Bill Dance

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

A guy I was talking to on the water pretty much said that Bill Dance fished local private ponds only. If you ever see his show or you tube videos, he said you only see his boat and no others. He said this is because he has permission to fish huge ponds that are stocked. He said if he went to a real lake that he would be humbled. Apparently he thinks that Bill catching several 5# and heavier bass per show has to be set up. I even heard before that he hires divers to bait his hooks. LOL. I guess haters gonna hate. Has anyone heard this to before?

[SPEEDBEAD.]

He fishes phosphate pits.

 

Would I fish them?  Hell yeah.  Do I blame him for filming a fishing show there? Nope.

 

I don't believe he leads anyone to believe that he is on a public lake fishing alongside you and me. There is no doubt though that he could launch at a public lake and whoop up on 99% of the guys out there fishing I believe.

 

Watch for the entertainment value, filter out the blatant product pushing and see it for what it is. A fishing show.

[stk]

I've heard from others that Bill Dance does fish private ponds for his show.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

He is a trip! He could fish my parents neighborhood pond off the bank and still be hilarious. Even when he is being serious, his manurisms are off the wall. :-)

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

So what if he does? If most people had any clue of how many hours it takes to get 24 minutes of useable film they'd be the humbled ones. A friend of mine runs a small production company and filming isn't cheap or easy. It just makes good business sense to film in a location that minimizes time, interruptions etc. Most of the theories apply to waters of any size. Personally, I like Bill and his show for the most part.

[VAHunter]

It's no secret that a lot of his shows are filmed on private waters.  However, he'll tell you when he is at a public location.  He just doesn't fish public water as much as he used to.  I don't see a problem with it.  I, too, fish a lot of private waters and catch nice, uneducated fish.  I still get more satisfaction out of fishing public waters and catching a good bass.

[00 mod]

He has a company where he manages private lakes.  Bill Dance Signature Lakes.  Many of his shows are filmed in his managed lakes.  But he is still one heck of a fisherman!

 

Jeff

[Brian Needham]

wow, another Bill Dance thread.

 

here is some of Dance info for you.

 

1. Bill does fish private ponds, truth.....though way back when he did film shows here locally at some local lakes. more than one show was filmed Horseshoe Lake, about 30 minutes from my house and other MS River oxbows.

 

2. Bill won couple tournaments back to back and qualified for classic multiple times.... He KNOWS how to fish, period.  

 

3. Rumor says ole Bill got caught cheating and was forced to retire from tourament fishing......so the story goes by some of the old timers around here

 

4. Bill is ALWAYS eager to talk fishing, I met him more than once. Will always help, and talk to you like he knows you.

 

5. Bill owns several lakes he fishes as well

 

6. Known as a bass fishermen.... but HE LOVES to catfish!

 

7. he actaully started Strike King with a friend and had to drop his half since all his time was devoted to the trails at the time.

[cbass12]

He may fish private lakes, but I remember at least one show where he was on a river in Tennessee just wearing out the smallies. Wherever he goes the guy knows how to catch fish.

[Brian Needham]

He may fish private lakes, but I remember at least one show where he was on a river in Tennessee just wearing out the smallies. Wherever he goes the guy knows how to catch fish.

 

probably the Tn River....... Pickwick is one of his favorite places on Earth.

[Hyrule Bass]

i would fish those lakes if i could too. his show is more about teaching and product pushing. who cares where he is fishing? if you can learn something from him take it and put it to use...

[cbass12]

probably the Tn River....... Pickwick is one of his favorite places on Earth.

I don't think it was actually, it was a smaller river that he walked into. It was one of the more entertaining shows of his that I have seen.

[roadwarrior]

It was probably Pickwick or the tailwaters below the dam, technically Kentucky Lake.

Bill had a house just a mile or so below the dam. I have fished the same water with

him and his catfish partner James Patterson (Big Catfish) on numerous occasions. 

[bigbill]

Bill Dance is ok. But I like the InFisherman guys, Dime Store fisherman guys, Jerry McKinnis, or watching our pros here like Glenn, Hank Parker, ect explain everything to us too.

Besides what they say watch how they use the rod too.

I caught some newer guys on you tube I think it's "I Fisherman" or something like it. They seem cool too.

I like Charlie Moore too he fishes with celebs at times.

I wish Glenn would do an hour ESPN educational fishing show with the rest of the guys here but thank God we have them on you tube.

We need evening fishing shows at 4;30pm to 7:00pm. Great to watch while eating supper?

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

+1 Bill !!!

A specialty episode on Texas rigs about 5pm would be great for a dinner and a show. :-)

[bigbill]

Bill Dance went head to head fishing the tornies with one of the fisherman brothers years ago. These guys are great fisherman we just didn't have the media and spotlight we have on the tournament guys like we do now. I was glued to the tv set back then too.

[bassguytom]

I like Bill Dance's show. It brings back memory's of when I was a kid on Saturday morning watching these shows with my pop. He still seems to change with the times pretty well. The last show I saw of his he was talking about micro guide rods and braid line. Still very informative and tries to explain techniques in a very understandable way. I bet a person new to bass fishing could watch one of his shows and go out and use the technique he showed them and catch fish.

[AK-Jax86]

I've heard these rumors too but he still has to catch the fish regardless if he's fishing a private stocked lake with giants.

I like watching his shows when I was younger but now I am more into other fishing shows on the Outdoor Channel like Zona, MLF, Bassmaster shows, Facts of Fishing, and others. If I happen to be home and I see Bill Dance on I will tune in when nothing else is on

[Montanaro]

He's not fishing tournaments on those private lakes...he is teaching and pushing product. Doesn't need to be on public water...He could do the entire show from a BPS aquarium for that matter.

[Hyrule Bass]

It was probably Pickwick or the tailwaters below the dam, technically Kentucky Lake.

Bill had a house just a mile or so below the dam. I have fished the same water with

him and his catfish partner James Patterson (Big Catfish) on numerous occasions. 

 

im not sure if its the same place you mention, but i believe he was on foot wading and it was a small stream/river in TN. it was a two part episode and he was fishing for smallmouth.

[Brian Needham]

if he was wading I HIGHLY HIGHLY  doubt it was the Tn River or Pickwick.

 

I figured it was since Bill loves Pickwick.......but if he was wading it rules it out.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

True point made that he does push product and instruct on those bodies of water.

[SirSnookalot]

I watch Bill Dance every now and then, I think it's a pretty decent show.  I have to say I was impressed one day watching one of his shows, he flat out knows how to another site.  He has a saltwater series, one episode he was catching tarpon in the keys, handled them with perfection.  His guide suggested using one of his bass set ups for 100#+ tarpon, it's a tv show of course he landed it.  He did show the correct way to land fish that size, he was text book exact.  More impressive he was about 69 at the time, about my age now, so I could relate.

[boostr]

Who's Bill Dance?

[boostr]

I kid, I make joke. What channel is he on now and what time, need to set the dvr. Speaking of fishing shows, is Facts of Fishing done for now with new episodes?