In the past I only read The Fisherman at the barber shop or at MSBA meetings at the "magazine table" that George P. has self-maintained for a while now.
Recently though, I started buying it at the news stand and I find it quite informative. A couple examples that I found useful were...
- The article on cheaply but effectively covering my boat using 4'' PVC as the frame along with a tarp and sections of rope to serve as "ribbing".
- The article on Monomoy that described why it is a good place to go when the temp kicks up everywhere else.
Again, I don't have much of a historical reference to compare it with but I do find it useful and one of these days I'm going to finally write the check for a subscription rather than pay the newsstand prices.
With regard to Ads, they all do it. Turn to nearly any given page of OTW and you will find that 2/3 of it is Ads too - just on bigger paper
Mike