One of Nick Honachefsky’s favorite places to go fishing would probably surprise a lot of people.  

“I really love to fish the back bays, sod banks and setbacks in South Jersey,” says Honachefsky. “All of the backwaters are inundated with these beautiful greens and blues. It’s like a submerged ecosystem that comes alive when the tide drops.” He shares his love for the local fishing spots here on “Saltwater Underground with Nick Honachefsky,” a fishing show on the Discovery Channel that prominently features South Jersey’s shoreline. 

“A lot of fishing shows go to Madagascar to fly fish for Humphead Wrasse, which I mean is fun to watch, but who’s ever really going to do that?” says Honachefsky. “I wanted to create a television show accessible for every man, woman and child.” 

That’s where South Jersey comes in. Honachefsky showcases more relatable fishing experiences, such as angling for White Perch in the Mullica River or fishing for summer flounder – aka fluke fishing – down the many different channels in South Jersey’s backwaters. 

“The cool thing about South Jersey is that during the summertime, since it’s further south, you get a little warmer water,” says Honachefsky. “You’ll see some of these exotic species that don’t make it up to Central or North Jersey like sheepshead, king mackerel and cobia. Fish that you rarely see in Jersey waters always gravitate towards South Jersey.” 

“We focus on the fishing and the character, but every one of my shows has a culinary segment.”

If anyone has the creds to do a TV show like this, it’s Honachefsky, who got hooked on fishing the first time he caught a trout as a 4-year-old. By kindergarten, he was heading to rougher, saltier seas.  

“When I was 5 or 6 years old, my mother would write sick notes for my brother Bill and me so we could get out of school,” he says. “My dad would take us to Island Beach state park to fish for striped bass.”

Over the past 20 years, Honachefsky has written about the sport for every major fishing publication, so the TV show was a natural outgrowth. He and his production manager, Ryan Simalchik – a surfing photographer and videographer – go on 2 to 3-day fishing trips for each episode. It’s not heavily produced to give it a grittier vibe, Honachefsky says. 

Episodes from seasons 1 are available on the Discovery Channel. In addition, all 3 seasons are available on the Sportsman Channel and YouTube.

“I wanted to show the underground of people in the community because there are so many different salty characters who I’ve met over the years in the fishing industry,” Honachefsky says. “Plus, I want to tell the story of the coastal community.” 

Besides the salt-of-the-earth anglers you’d expect to encounter, Honachefsky has some interesting guests, including Michael Mechiondo Jr. – aka Dean Ween – a founding member, guitarist, singer and songwriter of the New Hope alternative rock group, Ween. 

“He and I became friends in about 2005 when we met on an online fishing forum. One day I reached out to him, and he came fishing with me and stayed for 3 days straight,” says Honachefsky. “He’s become my righthand fishing buddy. I’ve fished with him more than anybody else, and his passion for it is equal to his passion for playing music.” 

Dean Ween and Honachefsky kicked off Saltwater Underground’s second season by fishing for fluke along the Jersey coast. But while fishing is the prime focus of the reality TV show, a cooking segment plays a prominent part.  

“We focus on the fishing and the character, but every one of my shows has a culinary segment,” says Honachefsky. “We’ve had my buddy Chef James Avery, who once was Gordon Ramsay’s sous chef on ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and currently owns the Barney Reed in Asbury Park. Then we had chef Josh Dechellis, he was with Wolfgang Puck, and he’s opened a bunch of restaurants in Tokyo, but he lives in Clinton and owns the Juniper Hill Restaurant there.” 

In each episode, Honachefsky goes fishing for a specific species and then meets up with a local chef to show how to clean, descale and cook the catch into a delicious dish. 

Other guest hosts include professional skateboarder Mike McGill and Matt Servitto, a Jersey actor well-known for his work as Special Agent Dwight Harris on “The Sopranos.” 

But when it comes to fishing, weather always has the starring role. There have been times when Honachefsky spent days on the water only to realize the fish species moved, or right before he plans to leave for a fishing trip, the weather takes a turn for the worst. 

“It’s a lot of hard work, but when it all clicks and comes together, it’s like a well-crafted musical score – everything just falls into place,” he says. “There’s so much uniqueness and magic in everyday life of fishing in New Jersey. There’s magic right in our backyard.”