Ron,
I haven't seen the show, but I have seen the shows where, as you said, they simply drag small bass across the surface with a "winch"! If that is sport, it's news to me. I saw the "yellowhaired guy" mocking flyfishers by imitating "flycasting" with a spinning rod while fishing a river. I say "To each their own" & if you are not "into" a particular type fishing, just leave it alone.
We all know how great flyfishing is, don't we?
Mike