TV Fishing Show - Throwing a Brook Trout on ROD and REEL
Paul W. Lohman
or whatever its called now). It is actually one of my favorite TV
shows! though John Barrett can go a little over the top on things like
"a second pair of boots."
I writing this though to complain about another program called Rod and
Reel. It airs on public television - of all places - and is one of
the most violent programs toward fish. I rarely watch it anymore but
was flipping through channels and noticed they were frishing for trout
this past Saturday.
The host caught a brook trout and because he was standing out on a
rock in the river, threw the fish to a companion back on the shore.
Of course, the fish smashed into the rocks.
I don't think that ANY fish should be kept on a TV show - they should
all be released. Heck most of us do that routinely in our own
fishing. But to see a fish thrown on public television (or commercial
TV for that matter) is outragious!
I wrote the following letter to my public television station and I
urge you all to do the same. To protect our valuable resource we must
get programs like this off the air!
========
-- Dear People,
This is a letter that I have been intending to write to a couple of
years now. It is in regard to the fishing program you air at 9:00 am
on Saturdays called Rod and Reel.
I am an active fisherman and enjoy watching a number of fishing shows
on television, but this program has consistently been one that has
bothered me. First of all I should say that I believe that all fish
caught on televsion programs should be released, and that is, in fact,
the case with most programs. With Rod and Reel however this is often
not the case.
Rod and Reel is, to my way of thinking, the most offensive fishing
program aired on all of television (commmercial or public). The host
is often rude and stereotypically one of the "good old boys" or
"red-necked fisherman."
What has bothered me most though is the way in which he has treated
fish. In some programs he has wielded a "club" which he uses to kill
fish. One could argue that clubbing fish is humane, but as I said
above, I don't believe that any fish should be killed on TV shows.
These shows need to be an example for all fisherman of preservation
and protection of this very fragile resource.
This past Saturday's show was one that truly outraged me. I should
say that I have rarely watched the show in the last 2 years, and I
turned it on only briefly this past Saturday. (and then off! again I
might add). During the show the host literally "threw" a brook trout
to a companion standing somne 20 feet away on the shore. Of course,
the companion didn't catch the fish so it smashed into the rocks.
This demonstration of total disregard for such a precious resource is
intolerable and I urge you to cancel this program. I find it
incredible that the public television is airing a program that is by
far the most violent and inhumane in its handling of fish.
Please, PEASE take this program off the air. There are so many other
fine fishing programs. Surely you don't need to be airing this.
Sincerely,
Paul W. Lohman
Minneapolis, MN
Voice: 827-3625
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Let's get together and protect fishing for our children.
K. Bodnar
Lohman) wrote:
> I writing this though to complain about another program called Rod and
> Reel.
Hi Paul:
The host that you are talking about is Bill Saif. The show originates
out of Watertown, New York, and the station is WNPE/WNPI -- Watertown,
Norwood. Bill Saif is also the station manager at surprise! --
WNPE/WNPI. One of the other outdoor shows (Cabin Country) is hosted by
-- surprise -- Bill Saif III. Not only are poor fishing methods
practised, but also nepotism. The 'un-sportsman-like' conduct also
extends to Cabin Country, when I saw a dog retrieve a downed duck. The
duck was still alive during the retrieve across the marsh, and it was just
chucked down on shore without being humanely dispatched.
At one point Rod & Reel was just one huge advertisement for fishing
salmon & trout fishing on Lake Ontario. The Charter company had a boat
called ---surprise -- Rod & Reel, and the owners of the charter service
was surprise -- Saif and Sons.
I don't mind free-enterprise, or can even tolerate a bit of
self-serving, but the arrogance and dis-respect that the man shows to the
fishing resource (such as the trout tossing incident) really burns me up.
As an aside, there is a spin-off show called Rod & Reel Streamside,
hosted by Don Meisner. This show is deliberately kept low budget, so as
to not outshine Rod & Reel. I watched one episode where only one fish was
caught, yet the show was one of the most superbly crafted outdoor fishing
shows that I have ever watched. Do Meisner is truly a
prince-of-the-outdoors and a true 'brother of the angle'. He also has
only trait that Bill Saif will never master -- humility.
Ken Bodnar
PS. If you really want to do something about it, call your local PBS
station, and ask to speak to the Programming Director. Ask them to
replace Rod & Reel, with Rod & Reel Streamside.
RICHARD HARDIN
> As an aside, there is a spin-off show called Rod & Reel Streamside,
>hosted by Don Meisner. This show is deliberately kept low budget, so as
>to not outshine Rod & Reel. I watched one episode where only one fish was
>caught, yet the show was one of the most superbly crafted outdoor fishing
>shows that I have ever watched.
Just like to put my 2 cents in here. I have noticed a correlation with the
budget and quality of fishing shows. [I live in Lethbridge, Alberta so we
don't get allot of the same shows as most of the U.S. (mostly we get Bass
fishing shows.....not very usefull in this neck of the woods....only one lake
in Alberta with bass in it..].])
But I have lived elsewhere in the past and have noticed that the low budget
shows usually outshine the large budget shows. An example of note is/was
"Fishing in the 90's" a local very low budget show. It focused on the regular
weekend angler and how to improve his odds without resorting to dropping $5,000
dollars on a trip to the Florida Keys. It looke
Another good show was "Fishing the West" with Larry Schoneburn (sp?). This guy
was the best host I have ever seen on a show. His focus was on the guides of
the region and the regional techniqes (which could be applied anywhere). He
was/is a humble, well spoken guy with a keen interest in the sport rather than
the money. He seem to have gotten replaced by another fellow who was not near
as good on camera as Larry was. Still he was better than most. I would
classify his show as the exception to the rule of bigger budget = poorer
quality. His budget seemed to be about medium.
Ever notice that as a fishing show gets more popular, the destinations get more
and more elaborate and distant? It seems these guys start to use the show as a
way for THEM to travel and fish. Who wants to watch some guy having fun in a
place none of us can afford?
If we are willing to visit our favorite fishing hole weekend after weekend, why
wouldn't we be willing to watch a guy fish in areas that are similar to each
other weekend after weekend? I could spend at least 20 1/2 hour episodes
talking about various aspects of one of my favorite fishing spots.
Just as another sarcastic note this text was taken from the magazine "Trout
Canada" which no longer exists (too bad....good mag).
In the issue Fall 1994, T. Heranger wrote:
Have I mentionned that I am somewhat less than enamoured of the current spate
of television fishing shows? They befoul my screen like bad B-grade horror
movies and they fall into 3 catagories within which they are all
sickeningly the same.
In the first lot, the host is an affable boob who can't catch a cold without
the able assistance of a guide who knows he isn't going to get a tip from this
moron and is therefore unable to camouflage his contempt for the star of the
show. The second bunch feature a duo of supposedly household name anglers who
try to act both excited and helpful (they fail miserably on both counts) when
their partner catches a big fish. In the third categroy, the best of a bad
lot, the luminary is a well-connected type who shores up his sagging ratings by
inviting celbrity guests to fish with him. Here, at least, we get to see a real
star, albiet invariably a sports figure or a country and western singer.
I do think that a celbrity fishing show has potential, but only if the guest
anglers are true superstars. I don't mean second string quaterbacks or
roadhouse crooners; I'm talking about bankable properties of the silver screen,
people who are so well known that they don't have to be introduced. Give me my
own show with celbrity guests of that calibre and I gaurantee I'll dominate the
market.
Here's how I see it:
EPISODE 1:
I'm stalking brown trout on a meandering spring creek with Clint Eastwood. We
spot a twenty-plus fish sipping no-seeums on the edge of a weed bank. I raise
my arm slowly to point it out , but Clint's steely-eyed gaze is already locked
on. Without taking my eyes off the fish, I slip a box of size twenty-six midge
patterns and a spool of 7X tippet material from my vest and offer them to
Clint. He waves them off with disdain, stands and unholsters his .44 magnum.
He draws a two handed bead on the big brown and speaks for the first time in
the program. "Do you feel lucky, fish?" he snarls. "Well, do you?"
EPISODE 2:
We are trolling the blue waters of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Our quarry
is a man-eating, thirty-foot Great White. My guest is Arnold Schwartzenegger.
I'm watching the boat's wake for a telltale dorsal fin while Arnold ladles chum
over the stern. Suddenly the water erupts directly below him and the gaping
maw of certain death explodes up out of the water like a Titan missile, all
razor sharp teeth, baleful eyes and bad attitude. Arnie lips the monster as if
it were no more than a two-pound largemouth and slam dunks it on the deck. He
tapes it at thirty-three feet, holds it in his arms for a Kodak moment, then
gently lowers it over side and releases it. He flashes a gap-toothed grin at
at the camera and says "Hasta la vista, baby!"
EPISODE 3:
For a change of pace, I've invited one of the continent's best-known news
personalities to join me for a day of float-tubing on a small prarie lake full
of large Rainbows. My guest is Barbara Walters. She's packing a video camera
and a portable mike so she can interview me while we fish. An eight pound
trout is following my streamer when Barbara fins over, sticks the mike in my
face and asks, "Do you have feelings of a sexual nature towards these fish? Is
there a Freudian undercurrent flowing here? Why are you wearing a rubber suit?
Isn't that a bit kinky?" I pull a pocket knife from my vest, reach over and
slash her tube. The escaping air propels her out into the middle of the lake
where she slowly sinks from sight, still asking questions. "The water is so
warm, it's like going back in the womb, isn't it?" I don't know what room she
is talking about so I keep fishing.
EPISODE 4:
The show is now reaching a wide audience. We are shooting live in an effort to
achieve spontaneity. It's a sunny June afternoon that promies terrific dry fly
action. The cameraman and I are positioned atop the stern of a driftboat,
auguring for a down-and-in, full frontal shot of my guest who has graciously
consented to row. She has been complaining of the heat, so she rolls down the
top half of her neoprene chest waders. As panic-stricken fingers fumble to
control the zoom lens, Madonna licks her lips and winks wickedly. Dialogue
somehow seems unnecessary. My cellular phone rings. The president of the
network offers me a firm ten-year contract, with options, at three times the
current money...
[THERE IS MORE IN THE ACTUAL ARTICLE AFTER THIS BUT I AM TIRED OF TYPING]
[THANKS TO T. HERANGER....AUTHOR OF THE ABOVE ARTICLE]
Anyway Herringer seems to sum up the fishing shows pretty good...don't you say!
Rick.