If it were this easy we’d all be doing it. Bass professional Jimmy Houston gives his signature ‘smooch’ to a biggun’. (Photo Provided)
They make it look like a bass on every cast. The reality is…the best fishing on those Saturday morning fishing shows often comes back at the studio on the cutting room floor. The reality is…sometimes they catch about as many fish as the rest of us.
By Ray Reilly for Press Pros
A day or so after my last Press Pros column appeared (Tips For Catching Summer Bass) I received a call from a friend who had read it, and phoned to bring me, in his words, “down to earth.”
“Ray,” he said. “You’ve been watching too much Bill Dance. We all know it’s harder to catch bass in the summer, but you made it sound like if you do this you’ll catch one with every cast…like they do on the fishing shows.”
So I went back and read my column again to make sure that I had been realistic with what I had shared.
Then I watched some taped shows that I keep for reference…from Dance, Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, Ott Defoe, and Mark Zuna. And yes, it does seem like they do a lot of fish ‘catching’ in those thirty minutes, compared to what a lot of us know to be a lot of just plain ‘fishing’ for hours without ever catching a bass. Here’s how they do it.
We’ve all watched them – those fishing shows on the Outdoors Channel, where Bill Dance literally does catch a fish with every cast. And not just a half-pounder, but rarely less than three or four pounds. Truthfully, I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and information from watching over the years, but while I would do a lot of the same things Dance and Jimmy Houston would do, I never caught as many fish as they do in thirty minutes.
What you don’t see on those shows are the cameramen in separate boats, shooting from different angles, and making every strike and every fish landed seem like they’re catching more than they are. That’s called editing, and while Dance is good at catching bass, when they get back to the studio and edit those tapes they can make it look like he’s catching a fish on every cast. That’s good television, of course, because it wouldn’t be very interesting to watch someone just cast and catch nothing.
The second thing you need to know is that the hosts on those shows know exactly where to find fish on bodies of water they’ve fished before. And yes, they are experienced and know what lures to throw according to conditions. Fisherman call ’em ‘honey holes’, and they’re a target-rich environment. Chances are they wouldn’t have near the success they have if they showed up at Indian Lake or Lake Loramie and just fished blind.
Third, those shows are sponsored by Berkely, Rapala, Rebel, fishing line manufacturers, like Stren, and it’s important to make the products look like they actually produce. Again, editing paints a better picture, like cropping a photo.
But give credit where it’s due. These guys make their living fishing, and they do catch a lot of fish. Ott Defoe is young, has been a professional fisherman for twenty years, and he’s won nearly 3 million dollars in competitive fishing. I read recently where he’s finished in the money better than 75% of the time – astounding.
But when they film his Hunting For Monster Bass series of shows he probably doesn’t catch a ten pounder every thirty minutes, like it appears. Like the rest of us, he fishes good-looking water, relies on his experience, and takes his chances.
No one, it seems, catches more fish than Mark Zuna, and literally it looks like he catches a boatful every time out, regardless of the conditions.
But if it were that easy they wouldn’t have a dozen rods with a dozen different baits rigged up like they do – in case that crank bait doesn’t work. When it doesn’t they try something else. And if that doesn’t work they move on another option. And all of that takes time.
It’s fun to watch, and I’ll say it again. The information is priceless, along with the entertainment value. These guys are good, and they’re good businessmen. Because we all know that it only takes one good bass to keep you coming back. Maybe next time you’ll catch two, or three.
Or, hire a camera man and editor.
I’ve enjoyed it. ‘Til next time…!
Coverage of the outdoors on Press Pros is proudly sponsored by Olde English Outfitters, in Tipp City.