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Hawaii Goes Fishing: A local TV tradition continues |
Hawaii Goes Fishing is the longest-running television program in Hawaii, beginning its amazing run back in the 1960's as a Sunday afternoon series called Fishing With Bruce Carter. It was a one-hour show, featuring silent home movies of Bruce Carter's local fishing trips. It was soon renamed Let's Go Fishing, and became a landmark in the local TV landscape for the next forty years and counting. Being the only show of its kind, it quickly gathered a loyal audience that enjoyed the informal commentary and style. It was one of the few TV shows where shorts, slippers, Aloha shirts -- and even a little pidgin English -- were fashionable.A fish market employee named Hari Kojima was invited as a guest to demonstrate to fishermen (and their wives) how to easily prepare their catch. He could filet an Ahi in seconds while adding witty and humorous comments in his uniquely local style. Stan Wright, a local photographer originally from Texas, also made appearances with timely fish catch reports on the program. In 1981, high-quality videotape production replaced silent home movie footage. A full-time producer/director was added. A production crew was formed, and a new Let's Go Fishing was on the air. Hari and Stan became co-hosts for a show that began to travel throughout the Pacific region. The program's success inspired spinoffs. A cooking show with Hari was created. Two more fishing shows began in the Hawaii television market. And Let's Go Fishing was shortened to a 30-minute program.  When Hari left the show in 1998, Benedict "Ben" Wong and Ken Walsh became the show's new hosts. Walsh was an Olympic gold medalist in swimming, and loved any water sport. Wong grew up along the shores of Kaneohe Bay.In 2002, KHON was about to cancel Let's Go Fishing, so an independent company (Hawaii Productions Associates) took over production and returned it to its original one-hour format. Producer Bob Pritchard later decided to rename the production and move it to Oceanic/Time Warner's all-local channel, OC16. With the creative efforts of cameraman-editor Alan Johnston, Pritchard created Hawaii Goes Fishing. Singer/songwriter/composer Audy Kimura provided the show's familiar musical signature and is now an executive producer for Hawaii Goes Fishing.  In 2004 former Honolulu Star-Bulletin chief photographer Dean Sensui joined the company as an editor and cameraman. He updated the show's production into an all-HD process and gave the show a new look. He is now the show's other executive producer, filming and editing each episode.In December of 2006 Wong's career with HGF ended. A year later Pritchard left to pursue other opportunites. In 2008 Hawaii Goes Fishing converted to high-definition production. It kept the familiar magazine-style format, and now has an improved style and feel to tell a better story. Three personalities now help bring each episode to a growing audience. Cindy Paliracio, a veteran of local news, opens each show and introduces stories throughout the hour. Radio personality and comedian Dave Lancaster brings his upbeat sense of humor to Tackle Tips and Reel Recipes. And Margot Oshiro presents some of her first-hand experiences from the field.
Most importantly, it's not about us. It's about you! Hawaii Goes Fishing gets its stories from the people who fish for recreation and also about those who work hard to earn a living from the ocean that surrounds us. Hawaii Goes Fishing will continue to deliver fishing action from around Hawaii and occasionally from other parts of the Pacific. The sounds, color, and cultural aspects of this time-honored activity come to life each week with the premiere show at it always has for more than forty years... Sundays at 5 p.m. on OC16. |
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