Former 49ers Great Roger Craig: Come Fish With Me

This man wants you to be his fishing co-star...

​Yesterday we reported that former San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig has a fishing show. Turns out, that wasn't quite correct. He'll have a fishing show -- and you can too. With him.

Craig told SF Weekly that, out of the blue, the World Fishing Network dropped him a line and asked him to be their Bay Area spokesman. If you want to head out with Craig and a TV crew and spend the day fishing, enter the competition here. But, be forewarned: Fishing with Roger Craig is likely not a low-impact activity.

Kicking back and spending a leisurely afternoon dangling a pole in the water didn't strike us as the sorts of activities that would appeal to Craig -- a workout freak who, at age 49, still runs 40 miles a week. We should have known he'd find a way to make fishing a workout, too.

"I caught a 55-pound salmon on the Kenai River in Alaska," he said. "I love the fight in the salmon -- they will fight you, man. You've got to have your game face on to go salmon fishing. Your forearms are gonna burn. And when you fish with somebody, they will not help you. That's your fish. You're on your own."

​As for what may have led to his being tapped as the World Fishing Network's man in the Bay Area, Craig speculated it may be his nickname: Catfish. Wide receiver Freddie Solomon gave Craig that name "and it stuck." The inspirations were Craig's peepers, which he opened incredibly wide as he "swam" through defenses looking for a hole.

Hopefully, Craig's San Francisco-area fishing endeavor will go more smoothly than his attempt to bring the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon to the city like he did in San Jose. "I met with Mayor Newsom. He didn't buy into the vision. I think he really missed out," said Craig.

Perhaps Newsom could make amends by joining Craig on a fishing expedition? Craig's not biting on that notion. 

"I don't think there's any way the mayor is going to go fishing," said Craig with a laugh. "He wouldn't let the fish touch his hands."

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