MATCH FISHING MAGAZINE

[TF_matchace]

over the past few months i have being trying very hard to see
which direction this magazine is going
to me there seems a very obvious
NORTH SOUTH divide
there is pages and pages of adverts
in fact in one issue i counted 58 pages
i have subscribed to this magazine for the past 9 years
and i realy am finding boring to the point i flick to the back
to look at peg 101 and that about as interesting as it gets
and also who is going to start CHOPPING up method feeders at a cost of £1.99 each
and start chopping moulds up also
thats ok if a certain company is going to send you artic wagon loads
full of them you can chop away until your heart is content
my point is guys the m1 doesnt stop at brimingham it carries on all the way NORTH
if you get my drift

[TF_Double Dipper man]

The articles set on natural are always the best reading

[TF_macca63]

I’m getting a little tired of the head to head type articles which are nothing more than two anglers fishing a pleasure session in the week on a commercial which 99% of the readers will never fish. There are only so many ways you can catch carp from a puddle surely ?

[TF_rb211]

yep agree in all what has been said I know the adverts pay for most of the production of the magazine but there are far to many .And I don’t like paying the extra for a dvd stuck to the front that most people would not pay a pound for as you can get better ones for free from your tackle shop.
Why does nearly every article have to be by a sponsored angler of coarse they are going to say buy this use this its the best and we all know they are not going to pass on what they really do and use they have to promote there sponsor .saying all that I still buy it each month except when there’s a rubbish dvd stuck on the front

[TF_wightangler]

the ads contribute more than the sales (which have increased), to the mags commercial viability.
Personally, i really rate M/F since Alex and Joe took over, loads of new stuff – particularly the underwater series.
Nothing again Dave Harrell, but by his own admission he had gone as far as he could.
Imo, a better overall mag at the moment. 🙂

[TF_matchace]

i agree to a point that ARE they running out of ideas
i sense a serious lack of invention this year so far
aslo i understand the commercial aspect of the adverts
but ask yourself why have i started to notice the amount of them ???

to be honest im finding the weeklys a little more interesting
and im making a strong point that the M1 doesnt stop at birmingham
i would also add that the cost of the extra £1 is a southern thing
without consulting the buyer FIRST is dam bloody rude

[TF_JohnH]

The guys doing the features I am told, by someone in the know, turn up for just a couple of hours take a few notes and pictures then go. As I believe these guys are based in the Peterborough area I can see where the sort of North South divide comes in.
The feature on Robs W/A festival exploits could have been written from the W/A web site it contained no detail whatsoever.
I sensed a little disenchantment in Alex’s editorial and can see exactly where he is coming from. I think we have created a bit of a beast of things with crowded commercials and pursuit of the 30k or 50k reward and sometimes forget why we go fishing. The banning of this or that creates more response on here than questions that are potentially much more interesting so its clear to me where most peoples interest is.
I stopped fishing large commercial matches years ago the thought of being on a hole in the ground with a box on every pallet and little water to go at completely turned me off fishing until I re discovered why I go.

[TF_joffmiester]

Sorry i must disagree JohnH I’ve been out with Matt and Tom on features yes they ask you to go when you want and you can understand why .One they have to travel plus find you on the bank and two you’ve got to get set up so no real point them being there at start . when either one turns up it’s normally a chat and a few photo’s about what you are doing ,how you are wanting to catch ,back up plans ,baits you are using during a feature i’d of said tom or Matt would take at least 200 pictures look for just the right one for the magazine both are very professional at there work and can tellyou the feature i did with Matt took all day in fact i took him a quicker route to the motorway as it was rush hour 😉 😉
I’ve also been on complete Nightmare features on new venues where you just can’t catch and believe me as much work goes into these days as good features and very often they done reach the Magazine 😉 😉

[TF_JohnH]

Joff, you are Midlands based so on the doorstep so to speak. The Name who I was out with on a coaching day had just had a feature done by the mag and he told me that they turned up for a couple of hours and went. The point about North and South on the original post prompted my reply. If your experience was different that’s fine. I never said they were not professional, only that they seem to stick close to home.
I can understand why, but its not good news if you are looking for in depth features from the North West for example. A point made by the original poster.
I would add that another name on here a few weeks ago posted some great tips then added he had just lost a potential £60 had he done a feature for a mag, hardly a kings ransom, so no wonder readers are complaining about content.

[TF_joffmiester]

Fairplay JohnH 😉

[TF_Prawnking]

I still enjoy the magazine and in particular the tackle reviews. The content is nothing like it was when Dave Harrell was editor for example I have standard IKEA magazine holders to hold these on my bookshelf and looking at the 2005/6 years it is 12 magazines per folder whereas the current folder has the last 17 issues in it. Having said that I do feel that Alex Bones is refreshingly open and honest about match fishing issues and therefore this magazine leads the market by a long way and I will continue to subscribe.

[TF_moto46]

I am a subscriber and will continue to be but if the price increases im not sure I would stay. The Angling Direct discount has been useful though and the mail order service was superb to be fair. Anyway I think they need to move away from being overly commerically focussed and this means not only venues but pushing sponsors and tackle down your neck.
Also not every match angler or anglers who fishes a match approach want to fish the puddles all the time or the big money win at all cost matches and I think Alex recognises that so he must know this needs to filter down and the approach needs to change.
Also move away from the pointless head to heads waste of time in my opinion just a pleasure report. Personally I think the mag needs some more characters and in depth stories and interviews with anglers / people in the industry instead of the same thing over and over again also some of the bold claims like this will make you a match winner or then ultimate method need to stop as well!!!

The one thing I hear people still talking about after all these years are the Match Angling Plus articles with people like Kim Milsom and Syd Huggin writing reports. MF take note!

[TF_wightangler]

Instead of suggestions and criticism on here, i’d suggest writing to them with your ideas. Indeed, this request and explicit point was made in a very recent PF. 🙂

[TF_JohnH]

One suggestion, fewer features but more depth. Print the stuff they don’t, the tips dodges etc. Pay the guys more and improve the analysis, or is it really that scientific?
I read Luke piece on Hallcroft where he talks about pumping expanders with Maruku liquid to make them heavier??? His argument was that they did not waft around as much. I just wondered why he didn’t use a heavier hook instead and on what scientific basis he made his judgement?
I am not having a pop, but where I was brought up you did not publish anything you had not proved, guessing was definitely out.

[TF_JohnH]

Before anyone jumps down my throat, the analysis of pellet feeder loading is just what I mean. Remember how we were all watching the underwater DVD produced by Korda in absolute amazement? That is the sort of info I mean. There are devices available to help analysis but rarely have I seen them used.

[TF_Double Dipper man]

Thing is with match anglers articles is they will tell you how they have caught ” i fished pellet shallow or method feeder” etc but they will always omit information there always reluctant to spill the nitty gritty on the tweaks they have on their methods because these touches keep them ahead in their game, Paul Newell was banging on about watching match anglers on the bank and hes right really it has to be the best option they wont leave nowt out when there on a match

[TF_JohnH]

I don’t think the guys winning at TBF are going to spill the beans for £60 do you?
Even if they did they would still beat you!!
Like most things in life the road to success is long and hard and maybe we are all guilty of looking for shortcuts.

[TF_Joe Carass]

Chaps,
Good to read your views. You would be amazed how little feedback we actually get on the magazine especially given that our email addresses are printed in the magazine.
I would love to hear your ideas and what you would like us to cover more of, after all i want it to be the best it can be.
Anyone who thinks that I spend just a couple of hours on the bank with the anglers clearly doesn’t know me. You will struggle to get me away! And i know Tom and Matt are exactly the same when it comes to spending a proper day out with the anglers.
In the last week we have done features at The Glebe, River Wye, Barnburgh lakes, Cross Drove Fishery, Viaduct, Woodlands View, Woodlands Thirsk, Linear Fisheries (underwater), Grand Union Canal and the Shropshire Union canal. That is a pretty decent geographical spread and I think my car would disagree that we only stay local.
It is of course difficult to please everyone, as much as I love shooting features on rivers and canals (I had an unbelievable feature on the Wye yesterday) the sad truth is the majority of our readers fish commercial waters.
As far as advertising goes it is just how it is, I took the time to find some older issues of MF from the 90s to count the adverts. There were 64 adverts on the issue i picked up from 1995 compared to the 48 in the recent issue i counted from. I would love to produce the mag with minimal adverts but how many would we sell at £10 an issue?
I will always reply to emails so please don’t hesitate to get in touch, I always welcome the feedback, good or bad, as it is the only way we can see if what we are doing is any good!
Thanks

Joe

[TF_JohnH]

Joe, the original poster talked about direction, where are you trying to go with this? He also felt a geographic bias. I only post facts as they are told to me, I don’t make things up but I will say it was a few years ago before many of the new young guns started working for the mag.
I understand about adverts but one problem comparatively new is the number of sponsored anglers who for obvious reasons promote certain products. It starts to feel as though most of the mag is subliminal advertising and anglers recommend stuff whether they use it or not.
A soon as I saw the gear being worn by the sinking wagler angler in the current issue I knew which floats he would recommend as an example. I don’t have an answer but it does start to wear you down after a while and I for one stop reading.
I think as I have said you have some good features and ideas but am starting to conclude that most of the stuff has been done before. I also think you find it hard to discriminate whether you feel some gear is maybe better than others for fear of upsetting advertisers.
I know Alex dig his heels in on the MAP pole article maybe more like that on other gear is in order. Objectively of course.

[TF_Joe Carass]

John, Thanks for the reply.
Interestingly I have just written a used and abused on the 901 pole after ten months of use. I think it will raise a few eyebrows!
The featured anglers are often sponsored, much of the advertising is secured on a basis that anglers from the brand are featured. There are not many anglers out there who don’t use their sponsors tackle. I am keen though to tone down the ‘plugs’ as i get sick of it myself (I am an avid reader of the magazines too).
I agree with the comments about the head to head type features. I have just suggested to Alex that in future we look into shooting this type of feature under genuine match conditions. There cant be a fairer reflection on a tactic than that (but you would be surprised how few anglers are prepared to fish under live match conditions).
Keep the suggestions coming, we are keen to speak to the readers 🙂

[TF_nick2b]

Joe,

I would think that clearly the most successful and innovative series of recent years has been the underwater features. These have focussed primarily on how our tackle behaves as opposed to the responses by the fish.
Could you not expand this series by showing us what is happening when the fish turn up.
One thing you could solve for us, is what is happening when you get the dreaded ‘fizzing’. Film this, stick it on a DVD and then you will be able to sell the magazine for a tenner a go.

There will be loads of ‘what is happening when…’ type of things you could investigate.

[TF_Joe Carass]

Absolutely Nick, it is something we are trying to do. The main problem we face is filming underwater in venues with fish! You would not believe how clear the lakes need to be for the photography. It would need some serious time spent on the bank to produce the goods but it is a project we are focusing on this summer. If you know of any gin clear lakes that are prolific then let me know.
The underwater series is fantastic (we are shooting the next tomorrow) and it will be interesting to see what you lot want to see from it.

[TF_Man of Kent]

It doesn’t seem unreasonable to me to expect a sponsored angler to promote his sponsor’s gear: at the end of the day, that’s one of the reasons for sponsorship. I used to get fed up with it, but have changed my opinion in recent years so that I now keep an open mind when reading the articles and look for similar items that I’m confident in. If a new product comes up that looks like it would be beneficial, I’ll take a look and make my own mind up.

A good recent case in point is hooks. I have so many different patterns that I’ve starting thinning them down to a smaller number of key types. Then I read a Pellet Waggler hook article, and I thought it would solve a concern I had with another pattern, so I bought some, tried them and now they are a firm favourite for certain methods. I really didn’t want another pattern, but I could see the advantage and they will have a long term place in the box.

For me, it’s about trying to find odd things that can be incorporated into my fishing that will improve or enhance the result. It’s not necessarily all about which line, hook, float or even bait/groundbait, as most of these are adaptable. When it comes down to it, there only a small number of primary shotting pattern variations (e.g. shirt button, strung bulk, bulk and dropper(s) and a few others), but it’s the application of the methods and feeding patterns that make or break the method. Each edition, I find something new to try or add to the memory bank for future reference and I look forward to receiving my copy each month for that reason.

I actually don’t mind the ads either, as they can be useful reference points when making purchases even though I try to use my local shop as much as possible. I think the issue becomes significant when the ratio of articles to ads reaches a critical point and everyone will have a different tolerance level, so you won’t please everyone.

However, one thing that does make me itch is the cynical inclusion of a CD in order to justify a price increase for that edition, which turns out to be permanent. Actually price increases are acceptable and most of us are grown up enough to realise what’s going on. Having said that, I’m sure some will have gleaned some good info from the disc(s) that will help in some circumstances, so I guess it could be considered an extra, live feature even if it’s a one-off.

[TF_JohnH]

Fizzing would be a great subject to cover, it cant be that difficult to find out but everyone I speak to has a different opinion as to what is going on.
I know (or think I know) fizzing fish are not always on the deck.
Some venues fizz like crazy others hardly at all.

Didn’t realise the price of MF was going up to £4.95, with readers a bit wary of where its going that’s a mighty increase.

[TF_Joe Carass]

Just to make something clear, the price is NOT going up to £4.95 and normal service will be resumed from the next issue.

Man Of Kent – I’m glad you like the Pellet Waggler hooks, they are superb!

[TF_Mike Herrington]

Hi Joe,

Just a thought, why not get clubs to write in and offer for the camera’s to follow them through a typical match. There are some cracking anglers within some clubs and they are not generally sponsored so use everyone’s bits and pieces of tackle and they also usually have one or two tricks up their own sleeves (3 worms fished over 3 tins of corn, 3 tins of hemp and 2kg of groundbait LOL 😀 😀 😀 )

In addition, they generally fish an approach which is within reach of about 90% of your readership in that they do not all have 16m poles, so have to adapt to fish to a feature (for example).

I nominate Robin Hood AC first LOL.

[TF_JohnH]

My club do a summary newsletter after every match with a description of who fished which peg and how/why.
I think the most important attribute of a top angler is knowing what to do next. Sure top gear is important but knowing what you are trying to achieve and why is the key. To that end I thought the stop watch features were very good, knowing where you are in the frame, understanding you need a lump or two to catch up for example and where they might come from..
Its amazing how often your intuition is correct. I fished a match last year and just knew I was slightly behind the guy opposite he weighed in 2lb more than me and I had 132lb!!
Maybe another idea is to follow the venue expert and observe and report what he does, with or without his consent!!!

[TF_nick2b]

Joe

Being primarily a silver fish angler – I’d really like to see how roach respond. In particular, I’d like to see how the biggest roach sit off from the feed/smaller fish and hover around in the top foot or so of water.
The roach fishing in this part of the country is fantastic – and the water is clear too!
I acknowledge that this may mot appeal to the commercially orientated readership.

[TF_Joe Carass]

Nick2b – we have actually had a river session planned for a year now and unbelievably every time the time has come they are up and coloured. I think a river one will be a massive eye opener!

[TF_joffmiester]

The featured anglers are often sponsored, much of the advertising is secured on a basis that anglers from the brand are featured. There are not many anglers out there who don’t use their sponsors tackle. I am keen though to tone down the ‘plugs’ as i get sick of it myself (I am an avid reader of the magazines too).

Joe just a point remember most sponsored anglers still have full times jobs yet when asked by yourselves to do a feature will never let you down . I think pushing there sponsor’s product is a small price to pay plus a lot of these companies pay you good money to advertise. Funny really as i saw your advertising guy in a tackle shop this week and one person was moaning and said he was sick of the same faces month after month .HE then suggested a father and son article and fairplay your guy made a note and said i’l pass it on but in the very next sentance he said too late now my sons used all his holiday up :rolleyes: It made me laugh as he didn’t even buy the magazine :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[TF_matchace]

whislt im on the subject although i am a little late
last months trials of a certain MARGIN POLE
just proves my point
joe is a great guy by the way (he used to live not far away from me )
hes stood there all gleaming with no photograph of the actual margin pole
AND yet on the next page there’s alex (with what i assume to be his favourite brand)
with photo’s and a lovely write up the rest speaks for it self
i know its hard but i must thank joe for responding so please show the guy some respect if he comes on here
and yes having a club section would be a great idea although where would you start
1 north 1 south per month
also this would give potential sponsors a good look at what they are investing in
in my words only lets change the record the under water secrets are brilliant
but you cannot have only 6 pages that are interesting in magazine where there are 90+
the other annoying point is a certain angler is always promoting fluro boilies (you know who i mean) everywhere i go up and down the country they are banned
the jury is still out on wether i re join at the moment its not looking likely

[TF_daveyboy1979]

Good magazine for the most joe, but yes like someone’s said before, more of the stopwatch style match articles, we all here about the success of top match anglers have successes, but perhaps a more warts and all style approach, after all, we all have bad matches, and in my experience that’s when I learn more.
How about take a club angler who wants to step up to the open circuit and follow him, bit of an experiment, can u turn him into a successful open angler…..

[TF_TIDALWAVE1]

The only change i would like to see to a 99 percent brilliant magazine,is more articles with anglers restricted to a sensible and practical budget regarding bait quantities featured in some articles.but without compromising the article by saying if i can only spend £10 on bait,i will just have to fish bread in this months feature.and then have my usual 8 pints of casters and 2 kilos of worms,and the obligatory half a case of groundbait to ball in at the start next trip out on the bank.

the normal reason given is that some sponsored anglers who do not have to pay for their bait,find it hard to do features with bait restrictions,as this limits the methods and venues they can fish to put a netfull in front of the camera to provide pictures for the magazines article to make it worthwhile publishing.

but what is the point of doing an article for many of us to learn how to fish,if we cannot afford to even start trying it when hampered by bait costs from the outset.

it should be based on angling demonstration first and foremost,not just trying to empty your sponsors warehouse at any given opportunity to promote their products

[TF_matchace]

the cost of match fishing is massive with out doubt
i once tried to work it out
what it actualy cost me i frightened myself to death when i hit
the 130 pounds mark
then theres the time you cannot put a value on that
i suppose at the end of the day consumers are NOT putting up with
half hearted attemps anymore with so many variants on the market
you have to step up to the plate in what ever buisness your in
but once again i struggled with last months magazine o realy read it]
and find it interesting

[TF_Spuds1]

Joe –

Appreciate your feedback – The mag has been very informative for me over the years ( I have issue from 1989 ) and I will continue to purchase ( I pad download now though ) but one observation – Its called Match fishing and live match coverage is not covered that much other than in the Superstars Diary .

The stopwatch features are my favourite and I think you should have at least 2 every edition- 2 days a month out of your workload I am sure could be arranged,

Looking forward to your long term test of the 901 – see if it’ s the same as mine,.

[Author]

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