If you love to fish, you probably also love to tell a good story. Since man first started tying a string with a wooden hook on the end to a reed pole and casting it into the water, we’ve been sharing our funny, unforgettable, and (mostly) true stories about fishing. It helps bring us closer to the community of fishing enthusiasts, gives us great memories to look back on, and establishes us as some of the best (probably) fishermen on our side of the pond.
With the advancements of technology from the past decade, sharing our fishing trips has become easier than ever, and we can reach a far wider audience than we ever could before. While nothing will ever replace the simple joy of listening to the time Hank nearly landed that 80 lbs. Bass last October (we know it couldn’t be bigger than 50…tops) at the bait shop, if you have a great story to share, or some helpful advice from years spent looking for a bigger catch, consider the following ideas to help you get the word out.
Start a YouTube Channel
Fishermen love to watch their brethren cast off and cast out as they search for the biggest fish. You’ve probably seen those shows on The Outdoor Channel or RFD-TV, and enjoyed seeing other fishermen’s successes, failures, and helpful tips.
But not everyone can break into TV, or afford to hire their own film crew, and that’s okay. YouTube offers you the perfect method to upload your original footage of your fishing escapades to a wider audience. It’s incredibly easy to do – just create an account, and you’re ready to upload.
Through your channel, you can connect with other pros who have been reeling and dealing for years, as well as newbies who couldn’t tell you the difference between a crappie and a trout, and you can offer something engaging for all of them.
You don’t have to limit yourself to unedited footage of your fishing trips; you can do a video review on a new pole, demonstrate your techniques for tying a lure, or demonstrate an effective method to fillet a catfish. There’s a lot of possibilities for you to explore, and you’re only limited by the time you have to spend filming, and your own imagination.
Start Your Own Blog
Maybe videography isn’t your thing, or you don’t want to feature yourself on camera, and that’s perfectly fine. Starting your own blog is a method that you can use to share your fishing adventures (the true and almost true) in an engaging way.
Like a YouTube channel, a blog will allow you to share your exploits, your advice, and your insights with a wide range of readers, but without the need to purchase a new camera or edit video for hours on end.
Blogging will also allow you to connect to a diverse group of readers, from seasoned professionals (great liars) to amateurs just getting started (they tend to be more honest), to share your advice with, and get some great tips yourself.
Blogging will also allow you more opportunities to review and make changes to your post if you make a mistake, or think of a better way to communicate your point. With video or a photo, you can adjust how the image looks with filters and touch up software, or shorten a video through editing, but you can’t change the base image. You’d have to start all over. With a blog, you can edit, post, and continue to tweak as much as you like.
In addition to blogging, you can also connect with readers and fishermen alike by selling the products you recommend on your site. If you have first-hand experience with certain rods or hooks that you feel are the best, share this not just in a review, but make them available for purchase right on your site. Not only will you be helping others, but you can make a little extra money on the side — always a plus!
Contribute to Your Favorite Fishing Magazine
You may not have the time you need to build, maintain, and continually update your own blog, and that’s perfectly fine. Another option that you can consider is to contribute to your favorite fishing magazine. Many publications are always looking for good writers, photographers, and videographers to help create new and exciting content.
In addition to getting your word out to a wider audience, working for a fishing publication will earn you some additional revenue that you might not get from just a blog or YouTube channel. Even if you can only contribute on a freelance basis, professional publications keep a strong network of both freelancers and in-house professionals to develop content, and they pay a more than livable wage to retain them.
By contributing to a fishing magazine, you may also be able to travel for free to review a new location or attend a fishing tournament, or get some of the latest in top-of-the-line fishing gear as companies send you free products in exchange for a review.
Finally, you’ll develop your own craft, while building a network of professional contacts in the writing and publishing industries, which could potentially lead to even better opportunities in the future. Since fishermen love the sport because it allows them a great degree of relaxation while they wait for a bite, why not get the same benefits out of your workplace?
A Whopper of a Tale
By now, I hope you’ve got a pretty good idea of the options available to you if you want to share your love of fishing with the wider world, and you’re starting to generate some ideas. No matter where your talents and passions lie, there’s an outlet out there that’s perfect for you, and will allow you to spread the word about your deeds and exploits from those early mornings on the lake. So start creating your awesome content, find the method that works for you, and tell us all about that six foot long bass you almost caught on Lake Chickamauga. Don’t worry; we believe you.