IMO, a waste of bandwidth.

You're the publisher---ask yourself this---which would would rather have? 500 sharpies pissed off at you and threatening to cancel their subscriptions, or 20,000 extra sales at the newsstands to the newbies who drink up "spots" articles? Throw in the facts that you make more $$$ from newsstand sales than you do on 'scripts, and the 500 guys who cancelled will buy a mag off the rack when there's an article that catches their interest.

As John said---spots sell. Editors know this. And even if the editor is a sharpie himself, and knows the score, he has his marching orders on content from the publisher.

Bravo Joep and bloocrab! We think too much alike!

I had told myself I wasn't going to respond on this one, not because I felt I was one of "the lazy" who only take advantage of an article like this, which admittedly I have not received my copy, thus have not read, but I felt compelled to respond due to some of the posts I've read. I don't know Steve, but I know from what has been written here, I surely would like to meet him someday. Sounds like a knowledgeable, standup kinda guy. He did his job and wrote an article, and obviously from the responses elicited here, he did a very, very good job of it. People here are quick to say "That race of people ALWAYS keep shorts", or "The googans ALL litter and park in the handicapped spots". If we're to accept that statements about a majority or an entire type or race of people are true, then wouldn't you agree those type people I mentioned just before are probably not at all, or of such an insignificant number as would even spend the money on OTW, let alone read the article. I think those spots will probably be fine, if not wholly protected by some who have weighed in here.

their at the town dock in harwich right now if you want to talk to them.http://24.63.160.194/dsc01314.jpg

Attached is a copy of an email I sent to the publisher of OTW on my company email letterhead. No reply as of yet.

"Chris:
What the hell were you thinking when you published this article? The Stripe bass internet message boards have been alive today ready to burn your mag and lynch McKenna. Now, I have Issue 1 of OTW. I have always considered your publication to be honest, ethical and above board. This article changes my opinion.

I must assume that you published the article through pure ignorance regarding "Spot Burning". This has been an ongoing debate for months on the boards and your publishing of McKenna's article just lit the fuse. You CANNOT publish an article that names fishing spots and gives directions without expecting the general surf fishing population of that area to be up in arms. I think it irresponsible journalism not to take this into consideration before publishing this type of article.

I make the preceding points only because I do care about OTW and feel you guys should have been more civic/public minded in your article selection.
Comments?"

Very nice piemma, hope it is effective.
Now if Mr. Mckenna was warned of the repercussions of this article before he wrote it and it was published, does this mean he did so with the intent of burning the spots? If he was aware of the negative feedback that was to come, or at least he was told what may happen if this article were to be printed, did he do so knowlingly to make a point? As I have said, he always had my respect so I gave him the benefit of the doubt til now.

Good questions Choggieman. I have know Steve for quite awhile and I just refuse to believe that there was malicious intent behind him writing the article. I think it was just one of those brain cramps we all have on occasion when we say/write something we later wish we hadn't. I am certain that, given the uproar his article has raised, he wishes he didn't submit it.
I know I have been guilt of writing emails that I never should have. I now re-read every email I write before I send it.

Steve is the most generous guy out there.. he would give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. HE has never held back when i have asked him questions, even questions that i felt uncomfortable asking, as i knew that maybe only he knew the answer.

That being said, i just believe it is his nature to share.

I love the guy and i hate to see everyone ripping on him, but in the same light i am saddened that he would mention such sensitive spots in a region-wide publication.. I know his article will effect the way i fish this fall and next spring. :(

I agree with Piemma :)
If I could only take back some of the things I have said /done/wrote in my life I WOULD GROW WINGS
And would be sitting on the right hand side of the big Guy!

VB

ps. or maybe that would be me, the guy at the gate ! lol

I waited to jump in on this until I read the article, which I did last night. While I agree with the general sentiment regarding access, and the issues of overcrowding, I fail to see why this article is that different from articles and seminars I have seen in the past. Yet this one has caused such an uproar.

Nearly every issue of OTW has a chart of a lake, stream, piece of coastline that gives up spots with detailed tactics. Last month was an article on tuna fishing the Mud Hole that was quite detailed. Gene Bourque gave a seminar on the Elizabeths at the Mass Bass show with detailed charts, casting spots, anchoring locations and techniques. I remember a Fisherman article on Barnstable Harbor and the Vineyard. None of those created this response...

I've read striper Hot Spots, OTW, the Fisherman, SWS and more for years and never felt the urge to jump in my car and try them out. Instead I read about them and think about how a certain technique applies to my areas, spots, and tactics. Maybe a couple of them applied to me and I got a head start. I can't believe I'm the only one doing that. I have to believe that the vast majority of readers will be the same. A trip to RI/CT is a significant investment in time, even from the South Shore of Boston (me), that I simply can't commit. I'll think about how Steve fishes those spots and what is common to my areas and hopefully learn something.

I agree with an earlier point that if you bump into someone wading 200 yards to a bar at 2am in some remote place, more than likely they are not your run of the mill googan. If it were my spot, I'd much prefer that person to be somewhat educated and not sitting soaking bait preventing me from eeling.

Why is this article so different? Is it better if a bunch of googans discover this spot on their own and soak bait where the sharpies all want to plug? At least now they know the techniques and etiquette. What is it about the surf that has this extra standard applied to it? I don't hear the boat crowd screaming about the boat spots.

I think the reason this article has raised such a stink is because it's not one spot...it's a whole coastline...

Its amazing what this article has caused, but it goes on every day. I was just visiting another website from connecticut that encourages very specific detailing of spots and how to fish them. Funny thing about it, a lot of reports are on soco. I have fought on that site before to restrict specifics to no avail. It got to the point where an individual posted mapquest directions to the spot in question. But here we are P.O.ed about an article when there is a whole website dedicated to spot burning. There will most likely never be a reprint of this article, but that other site has for years has burned and burned and burned.
As johnr has said, it is our media. The network has the flaws more than just a few individuals. It seems that the media has taken to catering to the generation of "want results right now -without the effort". So, do we blame the media, or do we blame the direction society has gone? I know too many young people that do not want to learn how to do something the correct way, they want to do it the easiest and most instantly gratifying way there is. Instant results with minimal effort. Whats easier than read the curent report and head in?The media has to make sales, so maybe it designs its offerings to fit what the generation I speak of wants, not what we old school fisherman want.

thats why I am kind of laughing a bit but John was right when he said it could screw up access if a LOAD of fisherman showed up and started being a bunch of jack-offs....

but I guess that is already happening on that coast..... :bl:

Did you learn everything about surffishing on your own? Or did you ask people what worked for them and maybe even where they fished?These are honest qustions.A lot of these googans who burn the hot spots bring in quite a bit of $$$$ to the local economy. You may not like it but it is certainly true.Maybe it wasn't a good idea to name these spots but it happened.There is certainly quite a bit of whining going on this board.

My nj friend will be pumped.plus I won't have to show him all the spots myself.he don't shower enough.now all u guys quit ur bitchin.I never see anyone when i fish ur all a bunch of sandsissie's an wouldn't get out on a rock anyways.its alot of posts complainin like a bunch of women.


:whackin: That was NIB :scatter:

If you had been within a mile of the shop when news of the BFT hit the papers this year you would have heard me yelling.

The essence of spot burning is when the people who regularly fish it feel in any way that their current fishing has changed due to the burn. That for damn sure happened with the bluefin, I was out there alone for a good 3 weeks till the lid was blown off it.

Time will tell how bad of a burn this is.

The vast majority of "class B googans" will not know about these spots because they probably do not subcribe to or buy OTW or even read for that matter.

Just curious,did the traffic at these spots increase in the last month? I haven't seen the article, but if it is speaking about the 5 spots to get a 40 lb striper,Steve gave that same seminar at the last RISAA meeting in August.There were a couple hundred people at that meeting Iwould say . If you haven't already noticed an increase in fishermen there ,maybe there isn't so much to get all worked up about.

Spot Burning
 

While I don't support or encourage spot burning in the media, I think that it has been summed up several times throughout this thread. While spots may get a little bump in traffic after an article, it is usually from googans who don't know what they are doing and will not come back again. So it always is a gamble with spots, but as just mentioned above, the crowds are likely to experience somewhat of a bump and then go back to the regulars for the most part. I have seen it happen time and time again year after year. The Fisherman has been doing it for 30 years, now is no different.

i just read it...

If he had a soul, its gone now....

and who is this, nebe? or bin?

:usd:

this is eben...
Mr. nibblesworth is on the prowl looking for bigguns in the suds// :eyes:

hope you feel better soon.

thanks slip. i am actually.. i got a ways to go, but im feling better than i did last week.

Joe - there is a difference in a seminar to 50-200 people versus a widely read maggazine. He is not the first to do it - everyone of of those spots have been written about at least once (with the possible exception of one) in the past few years. But what is the pressure point that a spot gets shut down? When people see that one place to park is private and disregard the rules?

Please keep in mind that 70% of the people that read the article and follow and do it are not likely the problem, its the 30% that I'm worried about...

I just read the article..unbelievable. Two spots that I fish consistently were burned. It's bad enough that Steve writes about one spot every week in the fisherman and he goes ahead and draws detailed maps to it. How does he benefit from doing this? From what I have read he is a nice guy. Unfortunately,he has angered many fisherman in writing this article. I'm sending an e-mail to Gene Bourque voicing my displeasure. :doh:

spend a little more time contributing your opinion and we might listen to your percieved opinion on other contributors "whining".

Whine, complain, etc. It is all constructive commentary.

Got It ?

When I read the first couple posts, I felt most of you were a bit out of line as these were not exactly secret spots. My magazine came the next day and MY favorite spot is listed as Number 1! Dohhh!!!!. I was pi$$ed at first but as far as that particular spot goes, I think Bloocrab has the right concern. It is a big area to fish and I have never seen more than 2 other fisherman out there, usually have the place to myself. If the magazine attracks some diehards that are willing to take the walk and learn some tough water, I will be happy to fish with them. My concern is the parking issue we have been having recently but I honestly don't think the lot will be full this weekend because of the article.

I think the postman must be reading my copy because I haven't got mine yet. and while reading this I wonder what is really in print.

Gene Im gonna tie up up and put u on the RR tracks on monday :zup: :devil:
Burn RI Haw HaYou all preach BullSh!t
Your all worthless info spot suckers