When was the last time you saw a "surf" oriented covershot on Saltwater Sportsman??? Looking at many older issues and it seems back in its infancy it was like a 50/50 split between boat and shore covers? I can't remember in the 8 or 9 years I have been reading it remember seeing a surf fishing related cover??? Too bad?? They should start calling it Saltwater Boat Sportsman!:huh:

Sidenote: What happened to David DeBenedetto??

When the new owner (NY Times) fired Barry Gibson, Rip Cunningham and crew and moved the magazine to NY they stated they were goin to add more surfcasting. they did try but they just were not getting it right and it was not entertaining for me so I dropped the magazine.

Even though we complain truth is the shore fishign market is not advertising in this magazine and if the content is not being supported by the advertising the magazine will run content that will be supported. It is how the make money.

%$%$%$%$ty situation and as usual we loose.

Patrick ,you are 100 % right
I still think there is a need for surf only publication ,if only on annual basis
the winters are looooooooong

Good question about Dibo. Looks like he went to a new start up Southern Lifestyle Mag called Garden and Gun :eek5: or :tooth:

Here's a link:

http://www.foliomag.com/2007/sid-evans-poaches-staff-field-stream

My thought is that they are loosing a good share of the fisherman market by alienating the surf fisherman/kayak fisherman.......I guess the only way to fish to the folks at SWS is by boat??? Pretty small minded and short sighted!:tm:

they don't make their money selling magazines or subscriptions, they make it selling advertising space. yes, the number of subscriptions influences the amount that they can get for advertising, but only in some demographics. i would guess that most of their income comes from boat/motor manufacturers. Therefore, their primary goal is building their number of subscriptions in the boating demographic. surfcasting as we think of it, is a small, regional market, which is why it is primarily serviced by small, regional magazines.

a yearly surf issue is a good idea in my opinion, but probably not worth it to SWS's bottom line.

Z, just keep writing books and that will take care of those long winters - both for the writer and the readers, probably more the writer :hihi:

To clogston's point about the subs and advertising. Check ebay b/f ordering a subs. You get great deals there.

Dave wrote a goodbye letter a few issues back. Moving back to his roots on the Gulf Coast. I just read the mag since my F-I-L gets it. Really nothing in it that isn't regurgitated information. Usually good pictures though. I like seeing the different fisheries of the country/world.