Staging Fishing Shows

[fishinggeek]

Pet peeve of mine is when people stage a fishing show. For example, if a host grabs the next and runs to the back of the boat, and it's obvious that clip was done after the fish was released, to me that's more acting than fishing.

 

I recently saw a really old VHS bass fishing video which was supposed to be instructional. He was flipping for bass, and brought one in that was as limp as a boot. He said that because he sets the hook so hard, it stuns them and they come in limp. It sounded like baloney to me, and I suspect it was a bass that was re-hooked for multiple takes (similar to what Italo and Henry were convicted of). In fact, I was personally sure that this fish was staged because it looked so lifeless during the "fight", unhooking, and release. Any thoughts? And does anything think these shady practices are occurring in today's fishing shows?

[Stoty]

And does anything think these shady practices are occurring in today's fishing shows?

 

Sure they do.

[LundGuy]

Anyone remember the program the Wild Kingdom? This guy was supposed to track down big game animal and got real close to these wild animals many times. He had a very popular show, high ratings and had big TV sponsors. Well he got caught staging all his shows, using zoo animals and trapped animals to make it look like he was a big hero. His show ran for several years until he was found out. The big phony lost his show and was dragged through the media for some time. So yes these super stars do what they have to to look good, and most of them are not as good as they put on. My brother-in-law does camera work for some of the fishing shows and he says they do hours and hours of film to get a few minutes of fish. Most these hosts set up with resort owners and go to their special honey holes to make sure they get fish and even then its not 100%. Not many just jump into any lake and take a chance, they usually have it all set up. Time is money

[Greencoachdog]

Fishing shows are for entertainment purposes only!

 

 

LundGuy Posted Today, 07:35 PM

Anyone remember the program the Wild Kingdom? This guy was supposed to track down big game animal and got real close to these wild animals many times. He had a very popular show, high ratings and had big TV sponsors. Well he got caught staging all his shows, using zoo animals and trapped animals to make it look like he was a big hero. His show ran for several years until he was found out. The big phony lost his show and was dragged through the media for some time. So yes these super stars do what they have to to look good, and most of them are not as good as they put on. My brother-in-law does camera work for some of the fishing shows and he says they do hours and hours of film to get a few minutes of fish. Most these hosts set up with resort owners and go to their special honey holes to make sure they get fish and even then its not 100%. Not many just jump into any lake and take a chance, they usually have it all set up. Time is money

 

Ol' Marlin Perkins and his rump ranger buddy Jim.

 

 

They did the same thing on the Wonderful World of Disney back in the 50's with a show they did on Lemmings! They caught Lemmings and stood on shore and threw them out into the water so they could film them swimming to their "death".

 

Seems Walts world wasn't so wonderful after all.

[Rich]

I thought old Red Fisher, the originator, had divers put fish on his line? My parents told me this, not sure if it's true as i never saw the show myself (obviously way before my time).

[solopaddler]

I thought old Red Fisher, the originator, had divers put fish on his line? My parents told me this, not sure if it's true as i never saw the show myself (obviously way before my time).

 

Blasphemy!

[muskymike]

I think I am going to volunteer with the Musky netting program. Just net and toss in a Lure Film it and Compete with Musky Hunter.

[irishfield]

Blasphemy!

 

Was gonna say.. better keep your head low Rich

[solopaddler]

I'll add this, as some of you guys know many moons ago I worked for Canadian Sportfishing.

Can't stand either one of those guys.....but I personally never saw them stage anything and I was present at several film shoots.

 

Here's a good one though, back in my guiding days at Kesagami I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Ken Schultz.

I think he writes for Field and Stream, but back when I was a lad he was the fishing editor for Outdoor Life.

Anyhow, if you're old enough you'll remember some of those wicked cover photos on both magazines. You know, the ones where you see a giant headshaking bucket leaping out of the water with an excited angler battling him from a boat in the background?

According to Ken in order to get those amazing shots they'd get a diver to hurl the hooked fish up into the air as the photographer snapped away .

[David Chong]

I can't speak for other shows but in all the footage that I shot with Extreme Angler and watched being shot with other members there was never any staging. All the fish that were video-taped were caught as is. Also the majority of the shows were shot on local waters where everybody fishes, although some people won't be happy with that either!

 

Cheers,

Dave

Edited April 3, 2008 by David Chong

[K-K-DAWG]

Thanks Dave, you beat me to it!!

Since Day #1, we have NEVER, nor EVER will stage any catching on our show;

if you don`t see the cast- we don`t air the footage..its that simple with us!

Does it cost more to keep filming... yes!

so what... thats why we have sponsors and supporters to assist with the costs involved.

 

Have we caused some headaches for some other producers because of it?...heck yea!

 

No private lakes or ponds... no sweet spots from lodge owners... public waterways with public boat ramps... artificial baits... as real as it gets!

 

Does it take hours to capture certain footage, for a certain specie with a certain bait or presentation?...sometimes yes!

Most shows don`t proclaim they caught all their fish in the half hour you watch it!

Thats just not realistic...those days are few and far between.

 

Do you have any idea what it REALLY costs to film, edit, produce and broadcast a show?

I welcome all armchair critics to invest and give it a shot.

 

Can`t speak for most, but I personally know Izumi, Bowman, Millertime, and Mercer to name a few, are all about education and entertainment- not staging!

They, like us, have a passion for the sport and addiction we call fishing.

 

A few others like Maina/Keith/Parsons and Musky Hunter...we`ll, you can`t stage that stuff..its real!

Any experienced angler can tell if the footage is real... believe me, I can tell 99.9% of the time I watch any fishing shows, if the hook set is real, if the fight is real or if any staging has taken place.

Anglers who know how to catch...can catch, period!

anyone who has ever been on our show, past or present- knows how to catch- period.

It does not matter what lake it is, what specie they are after, what season it is...sooner or later, they figure it out and catch!

Watch what you like.... turn off what you don`t like...its that simple.

[lunkerbasshunter]

i was waiting for one of the guys on this site that are in teh fishng show business to chime in.

 

I was going to say, that out of all the canadian shows i watch I cant say i have seen any evidence of this at all! I think the indusrty has changed and people would not accept this at all like maybe they use to 10 to 15 years ago.

 

Cheers!

[bushart]

You mean Chronzy is not about education-----OH NO!!!!!

 

Oh wait maybe it was learning the proper technique about tossing someone off the end of a dock--or something akin to that

[Roy]

And what would be the purpose of even trying to stage a shore lunch?

[Gerritt]

Well said Karl.

 

G

[muskymike]

I think I am going to volunteer with the Musky netting program. Just net and toss in a Lure Film it and Compete with Musky Hunter.

 

 

 

I didnt mean this as Musky Hunter Stages at all (I think KK was referring to me). I was just simply saying, "I cant guarantee fish" so this would be my sure fire way to do it. I know Jim and he can fish. He knows Musky better then i know myself. And I love his show and subscribe to his mag. I am a sponge when it comes to Musky Hunter. Really, I am. I absorb it all and try and apply it but it just evaporates and I am stuck as a sponge

Its not fair actually. hahaha.

[lew]

Haven't seen his show in a few years now but Bill Dance was the absolute worst when it came to staging anything.

 

Don't think I've ever seen another fisherman who had 4 pound bass put up as much of a fight as EVERY SINGLE ONE he caught. He'd be up & down, and back & forth fighting those fish and they'd be taking him all over the boat and you'd be expecting him to hoist up a 200 pound marlin the way they'd fight, then he'd hoist up this little 4 pounder.

 

I dunno, is old Bill even on the tube anymore ??

[fishinggeek]

Yes I agree this is more of a thing of the past. The VHS I watched was very old, like late 70's. The old In-Fishermen shows looked a lot like that as well in my opinion. The fish were lifeless in many of the cases, and I have seen footage of Al re-taking "releases". The Next Bite, though I admit I enjoy, has shown footage of multiple takes of someone grabbing grabbing the pliers or getting the net. I don't get why it's necessary to do that, and I'll have to say that our Canadian shows (except for the old Canadian Sportsfishing) seem to have much less of this. Rich, funny thing was my parents told me the same thing about Red Fisher. I still remember watching re-runs of his show when I was really young.

 

Good point GCD. There's a great Canadian show called The Fifth Estate. They had a whole hour long documentary on fake nature shows, how companies like Disney staged a lot of the scenes (as well as more modern shows like that British soldier who does crazy things - I think his first name is Bear). I believe the entire episode is available online here: http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/cruelcamera/index.html