Cermele: Fishermen Should Watch More Nature Shows

I don’t really watch that much TV, but I do love a good nature show. Outdoor shows are great, but they can’t teach you the same things about a fish or animal as can the high-speed cameras and dedicated research of the fellas on the National Geographic and Discovery channels. I've learned more about the way trout feed and how tuna coral bait from nature documentaries than I ever have from a fishing show. These shows can even make your bait seem more interesting. If you don’t believe me, watch the BBC video below.

I know it’s not a video about fish, exactly, but c’mon, that’s pretty wild.

I once saw a documentary about ...

... blackfish, also known as tautog, which like rocky jetties. For years I would fish them in the evening and do well using techniques I picked up in magazines and from local fishing shows. But after the sun went down, I could never figure out why I couldn’t catch anymore. It ended up being Jaque Cousteu who taught me that blackfish literally roll over on their sides and sleep as soon as the sun goes down. Needless to say, my days of night-fishing for them are long over.

So what’s the coolest thing you’ve ever seen on a nature show, fish related or not? Have you ever learned anything that helped you on the water?

JC