Hello everyone!

My name is Dave Kilhefner and I'm new to the board. I also do some outdoor writing, mostly for Salmon Trout Steelheader but I'm trying to branch out. Given this, I'd like to ask the question...

What are your favorite fishing articles?

My favorites are specific how-to's and adventure destination pieces with lot's of photos.

Thanks in advance for your input.

KD, try something new and on the cutting edge...I can't tell you what that might be...but hey...your the writer right?

Who knows...something fresh may put you over the top!

Keep us in the loop when you go legendary status on us now...ya hear!

FJ...out.

Be sure the article is not an advertisement for a guide or lodge. Stick to the hows and whys of fishing - solid informaiton everyone can use to learn and catch more fish.

Are yo the same Dave K. that played baseball at WSU?

try light tackle alternatives for salmon/cutties in salt water. fly fishing and regular gear. Ben

Hey Dave,
I like a variety of different types of articles, but I think it is writing style that seperates the memorable articles from the run of the mill. As a reader I want to feel I am part of the article. When Herzog writes that "the fish splashed like a cow dropped from an airplane" that draws me in. Let your personality flow into your articles and I am sure anything you chose to write about will be over the top.

my favorite outdoor writer is pat mcmanus read and learn
mike

To everyone who posted, thanks for your input. I really appreciate it. Below is my reply to each post. Dave

1) Something new and on the cutting edge. Response: It’s harder than you’d think to get this information out. Having worked in a tackle shop and gotten feedback from articles, it’s amazed me how most guys (90%) will deflect the really good info away until they start hearing what they want to hear. Buoy 10 is a great example. One of the hottest tips is “troll downstream (like the Klan Sea boats) to cover more water to catch more fish” and the usual response is “yes but…what kind of flasher were you using?” Never-the-less, I will keep trying. It could be a writing style issue-see #7 below.

2) My favorite articles are the ones that don't contain the name of smaller rivers and streams that aren't well known to the majority of us. Response: I’m more of a how-to writer but I’m working on some where-to material that focus’ on how to get the most of some of the major NW fisheries. No maps to secret spots!

About 10 years ago, I had one of my pictures on the cover of Fishing and Hunting News. No money was involved, but I was pretty excited. Naturally, they wanted to know where and when the fish was caught. Necanicum River, early December. They put this info on their calendar and now every year like clockwork the Necanicum River is featured in early December. We all get snookered once in a while.

3) One thing I would like to see more of in fishing articles are diagrams. Response: Great tip. Actually, I’m working on my drawing skills.

4) Be sure the article is not an advertisement for a guide or lodge. Response: This is a tricky one. Writing about guides/lodges is an issue of ethics. I’ve read if you get a free trip it’s ethical to report on it IF it was a good trip you think others would like. If it’s a bad trip you shouldn’t mislead your readers just to collect your fee. I agree with you, however. It is annoying to constantly be reading about Alaska when you know you’re not going there anytime soon.

5) Are you the same Dave K. that played baseball at WSU? Response: Yes. Dave@kbi-ins.com

6) Light tackle alternatives for salmon/cutties in salt water. Response: I’m a light tackle enthusiast myself. This summer I’m going to try trolling for ocean salmon with a G-loomis 1141 and 12lb line. I’ll post the results. If I submitted the completed article today the earliest it would be in print is the summer of 2003. Also, I have an ultra-light sturgeon fishing article in the works that details how to catch keepers (4’ to 5’) from the bank with 10lb line and a surf spin rod.

7) Writing style that separates the memorable articles from the run of the mill. Response: Actually, I know Bill Herzog pretty well. As much as I’d like to, I cannot match his colorful style. There is only one General Zog. That said, I just try to make my writing clear and give people info they can use to have a good time. Repeating the really good tips 3 or 4 times in an article seems to help get the major points across. Repetition is good and repeating things over and over until they begin to repeat in the readers mind gets the high points across. Now if I could only be funny.

8) My favorite outdoor writer is pat mcmanus read and learn. Response: Well said. Actually, when you contact a magazine for a writers guide they say pretty much the same thing; read our magazine and learn what we like to print.

Don't let Dave fool you, kids...he's been writing for many years and has a very catchy style. To his credit, he writes informative stuff, focusing on artificial lures. Most of all, Dave writes primarily about how to's...rarely covers where, which seems to be the thing nowadays. It's easy to write about where. We could all do that.

And by the way, as far as his baseball skills, Dave is only 4' 6", which makes for a itty-bitty strike zone, so he walked a lot. And being well over 300 pounds, he was hit by many inside pitches. This should explain his extraordinary on base percentage. Amazing anybody with 20/200 vision and those thick coke-bottle bottomed glasses could even get to the plate, much less hit a pitched ball. Amazing guy....

Good to see you back Heavy...must've got er all plugged back in aye?

Anyone care to elaborate as to why Dave is a KILLER?

FJ...out.

I like to read about reading the water. Maybe something on spotting steelhead and likely places to see them. How to fish rapids and canyon water. When did you go to Wazzu? Sorry I mean WSU?

Bill.......you silver-tongued devil.

I think trying to write like Zog would be like trying to play the guitar like Angus. Not gonna happen.

Dave,

I've enjoyed the articles I've read of yours so far.....keep up the good work. I like the stuff you did on making quick trips an your little craft. Articles on Alaska and northern BC are good stroke material, but they don't offer much to a guy who's not likely to leave the county, let alone the state. That's where the rub comes in.

You might as well stick to the technique-based articles for 2 reasons. One, if you write about water in your local( or even not-so-local)area, somebody's gonna want your head. Two, if guys would learn how to fish effectively, they wouldn't have to drive to your (or my) "hot" river to catch fish. If a guy is driving 5 hours to get someplace, chances are he drove over plenty of places that produce fish if you fish them effectively.

The funny thing is, you and Zog could probably write endless paragraphs on how to fish certain techniques, but let's face it......a lot of us out here aren't going read an article and be able to immediately put it to use. You guys have the "Midas" touch from hours on the water, and there is no substitute for that. What good articles DO give you is a boost up the learning curve.

PS: Don't forget lots of good photos. Techniques are great and all, but I can admit buying a magazine mostly for the photos (never mind, that was Playboy I was thinking of.....)

FJ: Kilhefner.....Kil-hefner......KILLER

Thanks folks. I would post more now but in 2.5 hours I'll be thigh deep in the lower Deschutes.

I was at WSU-Wazzu from 82-86 and set the single season strikeout record while batting .350-when you bat cleanup they don't want you grounding into double plays. Hit it hard or sit down!

Everyone in baseball has a nickname, you know, something that can be screamed at 2 million decibles. With my last name, Killer was the obvious choice. My roommate got dubbed "stone" because he didn't listen too well. Killer was better.

Fish on!