Maybe it’s just jealousy that [name redacted] earns money (or at least gets a tax write off) fly fishing, but I was bit more than puzzled after running across a new-to-me fly fishing show. The show is nationally distributed, so it must attract enough of an audience, but I just can’t figure it out. Perhaps it’s because it highlights waters in another part of the country, and I’m generally unfamiliar with the fishing opportunities outside the West.
The show is decidedly destination focused, with very little instruction. The host and show do enthusiastically support various charitable organizations and events, which is a great.
After a few episodes, however, I can’t decide if this show is one big advertisement for pay-to-play fisheries or a true reflection of the fly fishing experience in other locales. I’m used to stepping away from civilization for most of my fishing, but half the scenes in this show include a nice-looking cabin or lodge in the background, with parking only a few steps away from the water. Most of the time, this show is like fly fishing porn; easy fishing and big fish, always with plenty of casting room.
But if I can’t be out on the water, and whether tying flies or just vegetating in front of the TV, I expect most fly fishing shows to — directly or indirectly — teach me something beyond where to go.
Perhaps I ask a little too much of fly fishing media?
fishing for words 
January 4, 2013 at 8:43 pm
In my humble opinion, it’s all about the money. I loved the fishing shows in the “good Old days.” They gave fishing tips and some good no name fishing spots. Sponsors got their name out there but I suspect it didn’t do a lot for the bottom line. Some of the destination shows are purely advertising to people who have still got money and go on destination trips most of us can’t afford.
January 5, 2013 at 9:34 am
Yeah, got you on the “…destination trips most of us can’t afford.” One challenge I enjoy on some shows, the ones that don’t give you a name or specific location, is trying to figure out the spot,
January 5, 2013 at 10:33 am
I agree with you Patrick. If you can’t learn something from those shows I tend to turn them off. I might stay one episode longer if there is some reality, but that’s it.
January 8, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Most outdoor programming these days is basically a time buy; the cable networks will sell you the time for a series and get it on the air (assuming they can live with the show). As the producer, it’s your job to sell the commercial time, which is why so many outdoor shows (hunting, shooting and fishing) are essentially thinly disguised infomercials where there is no separation between the editorial and commercial aspects of the show.
January 10, 2013 at 9:48 am
Makes sense. My Tivo picked up another episode and I watched part of it…they sure upped the quality of the cinematography (could have just been the nice scenery) and told a decent story, but still smelled of an infomercial, perhaps just a more visually pleasing infomercial.
January 9, 2013 at 3:55 pm
That’s the reason I got rid of Dish. It’s hard to find shows that reflect actual conditions we fish under, and I hate the pre-packaged fishing they normally show. Ditto the hunting shows.
January 10, 2013 at 10:10 am
And then there’s the fact that the long minutes and hours of no fish are edited out.