Gnasher Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 i have just bought BFM, as i do every month..........and its normally a great read. .............but at nearly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnasher Posted April 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 oh man.......i posted to soon.....im now am reading the Zane Grey feature about giant fish in california...... thats four over seas sections....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 IMHO Any issue of BFM has poor content in the way of articles that are relavent to UK fishing, far too many photographs of faces with fish, an overabundance of advertising in relation to editorial, and is very poor value for money. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 I echo your thought, usually I as soon as I receive mine thru the post, it's read within 2 days. However, the most recent one which arrived last Saturday, I've only read the report on the Proangler and one by Carrick Lee in Newhaven. It's getting very posh with exotic trips around the world. Yes, I'm sure there are guys who wouldn't mine having a peek at what our cousins across the pond are catching, but they seem to form the backbone of the recents publications. Maybe it's just a beep and they will return to more main stream stuff once our fishing picks up. I would hate to see this mag goes down the drain as it's the only decent one on the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueboatdriver Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 I agree, I'm going off the mag quickely ; I can usually read it in about half an hour as I'm really not interested in reading about some strange species I can't possibly catch from the other side of the world. I might feel differently if like some members I had fished in these places, but surely there's another mag for reading about this type of fishing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 For a relatively new mag, its hard to compete with the likes of Sea dangler and total smurf fishing..............if you look back through the years, each month carries generally the same articles, and they seem to jet off around the world to try and spice up otherwise boring glossies. Ive noticed the growing sections of ads, but I'm afraid that mags wouldnt sell without pics of huge fish with snarly gribblet teeth showing, hence foreign articles. I wish they would look at local variants of fishing techniques, such as Wedgers Trout livebits, and run these, proving that the fishing wheel is still evolving, and not turning backwards. After doing an article a couple of weeks ago on the Shambles with TSF, with Colin Pennys Flamer, it was clear to see that all they wanted pictures of plaice. I had a very small fish on the first drift, and it was photographed to death, before I was allowed to release it, all becuase plaice have been hard to find this season, and they wanted at least one pic of a spotty for their article. They even spent ages taking pics of those ghastly steel coffin bait droppers.......pile of poo if you ask me, give me a tesco bag anyday.......cheap, and works just as well!!!! Horses for courses I guess, I still buy the mags, if only to see my ugly mug in them tho!!!!!!!! Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 It's a tough one isnt it? Trying to please all of the readers 100% of the time. I have every back issue of BFM (I like reading and I keep them as a resource libary) and I think you will find that the ratio of overseas articles, adverts, home seas fishing etc has remained pretty much the same since day one. Now, I must admit that the overseas stuff has held little interest in past issues, but now as I am sheduled to be doing a bit over the next few years - these articles hold more interest that the ones at home - so they will appeal to some people. Same with the adverts - sure they take up space and are pretty generic - but of you are looking for an item, they can be dead handy - I like to keep up to date with new products and prices and the adverts are an idea medium for this. Finally, yes I know gallaries of anlgers can seem boring, but again its a method of seing what is being caught, by whom and where - I dont mind it at all. To sum up - I think BFM has a good balance of articles, you certianyl dont get the obgligatory aricle in April - 'How to catch Spring Plaice!' or the one in Nov - 'bag a PB cod' that you do in some publications.... Rant over! Soon the fishign will be so hot, that we wont have time to read anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 I wish they would look at local variants of fishing techniques, such as Wedgers Trout livebits, and run these, proving that the fishing wheel is still evolving, and not turning backwards Why not then? Asa you know I have been asked to submit the odd article to BFM now and then, and I am always looking for a new angle - articles on our comps get boring quickly after the first few. If Trev's in agreement Ill do one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob F Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 In the Editorial Jim Whippy makes a half apology for the number of overseas articles. He gives his reasons why there have been so many recently (bad weather and no catches in UK), and says the number of overseas articles will decrease during the summer. He was prompted to make this comment because of a letter of complaint he received. The letter is shown in the Letters section. At least he appears to be listening to his readers and is willing to try to put things right. BF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swainiac Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Get in touch with the mag ASAP then Adam, as when this was talked about in front of the Editor of TSF, his little eyes widened and his ears pricked.......he may have even joined this forum now under a psuedonym, to watch whats happening down here. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 I found the early articles and mag generally to be 'right on th emoney' for me as a small boat angler. So much so that I took out a sub. This was allowed to lapse this month for many of the reasons / observations above........nuf said. However, I also agree that if someone wrote interesting articles then the mag would probably print them! Personally I remain of the view that the subject of knots has not yet been done even half decently by any UK magazine in the last 10 years - and that includes the SA series that started well but basically lost the plot. With the increased interest in lighter line fishing knots start to become important - tieing the hook to an 80lb trace for cod is somewhat less critical when using 30lb mainline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Y Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 I think BFM has really gone down hill. IMHO that Peruvian article was the lowest point - freshwater foreign shore fishing has no place in what I thought was a predominantly a UK saltwater boat fishing mag. Mind you I am only halfway through a 2 year subscription so am locked in - I just hope it changes direction. Incidentally I noticed Dave Barham has left Total Sea Fishing (I think it is called). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 As Duncan says .......Personally I remain of the view that the subject of knots has not yet been done even half decently by any UK magazine in the last 10 years - and that includes the SA series that started well but basically lost the plot. With the increased interest in lighter line fishing knots start to become important - tieing the hook to an 80lb trace for cod is somewhat less critical when using 30lb mainline. Also more 'How To's' on trace making, terminal tackle set ups, and articles on the sort of boat fishing we do, ie inshore in small boats. It's all very well the editorial staff having a jolly in a bl00dy great charter boat over wrecks and areas only a few of the more financialy better off can get to, what about the thousands of weekend boat fishers in their own 18ft trailer boats? Talking boats, how about tips and ideas of cockpit layouts, deck space and storage schemes. In other words things that relate to the real world not some azure blue sea 5000 miles away. Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 Hey Guys As some of you know, I work closely with Sea Dangler and sometimes BFM, a thread like this should be sent directly to Jim Whippy's email add. He WILL pick it up and read it. The same type of thread is running on WSF as we speak. If readers are not very happy with the mag content then do something about it and let them know. A lot of times a feature is placed as they have nothing else to print (apart from more adverts) so contact the editors and tell them your gripes. All the mags have the editors contact details and they will read letters and emails. I can't guarantee an instant response, but despite gripes over virtually all the magazines they do take notice. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted April 24, 2006 Report Share Posted April 24, 2006 I have already sent this link to Jim for constructive critisism. Tom - your comments are spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam F Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Guys - Please see the reply below from Jim Whippy - BFM editor: Hi Adam, Thanks for the email and the link to the club site. Have read all the comments and must say I agree with most of them. We have had a difficult time with UK features this winter and when you've kept a space for trips that are repeatedly cancelled you can't send out blank pages so foreign trips are used. My intention is to have a wide range of aticles as I've always strived to do and the UK content will be back on track in June issue. Your idea of an article using farmed trout will open a few eyes. Probably get moans from the anti live bait lobby but we editors have to take the flack so hit me with it. All the best to your club members, even 'Mad Mike' who seems the most put out, I'll have to feature him sometime to get him back on our side. Feel free to put this on the club site if you feel it will explain the situation to the members. All the best Jim Whippy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Nice one Adam You know Jim better than I do, but the few times I have met him show he is just a normal guy who likes a spot of fishing. I normally only tend to bump into him during busy spells on boat show pontoons so never get to organising anything or discuss "stuff" properly, but he is certainly a decent chap and I think his reply states that His job is like anyone else's, good days and bad days and now Warners have taken over the publishing side you will see BFM will evolve with good and bad bits too. The mag has gone rom something that Jim created and ran and it has now outgrown those shoes and is moving into the big league. The thought of featuring Mad Mike scares me though. We may need to wheel him in gagged, bound and in a straight jacket otherwise we will have to wheel Jim out... ....gagged, bound and in a straight jacket! Tom PS: Something that I am fairly convinced about though is that in the not to dim distant future, most of the paper publications will be all but obselete and the web based magazines (we are one of them) will take over almost completely. Web based mags are ever changing, on the pulse, full of people who genuinely no each other and have very low overheads. The audience is also enormous with pages of the "Web Mag" being flipped through time and time again, by a global readership. Web mags can make a considerable income too. Advertising space is prime, ecommerce can play a big roll and income can be generated by registration / subscription fees and so long as the content backs it up, the readers will pay a small but fair fee. Wait and see, I reckon within 10 years far more intenet mags of all genres will begin to appear. Just some thoughts which I would imagine the likes of Jim W and Mel R are more than aware of. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Thanks for the response Jim tight lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afishionado Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Tom taunts .............The thought of featuring Mad Mike scares me though. We may need to wheel him in gagged, bound and in a straight jacket otherwise we will have to wheel Jim out... ....gagged, bound and in a straight jacket! I allus said you were a right bitch Tom , or should I say Muddybum Mad Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul D Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Tom, I think you are spot on with regard to Web magazines. However, the problem will be getting them to pay for themselves. Currently it is too difficult to persuade people to part with cash in order to view web sites. Why pay when you can see stuff for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott T Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 I can honestly say I've really enjoyed reading BFM, much more than other mags anyway. All angling publications are guilty of the same crimes, i.e repeat articles year on year, but I suppose there is only so much that can be written about catching various species. Great response from Jim Whippy, good on ya. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Y Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 Thanks for taking the time to listen Jim Look forward to seeing lots of Uk saltwater boat content as the weather and fishing improve. I'll happily do an article on our trip to Alderney next week. Only 6 sleeps to go until Alderney!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 If we get there and back OK, and catch even one decent flattie on the boat, I'll do one too! Hell I might even fill in one of Charlie's catch reports................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 A double page on Mad Mike? the mind boggles What would the title be? "some mothers do have them" or "every clubs got one" love yer Mike PJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 nah - be on his record gobbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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