Bluewater Fishing Ranch

[Fred6944]

I will admit that i took the bait but, it doesn't surprise me. Some how I could see an operation like this being the next logical step in a progression of lazy outdoorsmen. It has already happened with hunting especially in Texas where you can shoot African game and trophy "grown" whitetail deer within the confines of a fenced ranch. So yes, a bluewater ranch is extreme but, the question how far will people go to say that they have caught a giant marlin or tuna. They already grow the deer why not just grow the gamefish too?

[sgtsean]

I saw this and then looked at the spine of the mag to see the date. yep, it is that time of the year. The pictures were the first thing that caught my eye (the sportfisher in the pen, the guy in the chair going over backwards)(I'm a guy and do pictures first THEN read). Ya, I want to do the old man and the sea.

What else have I missed? I spent hours in the reading room (bathroom)looking at every ad. Had to call the fire department to pry me off the seat! Good job, good fun. Hope someone doesnt take it too seriously.

[hershdog]

You completly fooled me. I showed one of my coworkers your ad and told him your not going to believe this. we were both shocked, i was disgusted by the idea but intriged, why else would we check out the site? im not even a salt water fishermen, not that i wouldnt love to be, but there was still a couple things that didnt seem right to me. first thing, your not going to fight a marlin in a pen and second theres something about the boats in the pens that didnt look real but still a great gag, and hey it had to be true it was in your magazine right?

[tomrosenbauer]

So you really got me. Somebody left a copy of Sportfishing in the bathroom here in the Orvis headquarters and I happened to read the ad. I do a fair amount of saltwater fishing but just with a fly rod and I thought "Jeez, I'm really outa touch with what the big game market is doing. I had no idea." So I pulled up the web site because, having chased football blufins with a fly rod for a decade, I was really curious how someone could get them to eat while being inside what looked like a tiny net pen, and then what the heck the fish would do once hooked. Run around in vicious circles?

Anyway, I'm known as a practical jokester and am usually on the other end, but you guys got me. Totally and completely.

Great stuff! Sometimes fishermen take everything way too seriously and I'm glad to see there are still people out there with a bent sense of humor. Ed Zern must be laughing in heaven.

[TOP SHOT]

for the record: thanx to tom rosenbauer for a GREAT response and thanx to all the readers who've posted here (and in lots of other forums as well as a zillion emails)!

almost to a man/woman, the reaction has been tripartite: 1--shock, 2--complete outrage, 3--hilarity. (one exception from a fellow pointing out his age (77) in montana who didn't find the joke funny at all -- that's one out of a couple hundred.) tom -- you're so right -- even the best fishing mags (like, i hope, SF) are dead-serious about catching more fish etc. but few give us a chance to laugh at ourselves, with in-jokes only anglers would appreciate. and everyone HAS been a very good sport indeed. that make the time and effort that go into these crazy things each year worthwhile. so thanks (my gawd: this sounds like some sort of academy-award acceptance speech....)

with apologies to nelson, of the simpsons: fool ya next year!



-- doug

[billgow]

That was perfect!

I got my latest issue and put it in the bathroom library basket. I just finished my morning constitutional and was literally running for the computer to let IGFA know my thoughts about sanctioning something like this.

April Fool! – I’m glad I waited until this morning to read this!

[codewill]

This would be great for the limited expierence indiviuals missing the means to do a big expensive trip. I personaly love the idea of the old man and the sea. Just put in an extra pin that you could do some spear fishing.

[Special Trout]

I was already wondering how in the world most of the guys that I know would pass a physical! Very very funny, I have sent it to several of my fishing friends and can't wait to hear their responses!!!

Thanks,

[royb]

The way that some people set up canned hunts, i.e. exotic animals in a small area, for those who did not know about canned hunts. Sometime in the near future someone will try this, anything to make a buck, and there are people that would pay to do it. Unless you do just the "old man and the sea", that would be a REAL challenge.

[liem_tran74]

That was a great prank. It was too odd to be true at first but then again, it was an add in your mag. I showed it to all of my coworkers who thought that it was real too. We thought that people would have to be crazy to go considering the min. pkg price of $3,800. I'll be more cautious on the next april issuance.