FLW Touring pro Matt Peters is a swimbait maniac! A true aficionado. He’s so passionate about what he does that apparently he couldn’t keep it to himself. Matt has produced a new DVD that’s sure to convert a few new big bait devotees. The film is aptly named Southern Trout Eaters (STE).
Southern Trout Eaters features an all-star cast of big Huddleston swimbaits, Triple Trouts, MS Slammers, Bull Shads, Nezumaa Rats, and Big Hammers alongside, or shall I say inside, trophy bass.
This DVD is not about making bass merely bite. It’s about making them EAT. I’m not talking about reluctant nibbles either. I’m talking choked deep down the cavernous maws of gluttonous finned mules. It’s all brought to life in 160 minutes of raw, educational, eye-popping content that begs you to watch it multiple times. You’ll see more trophy bass and catches in 10-minutes of this DVD than you’ll see in a whole season of regular cable fishing shows. My hand was constantly on the rewind button.
Unorthodox
Southern Trout Eaters breaks all the rules! It doesn’t follow “the formula” that has become so stale. You know… a quick intro, a little fishing, heavy product spotlight in the middle, a little more fishing, then a recap at the end with repetitious highlight clips.
Southern Trout Eaters is a breath of fresh air in an age where everything is overly produced, edited, scripted, and sterilized to the max. It’s not a “show”. It’s pure fishing brought to you in a way that makes you feel like you are in the back of the boat. Candid. Raw. Real. Clip after clip of scale-busting bass dominate the screen.
Matt Peters holding a massive "Southern trout eater"
The film doesn’t hold back any nuggets of wisdom. It feels like you’re being indoctrinated into an underground culture of secret knowledge and bass enlightenment that nobody else is giving. In addition to his on-the-water insights, Matt dubbed in narration during the post-production phase of this film. In my opinion this is what really makes the DVD so cool. He reveals the little details that were going through his mind during the fishing. It adds an additional layer of education and insight. Some of the greatest lessons in this film can be learned via Matt’s narration.
The Interviews
The interviews in this DVD are first rate. Ken Huddleston, Triple Trout designer Scott Whitmer, Rob Belloni of www.calfishing.com. They’re all here. The quotes you get in this DVD are heavy. Consider the following quote…
“Well the problem is man injects himself into it [fishing] and everything seems to be exaggerated and over the top, we’re talking vibration, color… Nature is subtle. Nature tries to blend in and not be seen. That’s part of the key to consistently catch these giants that don’t make mistakes.” – Ken Huddleston
Ken is a true fishing philosopher. It’s a near religious experience when Ken speaks. Where else are you going to hear quotes like this and learn about the “vortex”?
Welcomed Deficiencies
This DVD is not without its deficiencies. Southern Trout Eaters is missing a few things:
1) It was not filmed by a high-tech video crew using multiple camera angles, pans, and zooms to trick your mind into being entertained. It doesn’t need it and you won’t be missing it. That kind of stuff is better suited for fishing shows that try to hype up 3lb bass as “good ones”.
2) There is no hard rock music in the background to artificially dramatize every bite. Instead, Southern Trout Eaters dubs in mountain style bluegrass to compliment the Appalachian bass and natural mountainous scenery peppered throughout the film. I love the combo! It just works.
3) You get the real sense that Southern Trout Eaters was not bought and paid for by sponsors. Consequently, it’s missing those overtly shameless plugs that are usually rammed down your face. Sure, some recommendations are made for your benefit based on the experience of the anglers, but it’s not the hard sell.
4) With the exception of a couple thought provoking interviews, there’s just not enough talking in this DVD. I’m used to guys just standing on the deck, pimping a new product, giving a couple tips you’ve heard a hundred times already, and then making a cast or two between sentences. Instead of talking, Southern Trout Eaters is a relentless sequence of mature bass being landed, one after another, after another…!
5) There’s not enough pro fishermen. Other than Matt, none of the other seven anglers featured in the DVD are full-time touring tournament pros. You won’t find their pictures on the cover of magazines or lure packaging. How could they possibly teach you anything without posessing famous initials like KVD?
Bottom Line
This film will change the way you look at bass fishing. It will defy some of the common dogma you’ve yet to question. If you don’t want to go out and throw big swimbaits after watching STE, I seriously question your angling cred. Buy this DVD. Enough said. You’re crazy if this DVD isn’t on your Christmas list! It’s available at Tackle Warehouse here.
FishStrong!
