New Seattle sports radio adds fishing show

This came from the new 710 AM ESPN radio station in Seattle. Next Saturday at this time, 6 AM tune in for "The Outdoor Line":

Bonneville Seattle Radio Group today announced “The Outdoor Line” will be added to the Saturday programming line-up for its new, all-sports radio station, 710 ESPN Seattle, launching next Monday, April 6th.

The Outdoor Line, hosted by former Seahawks Pro-Bowler and tournament angler Robbie Tobeck, fisheries biologist Tom Nelson and veteran fishing guide and charter captain Rob Endsley, will air Saturdays from 6am – 8:30am, beginning April 11th, 2009. The show will discuss recreational opportunities available for Pacific Northwest outdoor enthusiasts thru a unique blend of fishing, hunting, and sports talk.

A stand out student athlete at Washington State University in the early 90’s, Rob Tobeck went on to play 14 years in the NFL. Since retiring from the NFL, Tobeck has taken his competitive spirit to the water and now participates in fishing tournaments and derbies up and down the West Coast. In addition, he has also taken an active role in the Coastal Conservation Association and currently sits on both the state and national boards for the CCA.

Rob Endsley is a full time river guide and charter captain who operates in both Washington and Alaska and has well over 2,000 days logged on the water. Endsley is a founding member of the Wild Steelhead Coalition, a non-profit group that backs the conservation, protection and continued study of wild steelhead.

Tom Nelson is a graduate from The University of Washington’s School of Fisheries, where he was subsequently employed by the school’s Fisheries Research Institute (F.R.I.) as a Research Assistant for several Alaskan salmon research projects. Nelson has been featured in several episodes of Outdoor Channel’s “Western Sportsfishing” and serves as a Pro-Staff member for Evinrude Motors, Woolbridge Boats and Stabi-Craft Marine.

Bonneville International (www.bonneville.com) is an award-winning, dynamic media company with radio, television, online, satellite, and advertising properties in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Phoenix, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake City. Living its three-fold mission of “People, Communities, and Profit” as a way of life, the company has a long-standing reputation and is known industry-wide for its innovative business model, its values-oriented programming, and for its nationally recognized commitment to serving the communities where it broadcasts.

Fly fishing on the big screen

One sport that I never did get into was fishing. I think fishing has to be an inherited gift. Some kids inherit a belly from their dads, others bushy eyebrows, others male pattern baldness, and others inherit fishing. Heck, some kids get all four!

As for me I lucked out and didn't get any of those.

But I can see why so many people love to fish. A) it's easy on the knees, B) it seems relaxing. Seriously, do you have to DO anything? and C) your in the outdoors.

I had a friend in college who was obsessed with the sport of fly fishing. He would lock himself in his dorm room and tie flies all day and night. We once didn't see him for a two week span. I don't even think he showered those two weeks. Then, one day he came out of his room. Donning his fishing vest, complete with all the flies he had been working on for the past weeks, his lucky fishing hat, and his waders he headed off into the woods.

We again didn't see him for a week. But when he returned he had the aroma of fish, pond water, sweat and elk urine.

Now I never figured out that last smell, but I never wanted to anyway. The kid was serious about his sport. He even would tie flies in class! Set up the book on the desk and work on them in the backrow. Yeah, he didn't do very well that year in school.

The reason he loved the sport so much was because his dad loved it. And his grandpa loved it. And his grandpa's dad had loved it. I'm pretty sure he could trace fly fishing back to his earliest ancestors.

But after suffering through a year of terrible grades for great flies, he decided to put fly fishing back in the "hobbie" catagory and just do it on the weekends.

As for fishing, there is a new movie being made, no, not a remake of "A River Runs Through It". I'm talking about "The River Why."

The main character, Gus, is played by Zach Gilford. Better known for his role as quarterback Matt Saracen on the NBC hit "Friday Night Lights."

From IMDB, I gather that the movie is about a fisherman who abandons his big-city life to find himself in the wild. Sounds great to me!

It also stars one of Hollywood's newest "it" girls in Amber Heard. Amber actually had her own taste with Friday Night Lights, but the movie, not the TV Series. She also was in "Alpha Dogs" opposite "Into The Wild" actor Emile Hirsch.

But before The River Why was ready for the big screen, it was book. A book published in 1984 by David James Duncan. It was actually Duncan's first novel. I have mine on order, and I don't even fish. But if 93 reviews on Amazon.com give it a 5 star rating, it must be good. Plus, it's under $2. That I can afford on a freelance journalist's salary.

Here's what the official Amazon.com Review said about the book:

David James Duncan's first novel has gained an increasingly wide audience over the years--some might even call it a following. This coming-of-age tale of Gus Orviston's search for the Pacific Northwest's elusive steelhead, a metaphor for Gus's internal quest for self-knowledge, appeals to all who cherish a good yarn and memorable characters. Uncle Zeke's colorful rendition of Gus's conception on the banks of the Deschutes River is itself worth the price of purchase.

I'll read the book. But I still don't fish.