Rant about fishing shows

[Marshfisher]

Only watch one fishing show abynore: RIVER MONSTERS.

Most fishing dhows are nothin more that a long commercial promoting specific baits or lures to make rich people more money. Most of them contain people dressed like multi company billboards and most act like jerks.

It's bben a long timr since I've seen a average fisherman show with real life useable information, especially for those that don't and can't have a boat yet alone a full house Ranger or whatever bass boat.

Face it, the vast majority of people will never be able to put most of what's on these shows to any use.

BTW: Before any comparisions are made, I think NASACAR and yes Football suck too. Maybe I'm the jerk but then so be it.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I can't remember ever wetting my hands before landing a fish. The reality of it is that the majority of anglers don't follow with your believes/practices. Although i do believe in the holding them by the lower jaw thing.

[Fish Chris]

Yes, Marshfisher

RIVER MONSTERS

X's 2 !

And I also like to watch Larry Dalhberg travel all over the planet, chasing all kinds of huge, crazy fish, that I will most likely never be able to catch myself. Often stuff you wouldn't even think about lipping  

I always liked any of the shows with the Lindners too. If you want to see those, and hate commercials, they have lots of great, and reasonably priced videos / DVD's.

As for the rest of the shows, they usually don't catch anything that excites me.... especially on like Bass Masters.... I'll have it on for  background noise, and somebody will start hooping and hollering like they have stuck a BIG one.... and I'll turn around to see a 3 lb dink. Sure, that 3 lb'er might win "them" $100K or something, but it does nothing for me.

Peace,

Fish

[Dan:]

I think that most people seriously under-estimate how much "mishandling" bass can take. Sure, we should do our best but I really don't think it's that big of a deal if someone holds one horizontal by one hand or touches one with dry hands. Could it hurt them? Maybe, but i don't think it hurts them as much as many people believe.

[Blue Streak]

I agree Rhino. The way those fish are handled has always been a pet peeve of mine. They hold them in such a way that their own weight could break their jaw and them some of those guys pet them. Jerry McKinnis was great for that. I respect the bass as I respect all living creatures.

 That dancing around and yelling is idiotic. Little girls don't act like that when they catch their first fish. Act like you have caught one before.

[Skinnyh2ofishin]

This is definitely a subject I've thought about numerous times.  It's absolutely sickening to me that so many fisherman who are obviously at the forefront of the sport and have even more access to information on bass mortality than most of us, can handle fish the way they do on their shows.  Since I fish both fresh and salt, I likewise watch both fresh and saltwater fishing shows.  Interestingly, many of the saltwater guys have starting coming around to the importance of care when handling fish and have begun commenting on it more during their shows.  I've yet to see this kind of consideration from a bass fishing tv host.

I hope what I just said doesn't start a firestorm of defense for tv personalities who have expressed concern for the fish on their shows, I know they are out there, they are just few and far between.  Since I don't watch fishing shows as often as I use to, I'm sure I've missed some.  I just feel disheartened when I see those "heroes" of fishing from my youth treating fish the way they do, now that I pay more attention to that sort of thing.  

In all tv fishing show hosts defense, much of the information regarding fish mortality is relatively recent (10-15yrs), so I do not fault many of them for some of their handling techniques on OLD shows.  

The tournament situation is a whole different can of worms and I've run on so long already I'll just stop myself here and say, I agree! :-X

[Bernie Mac]

I usually keep CoCoa Butter with me when i go fishing to keep my hands moist (j/k)...I never wet my hands (intintionaly) but I guess when i reach in the water for a fish my hand does get wet...

I agreee with some of the fishing shows....just a coupld of guys fishing not talking about any technique or pattern that is usefull...but...I'll watch "InFisherman", "Linder's Angleing Edge", and "City Limits Fishing" Cause Mike Iaconelli is just

And yeah, I'm guilty of bad liping a fish (in my avitar) :-/