle fish. There is one host that will go nameless who will place his hand in the gills of almost every fish he catches. In addition, he’ll bend the neck of the fish while holding it by the gills. Then he’ll release the fish by tossing it back into the water from a distance of four feet.

Also, once a fish is caught, every host will start talking, all the while holding the fish. I've never timed it but I'm sure some of the fish have been kept out of the water much longer than they should be. No one knows if the fish survives after being held out of the water.

Now, I’m sure we all regret having handled a fish incorrectly, and have learned from the experience, but some of these fishermen who host the shows have been on television for over 30 years. I don’t think the hosts even realize that they are teaching the wrong way to handle fish to young viewers. In a way I blame the sponsors of the show. I wonder if they even watch the shows. If I was a sponsor I would request that the hosts change their method of handling the fish. After all, the fish are the stars of the show, not the hosts.

Go out and fool a fish!