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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 842
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i still am waiting for my otw to be delivered and have tried to wait until it has come to post my comments, but i want to add some general input on this issue as i have done many times before. i will not condemn or applaud mckenna's article until i read it first.
that being said, i have tried for years to ask the internet media to ease up on posting detailed and "right-now"-types of reports or spot explanations by posting my input. as has been mentioned once already, there is a culture change with the newer generations. i've sent pm's, email, talked to people that have done posting of reports or spots. sometimes it's worked and helped, other times, it has not.
years ago one would never brag at a tackle shop, in front of a few unknown anglers or in a magazine about a particular spot or last nights catch. for some, it was due to commercial fishing (from shore) and others were brought up respecting what was told of them. that has changed it appears. people do what info today and now. if one posts about last night's big catch and now has a dozen more people fishing this spot (that may only comfortably fish say 15), how much good has this person really done? what of the 4-6 others that were fishing the previous night and are now trying to fish again that night? what will the property owners think of the added traffic, lights, noise, trash, blood, scales, mono, etc.? what have those that are coming to this spot learned about fishing it? do they sit back, watch, and learn to fish it? or are they jumping on someone else's success and to cash in themselves? now, will that same person/group go back to the internet and read more posts to go to spot "b" tomorrow night and do the same? what is that person really learning? are they developing as a fishermen or just doing what they can to catch fish and not caring about any repercussions? i have little respect for the person that does think like that. i have seen those that want the glory of saying they caught this fish, that size, here or there, but only exaggerate their catches or sizes to promote their status as a fisherman. if that's what you chose, so be it, but dont expect much respect from me. i know others feel the same. "give a man a fish and he eats for a day.teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." those that do post details or reports about a spot have taught a new angler nothing that they can learn.
now, as far as a magazine selling more copies due to an article such as this because anglers want to here it, that's their choice. if i'm an editor, i want to sell magazines and make money too. i want the best articles and authors. but, are you hurting your magazine in the long run by publishing articles such as this (again, have not read it, but have read similar ones by otw)? do you care, or are you simply trying to sell more magazines? i will not cancel my subscription because i want it to be able to comment on issues and articles such as this. there is also other information by authors i really enjoy reading that is vital to our sport, such as conservation issues, coastal cleanups, fishery stocks data/reports/meetings, etc. just because i buy it, doesn't mean i endorse it. maybe otw may get a spike in sales this month, but will their subscriptions go down over the next year?
now, to say it is ok to write up or post about a spot because YOU dont fish it anymore is pretty poor taste. then to say you fish a private spot so you dont care about the other spot is even worse! as was mentioned, just because you dont fish it anymore doesnt mean others do not as well. respect those that still do fish this spot or spots. dont be mad when others start fishing your private spots because they are following you around now. one thought too, there is no such thing as a private or "new" spot. someone at some time has fished it before you.
for a thread that has 10 pages, almost 200 replies, and 5900 reads, how many of those are not even members but just guests? how many look just for threads like to go cash in on?
now, a question for those that have read this or posted - how many will do something about it, or will you just complain as so many do on the net all the time? i laugh everytime the asmfc changes the rules on a fishery and people go mad on the boards after reading it, but were told in these same magazines, forums, papers about PUBLIC meetings on the issue. how many rec anglers show up to show/challenge the issue(s)? 2, 6, 10? that's pretty sad. if you do try and do something about this or another issue, i applaud you. if you dont, you have nothing to say, but accept what was done. be a leader, not a follower.
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