Unaccomplished Angler or Open Fly?
Scores of readers have written in, asking me, “What the hell? As of late it seems the UA blog posts have been nothing more than announcements when a new show being posted on that Open Fly thing…What gives? Are you still blogging or what?” Actually, nobody has written with any sort of inquiry, but any of you still reading my blog may be wondering.
Let me essplain.
Blogs change over time. Sometimes they flow with a steady current of new material, while other times they slow to a trickle. A blog may meander off course from time to time, and sometimes they completely dry up—we’ve all seen that happen. Think of a blog as a river—never the same; sometimes better, sometimes worse. But always changing. And so flows the Unaccomplished Angler.
Since becoming involved in the Open Fly podcast in January, that endeavor has consumed more of my energy, and running this blog has taken a bit of a back seat. Plus, I haven’t done much fishing lately so there’s been little to write about in that regard. I’ve gotten out a few times, but I’ve done more oaring of my new boat than fishing and nobody wants to hear about my oaring (except maybe Morris). In the past I’ve filled the fishing down-time with nonsensical material, and while that will never end, I’ve not done much of that either. The podcast is important to me. We’re not doing it just for fun, although we have a rather good time in the studio. But we also take it very seriously, especially when it comes to our conservation segments.
If you haven’t been listening to the podcast, shame on you! Download the shows on iTunes so you can listen at your leisure, or listen on that Sticher radio thing, or on our website. I’m confident you’ll find something of interest, otherwise I wouldn’t be wasting my time putting in the energy with the show. Honestly the podcast has a lot more to offer than this blog could ever hope to achieve. That said, the UA is not going away—when I’m inspired, I’ll post more of the content all 9 of you have come to expect over the past few years. But for now, the Unaccomplished Angler can be found/heard in the studios of the Open Fly podcast…
Derek, Dave Henry, UA
This past week found me busting out the UA Noped (a 1987 Suzuki FA50) for a jaunt down the hill on the first nice day of the season. In studio to record the tenth episode of the Open Fly were, in addition to Evan and Derek and I, guests Sarah and Dave Henry (2 Handed Trout blog), and Ted Nugent. Again. Sarah is by far the most attractive of the group so you may be wondering why she wasn’t featured in the photo (below). Someone had to take the photo, and bring us food and beer…thanks, Sarah.
In Studio
Besides the steady supply of jovial and oft-immature banter, Show 10 featured a conservation interview with Morgan Kupfer, speaking as a representative of CCA Maryland. Morgan is also 1/2 keeper of the blog known simply as TLTFF, or not-so-simply as Tight Lined Tales of a Fly Fisherman. Morgan fills us in on challenges facing the Chesapeake Bay region and how to noodle for Snakeheads. The Guide Stories segment features Brian Wise of Fly Fishing the Ozarks Brian tells us about his excitement in fishing some of Missouri’s lesser known fisheries: Big trout, big streamers, and western style rivers. Brian offers up a lively interview so be sure to check out the show.
By now you know where to find us. If you don’t, you haven’t been paying close attention. Do something about that, won’t you?
The Open Fly Podcast. Show 10.
Do whatever makes ya happy as long as you aren’t operating under the illusion that any of this is gonna be very profitable. My sister had several very successful parenting blogs….. whatever successful means…..cause she never made any money. Any way, she had a lot of followers. I told her that the time investment was not the foundation of a great business plan. Several studies show that blogs are generally not profitable. I told her that here talents would be much better applied to a novel or actual book that might get published. That would be my advice to any talented writer such as yourself. If ya do it just for fun…then who cares!
I operate under absolutely no delusions of grandeur, as nothing I have done pertaining to fishing has been a financial success. But success is measured by other means, including value beyond monetary benefits. It’s all for fun, but it also feeds the beast!
Hey Kirk,
Any chance you can only email me when there is a new blog post, and not for weekly podcast reminders? While I appreciate and enjoy the podcast, I don’t need a reminder. But I do enjoy getting the blog update in my inbox. So I unsubscribed for now, but if you can fix this, then great. Sign me up. Thanks.
Good luck and keep up the good stuff,
Eric
Eric, the answer is no.
Kirk,
I’ve been had! Joke’s on me I guess. Should have seen that coming. Foolish to think you could customize your “operation”. Here was your reply to my unsubscribe email turned blog comment:
“Eric,
I’ll be more than happy to custom tailor my operations just for you!
However, you need to leave your comment as a blog comment and not an email reply. That’s my offer, take it or leave it 😉
Cheers,
Kirk”
Kirk, here is why you can’t write your “blog” (not a blog when all you do is advertise for something else):
You no longer believe you are an unaccomplished angler. You cleaned up your truck (actually wrote a post about this – growin up phase), bought a boat, put a microphone in front of yourself and got a radio – or a free internet audio file – show. I listened for ten minutes, heard the way you guys talk to callers and realized you’ve become a typical industry insider – read: elitist, guide snobbery – with their rod lodged up their butt. Awful. Put the stickers back on your truck. You were funny then.
Eric, it’s my blog and I can write whatever I want and you, sir, are not the boss of me.
Typically insider-ish with a rod up my butt and one sticker on my truck,
Kirk