WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' FISHIN' POLES...

ANIMAL PLANET'S BEST DEBUTING SERIES EVER, "HILLBILLY HANDFISHIN'", RETURNS WITH ALL-NEW EPISODES BEGINNING FEBRUARY 8

- Catch Up on All the Action with a Primetime Marathon of Your Favorite Handfishin' Moments Leading Up to a Brand-new Episode at 10 PM ET/PT -

(NEW YORK) - Skipper and Jackson are back in business and looking for crazy city slickers ready to stick their hands and feet into murky underwater caves, hoping to pull out the monster of all catfish. And although the best handfishin' occurs in the summer waters of Oklahoma, Animal Planet is heating up your winter blues with a HILLBILLY HANDFISHIN' marathon on Wednesday, February 8 starting at 8 PM (et/pt), leading up to a brand-new episode at 10 PM (et/pt). Additionally, three new episodes follow on Sundays at 8 PM (et/pt), beginning February 12.

The August 2011 series debut captivated 1.5M P2+ viewers and ranked as the network's best ever. Each episode of HILLBILLY HANDFISHIN' features a new group of thrill-thirsty characters from all walks of life, looking to get out of their comfort zones and into the mouths of monster catfish. This winter, Skipper and Jackson have a go with rockers from New York, country cops from Louisiana, Las Vegas showgirls and a mother-and-son team itching to make the biggest catch of the day. But it's up to Skipper and Jackson to lead these city slickers to the fish before the fish find them!

Highlights from the new episodes include the following:

· Two models from Massachusetts discover they have more to be aware of than just catfish when they come face to face with a surprise that takes them far from designer clothes and fashion shows.

· Two French chefs from Washington, DC, know their way around a fish in the kitchen, but when they move into Oklahoma waters, can they handle a live catfish encounter?

· Looking to re-spark a rocky relationship, a couple from Baltimore hopes this trip of a lifetime is enough to save their marriage. But who will bring in the biggest catch?

HILLBILLY HANDFISHIN' is produced by Half Yard Productions for Animal Planet. Sean Gallagher and Abby Greensfelder are executive producers for Half Yard Productions. Keith Hoffman is executive producer for Animal Planet.