In addition to our website, we communicate to our members primarily through our quarterly conservation newsletter, The RIVERWATCH, a widely acclaimed conservation journal first published in 1988. We also communicate--when there are pressing matters important to our members--through email bulletins, phone campaigns, and U.S. Mail. With the advent of our current website (our third generation web presence), we intend to leverage its functionality to do many more email alerts, both to our paid members and members of the press or others who have supported us in the past.
In an effort to expedite matters and save the organization money, we're encouraging members to subscribe for electronic delivery of The RIVERWATCH, as each issue costs the organization approximately $3000.00. Click here to subscribe to the electronic version.
E-mail alerts: The Anglers of the Au Sable is an all volunteer organization. Please help us by providing your current e-mail address and contact information located in our "Members" section of the website. This will help us communicate with you in a more timely manner.
History of The Anglers' Publications
In the first issue of our first newsletter in the spring of 1987, founding editor Jim Enger wrote the following in the Au Sable News & Notes: "It will essentially be this publication that binds us together. Primarily, we will report to you on the issues that affect the Au Sable and what we are doing about them. But, we will also include other information, hopefully some fun stuff. For example, we may publish information on hatches, patterns for flies that seem to work particularly well on the Au Sable, maybe some interesting historical stuff, and so on."
The words that applied to that first edition still apply to our current newsletter, The RIVERWATCH. The RIVDERWATCH newsletter is the lifeline of our organization. It communicates our agenda, our sentiment, and the results of our work. Lauded by the fly fishing and conservation press for its editorial content, professionalism and design, The RIVERWATCH is a strategic asset for the Anglers. Plainly, it is an educational tool that has proved itself beyond all expectations.
The history of The RIVERWATCH begins with the founding of the Anglers. In March 1987, less than two months after our founding meeting, the first edition of our newsletter was published, edited by Jim Enger. It was titled Au Sable News & Notes and was six pages in length. Jim continued this newsletter for one additional issue. Dan Drislane was editor of News & Notes issues 3 and 4. With each issue, News & Notes grew in size and diversity of topics, but the last issue was published in the summer of 1988. A new format and concept was in store.
Harry Campbell and Ed McGlinn began The RIVERWATCH in autumn of 1988 (RW#1). The co-editors did published RW#2 the following winter. In the Spring of 1989, Harry became the sole editor with Ed McGlinn supporting and contributing to issue #3 as well as helping recruit writers. Ed also continued to do the artwork. However, Harry could not continue to serve as editor due to pressing business matters. The Anglers were without a an editor (and newsletter) until Ed McGlinn returned as sole editor in the winter of 1990 (RW#4). Ed along with his wife, Judy, edited The RIVERWATCH for the next eight years with their final issue being May 1997 (RW#26).
Noted author and director Bob Linsenman took the helm from Ed and Judy. He edited and published The RIVERWATCH for the next ten issues (RW#26 - RW#36). Bill Sodeman then took the helm to produce issues 37 through 39. Just recently, in January 2003, the reigns have been given to our seventh editor, Duke Grimshaw, who has produced issues 40 through 44. Tom Buhr then assumed the helm with issue 45 and has been our proud editor since.
The RIVERWATCH Submission Requirements
The RIVERWATCH is nominally published three times per year. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome and may be considered for publication. Manuscripts may be works of fiction, non-fiction or poetry. The ideal submission format for copy should be in Microsoft Word (or optionally Word Perfect). Submissions may be emailed to Thomas Buhr, editor. Accompanying photos and supporting graphics (charts, maps, etc.) should be emailed as attachments to Thomas at the email address given. Formats should ideally be in JPEG and be 1:1 original scale (so we can have the option of reducing as necessary). If you cannot send photos and graphics as email attachments, please email Thomas for further instructions.