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Trying to remember a coarse monthly mag from the 90s...

Steve Lewis

Senior Member
Sorting through all my fishing books and mags last night (most of them still boxed up from when we moved 16 years ago) cos there's not much else to do at the mo, and I'm missing a box of mags that I can only assume either got lost during the move or were accidentally taken down the tip prior to the move.

Anyway, it was a monthly IYCF competitor and, from memory, only lasted a few years around the mid 90s (couldn't have lasted too long as I had every issue and they all fit in one box quite comfortably). It was, at the time, my favourite of all the weeklies, monthlies and quarterlies put together (with the possible exception of The Waterlog), but it came to the part too late (or too early, depending on how you look at it - would probably do okay if it came out these days amongst the sea of mags largely concentrating on commercials and F1s).

For the life of me I can't remember what it was called, but I remember Ray Walton featured in it quite regularly, it concentrated on specimen coarse fishing (no match, pole or commercial stuff, no sea or game) with a particular slant towards barbel and river fishing, and it had a "reader's tale" section every month where people would write about their red letter day.

It's definitely NOT Coarse Angling Today or Total Coarse Fishing (which I don't think were around at the time), pretty sure it wasn't Coarse Fisherman or Coarse angler (because it was a new mag on the shelves AFTER I started fishing in the early 90s), I don't think it was Coarse Fishing Today (because I seem to remember that winding up quite soon after I started).

Unfortunately scouring Google and eBay has offered no clues.

Any ideas?

Really bummed that I can't find them...
 
Nope, definitely not Big Fish World. It was more like IYCF in terms of its layout.

Also seem to remember it had a red banner at the top.
 
Ah yes, Coarse Fishing Magazine.....I wrote a series of articles on the club match fishing scene for David Hall ( the publisher). I had actually forgotten all about this publication but your post reminded me that they actually went bust owing me money from several published pieces🤔 . Unfortunately I binned all the copies I had as my loft ( where I kept all my fishing memorabilia ) was in danger of collapsing into my bedroom. Pity, as I thought it was a nicely presented magazine with interesting articles ( especially mine😂) covering all branches of the sport. I hope somebody is a more organised hoarder than me Steve and can help you out ( if this is the magazine you require).
Regards,
G.T.
 
I got excited for a moment as the simple title "Coarse Fishing" rang a bell and the mention of them going bust mid production would have fit their quick disappearance, but having just googled it I see that was around in the 80s before I started, so it's definitely not that either.

Neil - good shout, I'd forgotten Ray was a member (although I haven't seen him post for ages). Might send him a message. (EDIT - on checking, he hasn't logged in for a year).

Thanks all for the ideas so far - if nothing else it's prompting some nice blasts from the past.
 
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I think it might be Practical Coarse Fishing - started early 90s and seems to have been short lived. However I can only find a couple of examples online and none of them ring a bell in terms of front page graphics.
 
I think it might be Practical Coarse Fishing - started early 90s and seems to have been short lived. However I can only find a couple of examples online and none of them ring a bell in terms of front page graphics.
Is this it Steve?
pcf.jpg
 
I'm pretty sure the magazine you're referring to was called "Specialist Angler". I had my first ever article published in this magazine, if I have the name right. Very similar to CAT, great mag.
 
Steve ,try anglingheritage.org there are loads of magazines on there.

Specialist Angler I think was the magazine of the National Association of Specimen Anglers
 

That's one of two issues I found covers for online. Like I said, the cover layout and graphics don't ring a bell (they're VERY vintage IYCF aren't they?), but everything else about it seems to fit. Could be.


I'm pretty sure the magazine you're referring to was called "Specialist Angler". I had my first ever article published in this magazine, if I have the name right. Very similar to CAT, great mag.

No, definitely not that - I only became aware of that one YEARS after it ceased publication (started in the early-mid 80s didn't it?).

Neil - I'm sure you didn't just post that as an excuse to have a pic of Jill Orme?;)


Steve ,try anglingheritage.org there are loads of magazines on there.

Tony - good shout. Practical Coarse Fishing is the ONLY one on there that ticks the boxes.
 
That's one of two issues I found covers for online. Like I said, the cover layout and graphics don't ring a bell (they're VERY vintage IYCF aren't they?), but everything else about it seems to fit. Could be.




No, definitely not that - I only became aware of that one YEARS after it ceased publication (started in the early-mid 80s didn't it?).

Neil - I'm sure you didn't just post that as an excuse to have a pic of Jill Orme?;)




Tony - good shout. Practical Coarse Fishing is the ONLY one on there that ticks the boxes.

Yes I think it was early to mid 80s Steve, good magazine.
 
That's one of two issues I found covers for online. Like I said, the cover layout and graphics don't ring a bell (they're VERY vintage IYCF aren't they?), but everything else about it seems to fit. Could be.




No, definitely not that - I only became aware of that one YEARS after it ceased publication (started in the early-mid 80s didn't it?).

Neil - I'm sure you didn't just post that as an excuse to have a pic of Jill Orme?;)




Tony - good shout. Practical Coarse Fishing is the ONLY one on there that ticks the boxes.
No, what caught my eye was the vintage tackle, honest.
 
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