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power
Posts: 167
power
   Old Thread  #17 1 Jun 2025 at 9.36pm  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #1
I used to love "The walk around Yateley " pieces from donkies ago.

So much so I actually ventured there to fish it for two years
55s
Posts: 554
55s
   Old Thread  #16 31 May 2025 at 7.44am  1  Login    Register
I loved a magazine and think now more than ever there is a place for a decent one. The problem for me is there are the same dozen anglers trying to top up incomes or sell products to allow the type of articles I would want to read.

I read and collect books but as I get older I seem to want shorter more varied stuff rather than campaign and bounty writing.

For me there is nothing better than chatting with other anglers and hearing their stories- it just doesn’t happen in the clickbait internet world - everything is to sell something.

I still buy a newspaper - I’m a that age where I love bite size info.

This forum is the sort of thing that I would like in a magazine format obviously without the subjective opinion and some of the sanctimonious comments (mine included).

A couple of stories from non media whores - real opinion on tackle, reviews, bait and rigs. Not the same old same old but the type of articles that ask the right questions not try and give you all the answers.

I love print - I love the grazing aspect of it - I like not being served up ads just because I took a passing interest in a chicken jalfrezi recipe. I forget the guy in the old carpology but there used to be quite a good feature where he would modify stuff - come up with some decent bait hacks and again it wasn’t the end result that interested me but the thought process that led to the development.
scozza
Posts: 17850
   Old Thread  #15 31 May 2025 at 6.42am  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #14
I mainly bought carpworld when I bought a mag.

I think they did cater for horses for courses at one point, for example Total carp was like a starter guide as I remember it. For me, the carping machine got bigger and they all tried to fill the market and cash in on it, the quality of the stories went down hill, a lot of things got done to death, as you say, rinse and repeat and then an explosion of adverts when they were probably creaming it, which instead of the odd page, which I did not mind, it was predominantly what they were made up of!

Myself, I would much rather read about people who could tell a story, who had success and achieved something special. These days are sadly gone or are very few and far between, the pastime has become saturated and done to death and the sad side for me, a lot of people’s motivation is self promotion, fame and fortune, gone are the days of real passion for the pastime, the fish! because that’s what it’s about for me, not some other dickheads bragging rights!

Nowadays a lot of the fish are meaningless (to me anyway) and if they are not they are pressured to death, not again, rinse and repeat!

So no wonder they died a death, they are just now a sign of the times and how the machine has evolved. They have filtered themselves to closure by there direction in a changing electronic world.
Karlos
Posts: 13480
Karlos
MODERATOR
   Old Thread  #14 30 May 2025 at 11.32pm  1  Login    Register
Many moons ago I used to enjoy the Rotary Letter in Big Carp...

The magazines were only really something to buy to tick the 'carp purchase' box each month, they rarely contained anything of much interest and it got worse as time went on...basically buying some adverts.

I once asked Tim Paisley at the NEC show in Birmingham who many times he was intending on doing PVA articles that were copy/pastes...there was nothing new in them. He disagreed, but then he would, copy/psate with a few new photos was easy money. Rinse, repeat...

Just because someone invents the Lick+Stick approach to the PVA bag, we don't need a full 2 pages covering the stuff 99% of us already knew just to read "Empty the corners, fold it over, lick, stick"
Andycarpman20
Posts: 87
Andycarpman20
   Old Thread  #13 16 Mar 2025 at 11.57am  0  Login    Register
Carptalk was the buy...
Cypry1994
Posts: 73
   Old Thread  #12 16 Mar 2025 at 10.52am  0  Login    Register
I think any carp mag in the last 5 years is just the content as before. That’s why I liked carp talk as it was mainly about what had been caught where and not much about what the new wonder rig/bait is
Darkieallard
Posts: 4851
   Old Thread  #11 15 Mar 2025 at 9.00pm  0  Login    Register
The only really time of recent that ive bought mag since Carpworld finished is Carpology

I find you pretty much get the mags for free when ordering the 10kg sticky/mainline bait deals and still dont end up reading the mags.
jeffire
Posts: 4369
jeffire
   Old Thread  #10 15 Mar 2025 at 1.20pm  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #9
Yeah its the only one i would entertain
Elltell85
Posts: 283
Elltell85
   Old Thread  #9 15 Mar 2025 at 7.04am  1  Login    Register
Catch Cult is probably the best out there, not solely a carp angling mag but refreshing not to read the absolute waffle that's spilled onto the rags currently
scozza
Posts: 17850
   Old Thread  #8 15 Mar 2025 at 6.46am  0  Login    Register
Look on the top shelf, far more entertaining

Not bought a mag in years, I thought most had dissolved following the progression of the internet. I used to love reading peoples story’s in the old carpworlds as an example. Mags for me all went down the sales pitch and how to do it route which is fine if you are new to the pastime or want to buy something, but the internet is now priceless for this

I would buy them tomorrow if they were like the writings of old. Nowadays it’s just another carp “expert” saying the same old same old, and same as, same as. Carp fishing has been exploited to death and that’s what’s took it down for me, mags included. It is a magnificent pastime, no better place in the world to relax and destress but too many people have tried to cash in on it and milked it dry, magazines being a prime example

Good luck finding something you want to read, I would say try books depending on what you are looking for

As for Carpology now, can’t comment, I used to get the first ones for free in the tackle shop, small sized and could fit in the side pocket of your carryall, absolutely superb at the time, refreshing with some brilliant stores coupled with a bit of humour in P. Regans piece which I thought was good.. I will never forget the story of the strawberries, pmsl, or Cockles piece on Wraysbury, as an example, superb, maybe that’s a way forward, the good old stores, that light people up and make them want to go fishing

The flip side for me personally, as a whole the mystery has gone, someone will have exploited it and put it all over the net for likes but I guess that’s where we are now
SHimmer45
Posts: 653
SHimmer45
   Old Thread  #7 14 Mar 2025 at 9.21pm  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #1
the old BC magazines and crafty carper etc make a good read
it all went to **** to a point when it was more commercial based

if i buy anything in print its more an annual or sub annual basis like Subsurface or Piscator as an example
Nick
Posts: 7129
Nick
   Old Thread  #6 14 Mar 2025 at 8.46pm  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #1
wow! do angling magazines still exist?
i remember back as a kid reading anglers mail and the angling times!
also weekly carptalk was good.


dont even use cash or carry a wallet these days - can't imagine magazines are still doing well?.....
Zack
Posts: 3102
   Old Thread  #5 14 Mar 2025 at 2.58pm  0  Login    Register
I have not bought one for about 14 years. But, one of best places I would buy them was "Market" stalls if there is one that sells out of date magazines etc. Usually you could get 3 for about £5 and at that price it didn't matter what rubbish you bought.
kells
Posts: 5513
kells
   Old Thread  #4 14 Mar 2025 at 2.31pm  0  Login    Register
In reply to Post #1
I think there's only two on the high street now. Carpology and total carp. If I'd have to choose one it would be carpology. There's a few digital ones out there. Big Carp magazine being one of them. Which is free. Best part of six quid a pop for the other two..

Used to love me mags Avid reader of Carpworld till it stopped. Must admit in later years and even know. I struggle to read them. Have the attention span of a toddler. Can't resist the swipe.. think I need detox.. I've a few new books that need reading.
wac
Posts: 555
   Old Thread  #3 14 Mar 2025 at 2.19pm  2  Login    Register
In reply to Post #2
Agreed.

Or read them free in Tesco or WHSmiths and never buy them
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