In-Fisherman magazine

What’s up with in-fisherman these days? It seems the last several years…the magazine gets skinnier and skinnier. I appreciate the coverage of catfish in there, but I think the articles cover a lot of the same ground.

I give them huge credit for all the innovative things over the years like all the great walleye techniques, and very interesting articles about catfish, sturgeon, carp, gar, etc. When Catfish In-Sider came out (4 times a year), I thought there was a lot more to come. But, that didn’t last long. The annual Catfish guide seems to be a lot of the same articles (and pictures even) year after year. And a lot of coverage on the same handful of places… Santee Cooper, Manitoba, Minnesota River, and James River.

I’m sure it’s hard to come up with that many articles about bait, hooks, rod/reels, sinkers, boat positioning, etc. But, I still haven’t seen a great in-depth article about using sonar while catfishing (Do cat guys use it in a different way?).

Don’t get me wrong, Stange did a lot to promote catfishing as a serious pursuit. This contributed at least in part to the wide availability of better catfish rods and gear, I’m sure.

Maybe it’s just part of an overall decline in print media, due to the proliferation of other media. Or, change of the guard following Lindner’s departure. They still do a top-notch job on the TV show, although I’d like some of the segments to run longer. Ok, time to stop ranting, and get more

Shawn

ps Guess I sound like a grumpy old man… nothing is as good as it used to be…

As a fellow grumpy old man I have to go along with your thoughts. Many many years ago that is why Outdoor Life and Sports A Field left my mag rack. I feel at this time that this site and others seem to fill that gap by supplying reel (pun intended) on water expierences and information. I read In-Fisherman as a pass time inbetween site peeks and a quick method of reviewing subjects I need a refresher on. Site searches sometimes lenghty and don’t have a wireless gizmo for my lap top when traveling.

Hey Shawn, I think you may be experiencing what happens when you have read the magazines for years. It’s a business, and the next thing you will notice is how articles are geared so hard to a new product for $$$.

Like you said, it’s still an amazing magazine, I still am a a subscriber to In-fisherman, and walleye-insider, but everything really ever written about in these magazines-at least for walleyes is basically new pictures and regurgitated information from the IF walleye critical concepts series-which has no promotion of new products.

I think that no matter what your hobby, or passion is-you will run into this type of plateau. That’s when you start focusing on water body specific information like you find on IDO because ultimately that’s what you need to catch fish consistently.

I enjoyed the PWT coverage in walleye-insider, but not that’s gone so what happens there now They still give info on new research so I’ll stick around.

It’s a tough deal, keep reading, you are bound to learn something sometime-until then go on a guide trip or something.

I just got a year subscription for $10, plus other goodies with it. From what you are telling me, I’ll be getting what I paid for.

I wish their website had a little more to offer too.

I think you folks have touched on both of the key reasons for the In-Fisherman magazine to shrink in size. Both the tough economy forcing advertisers to be more selective in their spending and the internet has truly become the resource of choice for those of us not wanting to wait for next months edition. For my self, I find most fishing magazines lacking in that I have become a more focused fisherman. Alas, I have become a smallmouth snob. I choose fishing smallies above all else. When it comes to my reading choices I search out information regarding smallies. Information on catfishing or lead lining walleyes is wasted material on me. I am also a bit impulsive. If I am in the mood for searching out smallie information, I will jump on the internet and get the latest information available.

We outdoorsmen are not the only ones noticing a decrease in our favorite magazines. My wife is a scrapbooker and her magazines are also growing thinner seemingly by the month. I am sure other hobbiest find they have the very same issues with their information resource that we have.

Sadly, it’s just not the same taking a laptop into the bathroom with you for your daily constitutional.

One of the reasons Al Lidner left is because of the increasing push to infomerciaism….I followed Al to Anglers Edge…

Lew, one of the other problems I have with them and I can’t really blame them because it is national, is all the blue catfish articles. They barely touch on flatheads, but the channel info it close to the blue coverage.

Personally I am interested in coverage of new products. I prefer to learn about location and coming up with new techniques on my own.

Al Lindner is my hero Did Lew just mention scrapping in his post I felt like Will Ferrell when he said “That-just-HAPPENED!” in Taladega Nights. I’m just messing with ya Lew, it was a solid analogy.

I have quit buying all fishing magazines unless I see an article that intrigues me. I have worked on writing down all my personal info so that I can become a better fisherman for the species I desire. I learn much more from the forums I frequent and there is so much knowledge that the pros do not know that some of us do. I watched my first fishing show in months without yelling at the tv! I get sick of oh thats a 9 pounder…..they show one closer to 4 or 5. I watch Larry Dahlberg and Tred Barta! NO more Magazines for me.

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One of the reasons Al Lidner left is because of the increasing push to infomerciaism….I followed Al to Anglers Edge…

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I love what Al and Family are doing with the Anglers Edge, but you really can’t say he’s gotten away from the infomercialization. I don’t blame them, it’s simply a sign of the times, but I don’t remember hearing about the name brand of the fishing rod and reel that Al was using in the older versions of In-Fisherman TV. Now everybody knows Al fishes with Shimano, uses Berkley Power Baits, etc. It really is a small price to pay when you consider the information we can get from Al and many other fishing shows. I admit, I love fishing shows and enjoy watching big fish being caught, but I can only think of one program where the host of the show actually fished in waters that he couldn’t get to in his powerboat. Old Hank Parker was actually fishing out of a kayak one time in shallow water looking for smallmouth. Now that was a show I was really interested in. I’d love to see Al or Babe knee deep in the Zumbro River telling me the best way to approach a pool full of smallies, muskies or even a channel cat.

One question that was touched on above…

Why pay $10. for any magazine when by asking a question, ANY question…on ANY website, you have have the answer in a few moments?

I’m not saying these mags are worthless by any stretch. It’s just that I can’t wait that long for a fishing fix…and chances are the article won’t be about the fish I’m interested in anyway.

Poo poo on you too.

Sometimes it is nice to have a magazine around to look at or to start a campfire. Quite frankly I got it because I got away so much from the new trends in fishing and the new products. Lately all I know is circle hook, power pro, Okuma, bullheads,….

So in a way I am actually getting it for the infomercial. And who are you guys kidding? All these shows are about the sponsors. ALL OF THEM! Fishing is a very lucrative sector of the economy.

A little off topic, but one of my favorite shows now is City Fishing with that Mike Iaconelli. No editing over a couple of days or waiting for ideal conditions to shoot a show. Just a time limit to catch a limit of bass in urban settings. I hated how obnoxious he was when I first saw this guy, but I eventually admitted I feel like that every time I land a fish, I just keep it inside.

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Sometimes it is nice to have a magazine around to look at or to start a campfire. Quite frankly I got it because I got away so much from the new trends in fishing and the new products. Lately all I know is circle hook, power pro, Okuma, bullheads,….

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Your “poo poo” taken well Pug.

It’s about time some of these OLD Fashion people in the fishing industry figure out that the internets IS going to be around a few more years…

The net is less expensive…

Hits a broader range of people (age, financial bracket ect)

Get’s the word out FASTER…

and

has immediate feed back on how a product is received.

How many fires do you need to start?

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How many fires do you need to start

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My Dad has had a subscription since 1983!! Will that be enough to start some fires?

Pug are you saying that there are other fish you actually want to learn about other than bullheads

I need the other fish to build me back up. I seem to have no issues catching decent bass, pike, you name it. My PB is long over do, but this year I am practicing some reverse mojo. That’s right, this year I will not catch my PB.

So back to In-Fisherman mag…