Bill Dance Outdoors Blog

Bill Dance Outdoors just keeps cranking out new ideas… some better than others (chuckle).  Along these lines, we’re thinking about possibly adding  a new Bill Dance Saltwater TV series to our menu.  Now, before you ask, “what the heck does Bill know about saltwater,” let me quickly answer that question with “absolutely nothing!”

Our idea is to team up with some noted saltwater experts and guides who can steer you right and produce a show with a theme “this is something that YOU can do!”  We’re talking education and action, where to go, etc. involving only in-shore species, not the high dollar, big rig required off -shore jaunts. Our sponsors seem to be excited about it so far, so we’ll keep you posted on our progress.

I just returned from a new Bass Pro shops opening in Prattville, Alabama with my good friend BPS owner and founder, Johnny Morris. We got to fish near there late one afternoon and the following morning with one of the all time car racing greats, Red Farmer. What a great and funny guy! The heat was horrid as it has been all over the ought lately, but in spite of it, fishing was good. Later that day we drove in to Prattville where we joined B.A.S.S. founder, Ray Scott, and Alabama’s football great, Kenny “ the snake” Stabler. Kenny kidded me about my T cap until I finally told him it really stood for “Tuscaloosa” (but you and I both know it ain’t true!) Jimmy “Giggles” Houston was there doing his thing, and also Martin Truex, who drives BPS car # 1. After telling a jillion fish stories, and participating in the opening ceremonies, the doors opened to over 10,000 eager hunters and fishermen. I thought it was a great grand opening of a terrific new facility for the sportsmen of the Montgomery area.

The last two months have been busy busy busy  for Bill Dance but still fun. My regular fishing buddy James Big Cat Patterson and I recently competed in Bass Pro Shops Big Cat Quest held here in Memphis on the Mississippi River. No, we didn’t win it this year like we did last year. We were 4 pounds shy of the top spot, so finished in 2nd place. 

Our limit of 5 fish weighed 118 lbs. The winning string had 5 weighing 122lbs. Because of Tennessee’s trophy cat fish law, we could only weigh in two fish over 34 inches and three as close to 34 inches as we could catch.  It was definitely a game of inches and pounds. Our two biggest fish weighed  30 and 40 pounds,  but we had to threw back several fish in the mid 20 pound range because they were over 34 inches!

I recently had the opportunity to spend a couple of days fishing with my good friend and Zebco/Quantum_VP of Marketing Bob Bagby. He was in town to shoot new commercials for 2008. One of these is hilarious and will bring you out of your chair, but I’m sworn to secrecy about it. You’ll have to wait until 2008 to see it.

When we were fishing and it was hotter than a jug of red ants. We bass fished one day and caught 59 by noon.  Bob had one 8 and one 7 in 107 degree heat!!!!! Ughhhhh!

The next day we catfished with my buddy James “Big Cat” Patterson on the mighty Mississippi river, and caught about 18 blue cats ranging up to 45 lbs. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Bob  who caught it…Ha ha! He did catch one about 25 lbs. though, and so this doesn’t sound so bad for him, let me tell you that he has caught a 63 pounder here fishing with us a couple of years ago.

Despite the heat, like I’ve always said,  this proves that the best time to go fishing is anytime  you can go.

I often receive requests for copies of our Bill Dance Outdoors theme song,  however we are forbidden by copyright and contract from distributing it in any way except when it is broadcast on our show. 

Why?

At one time, the original music in our theme was marketed by it’s writer/producer, David Muir, in a song called “Gone Fishing!” 

Our theme version, which includes the words “I’ve gone fishing with Bill Dance” was a shorter variation of David’s original piece which he performed and licensed to us to be used exclusively as the theme of Bill Dance Outdoors. 

Surprising to us, we have fulfilled several requests from funeral directors over the years who have been asked by family members to play our theme at the final services of loved ones who were ardent viewers of our show.

I can absolutely think of no greater compliment that anyone could pay me!

As most of you probably already know, the television industry is now going through a period of upgrading to digital and/or high definition and as an independent producer, we at Bill Dance Outdoors are also just beginning that phase.

 There will be a period from now through the next two years when the VERSUS network will air some of our shows in regular format and a few in letterbox (letterbox is where there is a black stripe across both the top and bottom of the picture on your screen). Without going into a lot of technical detail, which I’m still trying to absorb myself, let me just say the reason for this involves a complicated transition plan resulting in some of our shows being simulcast on both the Versus high definition channel and the regular analog channel (this is likely to begin early in 2008, but even now you might see a show in letterbox style as mentioned above).

As of now, we’re already shooting our shows with the new, superior quality high definition equipment, but we still have some already shot regular style that have yet to be edited and aired.  It’s going to be a while before you can start seeing our shows regularly in full high definition.

The bottom line is that the Versus Network will decide which broadcast format they’ll use and during the next 18 months at least ( but primarily beginning in Jan 08) our shows will be aired in some varied formats which we have no control over.
We hope you’ll bear with us in this transition period of making our show quality better for you, and hope you’ll continue to watch all our shows, regardless of format.

One reason is that for many years, my film crew and I traveled across North America getting back home far less than we would have liked to. Then, over 20 years ago, as a result of sponsor surveys and asking a lot of questions of viewers ourselves, we realized that a very high percentage of our viewers preferred that our TV time be spent on fishing education, not treatments on  “where-to-go.” Besides, plenty of other shows were making “location” their prime objective and they still do.

As a result, and at the request of some of our biggest sponsors, we decided to change Bill Dance Outdoors to a totally educational format. And when you do “how-to,” it doesn’t make a lot of difference where you’re fishing as long as the terrain and conditions are correct for what you’re trying to teach.

But there was another very important reason for our decision that might surprise you. When we were still always giving the taping location of our shows, we would get a ton of mail every week from area fishermen chastising us for publicizing their favorite holes! Some of this was often to the point of being threatening, believe it or not!

On rare occasions,  when it tends to serve some purpose, we do still point out where we’re fishing, but as a general rule, we don’t. And hey, I’m also proud to say that an added desirable result of this was that it also cut down some on our time away from home. Before long, my own dogs even began to recognize me again when I drove in the driveway?

I can’t tell you just how honored it makes me feel to get the many requests I do for fishing trips with me, usually to give to loved ones for birthdays,  anniversary gifts, etc.  And if it were possible, trust me, I’d dearly love to be able to go fishing with every one who requests it!

Of course that’s not possible, because we do reach a vast number of viewers with our TV program, and receive many, many such requests. I wouldn’t even have time for work (not a bad idea there though, huh!)

Seriously, because I couldn’t have the pleasure of going with everyone who honored me with such a request, several years ago, I decided to donate what spare time I could muster in this regard exclusively to trips for disabled children’s organizations such as the “Make a Wish Foundation.” 

Since then, I’ve had the good fortune of being able to spend some time fishing with a number of these cherished and loving children. I hope you understand.

Almost every week, I get mail or emails asking something like   “How do I get started in becoming a professional fisherman and market myself for sponsorship?”  

Well, that would take an entire book to answer, but here are some points I think are important:  

1. Times were different back when I started, and because  bass fishing was my goal, I made it a point to learn everything I could  about it from every source I could….books, tv,  & other fishermen. Read,  read, read, watch, watch , watch… and listen listen, listen! That’s what I  did. 

It’s also extremely important to: 

2. Practice every chance you get. Even when it seems  like what you’re doing isn’t paying off, do it some more. Then change  methods and keep on fishing. You can never get enough practice, regardless  of age or how long you’ve done it. 
3. This one is more important today than when I started  — Recognize that there is a lot of competition in this sport today and it  continues to grow! As with most endeavors, with rare exception, only the  best of the best at anything make it to the top, and this is NEVER by  accident. Lots of HARD WORK is required, so roll up your sleeves and get to
    it.
4. To earn and impress sponsors (and, of course, that’s  who pays the bills for all professional fishermen) you’ve got to get their  full attention. You can do this ONLY by beating out the competition and  continuously making a name for yourself locally and then expanding on a  larger scale. That word “continuously” is the key. You’ve got to come  through again and again and again!

   I was fortunate to have won several major bass  tournaments in a fairly short period, and this got the attention of some of  the larger, potential sponsors. Today, the competition for advertising and  support money is 50 times greater than when I started, so you’ll have to work even harder!

5. Finally, you’ve got to think positive all the time and believe in  yourself. Watch what the other professionals are doing, try some of their techniques, but be innovative -  invent some unique ones of your own!

A couple of weeks ago while doing some electro-shocking research here in West Tennessee for our new Bill Dance Signature Lakes program, we shocked up and netted what has to be the prettiest bass I’ve ever seen. It’s shape and size were prefect and it didn’t have a single blemish on it. On a set of certified scales, it registered a whopping 14 lbs, 2 ounces!  This was just 6 ounces shy of the Tennessee state record! A real beauty for sure, and of course, it was immediately tagged and released.