Apr 19, 2006 - 02:07:33 CDT
Whether they're fishing that big, watery playground to our north or our stretch of the Missouri River south of it, veteran walleye angler Greg Schoneck has one goal in mind.Putting more walleyes in every angler's livewell.
To that end, he's taking to the airwaves, live radio every Thursday and TV segments every Wednesday, starting in May. And for those who missed it, what he tells you or shows you will be available for listening or watching on his new Web site, http://ndlive.com.
"One of my passions is to help people catch fish," the operator of No Bonz Guide Service said by phone Monday. "If I go on the water as No Bonz Guide Service, Iwould take two or three people. On the radio, Ican guide 1,000 people a day to the same experience. What could be better?"
Starting May 4, the radio show will air live four times a day on Thursdays on KFYR-AM. The Bismarck Clear Channel station will make the segments available to other Clear Channel stations throughout North Dakota, said Ken Jameson, KFYR-AM program director.
"We're excited about the fact it's a locally produced sport show from the lake while he is out fishing," Jameson added.
And Schoneck expects all of the broadcasts, which will run for 20 weeks throughout the summer, to originate from "the hottest bites" all around Lake Sakakawea. A satellite phone will be the link between his boat and KFYR.
His first broadcast will be at 7:45 a.m. "I'll talk about the ramp I'm leaving from and talk about where I'm going to fish. I'll make a plan or a strategy."
He will return to the air at 12:55 p.m. to update his strategy and provide information on how deep or shallow he's fishing and what baits are working or not working.
Such plain truth will build credibility, he stressed.
"I'll tell people if Icaught fish, and I'll tell people if I didn't catch fish," he said. "If others are getting them, I'll tell them that, too. It will be real, good, factual information."
At 4:45 p.m., he will come back with an update on how the afternoon's fishing went and provide a fishing tip.
On the day's final broadcast at 5:45 p.m., Schoneck will give up "precise GPS coordinates to the hottest spot on the lake."
He and KFYR-AMchose Thursdays for people who start fishing on Fridays.
When Schoneck provides those GPS coordinates, "I'll tell them whether fish are north, west, east or south of that spot. The sand flats on the east shoreline of Van Hook are a big, expansive area. The GPS coordinates would be in the middle of the hottest bite, but the bite might extend a half mile on either side."
Each segment will be a minimum of two minutes, "but I will be on longer, if I have more information," he said. The segments will be converted to an MP3 file and e-mailed to the state's other Clear Channel stations, and Schoneck is expecting stations in Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot to use the delayed broadcasts.
Schoneck also will put the streaming audio on http://ndlive.com.
"I will archive them, and they can be picked up through the entire summer. They will be a great reference for the future," he said.
For Schoneck, this venture into live radio holds incredible potential.
"It's an original concept, not copied from anyone, anywhere," he said. "I think it will be the most copied format in the future because it will provide real-time, genuine, honest information about fishing. It won't be vague, and it won't deceive people, leading people to believe one thing when it's not true. It will be just the facts."
Schoneck has been doing fishing segments for the KX television affiliates in Minot and Williston for five years. This summer, he will air on the Bismarck and Dickinson KX affiliates as well.
The segments will air on the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on Wednesdays. The first segments will air on May 3.
"We will talk about little practical tips to help people put more fish in their livewell," he explained. "The tips aren't geared to the pro level, but it will be pro level information aimed to help the average fisherman be more productive and leave the lake smiling."
He intends to hit the Missouri River from Bismarck-Mandan up to the Garrison Tailrace, as well as Lake Sakakawea.
And he intends for the shows to be specific to the seasons from spring to fall.
All segments also will be available as streaming video on http://ndlive.com, Schoneck added.
"I've never worked harder at trying to work for a mutual goal and vision. Communities around the lake were willing to pool resources to work together about Lake Sakakawea."
As a professional angler, Schoneck has fished extensively in the Midwest.
"Sakakawea certainly has to be in the top five (walleye fisheries)," he said. "It's a phenomenal fishery from spring to fall. There are just a handful of systems that have a bite all summer. Sakakawea has months of good fishing, until you can't stand the cold in the spring and fall."
Charles Nemec wrote on Jun 22, 2006 7:24 AM:
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