Bill Dance

[cbass12]

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.

It was a pretty small stream, and one that I would kill to have near my home!!!!!

[papajoe222]

If your buddy thinks BD couldn't catch fish on a real lake, he is sadly mistaken.  I wish I had 1/3 of Bill's knowledge and experience about this wonderfull sport.

Are his shows filmed on private or stocked waters? I don't really care.

Are His shows just one long commercial?                         "

The reason I watch is to be entertained and possibly learn something.  You gotta admit, he is entertaining.

[boostr]

Love the one episode where he gets a nose full of trebles.

[Ohio Dave]

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.

I grew up on the same couch with my dad as well.  Jerry and Bill are great guys: I would not care if they had someone putting fish on their hooks.  they are two respectful polite men who I have never heard a single bleep out of on any of their shows.  

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Bill is still my favorite. He is down to earth and really catches some hogs! I love the "mule" episode. 13 pound monster!!!

[Steveo-1969]

How could anyone hate on Bill Dance?  That's just plain un-American!!!!!

[F14A-B]

Bill Dance is the Godfather of bass fishing media!

He's very smart and fishing on private lakes, ponds,etc is just plain smart!

The man is a legend!!

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Gotta love the Tennessee "T" ball cap. :--)

[basscatcher8]

Alot of shows are going to private waters. It doesnt bug me cause they are trying to teach and fish catches better illustrate and solidify their point. Hank Parker seems to be doing more and more shows on private waters. But like Bill hes also in the pond management business and is using it showcase some of his ponds he builds and educate. These guys can still fish they are just trying to produce the entertainment easier. His catfish shows are fun to watch though on the mississippi river.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Someone mentioned here that Bill Dance fishes "phosphate pits". What are they?

[WIGuide]

Quite a few shows are filmed in private waters. You have to remember some of the older guys aren't fishing the tours anymore so they aren't traveling all around the country. It takes more time and ton of money not only to go around the country fishing and then have the expense of a film crew on top of it. Some are saying his show is just one long commercial, but it's more educational than given credit for on here. Yes he's putting in plugs for his sponsors, he's sponsored....that's kind of a requirement. He's teaching you how to catch more fish though. Fishing private waters helps that because he can go out and get enough fish for show fishing however he wants to for that show. The man can still flat out fish though! If the man is such a hater, he should try fishing against him. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Someone mentioned here that Bill Dance fishes "phosphate pits". What are they?

 

Think of a rock quarry. Kinda the same thing but really nutient rich water.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Cool! Thanks speedbead. ;-)

[carlm01]

I think his show is great and as stated ,He's not the only one fishing on private waters , I've never seen any boats around  the crew of Hook & Look and Facts of fishing ,The Bassmaster stuff has boats around as they tend to fish bigger waters on their shows but it's all technique for them and they rarely catch anything .. As for pushing products, that's how he makes his living and ALL of them do it ... 

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Mr.Bill dance is awesome. I love watching his stuff. I don't care where he's fishing. Like mentioned before Its a fishing show I take it for what it is and enjoy the entertainment

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

It may be a show designated to some instruction with the occasional inundation of advertisements. However he keeps me entertained with his goofy maneurisms (including plenty of out takes) and he is also smart. I even have one of his books that I thoroughly enjoy.

[bigbill]

Now after watching Bill Dance with my little kids with me being glued to the tv set now decades later every time bills music comes on the tv my kids laugh at me. My kids are in there late 30's now.

I still watch Bill Dance.

[geo g]

Bill is one well respected fishman from the old days.  He could fish almost any body of water and do respectable.  He has 50 years of experience behind him.  Nice guy and good fisherman.  He does take forever to land a 2 pound fish!

[phototex]

I've never heard this before, but it could  be true. After all, TV is TV. However, Bill - in his early days - also did quite well on the Bassmaster tournament trail.

[mjseverson24]

Bill Dance, Rowland Martin, and hank parker are the bass equivalent to golfs Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary player... They are legends of the sport, they paved the way for future generations to grow and enjoy the sport... they also do a great job of promoting and teaching... I enjoy all of them, and would rather watch re runs of bill dance than a new episode of real housewives of atlanta...

 

Mitch

[Basswhippa]

I believe it is the Strike King ponds Bill fishes.  I've heard the rumors of him having scuba divers put fish on his hooks in public waters, but never really believed it.  He is probably the only fisherman who I've ever seen produce quality shows on Reelfoot Lake, due to it being unkind to boats and kind of out of the way.  He always produced a great show there every few seasons and I'm sure there were no scuba divers attaching fish to his line in those waters. LOL

 

A reel fishing show pioneer and I too recall watching his shows when I was a kid.  I always was suspicious of his big fish catching but it's entertaining and a lot of it was private waters, so it made sense and gave me something to hope for.  That said, I've seen many a show on Pickwick and on the Mississippi River.  

 

Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin are true pioneers of the modern fishing show.

 

 

Any of you all buy a Dance's Eel?   I think YUM or somebody still makes that lure. LOL

[Jrob78]

This is no secret, he's been fishing those phosphate pits for years.  Think about it, he's an older fella now and probably doesn't want to spend 3 days on the water to film an episode.  We get to see a load of huge fish and he gets to teach in an efficient manner.  Anyone who thinks BD couldn't catch fish on public water is sadly mistaken.  He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone.

[OntarioFishingGuy]

It doesnt matter WHERE he catches bass, it matters IF he can catch bass and HOW he can catch bass.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

I can watch his outtakes all day lol

[OK Bass Hunter]

When I first came to the states 30 years ago,Bill Dance was one of my favorites. He still is. I watch a bunch of other fishing shows but when Bill is on I still tune in. He's like the uncle who always took you fishing. I know he's pushing product, but he also imparts knowledge in a way that's easily understood.