Author Topic: Where have all the outdoor writers gone? (Read 5667 times)

Jig Master · « **on:** Dec 18, 2005, 07:58 PM »

Hey guys looks like the season is upon us I hope to get out some time this week to catch Olde Mr. Toothy anyways while reading the sunday paper this morning I couldnt help but notice the lack of real outdoors writing in the paper nowadays
Sure we got some writers out there but it seems all they want to write about now is Kayaking or hiking or some other type of yuppie sport. Where have all the Writers like Gene Letourneau gone where one could get good useful information about ice fishing or smelting or what one could eat in a pinch in the Maine woods, Man I miss the old Sportsman say Column now that was real outdoor writing not the crap that is passed off as outdoors now. For awhile it looked like Dwayne Rioux was going to take the torch and run with it after the old sportsman passed on . Then he disappered off the face of the earth. Does any one know if he is still around or writing if so where might one find his articles

Jig master

Scott Wright · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 19, 2005, 06:44 AM »

Ayuh!

billditrite · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 19, 2005, 06:51 AM »

hey jig master! ive got a gem for ya from one of our own...

opening day part I

opening day part II

Mike G · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 08:18 AM »

I agree with you and was thinking the same thing just the other day. I like Ken Allen's articles and his writing style too, but he mostly writes about fly fishing, which is something I don't do as much as I'd like. Gene Letourneau was my hero and I was so happy to meet him and have dinner with him before he passed on. Talk about a cool guy with loads of stories! The new fella (Dave Sherwood) who writes for the Waterville papers seems to be a nice guy too, and he writes about a variety of different stuff. Hopefully he catches on and keeps writing.

gamefisher · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 09:25 AM »

Still re-read my autographed copy of Sportsmen Say all the time and dreaming of the return of the "Brace of 8 pound brook trout" and 9 pound Salmon to Snow pond... yeah, right!
Not sure where Dwayne went - maybe he left the paper? He wrote like a "Mainers mainer" and wasn't always about saying the popular thing... good guy.

Mike G · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 09:43 AM »

Agreed! I liked Dwayne's writing too. I think he was ousted rather than left, but that was hearsay.
Could you imagine a chance at a 6-pound brookie each time out

Those were the days, from what I hear. My wife would be pissed cause I'd be fishing every day (well, I fish almost every day anyway

Guess you have to make the best with what you've got. Smallies are fun, but they are no brook trout!

gamefisher · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 10:06 AM »

Mike - could you imagine it? The Belgrades were the Rangeley's... I was born a couple of generations too late! How about rowing a boat the 18 plus miles around Snow Pond to get at those brookies....wow! Where opening day.... the"secret Messalonskee honey hole" ?

Mike G · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 10:59 AM »

Quote from: gamefisher on Dec 20, 2005, 10:06 AM

Mike - could you imagine it? The Belgrades were the Rangeley's... I was born a couple of generations too late! How about rowing a boat the 18 plus miles around Snow Pond to get at those brookies....wow! Where opening day.... the"secret Messalonskee honey hole" ?

hey - now we have SPLAKE - YIPPIE!

I caught a few brookies last year and a few browns too, but the brookies were not worth rowing 18 miles for!

Tom H is a good writer too. I read his stuff on line once and a while.

scottly0 · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 06:47 PM »

I do not like Ken Allen's writing any more although I was a great fan. He starts the same canned way every time "on a sunsplashed day under cerulean (sp? ask ken) skies." He does not seem to be the type of guy who likes ice fishing. I think cerulean is a new crayola color for blue kinda like "lemon" for yellow. He does not use contractions in any sentence as a matter of principal... So, Ken "I don't like your recent articles although your past writings had promise." Ha. Ouch. And don't ask Harry to bail you out.

Jig Master · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 09:05 PM »

Nice story Back Water Guide

I gotta agree with Scotty O though Kens writing has really gone down hill the last few years. Seems like all he wants to do now is dazzle us with his vocabulary and his use of latin not what I would call real Sportsman language. Bill Graves up in the county does a pretty good job mixing in some Maine lore and Heritage stuff in to his Column but still nothing like the old Sportsman Say stuff. I thought for a while Sherwood would be pretty good but he seems to always follow the tree hugger slant in his stuff but will give him some time before we judge as he is new.

Jig master out

scottly0 · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 20, 2005, 09:46 PM »

Have you read Jim Andrews "the self-propelled sportsman" in the MS columns. He's not big on atvs etc but he has me thinking. I now lug a ton of gear onto the ice and have all the best techno stuff for fishing yet I think the best times I ever had was walking out onto a new pond with a pack basket, some tips ups, a hand auger and a small bait bucket. Does anyone else ever think about this.

Jig Master · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 21, 2005, 08:36 PM »

Scotty,
no i have never read him as far as that goes i try not to read the MS or the KJ
as they both are a waste of a good tree in my opinon.

As for going light i always do,back pack tip ups a jig pole and a auger
always set up close to shore where the big boys roam

Jig master

Loves To Fish · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 28, 2005, 06:24 PM »

Interesting topic. A friend of mine sent me an e-mail which had a copy of an editorial written recently to the Morning Sentinel about this very subject. Here's what he wrote:

Frary's Departure Not The First For Morning Sentenel

I read with great interest Executive Editor David Offer's "Editor's Report" in Friday's December 23rd's Waterville's Morning Sentinel. It is too bad the Sentinel is letting go another excellent writer for our local paper. Seems like alot of people enjoyed John Frary's Dirigo Health Program columns. It didn't matter if it was his first or his fourth article on the subject, I and many other readers were very interested in what he had to say each week. The same thing happened to another Sentinel writer not long ago. Dwayne Rioux's articles in the Morning Sentinel's Outdoor section were some of the best written by any outdoor writer in the state, second only to Gene Letourneau. They are sadly missed. Seems like Rioux also declined the Sentinel's "editoral guidance" and met with termination. Now,unfortunately, the Outdoor section each week is about as interesting as watching a Chia Pet grow. I sure hope this doesn't happen to the opinion page with John Frary's replacement.
I would like to think that the Executive Editor of any newspaper would be interested in improving reader content, not eliminating excellent writers over trivial matters.

Happy Fishing
Loves to fish

Loves To Fish · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 29, 2005, 06:36 AM »

Mainegator,
That web site you mentioned must be a bunch of tree hugging cowards who can't stand to see people eat and enjoy freshly caught fish. What a shame. I miss Dwayne Rioux's articles. His replacements have too much hiking, biking, and sight seeing for my blood.
LTF

Scott Wright · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 29, 2005, 07:09 AM »

Quote from: Loves To Fish on Dec 29, 2005, 06:36 AM

His replacements have too much hiking, biking, and sight seeing for my blood.
LTF

In my opinion, the tree huggers are missing the point: when they're "biking, hiking, and sight seeing" they are observers and intruders - setting themselves apart/above the natural area they are in. When we hunt and fish (I eat fish, deer, moose, bear, turkey, rabbit, pheasant, grouse...) we BECOME a part of the natural area in which we are sporting. WE become a cog in the wheel that IS the circle of life... and we join our forefathers from ages past - back to the beginning - in a tradition that has kept us alive and in tune with the world God has provided for us. This tradition should be celebrated and taught to our children in all aspects of life. If it were more widely honored, the world might not be in the mess it's in, right now.

Loves To Fish · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 29, 2005, 08:10 AM »

Well said Scott,
It seems that a new generation of " sportsmen" are emerging that feel that they should not disturb nature in any way, shape, or form. I guess it makes them god-like which in turn makes them superior to us mere mortals who enjoy eating what we catch or hunt. Pretty arrogant thinking if you ask me.
LTF

scottly0 · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 29, 2005, 11:49 AM »

What about Harry Vander "Twead" and Ken "Argyle" Allen? Maybe Harry is advertising the province of Quebec rather than Maine as a true outdoor experience. I remember last year an individual was brave enough to criticize Harry in a letter to the editor about the subject of promoting Canada rather than Maine outdoor fishing and hunting in the MS and on television. Harry really threw a hissy fit about it and responded with a personal attack in the paper. The rest of that edition talked about fly fishing and at least eight pages were dedicated to advertising waterfront and camp real estate to yuppy out-of-staters. One can only help that the editorial staff at the MS will learn to accept constructive criticism without taking it personal and without acting juvenile. I do not care if they have more experience in the outdoors than most of us but I want them to promote Maine primarily and not secondarily. I'm half inclined to send this post to Harry but I really would not want to be his wiping boy so he and "Argyle" Allen can yuck it up in the editorial office.

I am sure that if I misspelled "Argyle" Ken will let me know. Ha.

buddah · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 29, 2005, 12:57 PM »

i'm just thankful we have herb wilson in the maine sunday telegram outdoors section.without him i wouldn't know the primary diet of the tufted titmouse.

Geterdun · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 29, 2005, 03:40 PM »

The people who run the papers are not outdoor sportsmen/women. Years ago the telegram came out with there Outdoor Section becuase of the demand. It is pathetic to say the least! The Kennebec and the Sentinal is far better but does not say much either. Mr Gene Letorneau was a writer that is missed on all fronts of the outdoor world from rabbit hunting to fishing. Local newspapers don't care about the Outdoors and the true Mainers. I also don't care much for the Maine Sportsman anymore. It seems like they write the same stories every year. I have found the NorthWoods Sporting Journel a far better paper. IMHO

Tight Lines

Mike G · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 29, 2005, 08:37 PM »

In this State, it seems if you are a writer you get slammed no matter what you do.
Folks are so passionate about the outdoor sports that some times it becomes fanatical.
Think about it, Harry and Ken get hammered for what they say and how they say it, Dwayne gets fired for writing his opinions, and the current writers get flamed by everyone on each side of each issue.

I guess it's no wonder there aren't many writers left.
Maybe no one is willing to stick their necks out anymore.

Caroga Kid · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 30, 2005, 09:59 AM »

They all went to New York Where there's actually something worth writing about...

Jig Master · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 30, 2005, 06:32 PM »

hey Kid,
do us a favor keepem there

Jig Master

Jig Master · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 30, 2005, 06:47 PM »

Yup the MS has really missed its target the last few years with some of the stuff
that there pushing and forgot who butters there bread. The true Mainers that live here have made them, not some import new to the area or some Boston yuppie that comes up once a year and thinks they know every nuance of the Maine Woods. I personaly stopped buying it and started to buy North Woods Sporting Journal at least V paul understands whos building his paper and the traditional Maine outdoor values we all have been brought up with.

Jig Master

Loves To Fish · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 30, 2005, 11:11 PM »

Mainegator,
Good news

I heard through the grape vine that Vpaul Reynolds put a stop to that writers nonsense, every month, complaining that everyone at IF@W is incompetent and nobody knows how to manage Maine's fisheries except him. Now all he's allowed to write about is just flyfishing junk.
On the downside, I see Harry V and Ken A allowed that same writer for NWSJ, to write one of his IF@W bashing and "only he can save Maine's fisheries' articles" in the Maine Sportsman. I guess it will take some complaints from readers to again put the brakes on this off the wall writer.
LTF

icy · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 01, 2006, 04:42 PM »

Jigmaster makes a good point about NWSJ. I agree it does seem to speak more to the traditional target maine audience. Of which I proudly am

But you guys are hacking on these un named writters. The bottom line for me is they seem to care about our resource. They want fish to be here in twenty years. Especially the cold water fish which our waters naturally support in most places. It is this kind of attitude dispayed in this thread that gives us "Ice fisherman" a bad rap and IMHO we have one.

my two cents

Loves To Fish · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 01, 2006, 06:27 PM »

icy,
You claim to be of tradition but I suspect you have fallen under the same spell of the very writer we are complaining about. Fishing in Maine has changed over the years, It is certainly not because of overfishing. Most lakes that have lost their cold water fisheries have done so because of water quality issues and loss of baitfish. Plus all the illegal fish introductions and illegal competing baitfish have hurt our waters.
All the regulations in the world can't save those waters. No feed-no big fish. Look what has happened to Sebago, Moosehead, Long Pond. Until we figure out how not to lose our forage base. More lakes will see these changes. What I see giving all fishermen a bad name is arrogant fishermen thinking they can save " everyones' " fisheries with more and more regulations which don't infringe on them one bit.
LTF

cap · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 03, 2006, 12:05 PM »

Tom Hennessey still writes for the BDN.

He remains old school...good info AND a good story!

Not a bad guy to wet your whistle with. I really admire his artwork too. I can always just picture myself right in the thick of it, with his writing and his drawing.

A sportsman's sportsman.

Here is an example...this year's Christmas article.... http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=124587&z=38%20class=

Ain't that a grand story? Nothing but good vibrations....IMHO

Jig Master · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 03, 2006, 08:07 PM »

that was a good read by Tom Hennessey thats exactly the type of stuff we have been lacking since Gene L died.Seems all we get now is some blog from these guys or last decades dusted off article.
I am glad to hear the new guy Sherwood realizes the short comings of his papers coverage on ice fishing and wintersports after all we are a economic force for this state in the winter and keep them lodges up north going through the tough winter months. Interesting quotes there Gator.

Jig Master

JohnPorter · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 03, 2006, 09:51 PM »

Anyone can write and get their article printed in most outdoor publications. I have been freelancing for sometime and have articles printed in NWSJ,Fur Fish Game and also a book called Trapperman.com.
All one has to do is have a desire to write about their trips and take a few pictures.
Yes, all the old writers have gone to a better place or retired but anyone of us can fill their shoes by jotting down a few lines about our adventures.

Loves To Fish · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 04, 2006, 04:33 PM »

A friend told me that Dwayne Rioux is now writing for the " Brunswick Time Record ". We don't get that paper in my area. I wish he'd write for the Northwoods Sporting Journal so I could at least read his stories.
I also heard he opened up a bait shop on Taylor Avenue in Winslow. I guess he's doing pretty well.

LTF :

News:

Author Topic: Where have all the outdoor writers gone? (Read 5667 times)