It’s Shark Bait Week

The other day I was driving through rural Oklahoma with my truck bed filled with moderately-valuable personal possessions. As I checked my rear-view mirror to identify the source of a noise, I saw a box of mischellany bouncing down the highway spilling its contents. Another vehicle hit the box and papers went everywhere.

I jumped out of the truck and ran back to recover what I could. As I neared the mess, cars veered around the debris into the shoulder and almost hit me, which created an even bigger challenge to collecting my stuff. Most of it turned out to be non-essentials like power cords and blank printer paper. But one thing that was worth a sprint into the road and back to the shoulder was a staple-bound collection of photocopied pages bearing the title “Shark Bait Magazine.”

Shark Bait Magazine Shark Bait’s production values bear little resemblance to Discovery Channel’s programming for their 20th Anniversary of Shark Week. The cable TV channel’s stock of exciting shark content is clearly limited. To fill an entire week of 24-hour shark programming, Discovery’s producers are reusing footage across multiple shows as well as stuffing computer-generated filler amongst the live-action footage. With such a fundamentally exciting topic, you’d think they’d be blowing minds with the 20th Anniversary. Nope.

You might also think a skate zine in Oklahoma would suffer from a lack of content. Brad Hayes, Shark Bait’s publisher, proves that assumption wrong with every issue. Shark Bait’s photos and articles cover the Oklahoma’s vibrant skate scene in the big cities like Tulsa and Oklahoma City, while also unearthing the rippers and terrain in smaller towns like Ponca City (SB’s home office). Discovery Channel would do well to hire Brad as an executive producer to rescue its annual shark fest from drowning in boredom.

Shark Bait Magazine

1004 Poplar Avenue

Ponca City, OK 74601

Avid sportsfisherman, Steve Rocco, is the subject of a badly-needed documentary covering the empire he created and then cashed out. YouTube hosts a trailer for “The Man Who Souled the World,” which should be coming out soon according to the movie’s official website.

Steve Rocco

A couple of emails came in promoting events at the last minute. No Comply skate shop in South Austin is holding a BBQ as part of the monthly 1st Thursday gathering. Carter sent a flyer advertising a fundraiser skate jam at the Claw ramp on Saturday.