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It's
been two years since we took a look at the TV offerings available
to at least most
of us in the general area. Some old favorites - like Orlando Wilson,
Roland Martin, Billy
Westmoreland - have since disappeared from most area viewers, while
some not-so-
favorites - the unbearable Fish Fishburne comes to mind - have also
slipped away into
celluloid limbo.
In
this day and age, with cable, satellites, etc., it seems silly to
list the times a certain
show airs, as they vary so much - even within the confines of our
readership. Hence,
I'm listing the shows alphabetically by network, in most cases enabling
you to find
them within your own particular system.
Here
are my impressions of what I witnessed during last weekend's debut
of the 2003
TV fishing show lineup, and their relevance to our particular geographical
area, if any:
BASSMASTER
TOURNAMENT TRAIL
(ESPN2) - Hour-long, almost comically hi-tech
journey along what the title implies. Post-Ray Scott era missing
all the aw-shucks charm
and casual instruction of the earlier editions. New TV-weatherman
set and accent on
quick cutaways and scattershot graphics work against any semblance
of coherence.
Needless to say, all bass all the time. Old hand Jerry McGinnis,
brought on board to
exhibit some folksy integrity, seems increasingly out of place.
Grade: C-
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
BILL
DANCE (TNN) - B.A.S.S. charter
member and long-time TV star Dance has the
retrieve-and-rap formula down as well as anybody. Most editions,
and all editions
featuring new lures from the Strike King Co. (which Dance never
mentions he co-owns
with Chas. Spence), are filmed on that same stocked pond that I
now believe Helen
Keller could limit-out on. Has all but become an infomercial. Grade:
C
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
THE
FISHIN' HOLE (ESPN2) - Casual travelogue
has changed little since its inception
nearly 30 years ago. Low-key pace and folksy patter wear well. Variety
of species from
a variety of places. Refreshing dearth of hi-tech hoopla and hucksterism.
Grade: B
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
FISHIN'
WITH JOE BUCHER (FOX SPORTS) -
Welcome entry into area angler's homes
featuring long-time angling author and innovator from the north
country. At its best
evokes memories of the heydays of the Lindner brothers. Grade:
B+
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
JIMMY
HOUSTON (ESPN2) - Shameless huckster
of Okie fame rarely wanders far
from what is familiar to him. Nearly 100 percent bass or crappie.
Endless fish kissing,
giggling and shilling mark him the Pee Wee Herman of angling. Grade:
C
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
THE
HUNTING & FISHING SHOW (Channel 29, Sundays
9 p.m.) - Brothers Vic and Tom
Vatalaro, proprietors of Vic's Sportscenter in Brimfield, host this
hour-long weekend
wrap-up of area outdoors activities, with Victor more the angler
and younger bro
Tom more versed in hunting. At its best in the studio with the tandem
showing good
product and outdoor knowledge, while conversing over the phone with
area peers.
At its low-point bragging about successes on private waters the
rest of us can't fish
anyway. Occasional guest-hosting by former popular host Steve Jones
would be
preferable to rerun excess. Grade: B-
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
IN-FISHERMAN
(TNN) - Still earnest, but badly
misses the enthusiasm and credibility
bestowed by the now-departed founding Lindner clan. Now a slickly
produced
package with a credibility leak in it. Remaining lights Doug Stange
and Dave Csanda
were welcome and valuable contributors in the past, now spread far
too thin amongst
the new empty life jackets. Still informative as a northern, multi-species
forum, but the
glory days are clearly gone. Grade: B
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
LINDNER'S
FISHING EDGE (TV8) - Legendary
Lindner family reappears (unfortunately
with grating Dan Sura, of all people, in tow) on this new, Shimano-sponsored
entry
after less-than-amicable break from In-Fisherman. Familiar high-quality
production
values amidst northern locales. Badly misses the old in-studio instruction
settings
that put the original IF shows apart and above all others. Grade:
B
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
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ONE
MORE CAST (TNN) - Long-time bass
tourney angler Shaw Grigsby's second
year at least gets him back in fresh water, where he is at his best.
Bass-oriented, but
not exclusively. Southern to a fault. Highlight: Seeing how many
different hair styles
Shaw can go through before the producers are satisfied. Grade:
B-
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
HANK
PARKER'S OUTDOOR MAGAZINE (TNN)
- What the Bill Dance show once
was. Likable Hank bass fishes the majority of the time, with a number
of northern
smallie trips thrown in. Informative and entertaining. Elimination
of annoying "Kids
Korner" a further plus. Infrequent understanding of what Hank
is actually saying at
any given time a bonus, though not an apparent necessity. Grade:
B
***
Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler ** Buckeye Angler
***
SPORTSMAN'S
CHALLENGE (ESPN2) - Segmented visits
with host Ron Franklin,
and cohorts Lonnie Stanley and that master of the monotone, Doug
Hannon, AKA
the "Bass Professor." All largemouth all the time.
Grade: B-
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