I got my Spring 07 Boundary Waters Journal yeaterday and read the article about the new Quetico fishing regs. They were clear that the regs may not be in effect until 2008, which I believe is true.

But I'm glad the editor of the BWJ is looking out for us. Knowing we'd be lost without barbbed hooks and live baits, he added special BWJ Quetico barbless hooks to the items sold through the magazine. A good portion of the article talked about them and a 3/4 page [I'm not sure if it was a picture or an advertisement, so fill in the blank yourself] was imbedded within the article. I wish Cabelas or Bass Pro Shop or my local fishing shop sold the Quetico barbless hooks, but I guess until that time I'll get them from BWJ.

I anxiously await additional articles about Quetico fishing using the special BWJ Quetico barbless hooks found on page 93 in the Voyageur Trading Post. I hope those articles don't squeeze out additional articles on the BWJ fresh food method using 2 one-gallon milk jugs of ice in the BWJ Poly Food Box found on page 92 in the Voyageur Trading Post.

Bummer.. I have not received my copy yet..Hopefully today..

Just pinch your hooks down.

Old Stu has his hands in everthing....

I love sarcasm :) Bannock LOL

I still do like the mag even with it's faults, but I here ya loud an clear.

Tim

You should hear what some locals have to say about the Rag.

Would make a drunken sailor blush.

I fish barbless all the time fly fishing and all I do is pinch the barbs down with a plier. The photo quality in the last issue was horrible. What happened? The best part of the magazine is the great photo quality, but this time.....bad. I hope it's not a upcoming trend.

I noticed too! and some of the worst photos were by the editer....I wonder if he's trying to save $$$$

I was more than a little disappointed that the article wasn't written in the form of a haiku. Ahemmmmmmm (throat being cleared)

Quetico hates live bait
Quetico hates barbed hook
Woe to us who love it
Who will save us?
BWJ, for a nice profit

Ha-ha, snicker-snicker. Great poem! I find the magazine definately better than nothing. What things don't you like about the magazine?

Write a letter to the BWJ Editor and Publisher!

Wait, there are no published letters to this editor.

I agree that his occasional hucksterism is annoying - however it is a good read -I enjoy the pictures and frankly admire him for having had the courage to create this magazine.

If you really hate the BWJ, don't subscribe and give the $$ to Adam instead.... who has created this site and funds it almost completely out of his pocket.

I do like certain aspects of the magazine- but the photos are what I enjoy. Especially when I see places I have been. Kudos to Adam on this site- well worth all of our support. Thanks Adam!

Marc - There is always background chatter about Stu's 'my way or the highway' approach which is often (usually?) intermingled with blatant sales pitches for the packs, paddles and accessories he has had private labeled and sells in full color sections of his magazine.

There is a perceived lack of independence and objectivity in this approach.

On the other hand, if you don't like it, don't buy it.

"There is a perceived lack of independence and objectivity in this approach."

Long time readers will remember that was not always the case. It used to be there was no editorializing -- no letters to the editor published but no blatant comments by the editor either.

Then the editor was put on the panel for some kind of issue (long forgotten by me, perhaps a motor use issue) that the SNF wanted some public input. The editor/publisher decided then he needed to break his self impossed "no editorial" policy. However, this would not be done equitably. He would allow himself to editorialize but not allow any comments from his readership (ie no published letters to the editor). He would use his magazine to voice only his view on a controverial topic, one that was not shared by a large portion of his readership. Hard feeling ensued, and a large resentment from those that did not share his personal views but felt compelled to buy his magazine anyway because frankly it was the best/only magazine covering an area they loved so much. I believe that is the heart of the issue that many folks have.

Well, once the proverbial Gennie was out of the bottle, it has not stopped. I believe that if he would have allowed Letters to the Editor to be published during that time, or backed off on Editorializing after the issue was settled, things would have resumed normally.

Off hand I couldn't even tell you exactly when it was, but probably around 1995. It's been a long time.

You just knocked that one out of the park and into the next county.

Agreed! I used to subscribe to the magazine for years, but let my subscription lapse about 3 years ago for various reasons (some already stated). I also got sick of the Living On the Edge segment which was basically the editor's diary. I could care less about someone else's dogs and horses. I picked up the latest issue last week and found Living On the Edge wasn't in it. That made me happy. I'm done venting on this subject now.