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mjbarnes12

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As i said before, my all time favourite was "Angling", which had great writers like Clive Gammon, Dick Walker, John Darling, Ian Gillespie etc. (Most now sadly no longer with us) Unfortunately what distinguishes that magazine most now is the fact that it ain't here no more!

The sad conclusion has to be that the average mag buying angler doesn't really want quality. The average commercial water fisher wants a commercial mag, that tells him how to maximise his chance of potting a few pellet pigs, not something that talks about far flung places he'll never see and species he'll never catch.

 

 

Surely angling hasnt become so narrow? Even if some have surely enough would still be interested in an "old fashioned" type magazine to make it financially viable?

 

It was reading Angling and books like "Bill Keal's Book of Fishing" and seeing what diversity there was in the sport that made me want to try all these different things?

 

Yes some may never get of their backsides and try anything exotic but without the seed been sown then none of us would.

 

Or is the true all angler dead? Most of todays writers are very much one method/one species anglers and their writting obviously reflects this.The Angling Heros of my day were all to a degree all rounders. Our own Den being a prime example.

 

Ok I might have got off my arse and "pioneered" Spanish catting on a few rumours and a bit of luck but I doubt whether I would have trolled the lochs and loughs for Ferrox, lure fished for shark,or a countless other things that I have done after being inspired by magazine articles.

 

Angling magazine was certainly at the cutting edge for me when I had it. Dave Stuart building up his own salmon lure rods and incorporating ABU Speedlock handles,Jim Gibbinson writing about "light line codding" (which has now become very much the standard cod set up) Articles from Clive Gammon (I think?) about the "Rother Mulleteers" escapades with the rivers thin lips,Gord Burton ,John Darling some Darkin chap! Great and more importantly diverse stuff.

 

I just cant believe that all modern anglers wouldnt be interested? Plenty of people seemed interested in my more unususl fishing capers when I did slide shows regardless of what the actual show/talk was about or the type of audience!

 

Theres still plenty of us out here who do this sort of thing...............................maybe the magazines etc just arnt interested in us because due to the rather non mainstream things we do we are simply not known and therefore a "commercial" gamble? I dont know. Or is it because people who do anything unusual (as in anything not carp or match fishing!) dont tend to be any use to potential sponsers because of the limited market for the equipment they use? After all advertising still represents a massive part of any publications income.

 

It wouldnt bother me reading stuff from the Golden Oldies as I dont really care if its just about what they did then as it would still be interesting and I reckon help newcomers get a bit of a feel for the history of the sport and its development.

And thats my "non indicative opinion"!

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Your right. It's usually because they can provide regular copy, well written and with decent photos.

 

To assume that angling writers are the best anglers would be incorrect. But likewise they do have to be of a decent standard to be regular contributors.

 

 

I find this a somewhat contentious statement, 'well written and with decent photos', Ian Welch appears in a weekly and a monthly, and whilst I take my hat off to him as an angler, his articles and photographs seem more about self-promotion than anything else - and somewhat irritating. A good example for me about what you may be getting at is Marc Coulson's mag, Total Carp. It seems to me the best articles are those written by Marc - a journalist, rather than the angler himself.

 

Martin Bowler's and Matt Hayes's articles are rather florid in style and after giving us the pastoral setting, i'm usually getting to the point of falling asleep thinking 'for God's sake get on with it!'

 

The current angling writers I find head and shoulders above the rest are 'old school' writers like Jim Gibbinson and Tony Miles. Paul Boote may have left an impression on AN, not entirely for the positive, but he can write and his philosophy is to be admired.

This is a signature, there are many signatures like it but this one is mine

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The current angling writers I find head and shoulders above the rest are 'old school' writers like Jim Gibbinson and Tony Miles.

 

 

Two good examples of guys who can fish and write extremely well. And at the risk of being boring both good all rounders.

 

Magazine article writing and book writing seem to be very different things.For example I quite like the books from John Bailey (mind you they are mostly co wrote with some one else) but cant bear his articles. I thought Charlie Bettles articles in Coarse Fisherman were unforgivably poor and to this day will never uderstand how they got printed! but his books half sensible.

 

That said both Jim Gibbinson and Tony Miles seem to be able to do both admirably.

And thats my "non indicative opinion"!

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Surely angling hasnt become so narrow? Even if some have surely enough would still be interested in an "old fashioned" type magazine to make it financially viable?

 

It was reading Angling and books like "Bill Keal's Book of Fishing" and seeing what diversity there was in the sport that made me want to try all these different things?

 

Yes some may never get of their backsides and try anything exotic but without the seed been sown then none of us would.

 

Or is the true all angler dead? Most of todays writers are very much one method/one species anglers and their writting obviously reflects this.The Angling Heros of my day were all to a degree all rounders. Our own Den being a prime example.

 

Ok I might have got off my arse and "pioneered" Spanish catting on a few rumours and a bit of luck but I doubt whether I would have trolled the lochs and loughs for Ferrox, lure fished for shark,or a countless other things that I have done after being inspired by magazine articles.

 

Angling magazine was certainly at the cutting edge for me when I had it. Dave Stuart building up his own salmon lure rods and incorporating ABU Speedlock handles,Jim Gibbinson writing about "light line codding" (which has now become very much the standard cod set up) Articles from Clive Gammon (I think?) about the "Rother Mulleteers" escapades with the rivers thin lips,Gord Burton ,John Darling some Darkin chap! Great and more importantly diverse stuff.

 

I just cant believe that all modern anglers wouldnt be interested? Plenty of people seemed interested in my more unususl fishing capers when I did slide shows regardless of what the actual show/talk was about or the type of audience!

 

Theres still plenty of us out here who do this sort of thing...............................maybe the magazines etc just arnt interested in us because due to the rather non mainstream things we do we are simply not known and therefore a "commercial" gamble? I dont know. Or is it because people who do anything unusual (as in anything not carp or match fishing!) dont tend to be any use to potential sponsers because of the limited market for the equipment they use? After all advertising still represents a massive part of any publications income.

 

It wouldnt bother me reading stuff from the Golden Oldies as I dont really care if its just about what they did then as it would still be interesting and I reckon help newcomers get a bit of a feel for the history of the sport and its development.

 

I am with you on that Budgie, but try getting them into print, it just seems to be impossible these days.

 

Personally i find writing anecdotal stuff a whole lot easier than technical or instructional stuff, but in all honesty I think that books aside theres no outlet for it. Which is a shame.

Mark Barrett

 

buy the PAC30 book at www.pacshop.co.uk

 

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I can understand your frustration Mark as Im in a similar predicament all though in reverse! I want to write books but find writting technical stuff easier! I tried to do "story" books which people ask me to write but find it so hard as it isnt the normal thing for me!

 

One of the problems is that the stories people like me to tell/write about I dont find particularly interesting so when I do put them down on paper they seem rubbish! Was never any good at that "descriptive writting" lark at school either!

Edited by BUDGIE

And thats my "non indicative opinion"!

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I can understand your frustration Mark as Im in a similar predicament all though in reverse! I want to write books but find writting technical stuff easier! I tried to do a "story" book but found it so hard as it wasnt the normal thing for me!

 

:D:D:D:D

 

It'll come mate.

Mark Barrett

 

buy the PAC30 book at www.pacshop.co.uk

 

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Surely angling hasnt become so narrow?

 

Or is it because people who do anything unusual (as in anything not carp or match fishing!) dont tend to be any use to potential sponsers because of the limited market for the equipment they use? After all advertising still represents a massive part of any publications income.

 

I believe you've hit the nail on the head with that one paragraph Budgie.

 

Angling has succumbed to the commercialism that is prevalent in every part of today's society.

 

IMO, the tackle companies/commercial fisheries etc, exert control over most of the angling press, who in turn influence a large section of anglers, in where and how to fish, and what with. The commercial fisheries then provide the ideal places where the gullible can succeed with the tackle and methods. That is until the next 'new, revolutionary' bait, piece of tackle or method is 'discovered', and the cycle repeats itself.

No need to think, experiment, or even learn, you just follow the instructions, and you catch.

By the time these anglers 'catch on' and either give up, or try something different, the next 'batch' is coming 'through the ranks' to take their place.

 

That's business innit?

 

 

 

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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All,

 

I have read all five pages of this thread.

 

I am getting a little defensive. Exactly how smart do you have to be to carp fish?

 

Phone

Edited by Phone
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All,

 

I have read all five pages of this thread.

 

I am getting a little defensive. Exactly how smart do you have to be to carp fish?

 

Phone

 

Not very, but a whole industry has developed around the concept that you have to be.

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I read and have read scores and scores of angling books and countless magazines over the years. Writers like Peter Wheat, Clive Gammon, Martin Bowler, Richard Walker, Richard Barder, John Wilson and quite a few others all had, or have one thing in common, they didn't, or don't, give the impression of trying to tell us how good they are, or that they are so good because they use so and so tackle. For me a good writer doesn't take themselves too seriously, and many of today's crop do.

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