"Roger Lester" wrote in message
. ..
I still like Bill Dance, but agree that he seems to fish a lot of small
ponds.

I've talked to the man several times and have talked to him about this very
subject.

He fishes private waters for several reasons. First of all, he tries to do
a teaching show, and isn't it more interesting when those instructional
methods result in large bass?

Much too of what he does is simply a matter of cost effectiveness.

The methods he teaches will work on any body of water when you're
experiencing similar conditions, and he knows the fish are there. So, when
he gets the production crew together to film a show, he knows the water well
and knows quality fish will be the result. Would you watch the show if he
was catching small bass?

Then too, he doesn't have the distractions and interruptions he'd have on
public waters. I've done some television work for fishing and hunting
programming and it's VERY frustrating to be attempting to film a segment,
only to have a pontoon boat load of drunken idiots come idling into the
background hollering "Whatcha doon? Filmin a tv show????" Retakes cost
money and sometimes they cannot be duplicated.

When you have a professional staff consisting of two videographers, sound
and lighting technicians, and production assistants, all paid by the hour,
it's important that you get the needed footage in as little time as possible
in order to stay on the air.

I've heard complaints that his show is one big informercial, heck, Bill is
subtle and sedate in comparision to some shows currently airing. There's
one on the air here in Wisconsin where the host screams "Get the Frabill,
get the Frabill, get the Frabill" every time they net a fish, whether it
really needs to be netted or not. Then you have the hunting shows where the
guy takes a nice animal, then proceeds to say "Thank the Lord, I couldn't
have gotten that big buck without my Matthews bow, my Carbon Express arrows
and my Rage Slip-cam broadheads." Ha! Like that deer couldn't be killed
with any other equipment?

Like it or not, sponsors demand product mentions during the show and unless
you keep the sponsors happy, the show won't be on the air long! So, unless
you want to watch re-runs of Survivor, you're going to have to continue to
tolerate such intrusions. I do feel that it could be done more subltly in
some cases, but it does need to be done.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com