This may sound shameless :tooth: but it's really not. I want to know what those of you who read The Fisherman have thought of the magazine since I took over last August at issue #38. My big thing is trying to diversify the content by drawing from more than just the core species of saltwater and the filling in with the other things (freshwater, offshore, travel, etc.). Now that I've finally hit some calmer seas, I'm looking for input, feedback, atta-boys (and WTF's!) I want to know what you guys want to see more of, less of, things that have been missed and things that are ovedone.
This is your chance to make changes to the magazine.

Also, I'm interested in talking with people who are interested in trying their hand at writing a story or two. One thing that I have found, using the few new writers I've picked up so far, is that having new voices brings new opinions and angles into the editorial which, in-turn makes the overall voice of the Fisherman sound different. So please don't hesitate to approach me with story ideas at any time.

I think you'll all be happy to see some of the fellow S-Bers that I've picked up recently filtering in in the next few months. So please, hit me with it all, feel free to post here, PM me or email me at danderson@thefisherman.com.

Thanks.
-Dave :angel:

I know distribution has nothing to do with your position, but WTF. Used to be every Wed for me, now some weeks I don't even get one. Close to dropping mag for this reason alone. I do like the 30yrs ago bit.

I know distribution has nothing to do with your position, but WTF. Used to be every Wed for me, now some weeks I don't even get one. Close to dropping mag for this reason alone. I do like the 30yrs ago bit.

Me Too I used to blame the mailman, but we now have a mailwoman and I know she has no interest in fishing!:err:

I think you have been doing a great job Dave...mag looks good! :tooth:

Got it for yrs and yrs. Dave .. started throwing them away without reading them so cancelled . I think you recruiting fellow SBer's is a great idea. Internet is hear to stay, so might as well go with it ,, Take some peeps from it .. Now you have my interest .. Thats why I get OTW is to read about people from the sites advetures . Dave .. you got some real characters here .. I'm like the only normal one ..

The content of the Fisherman has greatly improved over the past few months.

I'm like the only normal one ..




:hihi:

Tagger if you are the "only normal one" we are all in trouble!:laugha:

Oh Ed, you really know how to make me laugh! Normal :hs:

On the distribution end, we fight this battle almost daily! It stems from the Providence Mail Dist. Center, for some reason certain types of mail get held up there... The Fisherman... along with Reader's Digest and several other publications get eaten and they WILL NOT give us a straight answer.


The best advice I can give is to call 860-572-0564 and ask Kat to put you on the Mail-Watch list. Or email her at ksmith@thefisherman.com. We'll send the magazines 1st class to you for a period of 6 weeks and give your info to the Postmaster General and he (or she) will then take special care to find the root of your specific problem.

Also, I might suggest emailing the living daylights out of the Postmaster General in Providence... perhaps then they'll wake up. ronald.a.drucker@usps.gov is his email

Believe me, it's the one thing that drives me right out of my mind here and the general consensus is that there's nothing we can do---I don't believe that for a second! That's one of my goals for 2008 is to figure that out and fix the problem---I just hope I can do it!

One thing that I kind of miss is the Hot Spot on the inside back cover... maybe people were getting mad that spots were being burned or if there just were no more spots to represent.... if there was one thing that would be neat to have in an issue every month would be how to effectively use a different plug each month at the end of the month or what have you. Say you had a pencil popper... what type of retrieve works best, what the best scenario to use it in would be, and how to work the rod when using the lure. I think many people would love a weekly/monthly update on a new or different technique.... and it wouldn't have to be lure... could be bait as well. Just a suggestion. I do love your magazine though.


mike

Mike, (Gunpowder)

The Hotspot will be back in April, we just take the winter off with that portion of the magazine and the plug and other technique articles are a great idea (with some already in the works). Thanks for the input.

You seem pretty normal to me:huh:

Cellar Dwellers ... You know them Dave .. New one each month , or every other .. . Guys who throw wood all winter trying to perfect thier creations .

Dave, if possible, I'd like to see a "old school" article each month or so......something that was run 15-25 years ago from which a new generation can learn. That Pichney piece was a great read, there must be volumes of similar stuff that deserves to see the light of day once more.

I want to see more skin..:angel: and I don't mean Clammers :bshake:
:wave::rolleyes::humpty:

I know distribution has nothing to do with your position, but WTF. Used to be every Wed for me, now some weeks I don't even get one. Close to dropping mag for this reason alone. I do like the 30yrs ago bit.



I let my subscription lapse a year ago for the same reasons !:realmad:

In the old fishermans there was a illustrated page with tips and hints, great thing for those of us who are more visual than literal. There is a reason for the popularity of cartoons.

Oh Ed, you really know how to make me laugh! Normal :hs:

On the distribution end, we fight this battle almost daily! It stems from the Providence Mail Dist. Center, for some reason certain types of mail get held up there... The Fisherman... along with Reader's Digest and several other publications get eaten and they WILL NOT give us a straight answer.


The best advice I can give is to call 860-572-0564 and ask Kat to put you on the Mail-Watch list. Or email her at ksmith@thefisherman.com. We'll send the magazines 1st class to you for a period of 6 weeks and give your info to the Postmaster General and he (or she) will then take special care to find the root of your specific problem.

Also, I might suggest emailing the living daylights out of the Postmaster General in Providence... perhaps then they'll wake up. ronald.a.drucker@usps.gov is his email

Believe me, it's the one thing that drives me right out of my mind here and the general consensus is that there's nothing we can do---I don't believe that for a second! That's one of my goals for 2008 is to figure that out and fix the problem---I just hope I can do it!


Put the mags in cheap tubes and you are good to go or even manilla envelopes. I had OTW for 7 years and was always getting it late (lived about 10 miles from them) and torn or beat up....so I dropped it.

I wouldn't subscribe to this magazine for this very reason.
I was getting OTW delivered at a po box so quickly the ink was still wet.
The manilla envelope sounds like a good idea.

Good luck

Dave - sorry to have added to the ruckas. BUT I have to thank you for coming forward with an explanation. You are the first one to let the readers know what is happening with the distribution.:kewl:

The mag is coming along just fine. Keep up the how to sections. no matter how many years people have fished there is always something new to learn. Perhaps one on making molds for tin?:musc:

Love the NE Fisherman Magazine..Much better than the NJ counterpart..U have done a great job Taking over for Zach...Ur plug building article a few weeks ago was a good one..Ya, I never know when they are coming but who cares.There's not really any time sensitive material that U could not get from the previous weeks mag.I rarely pay any attention to reports..I make up my own reports..A few weeks ago I had a two week stint without a computer. I brought several of ur mags to read.I have to say I enjoyed the writings of T.C.,Zach.And Mr Soares in the report section..I look forward to re-upping my subscription this yr..
Hope fully it will be in person..See ya then..

secret spots should only be seen appear via blacklight ...

otherwise it should just look white (invisible)
lol

or seen as much as Ross is. :wave:

Terrible.
stop hiring such hack writers :D

Dave, it looks good. keep it up!

I was going to mention the fact that sometimes I don't receive my issue, but it looks like you're on top of that. Otherwise it's a great magazine, I'm just coming to the end of my first year of subscribing and have renewed for next year. I agree with some of the other posts, like to see articles on technique with different plugs as well as how to's on things like eeling (shore and boat), fishing with live pogies, etc. Keep up the good work, I look forward to seeing what you produce in the coming year!

Dave, hat's off for starting this thread.
It takes stones to ask John Q Public if he's
happy with something that you provide.

Even more so within this motley crew.
I am with NIB, the time of arrival is not so important to me,
just so long as it arrives. Sounds like you're all over it anyway.

The very fact that you care about your product enuff to ask, speaks volumes for the direction the magazine is going and the attention to detail you are giving your new baby. I read one last year at RISAA and remember liking it. Looks like i'll have to check out this newer version, sooooon. Thanks for your openness and your willingness to make what seems to be a great product, even better!!

How about instead of (or in addition to) any kind of lure of the month you have a How to Fish Lure (method) of the Month...

Glad to help by making more work for you :hihi:

if there was one thing that would be neat to have in an issue every month would be how to effectively use a different plug each month at the end of the month or what have you. Say you had a pencil popper... what type of retrieve works best, what the best scenario to use it in would be, and how to work the rod when using the lure. I think many people would love a weekly/monthly update on a new or different technique.... and it wouldn't have to be lure... could be bait as well.



How about instead of (or in addition to) any kind of lure of the month you have a How to Fish Lure (method) of the Month...

Glad to help by making more work for you :hihi:

Yah, I agree John... I think that would be a great idea.

Dave - sorry to have added to the ruckas. BUT I have to thank you for coming forward with an explanation. You are the first one to let the readers know what is happening with the distribution.:kewl:

The mag is coming along just fine. Keep up the how to sections. no matter how many years people have fished there is always something new to learn. Perhaps one on making molds for tin?:musc:

Hey, I wanted someone to bring that up, becasue it pisses me off to no end too... believe me!

Love the NE Fisherman Magazine..Much better than the NJ counterpart..U have done a great job Taking over for Zach...Ur plug building article a few weeks ago was a good one..Ya, I never know when they are coming but who cares.There's not really any time sensitive material that U could not get from the previous weeks mag.I rarely pay any attention to reports..I make up my own reports..A few weeks ago I had a two week stint without a computer. I brought several of ur mags to read.I have to say I enjoyed the writings of T.C.,Zach.And Mr Soares in the report section..I look forward to re-upping my subscription this yr..
Hope fully it will be in person..See ya then..

NIB - you're just the man... I don't know how else to put it... we fishin' this year again?

Dave, hat's off for starting this thread.
It takes stones to ask John Q Public if he's
happy with something that you provide.

Even more so within this motley crew.
I am with NIB, the time of arrival is not so important to me,
just so long as it arrives. Sounds like you're all over it anyway.

The very fact that you care about your product enuff to ask, speaks volumes for the direction the magazine is going and the attention to detail you are giving your new baby. I read one last year at RISAA and remember liking it. Looks like i'll have to check out this newer version, sooooon. Thanks for your openness and your willingness to make what seems to be a great product, even better!!

That really means a lot, I'm glad that you all seem to have read this thread (so far) the way I intended it to be read. And yes I do really care about the content, I want this thing to be better than it ever was. I'll take all the help I can get.

How about instead of (or in addition to) any kind of lure of the month you have a How to Fish Lure (method) of the Month...

Glad to help by making more work for you :hihi:

I like the idea a lot... I just wonder if after 50 issues, would there be anything left!??! :err:

I think you're doing a fine job Dave. One of my biggest complaints used to be that there wasn't enough surf-related stuff, but that seems to have changed since you've taken over. It's gotta be hard to do with so many issues, but there are so many nuances to surfcasting there is a lot of material there.

I like the idea a lot... I just wonder if after 50 issues, would there be anything left!??! :err:

Unless you plan on making it a short career, ....you hit the nail on the head. It's really hard to offer something like that when the magazine comes out weekly. Don't make a weekly or monthly commitment like that, keep it spontaneous and surprising.... tossing one in from time to time. Everyone likes short stories, true or not....throw some of them in there, we all know you can tell some stories :tooth:
..and with all the internet heroes wanting to be published, you're sure to fill a Gig with that alone.

I did notice a "cartoon" in last months issue, is that something new that's here to stay? That takes up space and can be comical -

For the most part, I never expect too much from a weekly fishing publication, I enjoy it....whether the articles are interesting or not. It's just big enough for a couple of flushes....and every once and awhile, I clip some pages. It's a very inexpensive publication for a weekly mag, so I would think if the shipping got corrected, that alone would inspire people to come back.
Maybe they should offer a "Best of the Year" issue in full color on better quality paper for SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. An incentive for people to join, not something you can buy at the newstand. Something like OTW has at the shows. Don't wear yourself out, there's only so much you can put in a weekly fishing mag -

Best of luck to ya -

I like the idea a lot... I just wonder if after 50 issues, would there be anything left!??! :err:

There are 50 months in a year :tm:?

I wasn't recommending plug of the week :hihi: , I was saying Plug or Method of the M O N T H :rotflmao: - Now if you wanted to drag it out a bit further have your plug or method of the month and have 4.33 people right a different article on that plug (yeh - so it wouldn't work that way either).

Monthly:
Week 1 - Plug of the Month

Week 2 - Method of the Month (remember, you are pretty much doing this as it is with the methods discussed tending to be appropriate for that time of year)

Week 3 - Species of the Month

Week 4 - A$$clown of the Month - if it makes it an easier I'll nominate myself for the first A$$clown

Week 5 (Occasional) - A$$clown writer of the month

(sorry - mentally exhausted at the moment)

your rag sucks

Looks good, Davey. Knew it would under your direction. You've provided the new blood and fish insanity it needed.

However, what I really think the mag needs is an article about livelining native brook trout for trophy pike.

And also a piece about gillnetting for cormorants.

Whats an A$$clown?

You're an A$$clown :laugha::bshake::tooth::cens::lama::rumble::banano :


However, what I really think the mag needs is an article about livelining native brook trout for trophy pike.

And also a piece about gillnetting for cormorants.

Or tossing tourists at clams...

Hi Zack :wavey:

Whats an A$$clown?

??????????????????????????

Is this an "A$$Clown???

I USED TO LIKE THE SECTION WHERE YOU COULD GET VALUES OF OLDER GEAR!
PEACE
HENRY:claps::spin:

Looks good, Davey. Knew it would under your direction. You've provided the new blood and fish insanity it needed.

However, what I really think the mag needs is an article about livelining native brook trout for trophy pike.

And also a piece about gillnetting for cormorants.

All for the cormarant piece..
Seriously this is a fisheries issue that has to be addressed..

Dave, I don't really make my own molds..I have acquired tin squid molds from those who have passed on..Guys that held this info very near an dear..One of em was one of my mentor's.Johnny Burnes.One of the J's in J&J tackle.The good guy..Passed 7 yrs ago April at the young age of 57..
I have done a few bondo's molds.I'm not really a fan of em.I do have one friend who is a bondo madman...Last yr I was fishing some skin jigs..I showed him the jig the next week he had made one out of wood on the lathe to duplicate it in the bondo..I have ground some Jighead molds into things that they no longer replicate the original...Like My 5 oz canal Jig Mold..I think I gave u a few of them..
I kinda feel funny about writing though.I have no problem sharing info here.Good people here..To do it in a magazine raises a inner conflict in me.
I know too much, I could be dangerous to myself.
If I do decide to write something someday It will be for U..
Would love to fish together again Next yr.Maybe we do some canal an some surf..Tell Your lovely Girlfriend I said Hello.:)

Dave, I don't really make my own molds..I have acquired tin squid molds from those who have passed on..Guys that held this info very near an dear..One of em was one of my mentor's.Johnny Burnes.One of the J's in J&J tackle.The good guy..Passed 7 yrs ago April at the young age of 57..
I have done a few bondo's molds.I'm not really a fan of em.I do have one friend who is a bondo madman...Last yr I was fishing some skin jigs..I showed him the jig the next week he had made one out of wood on the lathe to duplicate it in the bondo..I have ground some Jighead molds into things that they no longer replicate the original...Like My 5 oz canal Jig Mold..I think I gave u a few of them..
I kinda feel funny about writing though.I have no problem sharing info here.Good people here..To do it in a magazine raises a inner conflict in me.
I know too much, I could be dangerous to myself.
If I do decide to write something someday It will be for U..
Would love to fish together again Next yr.Maybe we do some canal an some surf..Tell Your lovely Girlfriend I said Hello.:)

You ended up with the J+J tackle molds. What a score.

Whats an A$$clown?

A Gay Mime.....

I prefer the politically correct term of "Butt Bozo"

I love the magazine, not a subscriber but I get it when I see it, and lately I've really enjoyed it. I especially liked "The Ballerina" article, great read. I will be a subscriber now that I know a fellow s-b member has taken over. Keep up the good work!

Dave, love your articles. I especially like the last one on plug building. It had my MOASS Danny, Dk blue pink stripe prominently displayed in the middle of the photo.

Good stuff :lama:

Looks fine to me. I had a small problem with no show issues but Kat took care of that ans mailed them to me. After about 3 weeks my regular issues started showing up but Kat's were here a day earlier.

What you need is more photos of physically fit, dark haired, young guys holding up schoolies. :laugha:

You ended up with the J+J tackle molds. What a score.


Chiola the scum still has many molds..I hear he occsionally sells stuff of flea bay..
A friend of mine and I did acquire quite a few When John Byrnes passed...Probably 20-30 different ones.U'll never see these on any auction site.Thats the way he would have wanted it..

Nice fish Paul..Hopefully I can read something like that agian from u in the future..:musc:

While I keep saying that I’m going to subscribe but still haven’t gotten around to it yet, I’ve enjoyed the issues that I picked up since you’ve taken over. It’s a tough job putting together a weekly magazine, especially a fishing magazine where the same things tend to get written about over and over by the same handful of guys, with a lot of the more valuable information held back. I think what you’ve done very well is getting new perspectives (new writers) on old topics and breathing some new life into the magazine. Sure, some are going to complain when new writers come along (the whole “who is he to give advice” or “what has he done” attitude) but at least its fresh, and just because someone doesn’t have 30 years in the surf or boat, doesn’t mean they can’t provide valuable information. Keep it up. Oh, and you have good taste in cover “models” :hihi:

Keep up the good work Bud.

Oh, and you have good taste in cover “models” :hihi:

Oh yeah ;)

Thanks for all the input everyone. It's really been a help. I may bump this thread mid-season to see if I'm still doing okay :laughs:

Thanks,
-Dave

If I can get my copy every week by thursday between now and May 15th
. I will personally take you out fishing on my boat

Dave, I will be visiting you at the RISAA show in April. I've been reading my friends lately since we last PM'd. I have found the plug building tutorials of great help. As far as what I'd like to see, I like the idea of S-Bers writing for the mag.

I used to get Field & Stream a long time ago and the section I used to look forward to more than anything else was "Tap's Tips" I believe it was mentioned earlier in this thread, but a page like this every issue would be a great benefit.

Keep up the great work.

Dave, I will be visiting you at the RISAA show in April. I've been reading my friends lately since we last PM'd. I have found the plug building tutorials of great help. As far as what I'd like to see, I like the idea of S-Bers writing for the mag.

I used to get Field & Stream a long time ago and the section I used to look forward to more than anything else was "Tap's Tips" I believe it was mentioned earlier in this thread, but a page like this every issue would be a great benefit.

Keep up the great work.

i forgot about the old field and stream tips and tapd that would be great also the plug building peces i have found to be tremendously helpful hope those are here to stay.the hotspots were cool to but spot burning stinks could go eiher way on that one,no prblems with delivery to date all is good with me keep it up

Oh Paul - I forgot to mention - SWEEEEEET FISH :btu:

Any chance of setting up a website that contained feature articles from back issues that was open to subscribers?