I can't do it. I won't do it.The blog world has just gone berserk since I started blogging a year or so ago. I can not keep up with the flurry of audio,video as well as still pictures that everyone seems to need these days. People are hooked on images and videos.They want the quick fix, that instant gratification of seeing a 20lb Buck NOW! There is nothing really wrong with that. We have the technology and film and photo have come a long way in the last 5 years. I love pictures and videos as much as anyone and I take pictures almost every day. But look around you,many blogs and sites being updated more than once a day, feeding the almost insatiable appetite of an ADD society maxed out on caffeine. Who can keep up with the flood of information flying out of cyberspace regarding steelheading these days.IT IS INSANE people!
There are short videos and an over abundance of hero shots that give an unrealistic view of what steelheading is like. If you looked around on the various blogs and videos you would swear that steelhead can almost be caught at will these days.Countless hours and days of fruitless swinging of a fly is compressed into a 3 minute video that is all action. The mystic is gone. You used to need to catch a steelhead yourself just to remember what they looked like. No more. You can go on an adventure of a life time from California to BC without leaving the house. You can pick the way you want to see the fish caught by searching for it. Let's see.....I want to see a dry fly caught Atlantic Salmon......bingo there ya go, Vimeo or youtube in 30 seconds. It's crazy man.
There are some out there,but there are not near enough good writers who are telling a good story. That's what we need more of in my opinion. We as a fishing society need to get our imaginations working again.
I lay out a challenge to anyone that reads this blog. If you have a blog,on the next blog you write, compose a bitchin story and use words(remember those things?) instead of images to tell it. I know it's hard and we are all caught up in it, myself included.But let's try not to get carried away into a strictly visual world were thought,imagination,and reality are abandoned in favor of the latest Kodchrome lollipop. A good story told well can last in the imagination of our minds far longer, and can be shared around the campfire or woodstove for years to come.
It is my vow to get back to that place where words speak volumes, and from those words come images that can't be captured on film.
Good fishing
Mark
Reserve your trip today!
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You hit a home run there, Mark, on several levels.
The most compelling posts are also the most rare--good stories that get us thinking, or inspire us. We can all see the good stuff becoming less and less common, the reason being that blogging is a dead end. Good writers need to monetize their work--they can't just dump their heart and soul into a blog for no return.
Enter Departure Publishing (Tosh Brown's specialty publishing house)Pulp Fly and other efforts which give monetary value to good writers.
Here Here Mark.....thats why your blog is good. Often times I think you purposely leave the pictures out and illustrate with the mind...
Great read, Mark. There are several reasons I read your blog. First, it's because of the excellent writing. I like photos as much as the next guy, but I get tired of the same "hero" shot day in and day out. folks need to get a little creativity with their shooting. I also really enjoy how passionate you are about conservation issues. Keep doing your thing...
Cheers,
Randy
Greetings Mark,
I appreciate the viewpoints that this blog brings up but some of the things said will cause segregation amongst fishers.
People virtual fish for a variety of reasons and i think a variety of blogs are needed to satisfy certain tastes.
Not everybody can be super cool.
Thanks guys!
Anonymous, if that is your real name,thanks for the comments.
Like you said, it takes all types. Super cool I will never be. I will just try and continue to write stories that drive imagination and let the super cool dudes do the rest.
I Should have left out the super cool part. I enjoy reading your blog but sometimes feel it has a elitist vibe, as long as people are fishing is the main point. Whatever people need to satisfy their intrest in the sport is needed.
As you said there are plenty of blogs to satisfy everyone's needs.If mine comes off elitist to you it may be because I am targeting a specific audience.My focus on this blog is steelhead.I am focused on reaching those that like to chase them or would like to learn how to chase them with single and two handed fly rods.That is a specific target group.I also like to discuss various issues in preserving these fish and the rivers they swim. A good majority of fishermen out there could care less about environmental concerns. My blog targets the people that do care about those areas of conversation.
The whole "as long as people are fishing" thing is not necessarily a good thing. We need more educated fishermen in this day and age not just more fishermen.I have seen first hand on the rivers I fish that more is not always better and numbers of people does not automatically equal great things for the rivers and fish.
I do thank you for your comments.
I'm sorry for being rude, I really enjoy your stories on how you see the river.
No problem, I don't think you are rude. Thanks for the feedback