Several days ago, I had a discussion with a friend regarding the impact that the Internet might have on the publication of printed materials in the future. I was asked a number of questions about why I believe that the printed page will never disappear completely and why I think that there is something about the ability to hold a hard copy of information that allows for greater absorption of the material into our minds. To make the point stronger, I pointed out to my friend that even she felt more comfortable printing off tutorials that were found on the Internet rather than simply read them from her monitor.

This then brings us to the question of whether or not the new Western Flyfisher will be as successful as printed flyfishing publications. Published by Interactive Broadcasting Corporation of British Columbia, Canada, Western Flyfisher delivered its premiere issue this month via telephone lines, cable connections, and modems as 'subscribers' downloaded the 10 MG PDF file, the format that the publisher has chosen for the magazine.

In many ways, it looks just like any other traditional flyfishing magazine. It has some great images, some excellent content, and even sells advertising space. In fact, some of the bigger names in the industry such as Sage and Scientific Anglers have purchased space from Western Flyfisher. As well, the art work and photography is excellent and it is obvious that the production team know what they are doing. This is no amateur attempt at some new venture.

There are a couple of things that really set the Western Flyfisher apart from its printed cousins. First and foremost is the ability of the publishers to include links throughout the publication. What Western Flyfisher has done with this is excellent! Throughout the magazine are links to videos that relate to whatever articles you are reading. For example, on page 17 of the June/July issue, there is an article by Brian Chan on fishing Chironomids. At the end of the article, you are provided with links to videos on the Gomphas Dragonfly Nymph and Jannsen's Calibaetis where you can watch how the flies are actually tied. As well, there is a link to a map of the Cariboo Chilcootin Coast area of British Columbia. The videos are top notch, and I found that they downloaded quickly and easily without the interuptions that is quite often the case with streaming video.

The other advantage to this publication is one for advertisers. Not only do they get the space that they would in a printed magazine, they also have the ability to insert a link to their website, or even to an advertising video. I was able to look at a TV ad type of video for Sheridan Lake Resort as well a video on how Sage makes their rods.

Although it has nothing to do with Western Flyfisher, there were some comments made by rod designer Gerry Siems in the Sage video which are sure to infuriate Bamboo rodmakers! "Building a bamboo rod is demanding. It is a high degree of selection in getting bamboo that enables a builder to build a gorgeous rod. I think a lot of it is cosmetic." Siems goes on further in the video to suggest that bamboo rods are limited in their performance and that a big and powerful bamboo rod is to cumbersome for a caster. Does Sage have a fear of competing with Bamboo Rod builders?

There are a couple of areas that are going to affect the success of Western Flyfisher. Because the magazine relies upon the reader downloading it, overall file size is going to be a factor. The premiere issue was quite large - about 10 MG - and could take quite a bit of time for someone on a slow connection. According to Dave Prentice of Interactive Broadcasting Corporation, this issue is larger than most that are planned for the future and subscribers can expect a much shorter download time in the future. Because one of the main features of the magazine that sets it apart from print publications is the ability to link to video streaming, as the Internet becomes more congested, the publishers may need to spend some research on ensuring high quality video with short download times.

The last concern that I have involves the format of the publication. Obviously, Western Flyfisher has been created with the view of keeping it as close to a printed magazine. A great job has been done in that regard. However, a computer monitor is not a great way to read multi-columned articles. It can be annoying to read a document, and have to scroll back up instead of down to continue reading when the column ends. In order to make the complete page show up on the monitor, the page can be resized but then the font becomes smaller and more difficult to read. I can only imagine what reading an article on a 14" monitor would be like.

Overall, I loved Western Flyfisher. The publishers provided some great content for both novice and experienced anglers and the video links are a great educational feature, especially when it provides the ability to watch another fly tier at work. As long as the other minor issues don't become a problem, this magazine should do well, especially as a subscription is free!

Consider subscribing and taking a look at Western Flyfisher yourself.

Second Fly Swap
Looking for some new fly patterns? Take a look at the latest swap's flies! Some nice nymphs, streamers, and more.

New Rod Choices
Miss the old fibreglass rods? How about a new rod that contains a Titanium tube attached? Maybe a Spey rod is what you are looking for. New products introduced by Lamiglas this month.

Heidi Land - Montana/Wyoming
Visions of flowering mountain meadows and crystal clear mountain streams with some great flyfishing mixed in. Doc Knoll recommends a visit to this area at least once in your life!

Selecting A Rod Blank
Some considerations to think of when you are planning on that new custom rod.

Previous Features

From The Bench: The Muncher is a favorite of Ian James for carp, smallies, more.    Tie This!

The Doc's Rx: Thoughts of a Chicken Rancher. Doc tells it like it is.    The Doc's Rx