Best Magazine

[Foxgap239]

I used the advanced search but came up with nothing for the above title so forgive me if this topic has been beat to death.

I want to subscribe to a fly fishing/tying magazine but I don't want to get one that's heavy into tying or fishing in far away lands that I'll never get to see. Can you guys give me some suggestions? Flyfisherman seems to be quite popular but I want to know if the is another one that's better for a PA guy who will spend 90% of his time on PA streams and need PA tactics/patterns.

 

[jayL]

They all pretty much suck these days. You're browsing the best PA FF magazine as we speak. Groundhog day and all, it's still got better content than any of the rags.

The drake is nice in a literary sense. I'm not a big "how to" guy anyway.

 

[skybay]

[color=000099]I trashed all my magz with the 2012 year and keep only The Drake
~~~[/color]

 

[Ramcatt]

the drake has started to slip a bit in the last year or 2... too many issues per year and struggling to find worthwhile content

last issue had a erie article with a picture of a a donny beaver guide and a few other no so good things

but its still better than anything else out there

 

[MKern]

Mid Atlantic Angler...and it's free at most fly shops.

I suscribed to Flyfisherman for year and whatched it go from over 90 pages (70 or so of content) to under 70 pages (with under 15 of content). Hell, when there's more letters to the editor than articles...somethings wrong.

 

[boychick]

I like Eastern Fly Fishing. It featers places to fish more than anything else, but there is always some content on fly tying and tactics too. They write a lot about places to fish in PA. They do not restrict their writing to trout water, they write about places to fish for every species that will take a fly in moving water, still water, fresh and salt water. I think it is the best publication out there right now.

 

[rrt]

Sadly, I mostly agree with JayL. I have subscribed to Fly Fisherman since the early 1970s, but I am letting this subsc. lapse after my next issue. I still like American Angler, but b/c they use pics from b&c beck, I am letting my subscr. lapse after my last issue this summer. FR&R is still pretty good, with Gierach and Ted Williams, but it, too, is beginning to use beck photos, and if it continues, I will not re-up next year. Flyfishing and Tying Journal still has a nice selection of articles, though 75% are Western pieces. It is till worthwhile. Finally, The Drake: It is indeed readable, but I sometimes find, after only 2 years of subscribing, that it is a little gonzo for me a lot of the time. But, if you're a young guy, it may be right up your alley. If you don't mind photos from the beck sellouts, I'd recommend American Angler as the one I think is the best.

 

[ebroesicke]

whats the beef with the Beck's? Asking a question, not trying to start an argument.

 

[jayL]

They are in bed with the spring ridge club. A quick Google or forum search can bring you up to speed on the src if necessary.

 

[CPR]

Well since this thread is already hi-jacked.

The Becks are the feature speakers at the Trout Unlimited National Capital Angling Show this year. Which really sucks because it's a great show and I really enjoyed working it last year.

I will not be purchasing vendor space this year.


matt

 

[rrt]

Sorry, I didn't mean to screw up the thread. (I am a pretty avid reader, and I will miss the magazines.) As JayL. said, you can find most stuff that you need/want to know on this message board. Again, sorry for messing up the original thread.

 

[Fishidiot]

Fox,
Pick a couple off a newsstand and read 'em. There are a lot of choices and I think I've subscribed to all of them off and on (including Fly fisherman for about 27 or 28 years). Broadly speaking, I don't think they are as good as they used to be. I didn't care for The Drake when it came out but I think the magazine has improved over the last few years and I enjoy it now. American Angler is excellent but geared more to the "how-to" angle. Eastern Fly Fishing would be a good bet for you as they cover our local waters rather than far away dream trips. Mid Atlantic Fly Fisherman is great and also covers local areas and conditions. I love magazines and will probably always subscribe to a few - often I'll rotate subscriptions and try different mags over different years.

 

[Foxgap239]

Thanks guys. No one screwed up my thread. I appreciate all of your input. I never heard of the Drake so I'll have to find a copy. Eastern Fly Fishing does sound like a should give it a try too. Much appreciated.

 

[fisherboy3]

The mid atlantic mag is pretty good too. I like how it gives you the hatch and whats going on at the stream at that time, when to use those flies ect. I get Eastern fly fishing in the mail, and its a nice mag. Has a lot of local streams around the east coast which i think is good.- Kev

 

[HCsteel]

The Drake and Fly Fishing Journal are the only two that I would pay money for.

 

[jdaddy]

boychick wrote:
I like Eastern Fly Fishing. It featers places to fish more than anything else, but there is always some content on fly tying and tactics too. They write a lot about places to fish in PA. They do not restrict their writing to trout water, they write about places to fish for every species that will take a fly in moving water, still water, fresh and salt water. I think it is the best publication out there right now.

I agree with this completely. There is usually a PA stream or two featured in each issue. I further note that the Winter 2012 issue now has the wording "Northeast Edition" written across the top, so they may have further segmented the magazine. This month includes:
Grand Lake Stream, ME
Guilford, CT
Oswegatchie River, NY
Duxbury Bay, MA
Conewago Creek, PA
Lake Superior North Shore, MN
Laurel Fork River, VA

Reading the note from the editor it appears they now have regional editions. It is also noted that as a subscriber you get free digital downloads of the other two regional editions. So you get the print edition plus the two other editions digitally. Glad I found this thread as I had noted the change in title across the top but did not realize the other issues were available for free via digital download. Subscribers sign into their account and the available issues show up. Mine shows NE, SE and MW editions available for digital download.

 

[troutpoop]

Eastern Fly Fishing is my preferred read as well. Geo, I'll try to remember to throw a few copies in the truck with the book I was gonna give you as well.
I like the stream reviews because they are relatively close, generally within a state or two away so trip planning is possible.

 

[Foxgap239]

Thanks guys. I sent for a free trial issue and did take note that there were 3 editions. Did not know about getting the others digitally free.

 

[dryflyguy]

I'm not crazy about any of them.
So, what I do is subscribe only when I get offered the bargain basement price.
I've been doing this with fly fisherman for quite a while now.
When my subscription expires, they give me a renewal rate of like $27 a year. I let it go and wait. Then - after a period of about 6 months - they offer me a much better rate of 2 years for $20. Which I then renew at.

 

[pgjgarcia]

try catchmagazine.net
It's a free online magazine (although they say they're going to start charging sometime this year) that is almost entirely incredibly photos and videos. Check out the back issues, some AMAZING shots. Definitely worth checking out!