Why do so many anglers hate.....

dezza · Aug 1, 2011

Today's fishing magazines?

I can't help but notice the contempt which is often expressed regarding today's fishing media.

"Nothing more than comics." say many
"Run by a bunch of kids". say several
"I never read the magazines". is a common comment.
"I can get all the info I need off websites!"
"Too much advertising."

So why are the mags and papers so bad, and what would it take for you to buy them?

Over to you......

richiekelly · Aug 1, 2011

i dont buy angling mags any more because they are full of the same old thing, there is only so much you can write about angling.

Merv Harrison · Aug 1, 2011

the blanker said:
i dont buy angling mags any more because they are full of the same old thing, there is only so much you can write about angling.

That's the reason I won't buy weeklies, I now only subscribe to Coarse Angling Today, well written articles, well laid out format and adverts don't 'interrupt' articles.

barbelboi · Aug 1, 2011

I stopped buying angling weeklies some time ago and prefer to spend the money on a few good books instead. I do however subscribe to Coarse Angling Today for the same reasons as Merv.

sam vimes · Aug 1, 2011

I rarely buy magazines because I generally don't find anything much that interests me that I can relate to. As lovely as many of the southern rivers look, they bear almost no relation to the Swale. As great as some of the big southern gravel pits may be, they too bear little relation to any fishing available to me. That leaves commercials, which are generally the same wherever you go. As fishing commercials isn't really my thing, I'm not desperate to read about them.

However, even if all that were to my liking I still doubt that I'd buy more than the odd magazine. I find that there comes a point in your life where, although you don't know everything and old dogs can learn new tricks, you don't seem to learn as much as you used to from a magazine. If only a fraction of that information that you learned from is applicable to your fishing, then you may not have learned much of value at all.

One thing is for sure, I can't get worked up enough to hate the angling press.

elliottwaters · Aug 1, 2011

I wouldn’t say I “hate” the angling press as obviously many people buy and enjoy it, but personally I no longer do so given the incestuous relationship between the tackle trade, commercial fishery owners and the angling press.

Due to the economics of the print industry, papers cannot survive without advertising and the angling press is no exception. To attract the advertising the journalists have to give glowing endorsements of every bit of kit they use and every fishery they visit. I wouldn’t presume to say that tackle reviews and fishery visits are accompanied by freebies and hospitality to secure a favourable review, but anyone here who has worked in the media will know what I’m talking about.

The end result is basically a cross between a tackle catalogue and a fishery promotion flyer with articles about methods, tactics and baits that seem to be recycled every year. Perhaps its just me being a nostalgic old git, but I seem to recall the Angling Times in the 1960’s and 70’scoontaining helpful articles and thoughtful insights by the likes of Richard Walker, Maurice Ingham, Peter Stone, Fred J. Taylor and Bernard Venables who were not only superb innovative anglers but could actually write.

chav professor · Aug 1, 2011

i buy old fishing magazines from ebay - one of my favourites is simply called 'Angling'-game.coarse.sea...

ABC of eel fishing by John Sidley
Big perch and pike tactics by John Probert
The Wallis Centre pin Cast by Paul Boote
Fishing famous rivers -4: the Wensum by John Wilson
Gravel pit Chub by Peter Stone
Twenty Twenties! by Kevin Maddocks

these are the contents of simply one July 1978 and I can only be bothered to list the coarse fishing titles.....

I wish there was something similar today - the articles are very well written, there are photos - but not done by a professional - they look like they have been done by the writters themselves - Todays magazines are too much gloss and very short on info.

I resent buying a magazine that glorifies comercial fisheries - sometimes over half the magazine, and probably only one or two articals I am actually interested in.... Too many adverts - this takes up space where something usefull may be written.

I personally like the concept of a magazine covering sea and game fishing -really well.....Sea fishing is a great aspect to my sport. I have even dabled in game fishing.

NB: who remembers Peter Stone writting in 'Coarse Fisherman' - Nothing recycled about his articals!!!

I think in the 50's, 60's and 70's angling was lead by forward thinking anglers - these days it is lead by the tackle trade punting its wares........

itsfishingnotcatching · Aug 1, 2011

I don't hate Angling magazines and generally buy IYCF because compared to most contributors here, I have more to learn

I think the biggest problem lies in the fact that most mags are dependent on their major advertisers and this can create a dilemma when testing and reviewing new tackle or venues.

Perhaps those of us who post here could put forward there own revues of venues, just as items of tackle are regulally debated.

While essentially it will always be a matter of opinion, I find the views expressed here to be honest and unbiased i.e. having read Skippy's write up about Marsh Farm, if I was local to the venue I would at least have some idea of how to fish it.

Peter Jacobs · Aug 1, 2011

The only publication I buy regularly these days is Waterlog.

The weekelies and monthlies seem to re-hash old 'how to' articles, and there is a limit to how many plates of boilies/pellets one can stomach in pictures.

I don't need or want the Where to Fish guides either, I have my own chosen rivers and lakes to fish by syndication or membership, so the angling publications offer little for me.

Waterlog is totally different, decent writing by experienced anglers.

That said, each to their own I suppose, and I hope you enjoy your choices as much as I do mine.

Steve Pope · Aug 1, 2011

The key point is that there is always a new audience, things change!

No different with forums.

In my experience all the people I meet who are relatively new to barbel fishing enjoy what they read in the magazines and papers because its new to them.

The older more experienced guys have seen it all before and so are not particularly interested.

There is only so much you can write and the interest surely comes from new writers putting their own style across.

dezza · Aug 1, 2011

Peter Jacobs said:
Waterlog is totally different, decent writing by experienced anglers.

Strange articles by a load of weirdos.

Articles by "Gainsborough Leach"??????? Surely he can't be real?

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Aug 1, 2011

when I retuned to fishign I found IYCF a useful read but after a while you notice the same article re-written

How to plumb the depth, carp of the top, same shottign patterns

I bought Total Coarse for a while but found it mostly the same

Then had Total Carp for a year but again the same advice articles atarted to appear

now I buy the Anglind Star

Varied articles - good writters

rains · Aug 1, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
Today's fishing magazines?

I can't help but notice the contempt which is often expressed regarding today's fishing media.

"Nothing more than comics." say many
"Run by a bunch of kids". say several
"I never read the magazines". is a common comment.
"I can get all the info I need off websites!"
"Too much advertising."

So why are the mags and papers so bad, and what would it take for you to buy them?

Over to you......

In my eyes Ron they are over priced and too many advertisements if i need answers to my fishing problem or just a general read this website more then covers it for me the only fishing reading material i buy a proper fishing books magazines can not compete with the internet in my eyes

Peter Jacobs · Aug 1, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
Strange articles by a load of weirdos.

Articles by "Gainsborough Leach"??????? Surely he can't be real?

Unless you subscribe and actually read it Ron, then I doubt your comments carry any weight at all.

As I said though, I hope your choices bring you as much pleasure as mine do for me.

The current issue has articles on: A Passionate Angler, Char, a Magic rod and much more . . . . . .

dezza · Aug 1, 2011

Peter Jacobs said:
Unless you subscribe and actually read it Ron, then I doubt your comments carry any weight at all.

I have read WaterLog for over 4 years. And I have had an article published in it as well as a few letters.

How many articles have you had published in WaterLog Peter?

Jeff Woodhouse · Aug 1, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
How many articles have you had published in WaterLog Peter?

A challenge!

Fight starting in the playgroud, lads!!!!!

the indifferent crucian · Aug 1, 2011

Funny Ron should mention this today of all days.

I've just seen something new on here that reminded me of the angling press: An article littered with photographs carefully posed so we could see all the names of the products featured. I'd have known who penned it even if their name wasn't at the top

Still. At least I know how to catch barbel now,eh?

dezza · Aug 1, 2011

rains said:
In my eyes Ron they are over priced and too many advertisements if i need answers to my fishing problem or just a general read this website more then covers it for me the only fishing reading material i buy a proper fishing books magazines can not compete with the internet in my eyes

Just a point here, "Improve Your Coarse Fishing" is Britain's biggest circulation coarse fishing magazine with "Trout & Salmon" being the biggest game fishing magazine. Note that the amount of advertising in these two mags is huge compared to the rest of the publications. Both these magazines are owned by Bauer Media.

Matthew Nightingale (ACA) · Aug 1, 2011

...and yet curiously Trout & Salmon have real kit reviews and aren't scared to say if a piece of kit is poor whereas IYCF is just a collection of platitudes?

Angling Star for me.

Peter Jacobs · Aug 1, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
I have read WaterLog for over 4 years. And I have had an article published in it as well as a few letters.

How many articles have you had published in WaterLog Peter?

None at all Ron, sent a couple in about 3 years ago, not much interest t.b.h.

So, if you have read it for that long then I am surprised at your somewhat purile comments.

End of.

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