The very best in coarse writing?

[Merv Harrison]

Philip, I believe 'Coarse Angling Today' is one of Kevin Cliffords monthlies.

 

[Mark Wintle]

The magazine(s) that Philip is referring to is Specialist Angling World. There are only 3 issues dating back to 93/94. Its very similar predecessor was Big Fish World (90-92) which ran to 7 issues. Both are highly sought after due to their very high quality; possibly they were too expensive to produce? They were 112 pages, glossy paper and loads of good colour photography with a who's who of big fish writers in every issue. Kevin Clifford was the editor.

Confusingly, there were other titles with similar names; Specialist Fishing (DHP), Specialist Angler (NASG), Big Fish (DHP). Specialist Angler is pretty good but still not as good as the ones above.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

It is probably very dependant on what you want out of your chosen magazine as to what you buy.

Personally I far prefer Waterlog for better writing and a wider variety of articles.

If and when I want (or need) an update on what is new on the market, where is (allegedly) fishing well, or information on baits etc., then I will turn to one of the monthly magazines first, and then as a last choice the weeklies.

Moderator Hat Off, i.e. a personal statement:

That said, if I want pure entertainment and decent informative or descriptive articles written by ordinary anglers with no 'sponsorship contracts' to satisy; then it is FishingMagic every time.

Moderator Hat, back on . . .

 

[slb]

Interesting thread. I have to agree with Mark's first post, so difficult for the mags to get that sort of story out quickly with complete accuracy.
As for online mags, I have started my own, work in progress, but if you have a PDF reader and can spare a few minutes while it downloads, check it out here:
www.writeanglemagazine.co.uk/summer2010.pdf

 

[Philip]

The magazine(s) that Philip is referring to is Specialist Angling World. There are only 3 issues dating back to 93/94. Its very similar predecessor was Big Fish World (90-92) which ran to 7 issues. Both are highly sought after due to their very high quality; possibly they were too expensive to produce? They were 112 pages, glossy paper and loads of good colour photography with a who's who of big fish writers in every issue. Kevin Clifford was the editor.

Yes Mark you are right, thats the one and as you say it was a very high quality publication and the line of of writers was impressive to say the least ...off the top of my head I recall names like Dyson, Fickling, Gibbinson, Sykes, Rawlings, B Richards, Buteaux, Clifford, Paisley and allot more.
If cost of publication was the reason it folded then I would say its got to be worth another go perhaps in a cheaper format as I think the market is saturated with the « how to » type mags.
Alternatively I know nothing about the publication industry but perhaps a quarterly mag could be feasible ? That would also help to maintain a high quality line up of writers and content.

 

[904_cannon]

Yes Big Fish World was one Kev's.
Coarse Angling Today is probably the 2nd best, only after 'CHEVIN' the magazine of the Chub Study Group

A note for everyones diary; 18th September, launch of 'CHEVIN' the 2nd book from the CSG

'THE LANDS END, THE INN ON THE FORD''. Park Lane, Charvil, Twyford, RG10 0UE, Tel. 0118 934 0700
Saturday September 18th (start 11.00am)

Just getting a plug in

 

[preston96]

Yes Big Fish World was one Kev's.
Coarse Angling Today is probably the 2nd best, only after 'CHEVIN' the magazine of the Chub Study Group

A note for everyones diary; 18th September, launch of 'CHEVIN' the 2nd book from the CSG

'THE LANDS END, THE INN ON THE FORD''. Park Lane, Charvil, Twyford, RG10 0UE, Tel. 0118 934 0700
Saturday September 18th (start 11.00am)



Just getting a plug in

Superb cover.........is it a drawing or a Computor generated thing?

 

[Bluenose]

Yes Big Fish World was one Kev's.
Coarse Angling Today is probably the 2nd best, only after 'CHEVIN' the magazine of the Chub Study Group

A note for everyones diary; 18th September, launch of 'CHEVIN' the 2nd book from the CSG
'THE LANDS END, THE INN ON THE FORD''. Park Lane, Charvil, Twyford, RG10 0UE, Tel. 0118 934 0700
Saturday September 18th (start 11.00am)

Just getting a plug in

How much John?

 

[904_cannon]

£29-95 (99?) plus £6 p&p if not at the book launch, Bluenose.

The first book 'CHUB' didn't sell well at first and the publisher sold them off at £2-50. I did hear someone bought about 200, a lovely big profit. If any are still about they are now demanding £120-£140, I saw one advertised on a game fishing site at over £400.

There were some expensive lessons learned with the first book, this time the Group is doing the editing, proof reading, publishing and will retain ownership of all unsold stock.

There will be a link on the CSG web site to download the pdf Order Form but I have been asked not to accept orders from outside of the Group before 18th September, I could however e-mail the form to any FM members before then.

Paul W, The dust jacket artwork is by John Searl, angling artist and Group member. Everything apart from the actual print job (that's by John Mason) has been done within the Group.

The leather-bound was done in the finest skin of 16 year old Cornish virgins...a very short print run and all sold

"Personally I far prefer Waterlog for better writing and a wider variety of articles".
So you're the other one then Peter I cancelled my subscription after 12 months.

 

[ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)]

£29-95 (99?) plus £6 p&p if not at the book launch, Bluenose.

The first book 'CHUB' didn't sell well at first and the publisher sold them off at £2-50. I did hear someone bought about 200, a lovely big profit. If any are still about they are now demanding £120-£140, I saw one advertised on a game fishing site at over £400.

There were some expensive lessons learned with the first book, this time the Group is doing the editing, proof reading, publishing and will retain ownership of all unsold stock.

There will be a link on the CSG web site to download the pdf Order Form but I have been asked not to accept orders from outside of the Group before 18th September, I could however e-mail the form to any FM members before then.

Paul W, The dust jacket artwork is by John Searl, angling artist and Group member. Everything apart from the actual print job (that's by John Mason) has been done within the Group.

The leather-bound was done in the finest skin of 16 year old Cornish virgins...a very short print run and all sold

"Personally I far prefer Waterlog for better writing and a wider variety of articles".
So you're the other one then Peter I cancelled my subscription after 12 months.

They originally tried for the finest skin of Durham virgins but there wasn't a single scrap available .....

 

[dezza]

I am with Ed here on "Waterlog". I used to get it regularly and other than the stuff by "Gainsborough Leach" and "Dexter Petley", (Are these guys for real?) it deteriorated terribly.

I got utterley bored stiff with the pictures of late Victorian or Edwardian clad ****heads making strange noises. And that dreadful obsession with split cane and bird quill floats.

Waterlog could be a far better magazine if they printed articles by a few of the FM writers for example.

And I'm afraid that Jeremy Paxman has not the faintest clue about how to write an angling article.

For me, "Coarse Angling Today" is the best of the coarse mags, followed by "Coarse Fisherman".

Editors - number one by a long way is Kevin Clifford, and I'm not just saying that because he is a fellow Yorkshireman.

The best Fly Fishing mag is "Total Fly Fisher" produced by David Hall and editored by Steve Cullen, a Scotsman who is also a highly talented fly fisher and fly dresser.

As a bonus, Steve Parton does a regular slot.

 

[904_cannon]

I agree with Ron re: K.C. as an editor and all round magazine/book man.

Although Kevin has been a member of the CSG for longer than any of us care to (or can) remember he has never interfered with the publishing/editing of our own magazine. A genuine top bloke, and he's been known to catch a few big fish. And I'm not saying that just because I'm from Yorkshire either.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I don't regret giving up on Waterlog a year ago. It had got boring long before that. Considering the cover price (£8.50/£9) they don't pay very well. They also used to accept a lot of material that never gets published; they've had a couple of my articles for a decade. That's all very well but why contribute on that basis? Far better to accept something knowing it'll be published within 3 months or politely reject it. The contributor knows where they stand that way but instead you are left wondering why bother?

This month's CAT represents a milestone for me, the first time one of my pics has been the main cover shot.

 

[dezza]

Kevin Clifford is the type of angler I like. An all rounder who is equally at home trotting a stick, link legering for chub, deadbaiting for pike or fly fishing for trout.

He also, for a period, became an icon in carp fishing. The book: "Redmire Pool" is one of the great classics of angling literature. He is at present updating his book: "A History of Carp Fishing".

He will shortly be publishing a book on the history of Hornsea Mere, in which I have contributed a chapter.

There is certainly some good stuff to look forward to from the stable of Sandholme Publishing.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I am with Ed here on "Waterlog". I used to get it regularly and other than the stuff by "Gainsborough Leach" and "Dexter Petley", (Are these guys for real?) it deteriorated terribly.

Logically of course, if you don't get it anymore then you are hardly a reliable souce as a critic regarding its current content or quality. Right?

I am always a little sceptical of re-hashing old books, usually they are best left as the 'classics' that they once were. Far better to write a whole new treatise on a subject in my opinion.

 

[dezza]

Heck Mark, I didn't realise that "Waterlog" had been hiked to 8 quid.

It's obviously been targeted at the Paxmans and PJs of this world.



---------- Post added at 00:34 ---------- Previous post was at 00:31 ----------

Logically of course, if you don't get it anymore then you are hardly a reliable souce as a critic regarding its current content or quality. Right

I have nicked the odd recent copy..........

I certainly would not buy it now at that price.

---------- Post added at 00:39 ---------- Previous post was at 00:34 ----------

I am always a little sceptical of re-hashing old books, usually they are best left as the 'classics' that they once were. Far better to write a whole new treatise on a subject in my opinion.
__________________

Some very well known books/tomes went to up-dates, re-prints and many editions Peter.

"Stillwater Angling" is one that comes to mind.

Mind you I would love to get a first edition signed.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

I used to have a subscription to Waterlog and at first I loved it, I loved the quality of the story writing especially. Eventually I got to the point where it would lie unread sometimes until the next one arrived on my hall mat so I thought it was time to give it up. I can't truthfully say I miss it because I have plenty of reading available when I need it.

 

[The Scarlet Maggot]

I am with Ed here on "Waterlog". I used to get it regularly and other than the stuff by "Gainsborough Leach" and "Dexter Petley", (Are these guys for real?) it deteriorated terribly.

Arcadia Archive - Caught by the River

Ron, Dexter Petley is DP, one half of Arcadia, he writes to John Andrews, both from the old Waterlog stable. You’ll even find Christ Yates on the main site from time to time…

Dexter Petley left Waterlog due to the appalling editorial direction. I personally stopped subscribing when Dexter left; he was really the only one worth reading by 2007. Waterlog for me just seemed to panda to the Medlar booking buying hardcore, it usually just show cased pending publications, charging you for the privilege. A dam shame really, it has, well had, so much potential.

 

[Keith Jobling]

Don't rule out your local angling bloggers Thames-Steve.

Up here in the Midlands we have a good number of anglers writing about local waters. I'm sure with a little research you will find accounts of waters you not only recognise but might also fish.

There's nothing better than reading a write-up of a water which is local to you. It means so much more than an anonymous piece on a Welsh canal you're unlikely to fish in the next five years.

 

[Bob Roberts]

One of the biggest problems with specialist angling magazines is that the best writers are not necessarily the best fishermen, and vice versa.

Of course, we then have the plethora of repeated photgraphs - same fish, same angler, same capture - which is only made worse when we get the same angler, same fish, but yet another repeat capture of it.

Very few angling writers put sufficient emphasis on their photographs which, to me, is a cardinal sin in this day and age of digital cameras. Compare the layout and photographic quality of say, IYCF to CAT. There's no comparison.

However, the fundamental difference between the two vehicles (and I'm lumping all speccy mags in one camp and all intstruction led ones in another) is that to create magazines of the highest quality the featured angler has to catch fish to order, normally within the working hours of the staff photographer. And then he has to do it again next month on a different water with a different species/ method/ bait/ etc. Try that for twenty years without repeating yourself...!

Angling magazines do not pay fortunes for the copy and the images they use. Indeed they pay miserably compared with most other media vehicles and this leads to a malaise among some of the contributors who do just enough work to get by.

It's invariably clear when you read the mags who is taking the 'Kings shilling' by the way that certain products are featured. Quite honestly no magazine should be publishing a picture of a grubby product bag of XXX pellets these days unless it's integral to the article - which you can argue it always is if the 'writer' is supplying advertorial copy.

I personally would love to see more balance in features and I do try to adopt those some principles into my writing. Yes I'll periodically throw in a picture where, say, a bag of bait is prominently positioned in a picture, or you can read what is written on a bag as I load a feeder, say. I will also include material items if I'm describing a technique but in many (indeed the vast majority of) cases I am not sponsored by that company, nor am I receiving any inducement to feature those products.

To suggest Angling Star is unique because it contains freelance articles is a complete misnomer. It is no different to CAT or CF except in the editing and reproduction quality which is somewhat substandard if we're being totally honest, but let's just agree to say it is 'different'.

But back to the point, much of the stuff in other magazines and newspapers is done by freelancers. Do you think Martin Bowler, Des Taylor and Matt Hayes are employed by Angling Times? How many articles are written in CAT and CF by staff writers? Then compare this with how many articles in AS are commisioned and ghosted by Allain Urrity and Alan Barnes, plus those by the editor himself?

To those who say angling blogs are the way forward, I'd agree but only to a point. A blog requires good content and few are able to supply that. Many are repetitive or are simply vehicles used to viciously attack those they choose not to like. They are often biggoted and lacking in any sense of humour or warmth. Good blogs are indeed rare, good angling blogs are like rocking horse manure.

Unfortunately they do not pay the bills and therefore they will never be more than hit-and-miss labours of love. But mentioning blogs, did anyone spot the picture of Ron Clay in my last one? If not, you can see it here...

We have the press we have because that is what sells and makes a profit - albeit in some cases a rather small one. The reason why all these brilliant magazines disappear after only a couple of issues is that despite the rhetoric, they do not sell enough copies to attract advertisers or reach profitability.

Those we still see on our newsagent shelves are there because they achieve profitability and by virtue of that they confound this idea that they are bad and have no appeal. Believe it or not IYCF sells something like ten times the number of copies of CAT and CF and these are the two that have survived.