Charlie Wray's Fishful Thinking

[JoshS]

I don't think Charlie's show is bad and at least it's somewhat informative. There's much worse out there.

 

I lean towards shows like next bite, extreme angler, musky hunter, simply fishing etc, where they centre more on technique... as opppsed to watching a couple guys on vacation.

[bigugli]

Dimestore is a terrible show, and Canadian Sportfishing feels like its directed at 5 year olds.

No worse rhan most regular television programming. I could hurl every time my wife turns on shows like 2 1/2 Men, Friends, the 10 versions of CSI...., and watches 6 episodes in a row of the crap.

It would be as bad as watching re-runs of last season's Maple Laffs

Edited February 3, 2013 by bigugli

[Radnine]

This show has to be the worst outdoor program i have ever seen.

Does he do anything other than Troll for salmon/trout in the niagara region? To be fair, i did see him on St Clair (trolling, of course) for musky/walleye.

 

Question:

 

Does Charlie Wray know how to CAST?

 

You know its a bad when on a Saturday in the middle of winter and you turn off a fishing show.

 

Have spoken to Charlie?

I am here to tell you that he will chat to you about what ever you like if you go to a boat show or a spring fishing or Sportsman show.

Now, I realize that is not what your post is about (it is about his show) but if you talked to him you might realize what his show is based on, and that is fishing and doing want it takes to catch fish. Slight nuances and little changes that catch fish. Has anyone else told you about using Spin-N-Glo's instead of blades to make worm harnesses out of? No.

I think that we have gotten used to a fat old man (or men) pulling in tiny walleye after tiny walleye without telling us beens about where they are (other than the lodge that is paying them) why they are there, and what they are using. Or why they are using it.

Charlie does all of that.

He is brilliant, and a terrific guy.

Don't watch his show if you want not to, but it is not him that is the problem, it is you. (change the channel and shut your pie-hole)

I am in the process of pairing up a new Komodo bait caster with a Citrix rod, based on Charlie's advise when asked at at recent show.

You have barked up the wrong tree my friend.

Jim

Edited February 3, 2013 by Radnine

[Muskieman]

^^^ Noice !!! Jim ... were you ever a line backer ?

[Rattletrap2]

If any of you remember the old "Molson's Big Fish" contest that used to run here up until the late 1980's, Charlie Wray dominated those contests every year! He had top entries in a lot of different species categories.

I used to enjoy seeing where the bigguns were coming from. They used to name the lake and everything.

 

There is no doubt in my mind that Charlie knows his stuff is worthy of a show.

 

Now having said that, I don't personally like or watch his shows anymore. He is a product of the industry just like all the others...especially here in Canada where they have to blatantly flog their sponsors name every third sentence.

 

Nothing but one big long 1/2 hour infomercial!

 

Like already mentioned, I think there would be a lot more value in just showing the products they are using and discretely promoting them instead of ramming the sponsors product at us constantly over and over.

 

I don't blame the hosts for this. They have to do what they have to do to stay on the air and make a living. It is the sponsor companies that disgust me.

My 2 centavos worth! lol

[Grimace]

When I don't like something on TV I don't watch it. Seems to me that there is a simple solution to cure your vitriol for the fella. A bunch of people like it so they watch it and if they watch it, it's pretty simple.

[Rich]

Dude said he turned the channel in OP so your clichee is a fail, no matter how many people say it. (If you dont like it change it) ... He did that. Then started a discussion. His opinion on a fishing show doesn't make him bad or stupid. Judging him based on his opinion on a fishing show, speaks wonders for your character though.

[frodobuggins]

Charlie has been around a long time so he must be doing something good. He has a variety we don't see all the time...sturgeon, tuna, musky.

 

I miss in-fisherman when they had the 3 "entertaining" segment shows....a different variety each and every time. Good format

 

Those old In-Fisherman shows were the best! I remember one segment in particular where Doug Stange was fan casting from a pier for salmon/trout. It was so well done with losts of the natural surrounding shown, and his casting was time lapsed. It was visually amazing and it gave me hope for when my dad would take me out to the credit pier or southampton.

 

I even remember and like those old french canadian ones that were from the 70's probably with two guys paddling around in a canoe that used to be shown on channel 12 randonmly

 

In talking with him at fishing shows I have always found him to be a great guy. I hate trolling with every ounce of my being. Lol. I can't stop watching fishing shows even though I hate how ridiculous the almost constant product plugs have become on almost all shows. A lot of guys can't use a sentence without mentioning a sponsor's product. I think that approach is less effective than saying nothing and letting us see what they r using in the background. Landry

 

He does seem like a good guy, but i never stated the opposite. I wanted a discussion on what people thought of the show.

 

This show has to be the worst outdoor program i have ever seen.

 

Have spoken to Charlie?

I am here to tell you that he will chat to you about what ever you like if you go to a boat show or a spring fishing or Sportsman show.

Now, I realize that is not what your post is about (it is about his show) but if you talked to him you might realize what his show is based on, and that is fishing and doing want it takes to catch fish. Slight nuances and little changes that catch fish. Has anyone else told you about using Spin-N-Glo's instead of blades to make worm harnesses out of? No.

I think that we have gotten used to a fat old man (or men) pulling in tiny walleye after tiny walleye without telling us beens about where they are (other than the lodge that is paying them) why they are there, and what they are using. Or why they are using it.

Charlie does all of that.

He is brilliant, and a terrific guy.

Don't watch his show if you want not to, but it is not him that is the problem, it is you. (change the channel and shut your pie-hole)

I am in the process of pairing up a new Komodo bait caster with a Citrix rod, based on Charlie's advise when asked at at recent show.

You have barked up the wrong tree my friend.

Jim

 

Barked up the wrong tree? Shut my pie hole?

Im going to sum these up as:

A) you are Charlie

you are related to Charlie

C) you have anger and logic issues.

 

 

This means nothing.

 

Bob Izumi would have told you for years to use a Curado and Crucial, until a few months ago when his attitude $uddenly changed. Now he will tell you to use a Revo SX and Verdict.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing.

Edited February 3, 2013 by frodo

[TJQ]

I met him up at a flyin lake i was on several years ago.  He seemed like a nice guy... He was out there casting for pike...

 

now as for underwater trolling video...  

 

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zGEy3hTIwmI?list=UUPpskuAjGge33iNOctXx1nQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Wait till this summer when im promoting my own products....  LOOKOUT!!

 

[kickingfrog]

I can honestly say I do not know how many channels I have access to, but it's probably around 200. There will always be more programs available that I do not watch, or like, then I do.

[glen]

Sometimes there are many fishing shows on at once. Many times fishfull thinking is the one I watch.

One thing I like about Charlie is that he can catch his own fish.

[Bernie]

A couple years ago I had the opportunity to work with Charlie for a weekend.

He is a genuine good fellow that just loves to fish.

He has a wonderful sense of humor, is very intelligent, very personable and all the rest of the qualities that are needed to become an accomplished television personality.

I like his show. It's easy to watch and he raises many fine points.

 

Good stuff Charlie!

Edited February 3, 2013 by Bernie

[wall i]

There are a few poorly produced/written shows. "Outdoor Passion" with Ray Carignon is a narrative written by what seems like a retired elementary school grammar teacher post lobotomy....no substance of any value but verbose beyond my level of tolerance. It really is quite horrible and so patronizing. The show has all the redeeming qualities of a bucket of poutine. Pet peve are shows that use computer generated heavy metal music with lead guitar licks as background which are just as intolerable.

Edited February 4, 2013 by wall i

[Rich Nelson]

There are a few poorly produced/written shows. "Outdoor Passion" with Ray Carignon is a narrative written by what seems as a retired elemantary school grammar teacher post lobotomy....no substance of any value but verbose beyond my level of tolerance. It really is quite horrible and so patronizing. Pet peve are shows that use computer generated heavy metal music with lead guitar licks as background which are just as intolerable.

 

True... But the very obvious exageration when fighting fish is entertaining. Lol. Fishing shows that do nothing but push products arent for me. Or the ones that just show them catching fish, and you learn nothing. (Simply fishing)

One of the best shows has to be Lindners fishing Edge. The quality far exeeds anything else out there, and is very informative.

[chris.brock]

I don't love Charlie's show, don't hate it either. I just wish he wouldn't be such a blatant shill, but then that's the nature of the industry I guess.

 

The only show I've really enjoyed in recent years was Mark Krupa's. But that's a direct result of the destinations he travelled to and the genius of his camera man/producer Ihor Macijiwsky. Macijiwsky is imo a master in his field.

 

Krupa's destinations are the best, Krupa himself is a little too Hollywood for me, I still love the show though

 

Charlie, I find is hard to watch, he's a bit of a nerd, not quite as annoying as Italo though, I can't stand Italo and I can feel my blood pressure rising even as I write his name, damn!

[grt1]

I watch this show and sometimes he has pretty good tips on it, but i agree, he is a running commercial about everything he uses. this gets a little old real quick.

[DoubleDigits]

There are a few poorly produced/written shows. "Outdoor Passion" with Ray Carignon is a narrative written by what seems like a retired elementary school grammar teacher post lobotomy....no substance of any value but verbose beyond my level of tolerance. It really is quite horrible and so patronizing. The show has all the redeeming qualities of a bucket of poutine. Pet peve are shows that use computer generated heavy metal music with lead guitar licks as background which are just as intolerable.

LOL...I always thought the narration must be a Google translation from another language! Completely bizarre.

[Harrison]

In my opinion Charile is one of the most knowledgable and skilled anglers on TV.

[ecmilley]

I didn't even know that there were fishing show's on Saturday mornings , all these years if not working on a saturday i wasn't sitting on my butt watching t.v usually out fishing

[Headhunter]

It's pretty rare that I watch any fishin shows, but I do like Charlie's if for no other reason than he fishes in places that I could fish and show us how it's done. Kinda makes me feel like I'm there.

 

TJ, what porn flick did you get that sound track from! LMAO

HH

[lew]

I'll always remember the episode where Charlie was trolling for muskies on LSC. He hooked a fish and before he landed it a minute later he'd advertised 6 different products.

 

Started off immediately by saying if it hadn't been for his extra quiet Honda he'd never have been able to sneak up on the fish and they were OK on the big lake because of his super safe Crestliner. He knew the fish was hooked solid because of his extra sharp Mustads and he'd have no problem cranking it in with his Okuma reel and his Okuma rod could handle the strain and when it got to the boat he'd land it easily with his fantastic Frabil net...whew !!!!

 

Pure spam fest, but sadly that's the way alot of the shows are now and the main reason I seldom watch any fishing shows anymore.

Edited February 4, 2013 by lew

[lew]

[mattybculp]

I dont mind watching charlie, but i dont do a lot of great lakes trolling though either . I am the type of guy who is constantly looking for more information, any small detail that perhaps that i may not know. If my "Fishing game " was lacking in areas i would say it would be in the area around which a lot fishful thinking shows focus on ex. great lakes trolling, fishing for sturgeon, or big pacific river salmon etc. So for me i get a lot out of his shows because its sharpening up my knowledge on the weaker points of my game. I sometimes get bored watching clone bass being caught one after another becasue thats the strong part of my game and i find that a lot of the info they share on bass shows is common sense because its regular practice for me. I find charlie to be straight up, very knowledgable, and a decent guy. I would rather support a guy like that than some of the other chumps out there who dont remember where they came from and that its the viewers that are the back bone of there product. I also like "facts of fishing" just because daves personality seems close to mine, and is always good for a chuckle but holy was it three weeks in a row with him, doing 3 different shows of smallie fishing on beauchene. I maybe wrong and guys here im sure will correct me but i was shocked this saturday AM when i watched, and i actually had to laugh a little saying to my self is this really happening or is this groundhog day. I know he is probably a little busier lately with a lot more going on. But I do like his show. PS. Infisherman if your ok with the preaching at the end still a great source for information.

[Harrison]

I'll always remember the episode where Charlie was trolling for muskies on LSC. He hooked a fish and before he landed it a minute later he'd advertised 6 different products.

 

Started off immediately by saying if it hadn't been for his extra quiet Honda he'd never have been able to sneak up on the fish and they were OK on the big lake because of his super safe Crestliner. He knew the fish was hooked solid because of his extra sharp Mustads and he'd have no problem cranking it in with his Okuma reel and his Okuma rod could handle the strain and when it got to the boat he'd land it easily with his fantastic Frabil net...whew !!!!

 

Pure spam fest, but sadly that's the way alot of the shows are now and the main reason I seldom watch any fishing shows anymore.

 

 

You forgot to mention the extra tough Seagaur leader Lew!

 

I'd say it worked!

[Lunkerhunter]

i personally dont watch his show anymore. i find most of his shows, even if i havent seen them before feel like repeats to me...haha i end up saying to myself, have i seen this episode before? always seems to be doing the same thing.

 

as far as the infisherman tv show goes, it is still playing on wildTV and i find it to be very good. same format as before with multiple species/locations in one show

 

there is a new show on wildTV called Uncut Angling, so far i have really enjoyed the episodes that have aired to date. many different species and some big fish in most of the shows.