Hello everyone! This is an awkward article to write, but since this is your magazine, I thought you should have the say in which direction this goes. I will only make so many executive decisions, but rest assured that I'll still get my two cents worth in!

This contribution will explain to everyone some of the costs involved in producing the magazine itself. Since several members donate some crucial services, like photography and labor (which this is labor intensive, just ask Mike Radencich!), these are financial assets, not liabilities.

There has always been a financial statement in the back of the magazine, and this won't change. It keeps everything up and up, and lets everyone know how we're doing. Well folks, let's just say it's not a pretty picture. By year's end our wonderful flyer is heading into the red post haste.

As you probably noticed in the last Flyer, including a contribution from Mike Radencich (Thank You!) I picked up the ball with $229.97 worth of air in it. Pretty flat considering Mike spent $632.88 on the previous issue! Deb and 1, with the help of some of you, have managed to get some of the costs under control. The biggest, thanks to Mark Kirchner, was for color copies. We've gotten these down to a very reasonable price. If you'll notice, I've also gotten creative (but not stupid) about the picture sizing to further reduce costs. However, there are still times when we need to use a full sheet, such as for Challenges and other large images.

Any way it gets cut, to put this issue out, I will still need to kick in about $150.00. Please don't think that I am whining. I asked for this position, part and parcel, and this is one facet of it. One of the bigger draws from our funding is the return of half the membership fee to contributors. This is an extremely equitable situation, because without articles, I'll be mailing out blank pages. However, since we don't rely on advertisers for our income and the dues work out to $3.75 per issue (before compensating contributors) this runs terribly close to the $3.00 it costs, per issue, minimum, to simply sustain the level we are at now.

I have been told that many of you would love to see this magazine get larger, at least in content and circulation. Now, we're not talking about glossy pages or anything, just more photos (as I know many of your would like to see), more content (which is up to you to write) and higher quality typesetting. All of this benefits you by allowing you more and better information which will make your journey down the twisting, curving roads of Salmon Fly Dressing that much more scenic. To accomplish this, one of two things needs to happen. Either we need to raise the membership dues or we need donations. Donations are always welcome, but you can't fix a budget around them. Raising dues is never easy and as the new editor and publisher, this runs the risk of sounding pushy. I would love to count on advertisers, but since this isn't how we support our magazine, I can't.

The only logical conclusion I can reach is to increase the dues reasonably. I am thinking along the lines of $25 a year for U.S. residents and $40 (U.S.) for international (due to postage), but giving $10 back to contributors. This way, if you don't contribute, it's still inexpensive considering the talent represented in our contributors. If you do contribute, its a bargain and we now have the funding to snake the Flyer even bigger. It's a win/win situation for everyone.

Since this is only my idea and your magazine, I need input, and quick. We're talking letters and phone calls folks. Renewals are due before the next issue comes out (you'll find the notice enclosed in this issue).

So, dial 1-900-555-1001 for Yes and 1-900-555-1002 for No. Each call costs $ 375.00 and lasts about four hours. Just kidding! Please drop us a line (preferably a WF8F or a 400 grain Sink Tip, kidding, again!) or give us a call to let us know exactly what you think about this proposition. Besides, I'd just love to see The Flyer equal the quality of its members.

The other item I must mention is the raging lack of articles. As of October 1, we only have one article for the next issue. Point blank, WE NEED ARTICLES. Please read the reprinted article elsewhere in this issue if you have no idea where to start writing. If you have an article in the works, please finish it and send it along. Thanks! Remember, I don't write this, I just edit and publish it!