COLUMN: Outdoor Type: Winter means more TV outdoor shows

Winter's grip coming and holidays approaching mean more time indoors, which is a struggle for outdoorsmen and women. Many Hoosiers often stay hunkered down next to the fireplace or heating vent, perhaps looking over the TV schedule to see who's enjoying themselves catching fish or having a good hunt on the tube.

I recall last winter saying something to myself like, "If I see one more big fish caught on TV, I will scream." A nasty case of cabin fever had set in. It's like watching a video of someone eating chocolate cake. Torture.

Legendary fishermen Bill Dance and Roland Martin still have televised outings that are well done. I recall attending a Clinton, Indiana Conservation Club's event in the early 70s. After-dinner speakers in addition to Bill and Roland were Forrest Wood of the Ranger Boat Company and Tom Mann of lure-making and bass tournament fame.

I can still recall those guys poking fun at each other and telling fish stories. Mann's famous Jelly Worm product got a lot of ribbing, and he responded to the jabs in his pleasant Alabama drawl. Dance was and still is hilarious. Roland was a little stiff and serious, but still interesting. It was a fine evening of food, whopper tales and bass tips from guys whose livelihoods depend on catching fish.

Wood created the Ranger Boat Company about the time Ray Scott was starting tournaments in the mid-60s, needing to design a better boat to navigate the White River near his home. He became an icon in the bass boat industry by seeing a need and having the guts to start filling it. Ranger Boats are at or near the top of the industry.

Sadly, both Wood and Mann have passed. I recall a TV segment back in the 80s involving Tom and Jerry McKinnis of The Fishin' Hole fame throwing hefty tailspinner lure called the Little George in Gadabout Gaddis was the original television fisherman, flying all over the country looking for angling adventures. He submitted PHOTO).

Alabama's Lake Eufala. Gracious, what a load of big bass they caught. I figured Bama must be the Holy Grail of bassing. It may still be, with so many fine lakes down there. With his easy fireside-type narration, Jerry's show ran from 1980 to 2007 on ESPN.

The earliest fishing show I recall watching was "The Flying Fisherman" with host Gadabout Gaddis. He would climb into his Piper Cherokee and tool all over the country looking for angling adventures. He had started with showing home movies of his exploits. He soon graduated to Outdoors with Liberty Mutual, which was carried on 73 stations in the late 40s, had another less successful show in the 50s, then created the very successful The Flying Fisherman in the early 60s, also sponsored by Liberty Mutual.

Gad only had one photographer, and the shows were filmed without sound. He would add his take on the proceedings with his folksy voice, making you feel you were watching his home movie in his living room.

Not all of his shows featured big fish catches. Once at a Colorado lake Gaddis filmed for five days without catching anything at all, a definite reality show. But he still aired the program, focusing on the scenery and the sheer joy of angling, even when one is not catching fish.

A few years ago, I fished at Reelfoot for two days in the fall without catching a single fish, or even getting a bite. At least that misadventure wasn't being filmed for public showing. Lesson learned: If you go to Reelfoot and it's not prime spring season, better hire a guide. It's usually a tough lake for newbies.

Part two of the story next month. Happy Holidays.