Flap - it is a shame that things like "spots" have come to this. It is a shame when you can't say online that you got a good fish last night or put up a picture because you will be inundated with PMs, Emails, Phone Calls about where you were. Or that people say you are full of BS, you were lying. All that. Yeh, it is frequent enough both online and offline. It truly is a shame that you can't give detailed locations on a spot without hordes of people running amok. Yeh - you are right, there ARE NO SECRET SPOTS. Nobody says there are, really. ABout every place HAS been fished before, some more so than others, often due to access issues or simply how willing one is going to go to fish a place.
It is also a SHAME that entities have to PROMOTE locations in order to SELL stuff. It does not spread the "wealth" so to speak of fishing pressure evenly across spots that can handle it better. Access and the Fish - are not those the TWO MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS to us as surfcasters? We spend so much time, often innefficiently, working the fish issue, yet we as a group are so harsh on access. You think the ratio of anglers to those that go to fisheries meetings is tough, imagine the ratio that goes to ACCESS issues. Yeh, I go when I can. Not often enough or as much as I'd like but I go. You do too. You know what is at stake here. And we are fortunate enough that you know the balance between writing about access and speaking generally.
Flap, as for losing respect for MikeP on his comment - do you REALLY think Mike is advocating slashing OTW's tires? Really? I know Mike a little and I think we can all agree that he is making notice of what potentially might happen by OTHERS. And I truly hope something like that would not happen, and truly hope nobody from here would do just that. Would I put money on that not happening? Uh, no... Some have more impulse than brains... Mike is in the brains camp.
I guess it pisses off a lot of people that I take this stand but as being someone that persues access issues when I can, I hate to see it face loss due to making money.
I also get that ill feeling in the pit of my stomach about this whole McKenna thing. Really torn. He really is a great guy, an awesome surfcaster, that in my opinion has made a large, unnintentional mistake. He has tried to do something good. And he is taking the heat unproportional to what he has done, certainly when compared to all of those that have done it before - including members here. But does an atmosphere that fosters that make it all OK? Becuase it is traditional to burn stuff in ALL of the different medias? I've done it here too and I'm pissed that I did. In fact, next revision of the site has NO reports section. Sure, a lot less people will sign up as members, but I think it is the responsible thing to do either way. Plenty of places online and in print to get SPOTS & Reports
Anyway, I'm really sickened over this stuff. Steve is getting hammered, certainly more than deserved, and others are going to profit from it. Sucks.
#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& - did you change your mind on what you said before you talked to me or after? Your earlier posts on this thread don't necessarily jive with your phone call...
I habe more to say on this but I need to get back to my real job.
Oh, Laptew - WTF do you think is wrong with dragging a camera crew and staff down a PRIVATE road to FILM ? Do people walk that private road to fish? Yep. Do you think the handful of wealthy people living in there are nice enough to look the other way when anglers respecfully walk down there? How long will that last with film crews walking down there? Do you think the handful of wealthy people in there would really react if a crew of 10 walked down with cameras and equip bags? Obviously, this is not the first time you have dragged cameras and crews down there to FILM fishing.
Is getting he right shot MORE important than access to a location? Ask yourself that. I trruly hope you advised against going into there with a film crew - though somehow I doubt it.