This month I've decided to do a bit of housekeeping, and address some of the initiatives, comments and concerns that have cropped up in the past couple of months.

The TFN On-line Fishing Forums

An interesting email crossed my desk last week from Max Huber (Another message of his is in this month's Reader Speak Column). Max is a long-time CompuServe Member, and a new, enthusiastic supporter of TFN -- Thanks Max!

He has taken it upon himself to personally welcome new users of the TFN Fishing Forums and we applaud his efforts. The Forums have not got off to the start we wanted, but it's through interactivity and the initiative of TFN readers and Subscribers like Max and others that will "oil the gears" of what we think should be one of the major features of the site.

So don't be shy! Get involved!

The TFN Master Angler Fishing Derby

A concern of ours has been the lack of participation in the TFN Master Angler Fishing Derby. Entries have been trickling in, but not nearly at the volume we would like. Some of our people here feel that we should have started it next January and run the first one for the whole year, not just from July to December. Others think that a more immediate payout might attract a more enthusiastic response. Questions have been asked about the Grand Prize not being enough of an inducement. And concerns have also been risen about the possibility that the entry criteria might be too high.

Therefore we are making the following adjustments to the program:

• The First Derby will run to December, 1997, not 1996;
• Sponsors will be solicited to add to the prize structure; and,
• There will be monthly random draws of prizes and cash awards to new entries.

We have had a few emails that required additional explanation of the program, so here it is in a nutshell:

It's open to anyone in North America, which is broken down into 9 geographic regions with a number of different species eligible in each region. There are prizes awarded for the biggest of each species in each region and for the top 20 point getters in the derby. Points are awarded on a scale of 1-100 for each fish entered of each species in each region, where all entered fish are worth at least 1 point, and bonus points are awarded for released fish or those caught by flyfishing.

The cost to enter the derby is $10, which you mail into us with your first entry, and all entries must be accompanied by pictures and a fully completed entry form.

Of course all this information can be found in the Derby pages off the TFN Home Page.

TFN Magazine Content:

TFN is growing comfortably, but we'd like to increase our regional and international content. So if you know of someone who might be interested in contributing, have them contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

We're trying to make TFN a site you to come back to again and again, so let me know if you're having problems, have a great idea, or want to know how to get more involved.

And one final point is to congratulate the Canadian and Ontario governments for finally stepping up to the plate and nailing a big poaching operation in the Bay of Quinte (Lake Ontario). You can read about it in one of the articles provided this month by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

Until next month...
(tight lines, get it wet, good fishin', see you on the water, etc., etc.).

Scott M. Binnie, Managing Editor