John, this isn't to start a fight, I am truly trying to have an open apology here.

Allright, here it goes. I was over at one of the other boards I used to be able to post on, looking around. I noticed that the signature of one young guy's signature looked familiar. So I researched both of them. Doing some research, it turns out this guy was on the board before as someone else. He will remain nameless because that's not really an intrigal part of the story. Anyway, that's when I decided to look back on my OWN posts.

God, I really was a pain in the butt! I didn't realize it but I came off rather conceited and for that I am sorry. I don't know why I posted some of the stuff I did but I have to assume it's because I was young and stupid. I cannot believe some of the stuff I spouted off about in regards to fishing. God, my cheeks are still red from reading it. I am truly embarrassed by some of the crap that I said. I admit it. I was pretty much a big fraud then. I don't know what I am today, I don't believe I'm a fraud anymore but I didn't think I was then either.

Unfortunately, the other guy, who is only in like 7th grade or so, is following down the same path as I did.

So anything I did or said to offend you guys in the past, I am really sorry for. Please remember that kid messing around on SS.com was the old Patrick. I'm not asking you to forget all that stuff but I want you guys to know I'm sorry for any inconvienances I caused.

Sounds good. Lets see what happens from here forward.

Well, yer still young and time will tell if yer still stupid... But hopefully your close to understanding that some people new to the uh, addiction, first see your posts might grasp the wrong information (which doesn't really help) and some of the more experienced people reading your posts will see right through it...

Take it from here Patrick and do the right thing for yourself...

Patrick, I really think the most important lesson here is to think before you speak... or type in this case. When posting advice, think of any consequences and also think of who you're giving this advice to... i.e. don't tell someone who's been tying flies for 20 years how they can improve their design. Its out of place. Tying a few flies or reading a few books doesn't take the place of tying tens of thousands of flies and testing them and tweaking them until they are just right. Same goes for making rods, plugs... boats... and most of all, fishing techniques.

I wouldn't presume to give some of these old salts a seminar on how to fish... I haven't been fishin' the salt long enough to do that. I'll share my experiences if I feel they can help... but I've only been fishing saltwater fulltime for a few years now. And I only started to feel really "aware" last year... you know, where I'm able to really put alot of the factors together and make it work. And I have a long way to go to catch up to some of these guys who have been doing this for alot of years.

But that's part of the fun.

And just like any sport... knowledge is great, but the proof is on the field. If you were spoutin' all this advice and including pictures of yourself with some big fish, maybe it would carry some weight. But I doubt anyone here or on any other board thinks you catch fish at all. How many 30lbers do you have, 20lbers?, keepers? Its not to embarass you... I got my first 30 just a week ago... I have maybe ten fish over 20lbs. That is nothing. I'm not putting you down. The point is that you don't see me here givin' people all kinds of crazy suggestions.

You have plenty of time to become an expert and to be a big contributor... it just takes time and alot of doing. Then you'll have the respect I think you're looking for.

The Monarch Notes version of what Schoolie Monster said, "you need to experience it before you can give advice about it."

You can be anything you want to be on the internet, unfortunately there are far too many people that present themselves as more than they really are.

Want to learn, you must learn to listen, so shut up and listen.