B.A.S.S. / Bassmaster thoughts?

[Bazoo]

Years ago, when I was about 13-18, I was a member of BASS. I got the magazine, I carried the card, I was proud. I even was a member of the Harry & Charlie club for submitting a tip that was printed, and wore the hat until I was into my 20s and it finally turned back into dust.

 

I've been considering joining again. Is it still the leading source for printed bass fishing info? (I must say that I would consider this forum to be on the vanguard.) Is it still as good as it was with user submitted tips and stories, coupled with the latest techniques that the pros use?

 

Anyone love it or hate it, and why?

[WackyWormNedRig]

Following. I love bass fishing books and magazines. I was thinking about joining also!

[GRiver]

I like to know too.

[r83srock]

I few years ago I bought a life membership for fairly cheap at the time. I figured it’s worth it for me. I love bassmaster, and yes the magazine is still good, but a lot more advertising these days. I would say the BASS times newspaper is even better. 

[Wildbillb]

I get both bassmaster and bass times. I figure it's cheap tuition to catch a couple more fisb.

[webertime]

BASS membership is great. Magazine is fine.

 

Bass Angler Magazine is awesome as far as printed media goes.

[Bazoo]

Thanks all.

 

I've never heard of BASS times. 

[gim]

I got it for free for a year (BASS Magazine).  Signed up for dirt cheap at an Elite event and they gave me a bunch of other stuff for free.

 

Let's just say that after that first year, I didn't renew.

[fishballer06]

Printed information is a dead platform. Like it or not, its a fact. 

[GreenPig]

I subscribed to Bassmaster for years and dropped it. I have zero interest in tournament outcomes and the actual fishing information they'd cover wasn't news to me. Between the internet and this forum, the magazine wasn't teaching me anything. 

[MN Fisher]

In-Fisherman has more 'how to' and 'where to find them' info than Bass Mag could hope to print...and the sub comes with access to the online version for free.

 

I also dropped Bass Angler for similar reasons...

[WRB]

I have been a B.A.S.S. Life Member since 1968 and the only article that is interesting to me anymore is Day on the Lake series.
In-Fisherman is a multi species publication and decent but dropped it when the Linder’s left.

Western Bass has a good free online bass fishing publication not print. BR is by far your best up to date bass fishing resource.

Tom

[crypt]

I'm a life member since 1981.....don't care about tourneys....but it keeps coming in the mail so I read it.

I keep up with the latest trends from this forum, best in the business.

[12poundbass]

I was a member for close to ten years. They had a lot of good info and Day on the lake series I enjoyed. I started to lose interest and eventually gave it up. I enjoy the interaction on here and the information you can get is unlimited. Bassmaster magazine, you’re limited to what they decide to publish which usually revolves around man made lakes which I don’t have.

[slonezp]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

I have been a B.A.S.S. Life Member since 1968 and the only article that is interesting to me anymore is Day on the Lake series.
In-Fisherman is a multi species publication and decent but dropped it when the Linder’s left.

Western Bass has a good free online bass fishing publication not print. BR is by far your best up to date bass fishing resource.

Tom

The Lindners are alive and well

https://lindnermedia.com/al-lindner/

[bowhunter63]

It’s a good magazine I get bassmaster ,Bass Times and Bass angler magazine is really good 

[Bazoo]

Lots of opinions both ways, thanks all. I do enjoy looking at printed material as well as being on an interactive forum.

 

I am partially considering it for my son too. Having a subscription to BASS when I was a kid was instrumental in building a love of fishing.

 

I also read in fisherman. But, I know it's multi-species, and I am not.

 

I have a handful of old fishing magazines from the 2000s that me and boy look at. I found them in the recycling drop off. But now that have a sign up stating it's illegal to remove anything from it, so I don't go searching for treasures.

[Bankc]

21 hours ago, fishballer06 said:

Printed information is a dead platform. Like it or not, its a fact. 

I politely disagree.

 

Full disclosure, I print magazines for a living.  Not this one.  But others.  And while the print business has certainly shrunk since it's height in the early 90's, it is now doing very well.  It's growing at a considerable rate.  Especially among the younger generations. 

Basically, people have just gown tired of being stuck to their devices 24/7.  They like having something tangible in their hands and on their shelves.  Something "real".  Print is easier on your eyes than a computer screen.  And they like the feel and smell, if you can believe it, of printed paper.  It's visceral and "analog".  And like vinyl records, cassette tapes, and camera film, print is making a strong comeback.  It'll never again see the numbers it saw in it's heyday, when it didn't really have any competition.  But it's very, very far from a dead platform. 

[Tennessee Boy]

It was pretty common 30 years ago for me to visit a news stand 2-3 times a week.  I haven't bought a magazine in 15 years.  I avoid printed material.   I prefer to read on my iPad and spend way to much time looking at my iPad.  I read a lot.  I check out library books and get them delivered straight to my iPad.  I buy ebooks.  I have a document scanner and will scan stuff so I can read it on my iPad.  I will not subscribe to anything that is print only.    My wife is the exact opposite.  She still enjoys holding a book in her hands.  

[Columbia Craw]

After 42 years it’s the same stuff, different issue.

[Bazoo]

As far as printed issues, I prefer print and I'm only 40. My wife prefers printed as well.

 

There is several problems with digital media. The first is, you stare at the screen all the time, and your brain sort of goes into a different mode, almost like a defensive mode. I retain information better when read in a printed form.

 

The other thing is, I separate my electronics from my printed material. I have a computer spot, and I have a chair where I keep various books that I'm reading along with my Bible. So, I often will read the Bible some, then read some in a book, especially with some of the harder to understand/read parts. I set in my chair, read, and drink my coffee.

 

Another issue with using the computer, is I find myself going to use the computer for something, but I get sidetracked and end up looking at the bass forum, the knife forum, the gun forum, tinkering on my website, looking up something unrelated.

 

I prefer to have a printed tangible item in my hand, I like the feel of it, and I do like the smell of it. 

[TOXIC]

I stopped when the content vs advertising percentage swung heavily to the advertising side.  The last print publications I got were the Yamamoto Inside Line and North American Fishing.  Inside Line went digital and I still write for them and NAF called me years ago for a renewal after they sent a gift pack of like 3 crankbaits and I told them I was not going to renew.  The representative on the phone actually got angry with me and told me I “owed” it to them to renew.  My affiliation with Yamamoto requires me to give them product feedback and real world opinions.  That keeps me pretty involved with various sites.  I also am an administrator on a Ranger Boats Facebook page so I’m pretty much locked into the digital world. 

[PhishLI]

On 7/24/2024 at 12:25 AM, Bazoo said:

I've been considering joining again. Is it still the leading source for printed bass fishing info?

I dunno, but after I found out that reading on the terlit can lead to hemorrhoids I gave up my subscription.

[TnRiver46]

On 7/24/2024 at 3:42 PM, fishballer06 said:

Printed information is a dead platform. Like it or not, its a fact. 

Clearly you’ve never met my wife 😂 

 

She’s a certified magazine junkie 

[DaubsNU1]

I subscribed to a BUNCH of magazines through the years, 4 Wheeler, Four Wheel and Off Road, Super Chevy, Hot Rod, Wildfowl, DU, Bassmaster, Maxim, etc. 

 

At one point I was cutting out articles, categorizing and filing them.