One of hottest events that took place in Timmins during the open-water season was the filming of a new fishing show by Eastlink called Fish ON!, hosted by Timmins resident Paul Ethier.
The shows started airing the first week of November on the Eastlink channels 10 or 610 in high definition.
Being the first season of filming a local fishing show which featured local anglers on some of the best waters had its challenges.
To shed some light on some of these challenges, I reached out to producer of Fish ON!, Neil White.
Here is what Neil had to say about filming the show:
“When Paul Ethier approached us to do a fishing show, I don’t think any of us knew what it would become. It’s been a very long process to get the first season of Fish ON! done, but I have to say I couldn’t be happier with how the show turned out.
I think it’s great that northern Ontario has a show of its own that captures the spirit of competitive fishing, a sport that’s huge in this area. One of my favorite things about the show is that it’s all filmed in our own backyard and there are no secret spots. Anyone can watch the show and see exactly where and how the fishermen catch big walleyes and one show on catching smallmouth bass. While there are lots of great fishing shows out there, Fish ON! is special because it’s local and it’s relatable for northern Ontario anglers.
Working with Paul Ethier and the other fishermen involved on the show was a great experience. Paul did a great job of finding guests who were extremely knowledgeable about fishing. One of my favorite things was seeing them try different techniques and styles within the four hours they had to fish when the fish weren’t biting. It’s amazing how many different tricks they have to find fish no matter what. Another thing that was great to watch was how everyone, especially Paul, got more and more comfortable with the camera. By the end of each episode all of the fishermen were great ambassadors for the sport and I think everyone had a lot of fun doing it. The friendliness of the fishermen and their willingness to answer any question made for great television.
Of course, the biggest challenge shooting the show was the weather. Because of staffing and equipment concerns we didn’t have as much flexibility as we would have liked to pick nice days, so we had to go out in whatever Mother Nature gave us. This made the fishing more difficult for our anglers and made the shooting more difficult for our camera operators. I think it makes it all the more impressive that they always managed to catch the number of fish they were targeting.
I think viewers will find that the style of Fish ON! is very raw and puts them right in the middle of the action. The camera is always right there and with minimal editing, I hope that viewers will get a feel of what it’s like to be in a boat when a big fish is being reeled in. I have to give huge kudos to our camera operators who captured the moments brilliantly and never missed a fish. Using a camera on a boat that’s rolling in the waves is a challenge all on its own, especially in bad weather conditions, but I think our crews did a phenomenal job to overcome that and bring back some amazing shots.
We also have to thank our sponsors Albert’s Sports and Work Wear. Without their support the show would have been impossible. Having a great local company like that was on board makes it so much easier and helped us to keep this show focused on the great local fishing network. Having Albert’s founder Roger Cauchon and current owner Chantal Cauchon on the show was a great experience as well, as they are both great anglers with a lot of knowledge that can help local fishermen.
The episodes of Fish ON! will continue to air on Eastlink TV channel 10 and HD 610. Check your local listings for airtimes. As well, all of the episodes are available for free on-demand at any time, simply by using the on-demand button on your Eastlink remote. While we haven’t planned anything for next season yet, everyone at Eastlink loved the show and we are certainly hoping it will be back in 2018.”
I would like to thank Neil for sharing his experience of filming the show with the viewers of Fish ON! and my readers.
If you have watched the shows already and have any comments on it, please share it in the comment section at the end of the article.
Whether you're an angler or hunter; a camp, lodge, resort owner; or just holding an outdoor event and would like some exposure, please feel free to email us at [email protected].
