They Call Him The Fish Whisperer

02/25/2010

Ocean's Stuntman

It's true, Matt Watson really has been nicknamed the Fish Whisperer, a nod to his special affinity for those critters, large and small, with fins. Matt's love of the water and its inhabitants is lifelong--his bio points out that he was the skipper of his own dinghy when he was just seven years old, and was established as a commercial fisherman in his teens.

But hey, before you get too excited, maybe hoping Matt'll make an aquarium call and help train your tropical fish to sit, stay and fetch----sorry, no. Matt's just a little busy these days with a new Animal Planet series, appropriately titled "Madman of the Sea." The six-part series begins on March 2, airing Tuesdays at 10 pm.

The Mole screened an early episode, and as you'll see even a few minutes into the show, it's an adventure that will reel you in, fast! Matt Watson is not a serene captain piloting his craft into gentle waters, he's exploring the wildest, most uncharted seas he can find. This is a guy who rips a page from Olympic snowboard champion Shaun White's play book, then adds his own flourish. The cameras follow Matt and his crew of friends on a most extraordinary fishing expedition, both on and under the water.

Fearless Matt actually uses a helicopter hovering above the sea as a jumping-off point for his wrestling match with a giant marlin.  And can you imagine anyone corralling a Great White, yes, as in shark, using just a simple hand line? Matt Watson shows how, and even he can't make that one look easy. The dizzying pace of the action even includes a most outrageous stunt: Matt pretending a shark attack has finished him off for good! You'll catch your breath as you watch.

But all the risky business by Matt and his crew has a serious side too: he has a genuine love for the sea and its residents, and a heartfelt wish for its conservation. That thoughtful message comes through as he demonstrates catch-and-release techniques. He repeatedly points out that tagging the fish he catches will aid researchers in tracking the different species and studying their migration patterns.

And Matt's daredevil actions are a cool reminder that even tussles with humans do not have to signal death for the wild, treasured creatures of the sea. They swim away, ready to do battle another day (They hope it's not with Matt.).

Check back for The Mole's interview with Matt Watson later this season. And, if you want to be a Madman of the Sea too, check out Animal Planet's new Adventure Fishing site.

Comments

[Ger]

Love the Mole's blogs. Thanks Discovery and keep them coming.

[Sheila Stockton]

Looks like a fascinating show! No big fish story here, just the "reel" deal!
Thanks as always, Mole.

[Tiffany Snow]

This looks great. Looking forward to reading The Mole's interview with Matt. I am sure it will be as fun and insightful as everything on the Mole's Blog!!

[Haber]

Really had a post worth reading. Thank you for the information you have given me my presents.

[world at war dvds]

wow! that fish is huge.

[leanspa]

he's definitely crazy. makes for a great show!

[max pump]

That fish is scary huge! Wow, that must have been hard to catch.

[illumibrite]

I would be scared of that fish. It's so huge!

[rejuv cream]

Now I can see why they call him the fish whisperer! That fish is freaking huge!

[skinny fiber]

That fish is ginormous! Wow!

[quicktrim]

That is one of the biggest catches I have seen in my life! It's awesome.

[south beach java]

That is a huge catch! Congrats! I would like to catch one that big.