PHANTON BEACH ,,,,, OTW

[Offshore]

I thought the whole idea was great and well done by the magazine and the authors.

Now, does that mean no more site burning by OTW ?

[JoeP]

I agree - great article by all the authors. Just about the best read I've had from OTW in a long time.


Now, Megan's condescending, slightly arrogant, misguided, and misinformed Publisher's Editorial was ... forget it I'll keep my opinion to myself.

[Mr. Sandman]

Phantom Beach was a much better approach then the October cheat-sheet article. That kind of tell-all writing is best left to the supermarket tabloids. OTW is usually above that kind of stuff. Yes it sells (as noted by the record numbers) but (IMO) it is poor journalism and does not teach anyone much of anything. If selling more copies is what its all about, perhaps topless babes on the cover holding a big fish will get your numbers up.

[scoobe]

Is this the Feb issue? Where is my OTW?! Half the time it arrives with the cover ripped off!

[RIROCKHOUND]

Joe;
I was leaving that alone as well..
I really didnt appreciate being talked down to. I think a vast majorit of posts on this site regarding this topic was intelligent and valid. He singled out the few bad posts.

That being said I really enjoyed the insight from the 4 authors as to how they would approach the spots and what weather conditions, lures, tackle etc. It gives us more to think about in analyzling our own favorite spots.

[Joe]

At the end of the day there is not going to be one form of media dominating all others. Nor does one form hold all the advantages over the other. The credibility of traditional print does not mean that opinions stated on message boards do not have power – because it's apparent they do. Nor does a magazine’s lack of tangible interaction take away from its validity as a primary source.

This is the Information Age, baby. Take a look at the most popular blogs and online versions of newspapers and you’ll notice that the lines are blurring and that there is quite a bit of crossover. Its not like there is a finite amount of content to distribute or that the market’s appetite is approaching saturation. People consume more information than ever before. The market for good writing, video, webcasts, blogs, photography, graphics, etc, is hungry and growing - as are the opportunities.

[fishaholic18]

Got mine today. Good read, nice job.
Now if I can only find my own Phantom Beach...

[seabass]

Great article, good read! thanks

[Tburg]

Very good article....Very good OTW issue......

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Joe

At the end of the day there is not going to be one form of media dominating all others. Nor does one form hold all the advantages over the other. The credibility of traditional print does not mean that opinions stated on message boards do not have power – because it's apparent they do. Nor does a magazine’s lack of tangible interaction take away from its validity as a primary source.

This is the Information Age, baby. Take a look at the most popular blogs and online versions of newspapers and you’ll notice that the lines are blurring and that there is quite a bit of crossover. Its not like there is a finite amount of content to distribute or that the market’s appetite is approaching saturation. People consume more information than ever before. The market for good writing, video, webcasts, blogs, photography, graphics, etc, is hungry and growing - as are the opportunities.

Apparently the management of OTW does not agree. Seems like they would have us throw away our computers and just read published hard print...
Great point Joe

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

Joe;
I was leaving that alone as well..
I really didnt appreciate being talked down to. I think a vast majorit of posts on this site regarding this topic was intelligent and valid. He singled out the few bad posts.

Bri-

Also, part of his rant was falsely saying that the guys on that post just said things anonymously behind a keyboard, insinuating that we should have complained to him directly; yet I did send him an e-mail directly telling him just how I felt, as I know others did, and he never responded to me.

[Mr. Sandman]

P,
I don't think they want us to dismiss computer tech as they do (IMO) have one of the best weekly web reports going. Personally I think this is the most timely report available. Some think it is too timely. I think it is great and an excellent use of the web media. Its one thing to give a fresh report for the region and another to show details down to which direction to cast.

If you read this weeks fishermen TC and CS both did good articles on spots...IMO this those were fine, they were descriptive with out being overly detailed, enough to get you pumped to fish those places, (or at least dream about it) but not like reading a recipe.

[piemma]

agreed. Read both articles and thought they were well written, informative without being inflammatory (no pun intended)

[Joe]

I think OTW did address the issue, but they did so on their own terms and their own way. I think that publishing the Phantom Beach shows a great deal of creative responsiveness.

Over on another website there was a long thread about the web being an altogether better resource than traditional print. Personally, I think that's an oversimplification. Internet threads are a superb resource, but not the end-all-be-all. Moreover, the information within is often not well organized or is peppered with a lot of information that is simply wrong. In short, the Internet could use a good editor.

In OTW the publisher referenced the fact that because criticism from the message boards came from anonymous sources, it held no value. That's an oversimplification also. Web Forums, though too often over-the-top, are undeniably an excellent barometer of public opinion, and of important trends within the sportfishing community.

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by Offshore

I thought the whole idea was great and well done by the magazine and the authors.

Now, does that mean no more site burning by OTW ?

If you think about it "spot" articles are easier than generic ones, no editorial coordination, they probably don't have to go far to find them.
One of my thoughts is an article with actual aerial photos of a sand beach from the previous season. How to fish it, maybe at a couple of different tide stages. Would the beach need to be identified and would'nt it change enough from winter storms to no longer be a spot article.
The same thing could be done with sand flats, esturarys, rocky points and reefs for the boat boys.