YouTube

[BF1983]

With ice fishing quickly approaching, it's nice to start to see ice fishing videos on YouTube again.  Being a life long Midwesterner, and this being my second hard water season as I just got into it last year, I genuinely enjoy ice fishing/camping videos more than open water videos on YouTube. 

I'm fairly new here so I am not sure how strong the YouTube interest is here, but I have really come to enjoy the following channels;

Mav (although his ice fishing videos are few and far between, his channel is my all time favorite by far)
The Outdoor Boys (Again, not much hard water content, just a genuinely enjoyable channel and very family friendly, I watch every weekend with my grandkids)
Joe Holland Fishing (I haven't seen much of his non hardwater content, but I enjoy his ice season videos)
Jay Siemens
Fish Frostbite (I know not many are fans of Peric, but I think he's actually entertaining)

I'll admit, I did not do a search of this forum before posting, because content changes so often that I was looking for a current opinion and am interested in learning about other channels I may not have seen yet.   

[cwavs1982]

There are a lot of good channels out there, need to spend some time watching them, and see if they fit to your style of fishing, then you can decide to subscribe to them.

My first thought is to find Tom Boley - this man does his videos and teaches you the methods needed to be a success.  If there is one channel that has a good bit of content, its his. 

[fish/hunt4ever]

Watch several different ones around and I am always looking for the ones in my area or in my state, but I like PigPatrol with Josh and Minndak outdoors, been watching the Game of inches with all the different channels like Clayton Schick, Frostbite, Jay, and The Connrad brothers, and Uncut angling, all the channels I have watched before but with a new twist.  But always up for watching some new ones and like stated earlier try to find stuff from Wyoming just to see what others are doing around me.

[DTro]

YouTube is an interesting media source and it's a lot of fun to watch channels grow and change every year.  I like to watch guys that you know are out there doing it because of their passion and love of the sport and not for the paycheck.  I wonder how many would be out there doing it without revenue sharing or advertising or sponsorship?   I bet not many.   Should you work for free?  NO, absolutely not, but also you shouldn't do it just for the money either.   And clickbait? LOL   Fool me once....   

One guy I like to watch is Clayton Schick. He does a good job of explaining his tactics and mixing in personal emotions without a lot of over the top B-Roll and editing and I think Canadian accents always help too.   
 I really think sometimes fishing videos can actually be overproduced and then I seem to lose interest.  10 angles of an auger going through the ice in slow mo is not needed IMO, however a drag screaming 40" Lake Trout with the anglers eyes popping out will ALWAYS get my attention. 

As far as entertainment value goes though.  I think UnCut Angling has always been #1 for me.  None of Aaron's videos have ever disappointed.  He's brilliant! 

[Reinert]

Uncut out a new one out yesterday.

[appleye]

Spilt Milt is one of my favorites. As with all the other talked about.

[Hatandboots]

Have to echo Clayton Schick. My gotos are:

Clayton Schick Outdoors
Jay Siemens
Fishing Geeks (Hold some world records)

I've learned a lot from these guys.

[jbird68]

Jay Siemens
PigPatrol
Clayton Schick
Sobi
Wisconsin Fisherman


there's a lot more but these are the ones I have subscribed to.

[sra61]

Clayton Schick is great. I also watch all of In Depth Outdoors, and Tom Boley

[POk3s]

Check out the “video” section on this site. Quite a few folks post their videos to it. It’s a great way to find new stuff to watch by guys you can connect with.

[SLAYERFISH]

I find that most of the Youtube videos have little use of real info to me here in the West.  Midwest/canada is basically another planet when it comes to ice fishing.  IMO-

[skifisher]

I find that most of the Youtube videos have little use of real info to me here in the West.  Midwest/canada is basically another planet when it comes to ice fishing.  IMO-

Agree dat!

[Hatandboots]

All open water stuff always seems to be nothing but bass, bass, and more bass, which I can't fish for here, so I really enjoy seeing youtubers fishing water  I have been to for stuff that relates to me for a change.

[800stealth]

I like Josh from Pig Patrol, not gonna learn any new and great techniques on the channel but Josh is an entertaining guy who usually just shows up at a spot and wings it... He's always good for some laughs.

[Almi57]

It was Jay Siemans who ended up making me spend the bucks on a Livescope setup. Watching his videos got me super interested and after using mine I can say I love it. Nothing better then having a big old supper plate coming into your lure to get you excited.

[fish/hunt4ever]

Josh was the one who made me think the panoptics was a good tool, I just cannot afford one right now but a buddy has his garmin so we will see how that works this season. I am just old fashion and set tip ups up and wait for the fish to swim by, maybe that will change.  Watching Trent fish around the state here in wyoming and catching some of those monster Lakers makes me want to go down south and fish for them myself.

[POk3s]

Josh was the one who made me think the panoptics was a good tool, I just cannot afford one right now but a buddy has his garmin so we will see how that works this season. I am just old fashion and set tip ups up and wait for the fish to swim by, maybe that will change.  Watching Trent fish around the state here in wyoming and catching some of those monster Lakers makes me want to go down south and fish for them myself.

Thanks dude. You’re welcome anytime! But yes, a fish finder is very useful! I do have a spare fl8 you can use if you make it down this way though. It’s tough to use for lakers as there’s no zoom but better than nothing!

[bigfoot86]

I lived all around the country from the far west, Midwest and now the east coast.  Always channels out there to accommodate wherever you live.  Will say the east coast is the toughest fishing you’ll encounter but I have built my knowledge on asking questions and learning from YouTube. 

[kpetro]

Justin Jenken Assorted Meats can be pretty entertaining, for sure

[Walks on Water]

Anyone find that Schick has gone full product pimp now? He seems to spend more time in his videos selling the gear his sponsors send him than he does fishing.

It seems like you-tubers, on almost any subject, start changing once they get around that 100k sub mark.

[SLAYERFISH]

Anyone find that Schick has gone full product pimp now? He seems to spend more time in his videos selling the gear his sponsors send him than he does fishing.

It seems like you-tubers, on almost any subject, start changing once they get around that 100k sub mark.

Been noticing that on ALL vids, whether U-Tub or TV. 

[cwavs1982]

Been noticing that on ALL vids, whether U-Tub or TV.

Yep - once they hit that mark in subscribers, that is the point where sponsors take note and it becomes the point where the YouTuber can really make some money.  I try to watch most videos based on the techniques they use, and not so much on the product that they push.  Also its a good way to view comparison between certain products (Livescope vs Megalive) and see which system I could use. 

[ryguy80]

Anyone find that Schick has gone full product pimp now? He seems to spend more time in his videos selling the gear his sponsors send him than he does fishing.

It seems like you-tubers, on almost any subject, start changing once they get around that 100k sub mark.

That's because sponsors start to take notice and YouTubers start becoming product influencers and not anglers because the almighty dollar comes into play. Happens to all of them...well, most. I run a small YouTube channel myself and there is a part of my that hopes I never make it big because of this. You change. I like the independence of not being sponsored and being able to speak your mind freely. Being able to use the gear you want to use because it works for you and not because some sponsor is making you use it is another bonus.

[ran7ger]

I mean, free stuff??  Can't fault em, I'd sell my soul for free ice fishing gear.  You don't pay to watch and can always fast forward past all the shilling.

[theskydiveguy]

I mean, free stuff??  Can't fault em, I'd sell my soul for free ice fishing gear.  You don't pay to watch and can always fast forward past all the shilling.

LOL - me too!

[Walks on Water]

" I'd sell my soul for free ice fishing gear."

To each their own. I'd prefer to buy it and be my own man.

" I run a small YouTube channel myself and there is a part of my that hopes I never make it big because of this. You change."

Absolutely. I'm late to youtube, only been watching since the pandemic, but I often find myself unsubscribing around that 100k mark when the creators stop making the content I found enjoyable.

[theskydiveguy]

fishinstuff - he's not ice but has some interesting stuff that may help out.

[CoryTDF]

+1 for Spilt Milt. Great channel full of very good information and NOT a product pusher.

I run a product test and review site called iReviewGear.com. I have a ton of experience working with products from just about every outdoor activity. I hear the same thing all the time "Must be nice to get FREE gear." I guess that is one way to look at it. Sure, I didn't "pay" for the gear from my wallet per say. I did however work my butt off to become a competent writer, hustled my butt off to arrange the product to be sent, built a reputation as a reputable site that companies want to work with, took the product into the field and tested it, sat at my computer and wrote the review, and sometimes, when applicable, took the time to edit a video as well.

The point is that product endorsement is not always what it seems, and it does require a healthy amount of time/work. So, I try to take it easy on guys when they add that as I know what goes into that end of things. It's not always about "free gear" as the amount of time that goes into it is often far more than the product value.     

[ryguy80]

" I'd sell my soul for free ice fishing gear."

To each their own. I'd prefer to buy it and be my own man.

I'm the same way. Someone who has 100k subscribers likely isn't in need of handouts.

[Walks on Water]

Rather than just complain about what annoys me, here's a channel I enjoy, Wisconsin Fisherman.
This was one of my favorite episodes: