New Infisherman

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Did anyone who subscribes get a DVD with there recent magazine (june/july 05)? I noticed the newstand copies came with one but didn't get one with mine. Seems dumb that they wouldnt give subscribers the DVD as well.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I didn't get one either.

[hanson]

No DVD for me.

[Whopper Stopper]

Me Neither.

[LocalGuide]

That makes 5 of us.

Was the newsstand price much higher or not?

[NEO]

no dvd here

[76k20]

Its a conspiracy, I didnt get mine either.

Any idea what the dvd was?

I know they do promo's for new subscriptions but for news stand?

[ZapBranigan]

Probably a AOL Cd. LOL have thrown away enough of these blasted things. Har. I'll have to take a look at the store next time I'm out. I didn't get it with my subscription.

[LEECH21]

Nope, none here. Anyone else out there notice that the newer In-Fisherman's have ALOT of advertisements in them. Like half of the magazine is all adds. Years ago, it was jam packed with info. Now they are not only getting thinner, but less articles as well. Just my opinion.

[Shane683]

No DVD here and I definitely agree with LEECH21.

[Hillbiehle]

I cancelled my subscription to walleye insider (never thought I'd say that) and sent a letter to the editor that I will be cancelling the in-fisherman as well. I can't remember how many full page ads there were, but it far outnumbered anything of substance. I began from the first page and began counting and by the time I got half way through I made my decision. Just not worth the money anymore.

[hanson]

For those of you who are cancelling your subscriptions because of advertisements, can you help me out with a BETTER multi-species fishing resource that has less advertisements??

I don't think there is another magazine out there that could take the place of In-Fisherman.

I subscribe to many other magazines that are all specific to species. Musky Hunter, Esox Angler, Crappie, Walleye Insider, etc. They all have ads also.

Just curious...

[JP Z]

Generally the deal with the promos is they don't come for Subscribers ONLY newstands. I know for some of my former gaming mags, etc. That you would get a DVD or CDrom with them, but once you subscribe you don't get it.....that is why they offer subscriptions at "NEARLY 50% off the Cover Price"....blah blah blah

[Aquaman01]

I'm with you, Chris. I shopped hard for a mag to subscribe to, and IF is the best, IMHO.

[Hillbiehle]

I should have re-phrased my responce and mentioned the number of articles instead of the number of advertisemnts. They have to make there money somehow. I'll agree that In-Fisherman is a good magazine, but if you take the annual cost versus the number of articles, I think there are just better deals out there. But that is just my opinion. I prefer the newspaper style that are loaded with huge advertisements, but are offset with a much higer pecentage of articles coverering lots of species. Again, just my opinion.

[msm1018]

I got the dvd but I bought mine in a store.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Care to tell us what we are missing out on?

I find it cheap they wouldnt package the DVD with every magazine instead of trying to get subscribers to buy one at the newstand if they wanted the DVD.

I love Infisherman. I like the fact that each magazine has info on almost all of the major species each issue. Plus the info they give is actually useful, not like some other publications that have you reading about basic coldfront tactics almost every other issue.

[LEECH21]

I love In-Fisherman, don't get me wrong but I'm just pointing out the trend that seems to be happening.

A BETTER multi - species mag....try North American Fisherman. It is a magazine that is based out of Minnetonka and is sold worldwide. Great articles about everything that swims in freshwater. They do have some adds but not as many as In-Fish IMO. Plus being a member, they send you all kinds of FREE stuff. Hooks, line, sinkers, and different types of tackle. Give it a try.

How come I can't use the word m u l t i - s p e c i e s?

It always comes up saying (Contact US Regarding This Word)?

[Huskiedevle]

Some of you here already know this, but for those that don't, Primedia is the company that owns Infisherman.When they purchased the magazine and communications company from the Linders, the whole thing changed. As some have said here, they have to pay the bills through advertising, but where does the line get drawn as far as too much advertising? I cancelled my subscription when the sale of the magazine happened.The Linders really did it right back when they ran the outfit.

[Schnauzer]

I didn't get a DVD but I have been hounded by letters from InFisherman to pay for a video tape that they had sent to me but I did not order. It seems like the marketing efforts are a bit strange there. I am not renewing my subscription. As far as the multitude of ads: They have to pay their bills but there is a balance in print advertising. You can either charge cheap rates and need to fill your publication with ads, or you can charge more for them and get the same money and reduce the number of ads. What you can charge is based on circulation and demographics.

[ZapBranigan]

Yeah you could really tell when Doug Stange sort of took the riens. Immedeate downhill trend. More story telling less info.

Anyone know if "Fishing Facts" is still out there Spence Petros used to put out some good competition even when the Lindners ran the show.

Also another good argument not to buy lifetime memberships to stuff. It can go sour in a heartbeat. Didn't they offer lifetime subscriptions just before they sold it. Huh. shrewed business practice almost predictable.

[Toad]

I'm probably a bit biased on this one, so I apologize in advance. Really, though, an editorial staff, or even the Brainerd based management have almost nothing to do with then increase in advertising, let alone those goofy marketing schemes. The big marketing and budget decisions come down from the suits-- the Primedia boys in NYC, Pennsylvannia and Florida. Their "Enthusiast Media" division alone consists of over 120 magazines. Lumped in with all these other titles, and given a world of hyperactive media glitz, are the ads any real surprise? Just a sign of the times, just like the internet.

Granted, I've not been fond of the marketing slant the magazine has taken, either, but you'll still be hard pressed to find a better source for every new innovation in fishing, particulary if you're into the cerebral aspects of the pursuit. And nowhere do you find a more well-communicated bridge between science and fishing.

So we sort of need to look at how the print media has changed as a whole-- huge increases in print costs, as well as paper prices over the last five years. For this reason, in part, editorial quantity is dictated by advertising volume. Competition for limited fishing advertising dollars can be intense. Many of the companies-- large though they may appear-- actually aren't always lucrative enough to offer massive ad budgets. Less overall advertising volume, then, means less editorial volume, which equals a skinnier magazine.

Until someone decides to start up a publication without a care toward profit, you'll likely never again see a 60-40, or even 50-50 ad-editorial mix, such as the early days of In-Fisherman, where huge 20 page articles dominated 300 page magazines.

The magazine has changed, no question, in some ways for the worse. But again, you have to look at the alternatives, I suppose. Still think it's the best thing going. The blueprint the Lindner's left behind is just too compelling to not have a lasting impact on what you read in the magazine today. Really no different than how the Lindners continued the spirit and expanded on the foundation left behind by the previous era-- the Buck Perrys, Bill Binkelmans and Jason Lucas'.

-a friend called Toad

[EyesnSchnapps]

Zap,

Fishing Facts is still being published, however in my opinion they have even more advertisement than many others. I used to think this magazine was excellent, until all the garbage advertisement took over the magazine. It's too bad, it was really a great read.

[tonyjor]

Sooooo....What was on this DVD?

I agree that there's a lot of ads. I think, with the amount of actual usable information in IF, they should save some money and publish a pamphlet and put it into another, better fishing mag a couple times a year. Just stick it in between a two page Ranger ad.

Oh, and one more time for good measure....What was on the DVD that all of us prescribers missed out on?

[HawgTide]

Well I have the DVD in front of me. The cover says it has

1. Trick Worm Largemouths

2. Bucktail Muskies

3. Powerbait Walleyes

4. Tickling Wood for Crappies (That sounds risque)

5. Tubes for Smallmouths (They lied, it's not on the DVD) 6. River Kings

7. Daytime Flatheads

Don't know why the Smallie Part was deleted.

[ZapBranigan]

Cool I sorta feel ripped off. Oh well such is the world of big business. All decisions are not always sound and my options are live with it or move along.

[Kevin Turner]

Well said Toad.

[M.T. Bucket]

It's not all that uncommon for magazines to offer CDs and other promotional items in their newsstand issues but not to their subscribers--lots of magazines do it. The idea is to tempt people into trying the magazine out. If you're already subscribing, they don't need to draw you in. I wonder if including that CD in with every magazine mailed to subscribers would screw up their postage rates?

BTW, I think In-Fisherman is a pretty decent fishing magazine.