TACKLE REVIEWS

[Matthew Nightingale (ACA)]

I buy most of the mainstream game and coarse fishing mags and something I've come to notice is that the game mags (T&S, Fly Fishing and Fly Tying) are quite willing to make unfavourable comments about a piece of kit. On the other hand the coarse magazines (including my favourite - Coarse Fisherman) will never say a word against any of the kit. Presumably both types face the same pressure from advertisers etc. but only one type seems willing to take a robust approach.

 

[Beecy]

this winds me up too Matthew.

I only buy one mag, Angling star. They are terrible for this, they often even put a review out even though they have obviously not even tried the product, and just repeat the products own marketing blurb

 

[Quiver man]

I've found Total Course Fishing in the early issues quite robust, but seems to be waning recently, which is a shame. Having said all that, is there really such a thing as bad tackle now ? Issues over quality control maybe, personal preference definately, but bad ? I'm not sure.

 

[Matthew Nightingale (ACA)]

If you compare a batch rod review (15' salmon rods, river float rods etc.) in T&S with one in CF the former will give stars and come out with best buys etc. Nothing remotely like that in CF.

 

[Gary Dolman]

Aren't most of the reviews about a rod/reels suitability to carry out a particular task, and by default most of the tackle is fit for purpose. It also depends on the reviewers preferences, some may like a stiff tip action rod for example whilst another may prefer more of a through action.

I know a few of the subscribers on here would rather pay "top whack" for their tackle, whilst others are less discerning.

 

[Donald Bain]

Quite simply, the advertising revenue gained by AT and AM is vital for their Cash Flow, they cannot afford to upset the paymaster!
There is more independence in smaller mags that are not so tied to product advertising.

 

[Matthew Nightingale (ACA)]

But presumably the same is true of the game magazines?

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

You will find some true reviews here on FM, the mags make me laugh when they say first Impression, same thing all the time, great bit if kit, great for the price, you will need one of these.

I bought a Free Spirit Bivvy, all the mags said it was top class, well what a load of rubbish. It has to be one of the worst buys of tackle I have ever bought, it weighs a ton, not very stable, unless it has the zip in door, never had so much condensation in a bivvy before. Had I known this in the first place, I wouldn't have bought it, tell the mags what you think of their reviews, and you don't even get a reply.

The mags need the money, simple as that, but good on the game mags for telling it as it is.

 

[S-Kippy]

I agree the game mags are,on the whole, a bit more balanced in their reviews but they are not beyond being cute either.What niggles me is what makes it into the reviews....Yes you need a broad range but frankly some of them are a bit like "Now 163"...there's 3 you like,3 more you think you've heard of and the rest are fillers.

I know we cant have the "big boys" head to head all the time but I too have fallen for the "best in test" that turned out to be a crock of sh*te.Moral ?Go and have a look first !

Airflo lines are a good example.Every time [about every 6 weeks it seems] a new revolutionary range of lines come out and various faces appear saying how fantastic they are but I've never yet met anyone who had a good thing to say about an Airflo line.

Personal choice counts for so much.My mate swears by Sage & Orvis Fly rods but I wouldn't grow beans up either of them.

Skippy

 

[Quiver man]

And another thing. IYCF is the worse for this bit but why do they say - "it feels like a rod/reel/pole twice the price"

Which one ? Which £400 pole or £150 reel isnt as good as a £200 pole or a £75 reel ? Name names or tryy and come up with something less cliched.

 

[Wolfman Woody]

Some manufacturers are a little 'touchy' about the write-ups of their products. I've trodden on a couple of toes writing for FM and I guess that was the end of any samples for "testing".

There's a couple of tests that will never see the light of day simply for the fact that I sent them to the manufacturer first to see what they thought. It wasn't a "Don't you dare print that...." threat, but more of a plea to not print it. Fair enough, but punters (you lot) are A) not aware that the product exists even if it is poor and B) because it is considered poor you will need to avoid it, maybe.

I've tried to be truthful and when one manufacturer asked "Why haven't you given it a 10?" I had to say that his product wasn't new, wasn't groundbreaking, wasn't even a bargain and therefore wasn't truly great value for money. So I'd scored it a 9, which to me means, it's an excellent product at a fair price, but one that you could find some competition to if you look around.

The '10's are only reserved for something pretty unique in my book. Is that fair?

.

I couldn't give a ..................

 

[Phil Lambert]

Whilst fully appreciating that all mags, weeklies and monthlies, rely heavily on advertising revenue, particularly in these cash-strapped days, you can't help but feel that occasionally a more objective review would be helpful. In my reviews in FM I have given praise where due and been critical if necessary. A trait evident in most of the reviews on this site.

Publications have a duty to tell us 'how it really is' particularly as so manynow buy mail order without actually handling the gear. Mayhap it's a lesson to us to go and support our local tackle shops where we can at least pick up the bit of kit and wave it around. Personally I regard magazine reviews as a 'pointer' that an item may be worth looking at, but I certainly wouldn't purchase a major bit of kit without first having a good shufty. The latin 'caveat emptor', buyer beware, is worth stressing in mail order purchasing.

'Feels like a rod costing twice the price....'. Yeah, right, but what price? An over inflated RRP which allows the retailer to offer a drastically reduced 'special offer'? A rod selling for £50 with an RRP of £100 is still a fifty quid rod. If you bought it for £50would it feel like a rod costing twice as much? Only you, the buyer, can decide if you have a bargain on your hands or whether you have succumbed to the manufacturer's cunning plan.

I read tackle reviews avidly. It gives me an idea of what might be worth taking a look at as well as showing me the latest innovative products. But would I buy a majoritem based on a publisher's review alone? Absolutely not.

 

[Donald Bain]

I used to do tackle reviews for a local free press paper here in Sheffield, it was great because I had no pressure put on me from the manufacturers for the simple reason that they did not advertise.

However, I did get a few aggrieved phone calls from some who got hold of my reviews!

 

[Matthew Nightingale (ACA)]

I think the business about 'feels like a rod twice the price' is all to do with the fact that they are stuck for things to say! If you look at the quotes in bold at the bottom of CF rod comparisons (for example) they come out with the most simplistic comments all because they can't say anything that might even vaguly sound like 'good'; or even worse 'bad'.

I'm coming to the conclusion that they had best just do a listing or rods or reels or whatever and make no comment at all; just say here's a collection of what's on the market at the moment.

 

[Paul C]

I've stopped buying magazines and it's largely because the commercial side is driving them, which makes me sceptical of everything the promote in reviews or articles.

How many others have also stopped buying or will stop buying is the question?

They might need the advertising revenue, but if readers get fed up with biased reviews and articles pushing bait products and the like, then it's a downward spirral, as the readership is surely more important than anything? The advertisers won't be interested whenthe audience is gone.

I got fed up seeing a review of a rod that got top marks and then two pages later, amazing.... a full page advert of the very same rod!

 

[John Heelis]

I must say that i have given up buying magazines, and it is due to all the advertising and slighty biased reviews. The only time I will buy one nowadays is if someone has pointed out a feature or the cover story looks of interest.

Generally, I find that the reviews that are posted on forums are usually a true measure of the product. That said I do go into the local tackle shop and have a look for myself. What suits one person may not suit another, or my style of angling.

I did buy one of them "Amazing baits the next best thing" once. And my god it was amazing, the fish thought it was so good they waited for me to go home before feeding on it!

Now, I take my advice from the forum. that's why i joined. (plus it's easier to understand from you lot)

 

[Phil Lambert]

GM, if ever there wasproof thatyour fight to save this site was justified and worthwhile, John's last sentance just about covers it.

Spot on John.

 

[Gary Newman]

I review quite a bit of tackle for Angler's Mail and would never put a review in unless I'd actually used the stuff. Our New gear section is our first impressions on new items, these will then be tested longer term.
The reason that you won't see negative reviews is that they are largely pointless. It is of no use to our readers telling them what not to go out and buy, far better to recommend something that is good. If something is no good then it doesn't get included - and yes obviously this is partly to keep advertisers happy as well.
From my own perspective, if i don't like something then I'll mention it in the review and mark the product down accordingly.
You are always going to get someone who has bought a product after reading the review and then has a bad experience with it due to some sort of fault, which could happen with anything that you buy anyway.

 

[Tony Rocca]

Gary,

If your first loyalty was to the reader, as it should be, you would print bad reviews to warn them what not to buy.

Just because something has not been reviewed in AM doesnt mean that folks wont go out andbuy it. Your "largely pointless" remark is nonsense.

Bad show I think, but reflects the state of things these days.

 

[Donald Bain]

I stopped buying the AT and AM years ago, too full of bias towards carp and the South! No offence to my friends in the South but these magazines raely seemed to venture "up't North." Only old Bob Roberts seemed to keep the flag flying!

I did enjoy the East Midlands Angler and its sister paper, Northern Angler but they sadly went out of business. But they told us about the area in which we lived as well as giving the national perspective...sounds a bit like FM?