[JDarr]

I was given an oppertunity to write an article for a popular fishing magizine about a fishery that is right in my backyard. I wrote one already about a different fishery that isnt a secret at all, but Ive been fishing this with my friends since I first held a rod and reel and I know it very well.
My question is what would you do? I want to get more into this type of writing so I dont want to miss this oppertunity, but on the other hand I'm afraid of burning bridges with a few of the people I know. Most of my buddies Ive mentioned it too are all saying dont you dare write that article. My dad even doesnt want me to, but I cant immagine letting this chance get away. So like I said, what would you do? If you fished the Kilchis every day because you lived near it or the Elk because it was in your yard, would you share your years of knowledge with the world. This has really been bugging me and I thought I'd try to get an oppinion from people from people who might have had to deal with the same type of things. Thanks for the help guys,
JD

 

[larryb]

use a pen name

 

[rock bottom]

Why do you have to write about that specific river? My guess would be if you wrote an article before and they came and asked you to do another, chances are good that you will have more oportunities in the future. If it were me I would skip the money and not write the article. If the publishers have special places they dont tell people about in their public magazine I think they will understand where you are comng from. Tough decision to make. Good luck.

 

[Itchinferfishin]

I need a copy of the article before I can fully answer the question.

 

[Sublime]

or just give general info on the river... and the 'usual suspects' of baits/plugs/etc. and the popular drifts etc.. just don't HAVE to give YOUR secrets away. just write it with the non-fisherman in mind. the how/where/ to fish rivers. popular productive runs, and instead of saying things like "Purple Blue Fox #3 Spinners" or whatever the fancy may be, say, dark-bodied spinners sizes 3-4 work well, nickel blades on cloudy days, gold or bronze blades on sunny days, etc..

just some ideas...

 

[salmonslug]

Do you enjoy solitude and peace when you fish or do you like to socialize along the river? I know the character of my local rivers has changed following several write-ups in popular fishing magazines.

 

[uncleroy]

Don't do it!!!!
Special fishing holes are sacred.
Sharing them with close friends and family are sacred.
If you are truly a great writer, opportunities will come along.
Do not sell yourself out and let down your friends & family.

 

[12244]

You could write it in the perspective you have given us. How its your water and you want it protected. which is the better choice: keep it quiet and susceptable to tweekers, snaggers, thieves, trash dumpers, illiegal campers and the like?
Or ask a few select well read similar folks to respect your place and keep it wonderful. Hopefully with the help of the readers and your friends. Ask them what key words they dont want mentioned. You can give guidelines for behavior in the area(quiet on Sun AM please, parking.) instead of specific secret recipes for success.
I really enjoy hearing of the type of fishing, and the general guidelines of the new area more than I do the local old timers secrets.
Good Luck, don't pass it up. just make it work, its doable.

 

[TrapperJohn]

As a writer myself, I can truly related to your dilemma, which is somewhat of an occupational hazard. Yet, as a fisherman, I can recall how sad and angry I was when I realized that a most respectable fly-fishing magazine had blaired out the location of a sweet little stream that was a favorite of mine.

I had just come off the water and was hiking back to my car when a SUV rolled up to me. Without so much as a “Hi/Howareya” the driver began to interrogate me. What was I using, how many fish, where did I get them – all in a brisk staccato as if I was wasting his time. Of course, I answered every question with a lie. In fact, I have always hoped that his eyeballs bled with the effort of trying to tie his leader through the #22 midge pattern that I gave him.

I asked him where he was from (Beaverton) and how he managed to find the stream. He pulled out a copy of the famous magazine and there it was – a rave about the stream and all kinds of detail, complete with maps, regarding where and how to fish it. To this day I refuse to buy a copy of that magazine.

On the other hand, after my dog-eared Cabelas catalog, the only reference book in my collection that gets more use is Sheehan’s Fishing in Oregon. That book, in its most recent edition, has saved me hundreds , maybe even thousands, of futile hours over the last twenty years. I appreciate how that publication gives accurate directions to bodies of water great and small, as well as advice on when to fish them.

Perhaps a closer read of Fishing in Oregon will help you resolve your issues. Notice that the information is specific enough to get you pointed in the right direction, but not detailed enough to eliminate the need for personal observation and investigation. For example, the author tells us when private landowners allow access to fisherman – but not which landowners. When and where to throw flies is highlighted, but details like leaders, tippets, patterns, are overlooked.

In the final analysis, it may help to ask yourself what you really want to do with your story. Then, withhold the details that don’t contribute directly to that purpose. I know how important it is for authors to get those “clips” under their belts. But I bet I can write an article about sturgeon fishing in the Multnomah Channel without bringing every rod in the PNW to my doorstep.

And I bet you can, too! Good Luck!

 

[RBfisher]

The most important and lasting thing in life is family, then friends.
I don't know how long you have been on ifish but I don't think you have ever given specifics about this river that you now are considering to write about. Ask yourself why now? For the money? Pretige? Fame?
No matter what you do only you can answer your own question as it is you who will live with the result of doing something your friends and family have asked you not to do.
Nobody can help you justify why you choose to do anything in life and that is as it should be because tomorrow the ones that give you advice here will be on to other things your conscience will be with you till you die and your family will be in your life fore ever.
There are only 2 choices in life, right and wrong.

 

[burnsfactor]

No. Like said above. Family and Friends are more important than anything else. Why ruin a great thing you have going. You've seen it happen before after an article comes out.

Pat

 

[fish-on-bend]

I would do it in a heartbeat. You don't have to be specific enough to destroy your little piece of paradise. I fish LBC for bulls all winter and a local guide has been doing articles and even released a DVD last year, but the weekend warrior still has to find the fish and perfect his own presentation to be successful. I fished a local lake in the Cascades a few years ago (see how I'm being evasive:laugh and when we pulled out a couple guys from Portland were launching. They wanted some info on what to use and asked my friend what he caught his fish on and his response was "lures," with a straight face.

 

[RiverMan]

I personally would not do it........I have written and published an article with STS and I mostly did it because it was something I wanted to do. I think I was given 200 dollars for the article, hardly worth a friendship.

Why not apply the techniques you use on the fishery without giving an exact location?

RM

 

[weekender]

God no.

How would you feel if the fishing pressure on the river doubled? Trippled? It may only effect the stream for one or two seasons while all the readers come tromping through, but you'll know that you single handedly changed that river into the place that it is.

All that being said, I buy Salmon and Steelhead Journal strickly to read about their river write-ups. I enjoy reading about a river I've never fishing or getting a "writters perspective" on a river that I do fish.

 

[Jooky]

you cant undo teaching 10,000 strangers how to fish your secret spot.

 

[Thumper]

TrapperJohn --- Smart dude. What he says....

 

[coyote243]

write that article and you will be nothing but a memory! lol do what you think is wright my friend

 

[weekender]

I bet I can write an article about sturgeon fishing in the Multnomah Channel without bringing every rod in the PNW to my doorstep.

That's true, but Jdarr didnt mention the stream he was talking about. He did relate it to the Kilchis and Elk which makes me think it's a small stream. Small streams generally dont see nearly as much pressure and they normally have a cult like following. These rivers are generally fished by the same handful of people over and over again. Most of the time, these small stream fishermen are better than average. They fish those streams knowing that it's going to be only catch and release for native fish (strictly talking steelhead there) because to them, the peice, quite, and serenity is worth what the river may or may not be lacking in high numbers of freezer bound fish.

I'd hate to ruin that for that special group of people or for myself.

Personally I beleive that some rivers can handle being written up in magazine because they can support the presure that comes from it. Other rivers can not, and it's up to the writter to decide.

 

[PapaHog]

Do you put your own desires and wants ahead of your family and firends?

That is the question.

 

[JDarr]

Do you put your own desires and wants ahead of your family and firends?

That is the question.

:yeahthat:Ya, um, Thats a little harsh. In fact, thats a completely unfair way to present it. Writing an article doesnt mean all the fish will disappear. I've read a lot of things PapaHog has wrote on the board and enjoyed it, but this isn't one of them
JD