Fly Fisherman

ezpickins

ezpickins

Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
215
Just took the latest issue out of the mailbox - I guess they don't want to overload us with content. This issue seems particularly light-weight (literally and metaphorically). Is it just me?

I haven't really liked it since the switch a while back. But this issue, in particular, is on the thin side.
 
I won't suscribe anymore.

When I first got it it was over 90 pages, and now it barely pushes 70; with the first 30 being letteres and comments.

Not worth the $12 a year anymore.
 
American Angler is a better magazine IMO, although I'm not really crazy about any of the fly fishing magazines anymore.
In fact I always wait awhile to renew my subscriptions after they expire. After a few months go by, they always lower the price to about half of what the "regular" rate is
 
the Drake is the best IMO
 
I let mine expire last month. The articles weren't that great anyway. "6 can't miss steelhead patterns" was just six pictures of a fly and a brief recipe on an otherwise unrelated article is a more recent annoyance of mine. And yeah, it is thin. I got a two year subscription at the outdoor show cheap two years ago (duh). Anyway, it went downhill then officially to garbage in that time. I leave them all next to the john or on the coffee table at the pulaski cabin I rent.

I read the mid atlantic guide and fly fish america because they are free, and any internet magazines that don't use that stupid click and drag page turn effect.
 
I also check out Fly Tyer on line and there are quite a few fly tying/fishing groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. They all have some value with tying advice and fishing advice.

I like to read Hatches whenever it is published. ALso Fly Rod and Reel is not too bad either.
 
I just got my new FF issue today. And it seems to have just as much fishing materiel as always. However, there was definitely a lot
less advertising in it
 
I agree that FFM has sadly deteriorated. I thought the present editor could save it, but he has fallen into the trap of almost strictly destination articles. The Stream Watch section is still good, though.
I think American Angler is worth the money. Fly Rod & Reel is changing; the recent issue was 100 pages, though, sadly, it was a destination issue. Still, there is hope if it continues to be that big. Supposedly, though, it is going to cut back to 5 issues this year and become quarterly, like FTJ is now, next year. Anyhow, AA and FR&R are worth reading, and I pick FTJ up off a newstand 2 or 3 times a year. I have never seen The Drake, nor do I know how to subscribe to it.
 
I dropped my subscription to FFM maybe two years ago because I too am not interested in destination articles. I also agree with rrt that American Angler is still worth reading. The best FF mag IMO is MAFF, and it's free!
 
I dropped mine because of all the destination articles and Barry Beck photos. The only destination mag I would get is Eastern Fly Fishing at least the places are close to home .


Oh on a second note is there going to be a lot of people going to stop buying Sage rods, because the Becks are now endorsed by Sage they were working the Sage both at the fly show . :-o
 
Fred-
Don't know if that's tongue in cheek, but if I didn't have a Sage already, I would not buy one just because of what you wrote. I will not buy another as long as Sage supports the becks. Hypocritically, since I like to read and buy ff mags, I, unfortunately, do see beck photos. I also contact the mags to voice my displeasure.
I, too, would have dropped my subscription to FFM, but I receive it as a gift every Christmas from two of my favorite people who do not fly-fish, and I do not have the heart to tell them that it's not worth their money b/c they mean so well. I continue to hope that FFM goes back to its roots and gets away from the type of mag it has become.
(I would love to buy/read L. Kreh's new book of memoirs, but b/c of his association with the evil empire, I will neither buy nor read it. Maybe that's my loss, and I'm sure Kreh doesn't care, but that's the way I feel.)
Sorry so long--again.......
 
Fredrick wrote:
I dropped mine because of all the destination articles and Barry Beck photos. The only destination mag I would get is Eastern Fly Fishing at least the places are close to home .


[color=FF0000]Oh on a second note is there going to be a lot of people going to stop buying Sage rods, because the Becks are now endorsed by Sage they were working the Sage both at the fly show .[/color] :-o


The Becks have been associated with Sage for a long time. They were a Sage dealer in their fly shop in Benton and even before they sold their store, they were on the Sage advisory board and fished with and promoted their rods for as long as I can remember.

Barry has always promoted tying and fishing wooly buggers. I think I'll empty my fly box of buggers and burn all my marabou. Also I'll close my eyes when I inadvertently see the cover of FFM with a Beck photo. Perhaps we should boycott the book stores and news stands until put a plain wrapper over FFM like they do with the porn mags. ;-)
 
afishinado wrote:
Fredrick wrote:
I dropped mine because of all the destination articles and Barry Beck photos. The only destination mag I would get is Eastern Fly Fishing at least the places are close to home .


[color=FF0000]Oh on a second note is there going to be a lot of people going to stop buying Sage rods, because the Becks are now endorsed by Sage they were working the Sage both at the fly show .[/color] :-o


The Becks have been associated with Sage for a long time. They were a Sage dealer in their fly shop in Benton and even before they sold their store, they were on the Sage advisory board and fished with and promoted their rods for as long as I can remember.

[color=FF0000]Barry has always promoted tying and fishing wooly buggers. I think I'll empty my fly box of buggers and burn all my marabou. [/color] Also I'll close my eyes when I inadvertently see the cover of FFM with a Beck photo. Perhaps we should boycott the book stores and news stands until put a plain wrapper over FFM like they do with the porn mags. ;-)

Tom you could you give them to me so sense burning them . I will fish them as long as they don't put the Beck's on the payrole :roll:
 
If so inclined- you can peruse all these at your liesure at Barnes and Noble. Then you can decide if you want to buy them or not.

One can only assume I am helping them with their business model buy sitting in the chairs they provide right next to the magazine rack.

Cept for the Mid-Atlantic of course.
 
Interesting post on the fly fishing magazine business:

http://troutunderground.com/2010/02/01/fly-fishings-magazines-are-feeling-the-affects-of-recession-and-online-competition-which-of-them-will-survive/
 
I don't mind a mix of destination articles, if they are reasonable. But I'm probably not heading to South America any time soon (any of you headed to Bolivia?). There were two pieces about fly fishing South America in the latest Fly Fisherman Mag. Give me something I can use.

I guess I'm not in the demographic they're targeting.
 
Mungerfish,

Nice Pick! Tom Chandler at Troutundergound has some really great articles and this one really certainly is a good read "Fly Fishing’s Magazines Are Feeling the Affects of Recession and Online Competition. Which of Them Will Survive?"

Dave
 
dkile wrote:
Mungerfish,

Nice Pick! Tom Chandler at Troutundergound has some really great articles and this one really certainly is a good read "Fly Fishing’s Magazines Are Feeling the Affects of Recession and Online Competition. Which of Them Will Survive?"

Dave

Dave,
I agree - good read if you're interested in the FF media world; the relevancy and change seen in print magazines in recent years; competition from the web; and potential role of Twitter and similar social media to integrate into the FF media orbit.
Thanks Mungerfish.
 
Regular guys blogging or posting in forums such as this provide information that is more relevant, timely, nearly as polished, sometimes more polished, and honest (as in not beholden to advertisers) than most of what the magazines put out. And, magazines are irksome in that they always seem to throw the free lance jobs to the same people who rehash what everybody already knows. And by default magazines are stale, since a magazine needs 6 months or so lead time for publication.

No contest really, especially in a dynamic sport like fishing.

I am more concerned about the insufficient monetizing for the online content than I am about the magazines. Maybe after a couple of big magazines go under there will be more ad dollars to go around.
 
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