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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 24 Aug 2008, 06:11 • #26 
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Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
I'm like DT David, I love to read. And, what better to read than an article about something you love ... fly fishing. I quit subscribing because most magazines don't meet my specific interests or needs. That being said, I still crave pictures and tips and yes, sometimes a little destination article to help me dream about places I would like to go. Yes, most magazines focus on trout fishing. I suspect that the reason is excellent public relations jobs. When you think of trout you think of majestic mountains, fields of wild flowers, wildlife, huge beautiful fish and clear Rocky Mountain spring water. This is not to say that warmwater fisheries aren't as beautiful in their own way. Bulldog and many others here on the forum have shown some magnificent scenery and fish to die for. But when most people (at least people that I've talked to.) think of warm water fishing, it conjurs up images of NASCAR-like pro bass fishing, with lots of color and flash, big noisy boats and large crowds. Just the opposite reason why most of us fish. I suspect that advertisers and marketing genius' figured it out. From my perspective, you warm water guys ought to thank the lord that the advertisers and marketing people haven't discovered your secret ... imagine fishing your favorite stream with 50 or so of the great unwashed breathing down your neck ...

Yesterday I shared my favorite small stream hole with a visitor from Houston (not a trout fisherman) on one side and a newly arrived fellow from the Dallas area (not a fly fisherman) on the other. I spent the best part of my time teaching one guy how to cast and the other reading the water. What a blast.





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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 24 Aug 2008, 11:13 • #27 
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Joined: 07/17/06
Posts: 5599
Location: South Carolina
When I first started fly fishing I bought most issues of American Angler, Fly Fisherman, and Fly Rod & Reel ... but a few years into that I realized that they were regurgitating the same type of articles over and over on the same places and techniques. I leaf through most of the magazines now at the book store and usually get to read one or two articles that interest me.

The only magazines I usually purchase now are more "lifestyle" magazines and less how to such as Grey's Journal and The Drake. I really enjoy their articles and perspective.

I subscribe to Wild on the Fly but now sure if they are still working or not. I haven't gotten an issue for some time. I also very much liked Fish & Fly but I believe they folded in the last couple of months.

Right now I am really enjoying an online publication called This Is Fly. It has a fresh look and has a very cool feel to it.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 24 Aug 2008, 17:00 • #28 
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Joined: 05/01/08
Posts: 109
Location: New Zealand
I get Flytyer and have done so since it first came out in the new version. Managed to collect a lot of the older one as well. Great magazine. Also Flyfisherman which I don't really like anymore. However I have every issue since 1979 and quite a few of the very early ones as well so I knida feel I have to keep getting it to keep the collection going. IMHO it was at it's best in the '80s. Sadly past it's best now.

And I too am bored to death of big fish pics on the front cover. Some of the earlier FFM covers were great.

Was it a FR and R mag some yrs back that had the painting of a bear witha few tattered remains of a vest and a broken fly rod at it's feet? There was also another with a painting of a snake rearing up to bite. Great covers.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 26 Aug 2008, 01:14 • #29 
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Joined: 07/22/08
Posts: 54
Location: US-GA
I subscribe to Fly Tyer and that's it. Having worked for Fish & Fly (now folded) and Fly Fishing in Salt Waters, I can tell you, the fly fishing magazine business is tough to make a buck in - and complain as we like, somebody has to make money at it in order for them to stay in print, which means an awful lot of ad selling, from an awful small group of folks who can actually afford to purchase ads. The margins on fly equipment are very small, and since folks like TFO don't advertise, because they don't have to (they get tons of relatively free publicity all over the internet), you see the same guys, who are basically sponsored by the same advertisers - Sage, St. Croix, SA, Rio, Cortland, Pesca Maya lodge, etc. . . , writing the same articles, year after year.

I like Gray's for print, everything else can be found online for free. I sure do miss Charley Waterman and the like writing those great stories -


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 26 Aug 2008, 02:13 • #30 
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Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
The magazines that I the most useful and enjoy the most right now are the tying magazines. It's amazing the amount of talent that's out there. Tying has really become an art form.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 31 Aug 2008, 02:06 • #31 
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Joined: 11/10/07
Posts: 178
I subscribe to Northwest Fly Fisherman, it covers my area pretty well and seems to give accurate descriptions of the areas and fish. My biggest problem with all of the magazines is they seem to make the sport out to be a fashion contest and to see who can spend the most money. It appears to me that a vast majority of the people in the magazines have forgotten when, where and why we became fly fishers. Many of the magazines have forgotten the excitement that follows the first fish caught by a beginner or an outing with a dad and daughter. The magazines have done an outstanding job of promoting large companies, and a better job of turning people away from our sport because of the impression that you need high dollar gear to play, exotic destinations to travel to and the sport is very "technical", thus making it hard to learn. If we took half of the stories from this board and put them into a magazine format, we would all have a magazine worth reading.!


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 01 Sep 2008, 11:18 • #32 
New Member
Joined: 12/05/05
Posts: 11
At one time, I received all of the Abernaki products (Fly Tyer, WWFF, Saltwater Fly Fishing, American Angler) but when they killed Warmwater Fly Fishing, I cancelled all but Fly Tyer.


Last edited by BassYakker on 01 Sep 2008, 11:23, edited 1 time in total.

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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 04 Sep 2008, 15:55 • #33 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/30/08
Posts: 659
Location: Lincoln,CA
I too have subscribed to most at one time or another. When I first started fly fishing I learned a lot from them. After a while it seemed like the same articles re-hashed with a little new content. I still get one though, California fly fisher, it has a nice mix of trout, warmwater, surf, tying etc and it pertains to the area around me. A pretty good mag.

Mike


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 04 Sep 2008, 19:52 • #34 
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Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 706
Location: US-AK
After a bad day at the office nothing lifts my spirits more than to come home and find the current issue of Northwest Fly Fishing (or other similar publications) in my mail box. I head for the couch and go through it page by page. By the time I get to the last page I've forgotten all about the rotten day.

For this reason, and to make it through long, cold, dark, fishless winters, I still subscribe to several fly fishing publications. I don't even mind the advertising! I especially like the publications that have great photography.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 04 Sep 2008, 20:14 • #35 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2069
Location: Monroe, WA
used to read the fly fishing and tying journal religiously, but as i've allowed the subscription to lapse, i've found that i don't miss it much. i think forums like this fill the same need, but even do it better IMO.
-mike


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 05 Sep 2008, 04:20 • #36 
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Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
Hi Mike glad to see you again. I agree with you. Online web sites and forums have really taken the place of magazines. Of course I check out our site several times a day. There are others that I visit once a day. When I'm bored or looking for something specific I start googling and have found tons of information online. There are some fantastic sites out there and more arriving daily it seems. I get a big kick out of reading other forums, especially when someone asks a question about fiberglass or classic reels. More often than not, someone (maybe one of us) will respond with, check out this place they'll have an answer. The link leads you to Fiberglass Flyrodders! That's a real tributte to Tom, Bulldog, Cameron and all of our members. The destination threads posted here come with photos most times and first hand experience from guys like you and me. And, when I open FFR annoying subscription cards don't fall out all over the floor.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 16 Sep 2008, 01:58 • #37 
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Joined: 04/16/07
Posts: 1482
Location: US-MA
I buy magazines when I get bored ... or when I was in the airport waiting for my flghts ... I recently found the Australian FF Magazine "Fly Life" in my local Barns Noble. The print, the photos are great. But the price is double ...

BTW, I frequently buy books. I think the writings in books are better and more readable. Mark


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 16 Sep 2008, 05:06 • #38 
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Joined: 11/23/11
Posts: 570
The offshore magazines are always more expensive. I used to buy Max Power, a British Car mag and I used to pay roughly $9 per issue at Barnes and Noble, but if you want the content, you gotta pay the price.

I may buy a magazine for one article, like the sunfish article by Whitlock this year in FFM. I have read that article so many times I am considering laminating the pages to keep them from dying. The magazines now are all the same regardless of what is on the cover. Rods have to be faster and lighter, regardless of lack of feel, reels have to cost $400+ and have a multi-layer cork/rulon/teflon/conical drag that has outgoing click only, and fly lines, don't get me started on microreplication. It makes me laugh, just how foolish the magazines make the sport look. You have to have this Sage windstopper fleece sleeveless vest ($80 vs the Cabela's one at $29) and the G4 Simms $650 waders, when a pair of Hodgman breathables are just fine at 1/6 the price. I have a hard time seeing how this is conducive to growth in the sport to be honest. To make someone think that they have to spend $600 on a rod, $400 on a reel, $100 on a line, $500+ on waders, $150 on boots, $150 on a vest, and Lord knows how much on flies just to enjoy the sport is not going to make someone want to try it. I simplified it for myself. I carry two $10 fly boxes, tie my flies, use light rods and reels, a furled leader with a spool of tippet. That is what I use on a day to day basis. I can't see using a full vest to chase bluegill.

I think we could all get together and make a magazine about simplistic fly fishing. We could promote fanny packs and lightweight tackle, streamlining gear, and using the most effective means necessary to accomplish the same goal as the guy covered in $3,000 worth of gear.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 16 Sep 2008, 11:21 • #39 
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Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
Andy, for once I'm not going to argue with you. I think you've captured the feeling a lot of us have about what's happening or been happening with flyfishing and pushed by the magazines. None of the flyfisherman/women I know, myself included, would ever be mistaken for an "Orvis' model. (Substitute your favorite high end tackle supplier) I think perhaps that's why the magazines have started to bug me so badly. I don't want to know about the tweed and tam, bamboo tossing folks flying to Patagonia to catch their 2 foot long trout one after another. (Not meant to be a slam on anyone who fishes bamboo or goes to Patagonia.)


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 16 Sep 2008, 13:17 • #40 
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Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2069
Location: Monroe, WA
cofisher wrote:
Andy, for once I'm not going to argue with you. I think you've captured the feeling a lot of us have about what's happening or been happening with flyfishing and pushed by the magazines. None of the flyfisherman/women I know, myself included, would ever be mistaken for an "Orvis' model. (Substitute your favorite high end tackle supplier) I think perhaps that's why the magazines have started to bug me so badly. I don't want to know about the tweed and tam, bamboo tossing folks flying to Patagonia to catch their 2 foot long trout one after another. (Not meant to be a slam on anyone who fishes bamboo or goes to Patagonia.)

when are they gonna show the guy (or gal) fishing a full-flexing 6/7wt rod trimmed with gold thread and mylar wraps? maybe sporting a standard arbor reel with one of those bus-stopping click-pawl drag systems many of us relish?


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 16 Sep 2008, 13:24 • #41 
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Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
I don't know Mike but if I had the money I would produce a magazine with just that sort of cover and it would feature fishing (warm water and cold water) with those rods and classic reels. What's the population here on the forum ... hmmm.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 16 Sep 2008, 14:14 • #42 
Master Guide
Joined: 11/23/11
Posts: 570
Hmm ... Howard, I have an idea ... Pm me if interested.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 05 Oct 2008, 02:36 • #43 
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Joined: 05/18/06
Posts: 526
Location: US-OH
Well I just recently received the last issues of my subscriptions from Fly Rod & Reel, and Eastern Fly fishing. I have had a subscription to FR&R for at least 10 years. I won't be renewing either publication. I can say that Eastern Fly Fishing does have some very nice photography and even has some nice articles on places to go. The thing is though, that I don't have the funds to go to all these places, and the magazine is still primarily a trout magazine although they did have some decent articles about warm water species and destinations.

The feeling that I get from the mags is that they cater to people who prefer to fish for trout, and can afford that latest $700 carbon stick and the latest high dollar Large arbor reel.
They also cater to people that mostly travel to fish for trout. Most of the "Traveling" types are well off, they can go anywhere they want. I must admit that I like to read the occasional "Dream Trip" article, but I don't care to read about such things in every issue of a magazine. Am I ever going to make it to New Zealand for monster rainbows? NO I'm not. If I really want to catch big rainbows, I'll drive an hour to fish the Lake Erie tribs for steelhead. Am I ever going to make it to Kamchatka to fish for big rainbows? Nope. Again I can head to the tribs for big fish. Most of this travel fishing is about status, and I really don't give a crap if someone has more money than they can spend in a lifetime, and take trips all over the place.
I just don't care about fly fishing "Posers" or "Status seekers" or people that think that trout and salmon are superior to every other species of fish. It's this type of person that is actually helping to keep our sport in decline. If you don't believe me on that statement then have a talk with Joe Cornwall, he'll set you straight.

Fact is, I put more time on the water than many posers or status seekers, and I fish primarily for panfish. I'm just as obsessed with presentation and fly patterns as many cerebral trout guys. I'm obsessed with fly fishing, I build my own rods, I tie my own flies and experiment with new fly pattens or modify existing patterns so they are more useful to me.
I'm not a poser or a status seeker. I'm just a down to earth REAL fly fisherman. I don't need the fly fishing media to try and tell me who I should be.

J.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 05 Oct 2008, 05:30 • #44 
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Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
Jeremy I agree with you to a point, but there are many trout fisherman who will never get to the "destinations" that these magazines tout, will never fish with the latest, greatest graphite and don't look like Orvis models. Myself included. But, I think people still dream about it. As a trout fisherman, I don't look down on other species. If we are stay at home fisherman, we fish what's abundant in our waters. In my case that's trout. I've fished for bass and they are a great game fish. In the states where there are no trout to any great numbers, pan fish are the game fish of choice and a lot of fun to catch. And more and more people fishing for carp. There are many more everyday blue collar fisherman than "posers or status seekers". I guess the "posers' do have money to travel and buy the latest and greatest. I also guess that since flyfishing magazines run on advertising dollars that it would make sense that they cater to those people instead of those of us who fish old glass and antique reels ... many times tackle bought on the 2nd hand market hence no profit for makers.

Just because we fish for trout doesn't mean we look down on panfishers. I still say, as I mentioned earlier, that the problem is advertising. The trout fishing magazines cater to where the money is coming from; companies that spend millions to make millions on trout fishing. There is no profit for anyone in the marketing end of things to have a magazine with a carp and old vintage rods and reels on the cover. Pretty trout in crystal clear waters with snow covered mountain peaks are just more attractive to the casual fisherman. IT's all about profits and marketing.


Last edited by cofisher on 05 Oct 2008, 06:51, edited 1 time in total.

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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 05 Oct 2008, 06:19 • #45 
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Joined: 05/18/06
Posts: 526
Location: US-OH
Howard, my post wasn't directed towards you. If you got that idea then I apologize. Anyone who collects Wright & McGill rods is certainly no Poser or status seeker. Nor am I implying that folks who live in trout country and only fish local are those types either. While we are for the most part trout poor here in Ohio, I'm one of the ones who is close enough to trout that if I wanted to be, I could be a trout snob only ( at one point I was, I thought I had to be since the mags said so and the posers that hung out at the fly shop said so too.). Many of the guys that frequent the local fly shop wouldn't even think of fishing for panfish, bass, pike, etc here at home. No they will take the trips to trophy trout country instead. They make comments about how warm water fishing is somehow below them or it's dirty fishing and lump you in with the bait fishermen.
There is trout fishing in PA that is only 45 minutes away. I have trout fishing here in Ohio that is only 45 minutes away. Steelhead are only 45min to an hour away. I don't bother to fish for trout anymore at all. I believe they are over rated fish, nor are they superior to other fish. As far as fishing in areas that are just "Prettier", well I have opinions on that as well.
I fish local, I'm not likely in most cased to travel more than 20-30 minutes to fish. That is because I have 4 reservoirs all within 15 minutes drive, or I can just fish at home right here in my back yard. As for the Prettier opinion, I like to search out those out of the ordinary (for local water anyway) places to fish. I have found them here close to home. One such discovery was just last week in fact. The great thing is, is that it's within walking distance of my house.

I've apologized to Howard, so I apologize to anyone else who was offended by my previous post who are trout fishers, but are not posers or status seekers. To any posers or status seekers, I offer no apology.

J.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 05 Oct 2008, 07:04 • #46 
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Joined: 06/08/07
Posts: 2505
Location: Superior, Colorado
No offense taken J and no need to apologize. I understand the point you are making and on several levels I agree with you. My remark about prettier places was meant as an explanation as to what drives fly fishing magazines. Here in Colorado, the places trout live are prettier generally speaking than places where panfish and bass live. I've learned to appreciate via all of my warmwater friends here that warmwater fisheries have a charm and beauty all of their own. I don't think I've ever seen as pretty a water or fish than Bulldog has shown us in the most unlikely places (To me) as i've ever seen. I guess we can both agree that the flyfishing magazines cater to the people with money or the people who are easily fooled by tackle manufacturers Marketing ploys.

Just to show you there are no hard feelings J, I will be in Ohio next year to visit with my wife's family and I would be pleased to wet a line with you.


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Fly Fishing Magazines
Post 05 Oct 2008, 07:09 • #47 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/18/06
Posts: 526
Location: US-OH
Howard, just let me know the dates you'll be here, and we will schedule something.

J.


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