''Why''

[Tee-Cee]

swizzle...but we all started somewhere, didn't we ??

And what's with this word ' expert '....I'm okay with one and I get by well enough in that I can catch fish with one, BUT in terms of keeping up with Sam's style I'd probably fall short as well, simply because he uses one far, far more than I do !

I suppose I watched match anglers in youth to learn the basics and then developed my own style which suits me, just as everyone does...................

No different to me fishing the waggler float at distance, and then watching someone like Ivan Marks. A whole world of difference, but we can both do it. I'm just not as good as he was !!



ps I reckon that dorsetandchub is developing into a right trouble maker and sh*t raker ....still, the mods will keep an eye on him....( smilie(s) here )

pps tincatim............The last paragraph - absolutely dead right, so go for it!!

 

[dorsetandchub]

Grants

I thank you for those kind words. Having lived with the formidable Mrs S for so many bewildering years I am happy to accept them whatever the source.

To be honest I know I can write well enough to hold peoples attention and to maybe amuse them along the way. ....but I am not an innovator or a particularly deep thinker when it comes to me fishing so you'll not learn much from me in that respect. There is more to fishing than catching fish but it helps to catch a few too. That is what I meant by competing.....not competing in the truest sense but having enough to write about. Skippy's zander odyssey is something I've toyed with doing....from its origins via the legndary ( for me) meeting with " Big Dave in the car park at Bury Hill to where I am now.

Bear in mind please that I was a virgin predator angler let alone virgin zander angler on a completely unknown water and on me own. I've come on a bit I can tell you but to put things in context on a recent thread Derek put his specimen weight for zander at 13lb. My best is just over 10 so that illustrates I think the point I was making about people maybe feeling slightly intimidated about putting what they might consider their meagre (by comparison) efforts in print.

But I will give it some thought as I do miss the sort of stuff Sean Meaghan used to produce. We need more of that but I always prefer a good yarn to a " then I caught this" kind of thing. This is why I am an avid follower of the Binkster because as well as catching fish he can be guaranteed to break something or something ridiculous will happen to him. That's good copy.

And the photo of the method mould hooter is just genius. I nearly wet myself. That has to be worth an MBE for services to angling

I already knew (like you) that Binks is a good guy but you have to like someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously.

There was an American General in Vietnam (may have been Westmoreland) who said that if you have them the b3lls their hearts and minds soon follow. Didn't go down too well with Charlie but, to paraphrase him - if you start with their affection, their attention will follow.

If you build it, they will come....

 

[binka]

you have to like someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously.

There was an American General in Vietnam (may have been Westmoreland) who said that if you have them the b3lls their hearts and minds soon follow. Didn't go down too well with Charlie but, to paraphrase him - if you start with their affection, their attention will follow.

If you build it, they will come....

I reckon you've hit the nail on the head there Phil.

As soon as you start to take anything too seriously be it life in general, fishing, fora or whatever then in my experience you start to worry about things you really shouldn't and the whole thing ceases to be fun.

It's not always been the case for me, but I've learned

 

[greenie62]

... I reckon that dorsetandchub is developing into a right trouble maker and sh*t raker .......

Whatcha mean 'developing' ?!
Phil has proudly perfected his genetic traits to become the trouble-making maestro he is today! mg:
Good on yer la' :thumbs:

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Just tell your readers the fish were caught in Canada......

A former member caught a lot of fish in South Africa

 

[arthur2sheds]

I tend to post in the "How did you get on" page, as I can write fairly well (punctuation and grammar notwithstanding) and add the odd pic, and with over 53 years of fishing experience, and as a qualified coach, I feel I can help folk with advice on rigs methods and gear... I guess it's my way of putting something back... but I do feel that some of the antagonistic posting is driving folk away ......:wh

 

[theartist]

There will always be new posters just give it time. Some great anglers are not great writers and visa versa, most of us fall somewhere in the middle in both regards. I'd rather read something from someone enthusiastic which is written well enough to enjoy regardless of their angling ability.

There will always be the odd snipe here and there but compared to other forums it's pretty rare here and when you compare it to some non angling forums you'll notice the difference. Just look at the comments on you tube if ever you doubt the need for moderators.

They are a helpful bunch on here and most critisism is objective and reasoned, there's always going to be posts said in the heat of the moment that aren't thought through, taken the wrong way or just over the top - it happens.

Oh and take a bow the few who always do the welcome posts to new members for they will be posting soon

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Some people are exceedingly good "Fish Catchers", but when it comes to writing articles they are certainly not as good.

It helps to have an understanding editor who can look over the article, sort out the spelling and grammar, that way an article can be an enjoyable read.

Unfortunately this does not always happen and the article goes unnoticed, putting off the writer of such pieces.

I reckon everyone should have a go at writing an article if they have something to say and sure we are not all going to agree, but nothing ventured, nothing gained !!

Bob

 

[Steve Pope]

As someone who contributes quite regularly to FM with regard to articles it might be worth making the point that these features are read by many who do not use the forum and when I say many I mean just that!

The forum is for those who enjoy this sort of engagement, articles are something else, thats how I see it.

We all write in our own style and that in itself finds its own audience, and it is hugely satisfying when you meet someone on the bank who tells you they have read your work and have enjoyed it.

The more you write the easier it becomes although I have a deadline to meet ( Tomorrow) for the editorial piece I mentioned in my last feature and I haven't even started it yet!
It will get finished, an hour on the keyboard later this evening and the words will flow i'm sure.

Everyone has a tale to tell and just need to make that final push.

At the moment , I'm editing the Barbel Fisher magazine, helping along a much younger guy who will take it over once he understands the procedure, its not particualrly difficult as we use the wonderful CFN team and I'm hugely encouraged by the amount of new guys who have decided to get involved in writing - it bodes well for the future.

So, instead of chatting on here ( Insert a smiley face) take a short break and write a couple of articles, I know Cliff would be more than pleased!

That's my fishing head off for the day, have a boisterous four year old Aussie grandson to keep amused!

All the best.

 

[no-one in particular]

Theres always the good old spell check "ABC". it does not iron out everything but I am sure Cliff or someone would do a bit of fine tuning of needed.
And we aren't exactly The Shakespeare Society are we. language is only meant to be understood, that's the only criteria really; who cares about the odd miss-spelling or miss placed comma.
And content will always interest someone, I do not read the predator articles because I don't fish for them or some of the - the fishing worlds soon to end stuff (because someone told me on the millennium I was going to die on January 1st 1999 but I am still here, I still see him occasionally and he walks by me a bit embarrassed) but, some of it catches my interest and I am sure its the same for all members whatever the article.

 

[The bad one]

I tend to agree with Steve P. on this one, writing articles (I’ve wrote few on here over the years) isn’t that difficult, as you’re telling a story! As you would if you were telling it to someone on the bank - it has a beginning, a middle and an end. Look at it as a Ham Buttie.

The beginning is the introduction (bread) to where you fished, no need for names and pack drills - I arrived at the water (river, Stillwater, etc) if something out of the ordinary happened to you on the way there you may want to add it in the introduction. The introduction is the setting of the “scene”…. what the water was like when you arrived. Why you chose the swim you did…etc

Middle, is the succulent ham - how and why you set the trap you did, what you caught…. the green stuff and/or the mustard, etc, is how you caught it/them by changing tactics, doing something different. A conversation with a fellow angler that prompted the change you made. An observation you made that convinced you to make a change and so on.

The end (more bread) is your reflections as you’re writing it, at the time your putting it down. Eg, Had I not spoken to the guy I did, I probably wouldn’t have caught that fish or that bag of fish I did. There’s no shame in being honest about such things in my book.

As for the spelling, punctuation, paragraphs, setting out and all that lot, it’s the editor’s job.
Probably the easiest way to put basic paragraphs in it, is to section it up into the three headings I’ve described. The rest the editor can do.

It’s always a good idea to send the editor a few photos for him to put in as he sees fit.

Here’s an inspirational short tale for you. The legendary eel and pike angler John Sidley was terrible at all the above (spelling, punctuation, paragraphs, setting out), David Hall the editor of Coarse Fisherman would take John’s badly hand scrawled written manuscripts he sent him and make them into the wonderful articles (and they were wonderful that’s for sure) that appeared monthly in CF. I doubt John was the only one he did it for either!

 

[swizzle]

swizzle...but we all started somewhere, didn't we ??

And what's with this word ' expert '....I'm okay with one and I get by well enough in that I can catch fish with one, BUT in terms of keeping up with Sam's style I'd probably fall short as well, simply because he uses one far, far more than I do !

I suppose I watched match anglers in youth to learn the basics and then developed my own style which suits me, just as everyone does...................

No different to me fishing the waggler float at distance, and then watching someone like Ivan Marks. A whole world of difference, but we can both do it. I'm just not as good as he was !!



ps I reckon that dorsetandchub is developing into a right trouble maker and sh*t raker ....still, the mods will keep an eye on him....( smilie(s) here )

pps tincatim............The last paragraph - absolutely dead right, so go for it!!

I understand what you are saying Tee-cee, it just can be a bit daunting for a new member to post in fear of being put down, in the same way it would hold a new member back with writing an article, posting is one thing but writing a piece puts the writer far more into view and as a consequence they would be under far more scrutiny. The English 50 article is testament to that. The squabbles and difference of opinion is playground esque. But that will always happen I guess, too many people want to argue for the sake of arguing. That said I do enjoy reading the articles.

P.s. Hahaha, don't take my use of the word expert too seriously, I would view someone casting with a pin an expert as that in itself is a challenge for me mg:

 

[Harvey]

I vividly remember a new member who published a picture of a big roach lying on a concrete slab. This was a few years ago. He was immediately slaugthered, and he was never seen again.

I myself was at one stage so utterly p***ed off by a certain mad hatter, that I deleted all my posts, and swore to never, ever return to this forum. It took years before i came back.

So make it a friendly and welcoming evnironment, and live and let live. Accepting that the other guy is different from yourself, seems to be the hardest thing for mankind.

 

[Tee-Cee]

I absolutely take your point, swizzle.......


....and good to see you posting again, harvey ! '

As Robert Burns once wrote ' man's inhumanity to man '.........................

 

[Derek Gibson]

Would this be an opportune time for our editor Cliff to address some of the concerns outlined for our more reluctant contributors. And assure them of his support and guidance.

Just a thought.

 

[thecrow]

Would this be an opportune time for our editor Cliff to address some of the concerns outlined for our more reluctant contributors. And assure them of his support and guidance.

Just a thought.

I think he must have gone fishing, he has been very quiet lately

 

[dorsetandchub]

To requote Burns, I do hope somebody's not being a wee, timorous beastie

 

[arthur2sheds]

Blimey... the man deletes a few posts and the lynch mob are out....:wh so the man keeps his head below the parapet for a bitand he's still slatedmg:

Poor bu&&er can't winmg::wh (joke... for the uninitiated)

 

[Tee-Cee]

We have ' caption of the month competition ' with a bit of a prize, so why not similar for article of the month....tackle voucher or whatever might just get some response ?

I think what DG says is good; A ' how to go about it ' with said guidance ( to download ) might also help..................................

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

When Graham was in charge HE organised regular fishins that HE attended. He helped people at the fish ins and also brought along the odd freebies to give away such as FM caps, ground bait, line, etc.

It helped create the FM 'community' and brought people together in the real world...you soon realised that members are a lot funnier looking than you imagined.