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11/26/2017 01:02PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
After reading a post about fishing shows in another thread, I thought I would share an experience I had a few years back regarding fishing television shows.

A few years back, I was at a resort and was part of a two-day shoot targeting walleye. It was a segment on ice fishing on one of the Great Lakes. The weather was not the best. Very cold, windy, lots of snow. The fishing was terrible with very few walleye caught in the two day period.

On the last day of filming, just before dark, I heard some commotion on the ice about 100 yards from where my portable was. I looked and saw that the film crew was filming one of my group who had connected with a 10+ pound walleye. At that time, I had no idea which person in our group had connected on the fish. I walked over to see it was the owner of the resort who was fighting the fish. I thought to myself, how lucky is that?

After the fish was landed, and the cameras were off, I noticed that the fish had not been released. One of the helpers of the resort took it away on his 4 wheeler.

At dinner that night, I asked one of the guides if they were going to have the fish mounted or why they decided to keep it. I was surprised at the answer I received. He said they film several shows at this particular resort in the winter and early spring. He stated that they keep several large fish contained and alive somewhere under the ice through the filming season so they are guaranteed some footage for the television shoot! He stated that this was pretty common practice.

My jaw just about hit the floor! Talk about deception. I can never prove that the owner didn't legitimately catch that huge walleye in the final night of filming, but I sure have my doubts. They also told our group to spread out and keep some distance between us that evening, which I thought was weird, too.

Maybe I'm being synical in my old age, but I think not!!!
 
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11/26/2017 02:13PM  
Yup anything on TV needs a very fine BS filter. Big reason why I quit watching such caned fishing and hunting shows. Rather reminisce about my own and friends failures or success.

butthead
 
HowardSprague
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11/26/2017 04:09PM  
I heard, from a Quetico outfitter, about a time a renowned tv fisherman went up there to try to film a show. Since I only heard it secondhand, we'll just refer to him as "Dude" for short. Dude Winkler. Anyway, apparently a bunch of exceptions and arrangements had to be made for him, including using live bait and maybe travel arrangements, etc, unlike all of us who paddle in, camp, paddle out.. anyway, sounded like the guys up there found it pretty amusing.

Tell you what I did find refreshing once...watching Midwest Outdoors, there was a segment with Dan Gapen. Talked about whre he was, what techniques he was using,..at the end of the segment: "Well folks, there you have it -we got skunked!". Dan Gapen - not always spectacular, but real deal. :) Saw him at a show once, gave him kudos on that.
 
11/26/2017 04:17PM  
I suspect most television is like this.
 
missmolly
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11/26/2017 04:27PM  
quote drnatus: "I suspect most television is like this. "



Not reality shows. You can't call it a reality show if it ain't real. ;-)
 
11/26/2017 05:03PM  
There should be live streaming with no edits. If you happen to turn it on when the action is good, then you've had some good luck yourself.

I suppose the pressure from advertisers and sponsorships "makes" those guys do just about anything to succeed. Cheat when necessary or go back to your day job? Guess I'll think this over at work tomorrow.
 
11/26/2017 06:36PM  
I was crushed when I found out Roland Martin’s hair was not naturally bleached by the sun. It was done with peroxide! Oh Son. Oh Son.
 
HowardSprague
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11/26/2017 06:46PM  
I know how you feel. When I found out Jimmy Houston was really an animated character created in the Hanna-Barbera studios, I was rather distraught.
 
11/26/2017 07:05PM  
I agree with Dan Gapen. Met him several times and the real deal with Bobbie Annie.
Back to the fishing "show" deal.
Very popular on the N.Side of the Twin Cities is a small outdoors store that is run (or was) by brothers. These "brothers" used to fish tourneys (maybe still do) and film their own fishing shows. For fishing shows--- the catching was mostly staged using the help of scuba divers.
For the tourneys- several of my buddies while fishing Tonka' were told to quit fishing an area and leave by these brothers (or someone on their behalf) because it was "their" area to be used for the tourney. Truth. Classy.....
 
11/26/2017 08:07PM  
I believe parts of YouTube sensation Hooked on Brooke are fake but Darcizzle Offshore looks pretty real.
 
11/26/2017 09:00PM  
quote missmolly: "Not reality shows. You can't call it a reality show if it ain't real. ;-)"



I know! Isn't it amazing what editing can do even with things like police body cameras! I almost am for some sort of mandatory disclosure before every show stating the agenda of the director, producer and editors.
 
missmolly
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11/27/2017 07:32AM  
quote drnatus: "
quote missmolly: "Not reality shows. You can't call it a reality show if it ain't real. ;-)"




I know! Isn't it amazing what editing can do even with things like police body cameras! I almost am for some sort of mandatory disclosure before every show stating the agenda of the director, producer and editors. "


One of my favorite reality shows is House Hunters on hgtv. I've watched hundreds of episodes and in every one, the couple disagrees. He wants a ranch. She wants a craftsman. He wants a single floor. She wants stairs. Disagreements naturally occur within couples, of course, but not every single time. They're told to fight because eyes turn to conflict. I'm sick of the faux fights and the utter, unnatural predictability. I just want to see the houses.
 
mastertangler
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11/27/2017 08:03AM  
ignorance is bliss...........I really don't watch much fishing TV shows except perhaps a bit of saltwater fishing from time to time. But if it is canned, edited and packaged for consumption I am none the wiser and will just enjoy what I believed to be a big walleye caught through the ice. The personalities, equipment and techniques will provide some entertainment for the 1/2 hour show. I'm cool with that. Does that lessen the expertise of the personalities doing the show? That they might need certain "advantages". Probably not.......most of the cats doing their own shows have gotten there because they are really good at what they do.

But we all know its fishing right? Sometimes they just don't bite. You don't fly into a Canadian lodge complete with film crew to come out with zip, zero nada. You have contract obligations and people to pay. Your being paid to produce a product for public consumption and it better be worth watching. So out comes Bertha and placed on the end of the line. My Dad says he watched Roland hook a bass from inside a livewell, let it swim away, and then set up on it with his customary "oh son". Its business, its entertainment, no one gets hurt financially. Does it cross the line into deception? I suppose but its not like the guy pulling the 10b walleye through the ice hasn't done it numerous times and certainly Roland has caught tons of bass in the exact same manner. Its just a "re-creation" of a past event.

So it doesn't bother me much........I "get" it. To be honest, what I find worse is holding your arms out as far as they will go to the camera to purposely distort how big a fish is. There is no business entanglements, no film crew, no producers, no contracts but just an intentional purposeful attempt to mislead. I had a Canadian outfitter insist on holding my arms way out in front of me when he went to take my picture. I asked why and he said it was to make the fish appear bigger. I was offended and flatly refused. That was some 40 years ago and I still feel the same way.
 
JimmyJustice
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11/27/2017 08:15AM  
I met Babe Winkelman when I was about 8. He taught a fishing class at a camp I attended. He told a joke that I still use today with kids who are about the age I was then.

What side of a fish has the most scales....The outside.

As for the TV shows, I assume they all take creative license. I know that on House Hunters the house is already purchased prior to the show taping. I assume it is the same with Fixer Upper.
 
KarlBAndersen1
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11/27/2017 08:21AM  
Ever notice something strange on the deer hunting programs?
At the end of a grueling blood trail tracking session, they always "find" the deer and holler, "There it is!!"
And when they walk up to it it's always laid out all pretty and tidy like it just laid down to take a nap. And there are always tracks and flattened grass/snow all around the dead deer that make it obvious they've already been there to set the scene.
It's so insulting that they don't show the real deal and apparently think we're too unobservant and maybe a bit stupid to notice.
 
Gadfly
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11/27/2017 08:40AM  
As with nearly everything its all about money. Using deception to try and sell a product. They try and convince people that in order to have a successful fishing outing you need to catch 100 fish in a day and you can only do this if you use our flasher/lure/rod & reel/etc...
I find the amateur videos on youtube to be far more entertaining, especially the ones from the BWCA.
 
missmolly
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11/27/2017 09:30AM  
"To be honest, what I find worse is holding your arms out as far as they will go to the camera to purposely distort how big a fish is."

That also bugs me. I've written for bicycling magazines and long before Lance was known to a cheat, it was common knowledge among the pros that he cheated. I'd interviewed pros who'd juiced with him, but their confessions were off the record. When one pro cheats, it makes it pert near impossible for others to not cheat. If you don't cheat, you can't compete.

This is why I've honestly considered being dishonest and extending my arms for future fish photos. It's not fair when I'm fairly displaying the fish and others aren't.
 
Grizzlyman
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11/27/2017 09:52AM  
quote missmolly: "
quote drnatus: "
quote missmolly: "Not reality shows. You can't call it a reality show if it ain't real. ;-)"




I know! Isn't it amazing what editing can do even with things like police body cameras! I almost am for some sort of mandatory disclosure before every show stating the agenda of the director, producer and editors. "



One of my favorite reality shows is House Hunters on hgtv. I've watched hundreds of episodes and in every one, the couple disagrees. He wants a ranch. She wants a craftsman. He wants a single floor. She wants stairs. Disagreements naturally occur within couples, of course, but not every single time. They're told to fight because eyes turn to conflict. I'm sick of the faux fights and the utter, unnatural predictability. I just want to see the houses. "


Funny aside about house hunters. A friend of mine had applied to be in it and they were interested.

Apparently, you buy the house first...then their work begins. after that they film you doing a "showing" at the house you just bought and a few others for the suspense of it.
 
QueticoMike
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11/27/2017 10:35AM  
quote HowardSprague: "I know how you feel. When I found out Jimmy Houston was really an animated character created in the Hanna-Barbera studios, I was rather distraught."


I always wondered if that was a real laugh or not.....
 
QueticoMike
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11/27/2017 10:40AM  
quote QueticoMike: "
quote HowardSprague: "I know how you feel. When I found out Jimmy Houston was really an animated character created in the Hanna-Barbera studios, I was rather distraught."



I always wondered if that was a real laugh or not....."


Also.....did he really kiss those fish.......LOL
 
salukiguy
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11/27/2017 12:40PM  
quote HowardSprague: "I heard, from a Quetico outfitter, about a time a renowned tv fisherman went up there to try to film a show. Since I only heard it secondhand, we'll just refer to him as "Dude" for short. Dude Winkler. Anyway, apparently a bunch of exceptions and arrangements had to be made for him, including using live bait and maybe travel arrangements, etc, unlike all of us who paddle in, camp, paddle out.. anyway, sounded like the guys up there found it pretty amusing.

Tell you what I did find refreshing once...watching Midwest Outdoors, there was a segment with Dan Gapen. Talked about whre he was, what techniques he was using,..at the end of the segment: "Well folks, there you have it -we got skunked!". Dan Gapen - not always spectacular, but real deal. :) Saw him at a show once, gave him kudos on that.
"


Interesting. I was on a trip in Quetico and my canoe mate told me a story how he saw the fishing show dude dropped in by sea plane. He said the guy was so fat he could not have portaged in and out anyways. Sounds like the same guy you are talking about.
 
QueticoMike
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11/27/2017 12:57PM  
Sad to hear that all of this goes on behind the scenes.......
 
aholmgren
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11/28/2017 11:17AM  
I've seen fishing guides/sponsors do an outfit change (modeling clothing and equipment for different sponsors) with the same fish; evening moving a (short distance) location to change backgrounds.
 
11/28/2017 01:13PM  
I've given up on most fishing and hunting shows, its all so fake. Now all i watch is professional wrestling.
 
missmolly
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11/28/2017 02:32PM  
quote nofish: "I've given up on most fishing and hunting shows, its all so fake. Now all i watch is professional wrestling."


Funny lad!
 
mastertangler
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11/28/2017 03:42PM  
quote nofish: "I've given up on most fishing and hunting shows, its all so fake. Now all i watch is professional wrestling."


Indeed, good one!

The saltwater shows don't seem to be so canned and can be quite educational. The hunting shows definitely seemed staged.........although I don't watch much some of the personalties are entertaining.
 
BuckFlicks
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11/28/2017 04:46PM  
quote missmolly: "
quote drnatus: "
quote missmolly: "Not reality shows. You can't call it a reality show if it ain't real. ;-)"




I know! Isn't it amazing what editing can do even with things like police body cameras! I almost am for some sort of mandatory disclosure before every show stating the agenda of the director, producer and editors. "



One of my favorite reality shows is House Hunters on hgtv. I've watched hundreds of episodes and in every one, the couple disagrees. He wants a ranch. She wants a craftsman. He wants a single floor. She wants stairs. Disagreements naturally occur within couples, of course, but not every single time. They're told to fight because eyes turn to conflict. I'm sick of the faux fights and the utter, unnatural predictability. I just want to see the houses. "


Most of the time, they've also already bought the house prior to filming the show, and the other two houses aren't even an option.
"reality tv" is in no way real. It's all garbage. I blame Survivor and The Bachelor for the downfall of our society.
 
11/28/2017 10:11PM  
quote missmolly: ""To be honest, what I find worse is holding your arms out as far as they will go to the camera to purposely distort how big a fish is."


That also bugs me. I've written for bicycling magazines and long before Lance was known to a cheat, it was common knowledge among the pros that he cheated. I'd interviewed pros who'd juiced with him, but their confessions were off the record. When one pro cheats, it makes it pert near impossible for others to not cheat. If you don't cheat, you can't compete.


This is why I've honestly considered being dishonest and extending my arms for future fish photos. It's not fair when I'm fairly displaying the fish and others aren't. "
one of my pet peeves too , i was on this ice fishing group(was) and told this young man holding out a really nice walleye that , that fish doesnt need to be held out and the moderators gave me grief and said i was harassing him and kicked me off LOL , another group of kids were holding out nice walleyes too i mentioned nice fish but i cant tell if there #8 or #14 and he stated thats the fun of it , i dont get it ? me and adam did these pics for fun , because we see so much of it now days LOL
 
11/29/2017 08:51AM  
quote BuckFlicks: "
quote missmolly: "
quote drnatus: "
quote missmolly: "Not reality shows. You can't call it a reality show if it ain't real. ;-)"





I know! Isn't it amazing what editing can do even with things like police body cameras! I almost am for some sort of mandatory disclosure before every show stating the agenda of the director, producer and editors. "




One of my favorite reality shows is House Hunters on hgtv. I've watched hundreds of episodes and in every one, the couple disagrees. He wants a ranch. She wants a craftsman. He wants a single floor. She wants stairs. Disagreements naturally occur within couples, of course, but not every single time. They're told to fight because eyes turn to conflict. I'm sick of the faux fights and the utter, unnatural predictability. I just want to see the houses. "



Most of the time, they've also already bought the house prior to filming the show, and the other two houses aren't even an option.
"reality tv" is in no way real. It's all garbage. I blame Survivor and The Bachelor for the downfall of our society."


I have an old college friend that was on House Hunters. I can confirm that they were approached about the show AFTER they had already purchased a house. They toured 2 others and basically re-enacted the house buying process for the camera. No real decision was made and any disagreements were basically fake.
 
ozarkpaddler
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11/29/2017 10:31AM  
quote nofish: "I've given up on most fishing and hunting shows, its all so fake. Now all i watch is professional wrestling."


Heheheh, I just busted my gut (LOL)!
Whoooo!
 
HowardSprague
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11/29/2017 12:23PM  
Gosh, I .... I so hate to say this, nofish,... maybe I shouldn't but I thought you should really know. About the wrestling....
I used to work out at lunchtime at a gym in Arlington Heights, IL. Sometimes there would be a WWE or WCW show in Chicago or Rockford on a Monday night, and I'd recognize some of the wrestlers coming in when I was there. Well, I was on a bike and one of them wrasslers was on a stair machine. While there, another guy came over and they had a friendly chat. Obviously friends, right?
I got home a little later that night and turned on the tv. There were the two same guys - Luger and Bagwell - except they were not having a nice chat. One was chasing the other with a steel chair.
So there you have it. Hope I haven't made you feel bad.
 
sunnybear09
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11/29/2017 12:36PM  
Back in the late '70's I got permission to hunt on a ranch in Montana where a prominent Sports Afield editor, John Jobson had done a hunt/story for the mag. I spent time talking with the rancher on where to go and during the conversation he said when Jobson was there they had to drive him to his deer because he was too fat to negotiate the rough Missouri River breaks on foot. The only hunting show I can bring myself to watch now is "Sasquatch" on the Outdoor Channel--the rest is almost unrelateable to anything I do or want to do.
 
11/29/2017 12:42PM  
quote HowardSprague: "Gosh, I .... I so hate to say this, nofish,... maybe I shouldn't but I thought you should really know. About the wrestling....
I used to work out at lunchtime at a gym in Arlington Heights, IL. Sometimes there would be a WWE or WCW show in Chicago or Rockford on a Monday night, and I'd recognize some of the wrestlers coming in when I was there. Well, I was on a bike and one of them wrasslers was on a stair machine. While there, another guy came over and they had a friendly chat. Obviously friends, right?
I got home a little later that night and turned on the tv. There were the two same guys - Luger and Bagwell - except they were not having a nice chat. One was chasing the other with a steel chair.
So there you have it. Hope I haven't made you feel bad.
"




 
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