When I was growing up, Saturday and Sunday afternoons were devoted to watching fishing shows on broadcast TV. I have fond memories of watching shows like “In-Fisherman” and “Championship fishing with Virgil Ward”, in fact, I can still sing Virgil Ward’s the theme song.
Today most of the fishing shows are no longer available on broadcast television and have moved to cable channels, which stinks for someone who doesn’t have cable or satellite. However, there are plenty of YouTube fishing channels worth watching.
Fortunately, most of today’s “smart” TV’s (the one’s that can connect to the internet) have YouTube built into them so you aren’t stuck watching on your phone or tablet. Mine even allows me to send YouTube videos from my phone to my TV wirelessly.
If you don’t have a “smart” TV, you can spend a little money on a streaming box that will allow you to use your smartphone, tablet, or computer to stream YouTube content to your TV. For those who own Apple devices, I recommend using an Apple TV. If you have Android devices, I recommend a Chromecast device.
“Old School” YouTube Fishing Channels
For this post, I am focusing on my favorite YouTube fishing channels that are what I would consider “old school” TV programming. What do I mean by this? These are YouTube channels that publish videos that were originally produced for television…they aren’t just some guy with a camera and a fishing pole.
These channels are mostly the “big names” in television fishing that have been around for years. Most of them were producing fishing videos long before YouTube came along.
In another post, I’ll share my favorite “new school” YouTube fishing channels…the ones that aren’t broadcast anywhere but on YouTube.
1. Babe Winkelman
Babe is one of the fishermen I remember watching as a teenager. He has been fishing on television since the early 1980’s. Based in Minnesota, he fishes throughout the northern plains and Canada. While he certainly talks about techniques and patterns, his show is more focused on showing great fishing action and locations. One cool thing he does is offer an annual sweepstakes where you can win a trip to fish with Babe for one of his shows. I’ve been trying to win this for years…maybe this will be my year!
2. In-fisherman TV
In-fisherman is a name that has been around for years. The magazine started in 1974 and TV and radio programs followed shortly thereafter. In-Fisherman, more than most fishing programming, focuses on teaching you fishing techniques and how to pattern fish. Yes, they love to show off catching big fish, but you’ll actually learn something from the show.
3. Bill Dance
Bill Dance is another name synonymous with fishing and TV. He’s been at this for years with his signature orange and white Tennessee hat. If you want some great entertainment, watch my “Bill Dance Bloopers” playlist. You won’t be disappointed!
Bill does a lot of product spots and commercials, so you’ll have to scroll through his videos or playlists to find full episodes of fishing.
4. Lindner’s Angling Edge
The Lindner’s (Al and Ron) are synonymous with fishing. These two brothers are the original creators of the In-Fisherman brand, including magazine, television, and radio programs. They sold the company many years ago, but continue to produce fishing content through their own company, Lindner Media. Their team now includes several Lindner’s from the next generation. These guys just want to help you catch more and bigger fish.
5. In-Depth Outdoors
I am less familiar with this channel, but I have enjoyed what I have seen. Like the others above, this is a “traditional” fishing show made for Fox Sports that happens to also be on YouTube. The episodes are about 28 minutes long, so give yourselves some time to watch.
*What about you? What are your favorite “traditional” YouTube fishing channels?
