Tee-Cee
Senior Member
Two sides to every story!
I agree totally with Chefster's first paragraph; As anglers become more experienced (and get older) the need to read fishing publications probably reduces dramatically until they realise that much of what they is either repeats or nothing to do with the particular branch of the sport they are interested in.
As a young chap I used to buy every publication known to man to quench my thirst for knowledge, and without doubt, it helped me tremendously. I wanted to catch big fish so what better way than to devour everything written by the likes of Taylor(s), Stone, Walker and later, Bailey and others like Wilson PLUS a host of match anglers such as Marks et al...............
I grew up with little money available for fishing equipment and many's the time when a single float had to suffice for rivers or stillwaters so reading what the 'experts' had to say gave me the 2nd best option of gaining 'experience' via the written word.
It was they that taught me how shotting worked and for what float, it was they that taught me the basics of floating baits and ledgering etc etc. The list I endless...
Ivan Marks and all those other fine match anglers who fished matches along side him imparted so much knowledge every week, (plus the little extras like free floats from people such as John Dean and Marks) that I could hardly keep up with all those 'weeklies' offered'
To this day, along with my own interpretations of how to solve a fishing problem, I still refer to cuttings and books from that time....
So, in my opinion, it is quite wrong to suggest that they are a waste of time and/or a waste of money. To those who know, (or think they know) everything about our sport I can fully understand why they have become 'surplus to requirements', BUT for those new to the sport, and are willing to learn, and crave the same knowledge I wanted al those years ago, I say go forth and buy all you can and devour all they have to offer. Eventually you will sort the wheat from the chaff and decide who offers the info best suited to you.
I use 1,5lb bottoms to 18 hooks, I use a 6 tied to heavy line, and I know WHY I do so. I understand how baits and groundbaits work simply because of what I learnt all those years ago, and although I don't read any publication now I shall always be thankful that I did !!
You only have to read some of the questions on FM to see how some struggle with different methods simply because the don't have the background knowledge. Reading weeklies, at least in the beginning, can only HELP set new fishermen on the right track...
Ask yourself the question - How do you explain 'balanced tackle' to young anglers? Yes, you can say "just do what I do" (or say), BUT surely, they, if they are interested, need words and diagrams to really believe what it means.
Did I take notice of my father over what I read - no, I followed the experts every week!!!
So don't knock these publications out of hand................They may not help YOU anymore (which I doubt!), but they can, and will, help others.
That's me done for the day...........................................
I agree totally with Chefster's first paragraph; As anglers become more experienced (and get older) the need to read fishing publications probably reduces dramatically until they realise that much of what they is either repeats or nothing to do with the particular branch of the sport they are interested in.
As a young chap I used to buy every publication known to man to quench my thirst for knowledge, and without doubt, it helped me tremendously. I wanted to catch big fish so what better way than to devour everything written by the likes of Taylor(s), Stone, Walker and later, Bailey and others like Wilson PLUS a host of match anglers such as Marks et al...............
I grew up with little money available for fishing equipment and many's the time when a single float had to suffice for rivers or stillwaters so reading what the 'experts' had to say gave me the 2nd best option of gaining 'experience' via the written word.
It was they that taught me how shotting worked and for what float, it was they that taught me the basics of floating baits and ledgering etc etc. The list I endless...
Ivan Marks and all those other fine match anglers who fished matches along side him imparted so much knowledge every week, (plus the little extras like free floats from people such as John Dean and Marks) that I could hardly keep up with all those 'weeklies' offered'
To this day, along with my own interpretations of how to solve a fishing problem, I still refer to cuttings and books from that time....
So, in my opinion, it is quite wrong to suggest that they are a waste of time and/or a waste of money. To those who know, (or think they know) everything about our sport I can fully understand why they have become 'surplus to requirements', BUT for those new to the sport, and are willing to learn, and crave the same knowledge I wanted al those years ago, I say go forth and buy all you can and devour all they have to offer. Eventually you will sort the wheat from the chaff and decide who offers the info best suited to you.
I use 1,5lb bottoms to 18 hooks, I use a 6 tied to heavy line, and I know WHY I do so. I understand how baits and groundbaits work simply because of what I learnt all those years ago, and although I don't read any publication now I shall always be thankful that I did !!
You only have to read some of the questions on FM to see how some struggle with different methods simply because the don't have the background knowledge. Reading weeklies, at least in the beginning, can only HELP set new fishermen on the right track...
Ask yourself the question - How do you explain 'balanced tackle' to young anglers? Yes, you can say "just do what I do" (or say), BUT surely, they, if they are interested, need words and diagrams to really believe what it means.
Did I take notice of my father over what I read - no, I followed the experts every week!!!
So don't knock these publications out of hand................They may not help YOU anymore (which I doubt!), but they can, and will, help others.
That's me done for the day...........................................
mg:
