Brown and Jones Collaborate on New Outdoors Venture
I can’t help but admire folks who have that certain drive to do the very best at what they do, and they just keep on keeping on. One such fellow who has captured my attention is John L. Brown, Jr.
Brown was born and raised in Gilbert in northeast Louisiana, and he first came to my attention when he and a friend, Rex Moncrief, started a local television show, The Outdoor News, some 30 or so years ago, that aired on Monroe stations. Since I did some work writing for Willamette Industries, and that company signed on as a sponsor for the program, I appeared a time or two with these guys on their program.
After the show ran its course and Brown and Moncrief moved in separate directions, I lost track of John for a few years until I learned that he had hired on running cameras for the National Wild Turkey Federation, a job that sent him around the country filming hunts with outdoors celebrities.
Brown has since retired and moved back to north Louisiana, but he can’t seem to sit still. He contacted me recently to tell me about his latest venture, producing a YouTube series with well-known outdoorsman Chuck Jones, who is also a native of north Louisiana.
“Chuck is a member of the National Outdoors Legends Hall of Fame and worked as a video producer for such well-known folks like Will Primos and Cuz Strickland, eventually joining up with Knight and Hale, where he spent the majority of his career,” said Brown.
“Chuck has always been a talented producer, but his talent is simply being a hunter. I have had the honor to hunt with many considered the best hunters of our generation, and Chuck is right there at the top,” he added.
After returning home in 2020, Brown never thought he’d return to outdoor video production. Writing had become his passion, and he regularly contributes to such publications as Louisiana Sportsman magazine.
“This past spring, I began feeling the need to once again carry a camera to the woods, and I’m happy to report that over the past few weeks while filming with Chuck, I have once again discovered my passion for looking through the viewfinder,” Brown continued.
Brown and Jones are collaborating on a YouTube project they are calling “Chuck Jones’ Expert Collective, a program that does less bragging like some of the earlier shows did and concentrates more on education.
“Viewers can expect high-quality cinematic production combined with a heavy dose of ‘how to’. The show will concentrate on turkey, deer, and ducks, but will feature some fishing. We’ve featured Ruston’s Luke Lewis talking about the early days of turkey restoration in north-central Louisiana. We’ve done shows with wounded combat veterans in Tennessee and will feature what we feel to be some of the best hunters in the country, like Rob Keck, Joe Drake, et al., and many others who will share the secrets that made them great hunters,” said Brown.
To subscribe to the program, go to YouTube and search for Chuck Jones Expert Collective.
“Presently, the show is only available on YouTube, but if the public enjoys our efforts,” Brown added, “we could potentially move it to the Outdoor Channel or another outdoor venture in the future.”
Kudos to John Brown and Chuck Jones for taking the plunge to provide a more educational show and with less bragging.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass have moved deep. Soft plastics and cranks baits are working best. Crappie are around the deeper tops and are hitting jigs and shiners. Bream are on shallow beds and hitting small spinners, crickets and worms. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie have moved out and are around the brush hitting shiner or jigs. Bass are best flipping the trees with soft plastics. Fake frogs are working early and late. The bream bite is going on in the shallows. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Water level down because of lock and dam problems down stream. Fishing overall is slow. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass are on secondary points and hitting square bills, spinners and soft plastics. Crappie have spawned and moved out to 10-12 foot water and hitting jigs and shiners. The bream are on the beds and biting crickets and small spinners. Lots of catfish are being caught on red wigglers and night crawlers just off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie are around deep brush now that the spawn is over and jigs and shiners picking up some. Bass have moved out to deeper water around secondary points. Soft plastics and crank baits are picking up some. Bream are on the shallow beds and hitting worms and crickets. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is on a rise, will crest and begin falling by the weekend. Except for catfish caught on trotlines and buffalo caught in nets nothing else is biting. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.