Chummin' Around

All over the place again. Hunting, fishing, photo shoots and grand openings . . . it's a crazy, busy world for me but lovin' every minute of it! Just wrapped up a photo shoot for Skeeter this week. Had beautiful weather, caught some fish and hung out with some of the coolest Skeeter Pros out there. In fact, I was fishing with Capt. Chad Manning again. Tomorrow's episode of AF just happens to be "Tampa Chums" from Tampa Bay with Capt. Chad. Had a blast fishing that episode. Caught snook, grouper and redfish in one day. Can't beat that! 

This week though, we were snapping photos and catching kingfish on a "floatilla" of about 6 brand new Skeeter boats. What a good lookin' group! Here's a shot of our early morning sunrise, getting ready to head out. Gorgeous!

This weekend I'm heading to Orlando to kick off the opening of another Dick's Sporting Goods store. Ya know that the holidays are right around the corner, right? What a great way to get ahead of the shopping madness than to come in, see me, get a coupon for $10, save on great "grand opening" deals and check some presents off that long list! Come see me on Saturday, the 25th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the new store:  Fashion Square Mall 724 Herndon Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803

Here's another cool piece of news for y'all . . . AF sponsor, Star brite's CLO2 generator technology, is soon to be helping people, pets and livestock stay healthy near you. President and CEO Peter Dornau stated, "Performacide® is perfectly suited for use in outlying areas to help control viruses as well as to sanitize and disinfect."  I'm impressed and proud to be part of a team like Star brite! Read the entire press release here:  

Ocean Bio-Chem, Inc. To Donate Performacide® to Countries Facing Ebola Virus

Check out "Tampa Chums" tomorrow morning on The Sportsman Channel and then on Sunday tune in for "Keys Chronicle" where I'm fishing with the fine folks at Star brite. It's truly rod bendin' drag screamin' television this weekend! Check the website for times and replays. You can always catch AF on YouTube too! 

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair

Fishing for the 4th?

Mr. Producerman and our new editor Sam were over at the music studios today making soundtracks for upcoming episodes when Mr. Producerman had an idea for the Mogan Music guys to play the Star Spangled Banner in honor of our great country's birthday coming up. So . . . here's a 15 second Instagram video. <<Click Here>>

We spent a week on the Emerald Coast this past April and although it may have been one of the toughest shoots we've had in our 15 years due to the weather, we still were able to get out and fish and get an episode for you with Skeeter Pro and Captain, Pat Dineen. I love fishing those emerald waters, the people up there are some of my favorite folks to fish with and the hospitality is awesome. We'll definitely be back to do it again next season! Um, can we get some better weather for next time please?! Tune in this week to "Panhandle Permit" (Friday, June 6th at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports). Check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday.

This past week was a busy one for us. I was over in Tampa shooting some cool stuff for the new Star Tron "Enzo" commercial spot. Y'all have seen the killer spot my producer put together with that nice vintage truck and 3D animation, right? Well, Star Tron liked it so much they asked for the same kind of spot but with a boat this time. So, we shot that in the middle of the week. 

We also shot some stuff for a special episode coming up. It's definitely been a tough season for us with the weather and this special episode tells you all about it. After we wrapped shooting, I headed home to prefish for an upcoming episode shoot off of Cape Canaveral and then at Dick's in Clermont, FL to kick off another grand opening of a new store. Had a great time meeting some new folks and getting up on the bass tank outside to share some fishing tips. 

I'm ready for a quick break over the 4th Holiday and then we're back at it. Hope y'all have a great weekend. Be safe on the water and shooting off all your fireworks. Whatever you do over the weekend - have fun! (Thanks to our Eagle Claw sponsor for this awesome flag image. One of my favorite.)

Until next week . . . tight lines,
Blair 

Going Glades

This photo's not technically a "flashback" since we just shot it a couple of weeks ago, and I've already shared it on Facebook. But I've got to say how much I love catching snook and this one was caught the night before a shoot we had down in South Florida with my long time cameraman George. Sweet little backwater snook!

Gotta make this week's update short . . . we're heading out on the water to shoot another episode, and sticking close to home while getting all my gear and my boat ready has gotten me a little stir crazy. I think I better do some fishin' before we go fishin'! 

I'm also getting ready to head to another Dick's Sporting Goods store grand opening. If y'all haven't been out to one yet, they're a lot of fun and you can really load up on some great deals! I'll be in Clermont, Florida next weekend (on Saturday, June 28th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.) at the newest store at the Sandhills Commons. Stop by to say "hey" and I'll help ya pick out a new Flats Blue or Flats Pink rod, some killer Mirrolure topwater plugs, DOA Lures and rig it all up with the right Seaguar leader and FINS braid.  

Tune in to this week's episode "Going Glades" (Friday, June 20th at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports). I'm fishing the Everglades again with my good friend Capt. Gary Thompson. Y'all might remember a show we did in 2007 ("Tarpon Time") with Capt. Gary. I was battling big tarpon in the mosquito canals down there, and this year we went back for more, but did something a little different. I'm fishing for redfish and snook on this episode and we had a blast. 

Check it out tomorrow!  Also check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday.

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair

Panhandle Permit

It's Thursday and here's another Flashback photo for y'all. This one's from my days on the water as a charter captain (circa 1995). I was working on the water about 340 days a year back then. Whew! Look at that Costa Del Mar hat I'm sportin' too. Sort of a a double flashback by the looks of that nice hat! Nice Mosquito Lagoon redfish though . . . still love catching those fish. I'm happy to have followed the path I journeyed all these years. My life has been spent on the water, and I can't think of any place else I'd rather be. 

This week y'all finally get to see the episode we shot while we were up in Destin, Florida. We spent a week on the Emerald Coast in April and although it may have been one of the toughest shoots we've had in our 15 years due to the weather, we managed to get a show shot and produced with Skeeter Pro and Captain, Pat Dineen. I love fishing those waters, the people up there are some of my favorite folks to fish with and the hospitality is awesome. We'll be back to do it again next season . . . can we order up some better weather for next time please?!

Tune in this week to "Panhandle Permit" (Friday, June 6th at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports). Check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday. Some of you may say "I didn't think Permit got all the way up there in the Panhandle?" Well you'll just have to tune in tomorrow to see why we're calling this episode "Panhandle Permit." 

We're in between shoots right now and I'm soaking up the brief downtime. I'm just getting caught up on my boat, gear and tackle maintenance, not to mention a little R&R and maintenance of my own. I've stocked up on Star Tron for all my engines, cleaning my hull and deck with Star Brite's Sea Safe boat cleaner and taking care of any funky smells coming from my truck - ha! Life on the road this time of year can sure take a toll on your equipment, so make sure you're prepared and take care of your stuff. 

Until next week . . . tight lines,
Blair