IDAHO FALLS – After reaching an international audience from a viral video about a rescue dog, Wesley White is now the host of “Steve’s Outdoor Adventures: Fishing With Wesley.”

The Idaho Falls man hosts the outdoor TV series, which premiered on the Sportsman Channel earlier this year.

In 2018, White was on a fishing trip in Belize, when he stumbled across a stray dog at an abandoned fishing shack. Seeing the helpless animal near death, White had compassion on the pup and began the arduous process of transporting his new friend, who he named Winston, back home to the United States.

Word of the rescue eventually reached the Dodo, a digital media company that focuses on telling animals’ stories. The video they produced earned around 75 million views on the initial post.

“I’ve done interviews all around the world about Winston’s rescue, in dozens and dozens of countries,” says White. “(The video) still goes viral almost every week somewhere else in the world, whether that’s Russia, Ukraine, Thailand, Brazil or Japan. The story is still very popular.”

Wesley’s new show, which premiered on July 12, is an offshoot of a hunting series featuring Steve West. According to its official website, the show has been on the air for 18 seasons, focusing on western big game hunting in different locations in the United States since 2004.

“Fishing With Wesley” explores the worldwide charter industry of guided fishing experiences – the same type of trip that first led him to Winston.

Courtesy Wesley White

White’s journey to TV stardom

White was born and raised in Idaho Falls. After graduating high school in 2008, he moved to Oregon and secured an EMT certification, working in the field for three years before realizing his true love was for the adventure of the outdoors.

“My professional choices have been born out of a passion to spend my whole life outside,” White says.

White volunteered on ski patrols while exploring outdoor guide schools. During that time, he had a question in mind: “How does someone go from being in the background of a sport, whether it’s ski patrol or fly fishing, to the forefront of it?”

His quest led him back to eastern Idaho in 2011. White became a licensed outdoor guide in the region while working at a fly shop. During that time, he befriended a professional photographer and began learning the skills that would eventually lead to his own TV show.

“My friend gave me the key ideas and practices of how you take your photography from a hobby to a profession,” White says. “Every time I had a question about how somebody produced really great photography or video, I would get online, or I’d get into a book, or I’d call somebody I knew, and immediately just try to find the answer.”

His efforts paid off.

White eventually transitioned from guide work to full-time photography in the fly-fishing and hunting world by reaching out to fly shops around the globe and offering marketing packages to highlight their services. His freelance career took him to places like Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil, where he found Winston in 2018.

Courtesy Wesley White

White was eventually contacted by Steve West, who asked him to work as a cameraman filming “Steve’s Outdoor Adventures.” During a trip with West in the Bahamas, White learned West and his business partner were already planning on creating a new fishing show and they felt he was the perfect fit.

Six episodes premiered this year on the Sportsman Channel. Filming has already concluded for episodes in British Columbia, with plans for another trip in the spring to Argentina.

Stepping in front of the camera

White says stepping in front of the camera had a learning curve, but his experiences in videography helped him make the transition.

“I got to see hundreds of people in front of the camera as a videographer,” said White. “When I was filming, I didn’t want to coach people, but I still had the opportunity to listen to people talk and realize how little details or quirks contributed to the bigger picture, the overall product.”

He says he makes sure to mention the technical aspects of fishing knowledge on camera.

“I realize I need to build up the knowledge of fishing, and we focus on it,” he said. “We’re in the field of technique. Let’s … teach them a little bit without it becoming just an educational program.”

Courtesy Wesley White

White now lives in Oregon with his wife and daughter, close to the show’s headquarters, where he works as a professional charter consultant in the off season.

After filming in exotic locations wraps up, White says he stays on site, just to experience life through the eyes of the locals.

White has faced significant difficulties and challenges on his trips, including moments he was scared for his life. But somehow, he’s always made it home safely.

“On every trip, I’m kind of hoping it will be a little puzzle piece to my soul,” White says. “I’m chasing that feeling now, and I really enjoy it.”

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