The Next Bite to Air 100th Episode in 8th Season
OutdoorHub 12.27.11
What started out as a simple idea among three of North America’s most hard-core anglers is reaching a true milestone in 2012. Professional anglers Keith Kavajecz (Kaukauna, WI), Pete Maina (Hayward, WI) and Gary Parsons (Glidden, WI) first toyed with the idea of producing their own TV fishing show over a decade ago. The show would be focused on their favorite fish species, Walleye, Muskie and Pike; Fish with Teeth! Pete Maina recalls, “We discussed what would make a great and successful TV show and wanted it to have a very unique format, one that every angler, from beginner to fanatic, would appreciate and enjoy.” The formula seems to have worked, as their show, The Next Bite, is getting ready to begin its eighth season on the air. Maina continues, “It started with three individual fishing personalities with differing specialties. We wanted hard core info, real fish catching with the whole story surrounding that success and effort. And it had to be FUN; something that anglers everywhere could relate to.”
And relate to they have. The show’s popularity has gained momentum each and every year. Keeping it “Fun” is important, as Keith Kavajecz often stresses, but it’s the high level of education the TNB crew brings to their audience that brings them back week after week. “Although I fish tournaments for a living,” says Kavajecz, “hosting The Next Bite TV show allows me to really get into the details of fishing for walleyes in different locations. All of us try to not only catch fish but then educate the audience so they can go out and be more successful on the water.”
Gary Parsons has been teaching other anglers how to catch walleyes most of his adult life. In Gary’s opinion, what makes The Next Bite TV show so successful is, that “we try to fish in lakes and rivers that relate to everyday fishermen and women. One week we may be on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, the next trolling muskies on the St. Lawrence River, but in every location we talk technique… so our viewers leave their chairs with a little better understanding of how to get their Next Bite! ”
No doubt the highlight of Season 8 for The Next Bite fans will be the show’s 100th Episode, scheduled to air the week of February 20th. This will be only the 2nd episode in the show’s history that all three TNB crew members will be sharing a boat at the same time, the first time being the very first episode to air back in 2005. The 100th episode will feature some of the crews favorite moments from the past seven seasons.
The Next Bite airs on the NBC Sports Network (formerly the Versus Network) during the NBC Sports Outdoors block, Tuesdays at 1:00 PM ET and again on Thursdays at 10:00 AM ET beginning December 27th, 2011. It can also be seen on WFN (World Fishing Network). Visit www.thenextbite.com/tnb_tv for more details.
