This morning I received what the wrap says is my last issue of your Fly Rod & Reel. Perhaps because I have ignored you offers to renew, and this latest offering is a perfect example of the reason why. Eighty-four pages devoted to a single family of fish, of which I have no ocassion to angle for. Couldn’t the hand be holding a smallie once in a great while? Or a bluegill? Is asking for a single story per month on a warmwater species too much to ask? I’ll read Gierach’s story in the back and respectfully deposite all of your hard work into the recycling bin. I took this past year of issue simply because of his stories, then realized that for $19.99 I can purchase any of his fine books. This brings my slicks down to one publication. Fly Tyer. You ask that I “don’t miss the excitement!” Of what? I have been hit over the head with trout, which I admit are beautiful fish and fun to catch, for so long now that I fail to see any excitement. So, you slick stick editors and publishers go on and have your fun. Just let the circulation department know that sending me those enticing offers is a complete waste of time and money. Tight lines.
Right on! The only mag I get now is Shallow Water Angler. I find all the FF mags are way out of touch with what I call real FF. I also think Gierach lost his Trout Bum status a long time ago and his works now a days are not worth 1 cent let alone 19.95 or whatever they go for now. I live in my own little world of farm ponds, underfished warmwater rivers, and over hyped trout tailwaters, and rarely do I find myself identifying with any FF “celebrity” or publication.
Great reply! I dropped FR&R a while ago due to Guernsey replying to a request I made about not getting his mag after I paid the subscription. He said"I guess your address label blew out of my window, you know I paste each one on myself" . Not the kind of attitude I would expect from a “publisher”
The only FF mags I get now are Fly Tyer and Flyfishing Saltwater.
I hope you sent this to Geurnsey. Maybe he will wake up and straighten ouot that worthless rag. And fire Ted Williams while he is at it!
Oh, absolutely, LF. Precisely the reason why I joined your Friends of FAOL this past fall. You were my subscription, which I intended as a major thanks for bringing us not one, but often two warmwater articles a week. Now, my question: why aren’t the Mr. Guernsey’s getting the message. Oh well, it’s something I won’t have to fret about any longer. JGW
In all fairness, it is troutoids that sell flyfishing. Look at most FF club’s presentations. Sometimes I am ready to drop-out of the one I go to. 12 meetings and ONE non-troutoid presentation. Almost everyone else is satisfied…but good gosh, how many ways do you need to hear how to toss little bugs underwater and little bugs on top, fast water gots caddis and slow has midges,…?
The rags are the same if they want to sell. FORTUNATELY there are getting to be more of us peripheral yahoos who delve into the “anything that pulls on the string” areas of the sport. They do gotta listen a bit, I guess.
Ca. FF’er is a local rag with a few more “peripheral” articles. But then after awhile you know that “shad” will be seen in the Apr. edition, “stripers” in the Sept. edition, etc. And again, how many different ways do you want to say…?
Gotta check out that FFT rag. With Ken Hanley and Dave Whitlock there, they gotta be good! They’re TRYING to be as good as FAOL…thanks JC & LF.
…lee s.
Most ppl think, When they see me on the “trout” waters here. That I’m actually there for the trout. They can be a nice nuisance at times but I hardly fish the larger well known waters for them anymore…they are merely there…Penns creek would be a surprising Smallmouth fishery to most who have yet to fish it…Especially the lower sections around and below the town of Penns Creek! The upper reaches hold good smallie action too! Pickrel in decent numbers as well…where the trout boys hav’nt tossed them all out to broil on the bank…Fly fishing & Tying Journal is my only regular read these days…and I’ll pick up a Fly Tyer when and where I can!!
Ain’t that sorta like a striper fly and a dorado fly and a pike fly in the rags. This old rotund lazy person uses our fav baitfish immi, a deceiver, on everything eating baitfish.
Little fish is little fish…and bugs is bugs.
…lee s.
Althougt I did complain about "eastern fly fishing’ billing me ,they do have articles about ww fly fishing ,they did have a article about the 3 forks of the BLACK WARRIOR RIVER 1fork that flows about 2 miles from where i wwas born in Blount county,AL.
