Hillbilly Handfishin' Explained

Starring:Skipper Bivins
Trent Jackson
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:21
Executive Producer:Abby Greensfelder
Sean Gallagher
Location:Temple, Oklahoma
Runtime:60 minutes
Company:Half Yard Productions
Channel:Animal Planet

Hillbilly Handfishin' is an American reality television show about noodling, the sport of fishing for catfish using only bare hands and feet. The series aired on Animal Planet from August 7, 2011 to August 5, 2013.

The show starred Oklahoma fishermen Skipper Bivins and Trent Jackson, self-proclaimed "hillbillies" who take tourists from cities on noodling expeditions in muddy lakes, rivers and streams.[1] [2] The Bivins family runs Big Fish Adventures, a noodling-exhibition company based in Temple, Oklahoma.[3]

Although officially set to premiere in August 2011, a pilot for the series first premiered on Animal Planet on September 24, 2010. At the time, it averaged 630,000 viewers, which was 44 percent better than the timeslot average at the time. Subsequent encores of the pilot on December 9 and December 22 drew viewerships of 653,000 and 722,000, respectively.

Before the series premiered, Field & Stream magazine writer Chad Love criticized the premise and concept of the show, expressing particular concern that it would portray Oklahoma and its residents in a stereotypical and negative light. Love wrote, "Here's one from the 'Do We Really Need A Reality Show For This?' files."[4]

Episode 2 featured three pairs of participants, including Tony and Nick from Chicago, Ken and his daughter Natalie, and retirees Valerie and John.[5] Episode 3 featured Hiliary and Kerry, a newlywed couple, Georgia friend Terisa and Tenia, and brothers-in-law Brad and Jim.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: de Moraes . Lisa . Lisa de Moraes . February 22, 2011 . . Animal Planet unveils noodling with Hillbilly Handfishin . July 21, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121015105147/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/tvblog/2011/02/animal-planet-unveils-noodling.html . October 15, 2012 . dead .
  2. News: Sherrow . Rita . Noodling to be featured in Animal Planet series . . February 25, 2011 . July 21, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110516224652/http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=275&articleid=20110225_275_D3_CUTLIN835566 . May 16, 2011 . live .
  3. Web site: Fixin' for a Fish-out-of-water Adventure??? Animal Planet introduces thrill-thirsty city slickers to the wild sport of noodling in Hillbilly Handfishin . . 2011 . July 21, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110928150001/http://press.discovery.com/ekits/hillbilly-handfishing/press-release.html . September 28, 2011 . dead .
  4. News: Love . Chad . 'Hillbilly Handfishin' Reality Show Coming to Animal Planet . March 7, 2011 . . July 21, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110817080321/http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/field-notes/2011/03/hillbilly-handfishin-reality-show-coming-animal-planet . August 17, 2011 . dead .
  5. Web site: Reel Film News . Hillbilly Handfishin' Episode 2 . August 14, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120330233040/http://www.reelfilmnews.com/?p=3075 . March 30, 2012 . dead .
  6. Web site: Reel Film News . Hillbilly Handfishin' Episode 3 . August 16, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110909131254/http://www.reelfilmnews.com/?p=3113 . September 9, 2011 . dead .