South Bend’s Lunkerville Season 8 Premieres on World Fishing Network

New York, NY, October 06, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Lunkerville, the fishing show that features “real people with real fish stories” is officially changing its name to reflect the recent partnership of its title sponsor partnership with South Bend Sporting Goods. South Bend’s Lunkerville will begin airing Season 8 this Sunday, October 6th on the World Fishing Network (check your local listings for air times). Season 8 also marks the series’ 100th episode, which will air in December to much fanfare for Facebook fans of the show.

On changing the name of the long-running series, creator and host Mike D explains; “It’s a real reflection of our sponsor’s commitment to the same ideals I have always embraced and promoted on the show since the beginning: That fishing is accessible, affordable and an opportunity for everyone -- young and old, male and female -- to enjoy the outdoors.”

As Lunkerville, the show focused mostly on bass fishing but the new partnership with South Bend has expanded the catch. “We’re exploring all kinds of fishing now,” explains Mike D. “We’re fishing freshwater and saltwater and going all over North America, including Canada, to find our guests. The show is about people, and their fishing stories. My philosophy has always been that anyone who has a passion for fishing has a story to tell me. And I want to tell their stories.”

Season 8 of South Bend's Lunkerville heralds a new focus on multi-species for its recreational angler audience. True to the show’s heritage, there will be plenty of bass fishing but this season will also feature catfish and hickory shad fishing in Virginia... carp, walleye and "smallies" in Washington State... striped bass and bluefish on the East Coast... and monster sturgeon in British Columbia. And not to be diminished, viewers will still get to enjoy the fun and furious panfish catch that always creates a good time for families and kids. Because South Bend’s Lunkerville is never about about the biggest catch, it’s the experience of fishing that always steals the show.

In the premiere episode, Mike D catches his first catfish (not in a tank -- Lunkerville fans will know what this means) and gets to take part in the "shad run" on James River in Richmond, Virginia. Guest star Darian "D-Money" Brown, a man who has all but given up sleeping just so he can fish at night and work all day, shows Mike D why Virginia is for fish lovers.

Lunkerville & South Bend

Last year, South Bend Sporting Goods, one of America’s oldest and most-loved fishing tackle brands entered into a multi-year partnership with Lunkerville, the award-winning television series that embraces the simple fun and innocent pleasure of fishing, where the featured guest is the expert, not the host. A Rockville Pictures production, the series has enjoyed continued broadcast exposure weekly for ten years, airing first on Sportsman Channel (where Lunkerville won three consecutive annual viewer-voted awards for Favorite Fishing Show) and moving over to the World Fishing Network (WFN), the only all-fishing channel that reaches 50 million homes across North America. The series is also broadcast on NBC Sports Network (NBCS), which airs to an audience of more than 90 million television households weekly on cable and satellite systems throughout the United States. South Bend’s Lunkerville also airs on Mountain Lake PBS (servicing upstate New York, New England, Ontario and Quebec) as well as other PBS stations across the country as they become available.

About Lunkerville
When Indie film director Michael de Avila hooked his passion for story telling onto his love of fishing, he spawned an award-winning, reality television show, Lunkerville. While other fishing shows rely on expert hosts and pro-tournament competition, Lunkerville’s “Mike D” casts his line with everyday, recreational fishermen, traveling to their secret spots and sharing their special techniques. In his signature laid-back manner, he reels in the camaraderie, the fun and the fish. Shot with his filmmaker's eye and touch, every episode is treated as a short documentary film. In 2009, Lunkerville earned a CINE Golden Eagle for documentary filmmaking; one of the most coveted awards in television and was also nominated for an Emmy Award in 2012. South Bend’s Lunkerville airs on the World Fishing Network (WFN) in Canada and the United States and on the NBC Sports Network (NBCS) in the US as well as select PBS stations. For more information on South Bend’s Lunkerville, please visit www.lunkerville.com.

About South Bend

South Bend Sporting Goods has devoted a lifetime to creating products that let families and fishing enthusiasts experience the simple joy of fishing, at prices they can afford. Since 1906, South Bend has been a leader in the industry and is best known for offering quality products at an exceptional value to make fishing easy and fun for today's active families and anglers of all ages and skill levels. All South Bend products are designed to reflect its singular heritage: Quality tackle since 1906. Today, South Bend continues to offer a comprehensive line of fishing equipment and accessories that anglers and their families can trust and enjoy for many years. For more information about South Bend, please visit www.south-bend.com.