Lonnie
10-30-2007, 06:19 PM
Wow. Looks like another thread got nuked. That's cool. I was going to post what I've written below in that thread, but alas it is no longer. So it looks like I've got to set up my post below with some ground work.
It seems like a lot of folks aren't happy with with they are getting out of a basically free site these days. That's too bad. To those folks, I'd say, a site like this is what you make it. If you don't like the signal to noise ratio, raise it. Post something worth while then. Why should you just get to free load off the others here. It's the same folks that come here over and over saying "there's on good info on UTOF anymore", yet do nothing to contribute to the site except posts complaining about "how there's no good info on UTOF anymore". Even those with limited knowledge or are new to the sport have, I'm sure, made worth while observations. Share them.
In my eyes, the problem here, is there is basically nothing new here. I mean, how many times can we talk about prono river bounce rigs, or what pontoon to buy, how tubers suck, or how to tie a parachute Adams? It's all here if you take the time to click the "Search" button. For those of us who this isn't our first UTOF rodeo, we see a post like that and it's Yawn!!!! So we revertback to the 12-13 year olds that most grown men can be, and it's beavis and butthead time. It's just fishing, don't take it so seriously. If some folks want to have fun with it, let them.
So, as a result, I've got a radical idea that might liven this place up. Let's lift the ban on hot spotting. Yes, I said it. Obviously, there are still waters that need to be protected, but at least on the more well know waters, like Matt Warner, scofield, the Logan river, and the weeb there is no real reason to keep things under wraps. If you've been here long enough, you know about those waters anyway. There aren't any secrets. If it isn't the Provo or the weeb, Most folks won't bother to fish them anyway.
So what this site needs is more trip reports (with details and associated fish porn), more stoke, more sharing of new flies/patterns/info, and the realization that sometimes guys talk smack just to have fun with their buddies. If we didn't luv ya, we wouldn't pick on ya!
As far a moderation, I think this site needs more, and less at the same time. I've been on heavily moderated sites and quiet frankly they suck. That's not what this site needs. I have also been on sites where the "real" moderators were very light handed but the members of the board were very quick to call someone out for BS. I know alot of you don't like Chris, but he has the finest BS detector on this site. Sometimes the delivery is less than gentle, but that's just his style. Don't take it personal. Now I'm not suggesting that we all scream and yell at each other, but the occasional call out is OK in my book. Most of the time when folks get called out they are like, "Yup, you guys are right, I'm a dork..." In our case we need a non offensive word to describe it. Something like DINK! Imagine when we see the 800th "What rod should I buy thread" we can just respond "Search function, DINK!" How fun! (Usually followed by legit responses.) :D
Anyway, these are just my ideas, and they might suck. And while this isn't my site to run, I've been on sites where that the norm and there is a much bigger sense of community on those sites and that's a good thing. It's worth a think....
It seems like a lot of folks aren't happy with with they are getting out of a basically free site these days. That's too bad. To those folks, I'd say, a site like this is what you make it. If you don't like the signal to noise ratio, raise it. Post something worth while then. Why should you just get to free load off the others here. It's the same folks that come here over and over saying "there's on good info on UTOF anymore", yet do nothing to contribute to the site except posts complaining about "how there's no good info on UTOF anymore". Even those with limited knowledge or are new to the sport have, I'm sure, made worth while observations. Share them.
In my eyes, the problem here, is there is basically nothing new here. I mean, how many times can we talk about prono river bounce rigs, or what pontoon to buy, how tubers suck, or how to tie a parachute Adams? It's all here if you take the time to click the "Search" button. For those of us who this isn't our first UTOF rodeo, we see a post like that and it's Yawn!!!! So we revertback to the 12-13 year olds that most grown men can be, and it's beavis and butthead time. It's just fishing, don't take it so seriously. If some folks want to have fun with it, let them.
So, as a result, I've got a radical idea that might liven this place up. Let's lift the ban on hot spotting. Yes, I said it. Obviously, there are still waters that need to be protected, but at least on the more well know waters, like Matt Warner, scofield, the Logan river, and the weeb there is no real reason to keep things under wraps. If you've been here long enough, you know about those waters anyway. There aren't any secrets. If it isn't the Provo or the weeb, Most folks won't bother to fish them anyway.
So what this site needs is more trip reports (with details and associated fish porn), more stoke, more sharing of new flies/patterns/info, and the realization that sometimes guys talk smack just to have fun with their buddies. If we didn't luv ya, we wouldn't pick on ya!
As far a moderation, I think this site needs more, and less at the same time. I've been on heavily moderated sites and quiet frankly they suck. That's not what this site needs. I have also been on sites where the "real" moderators were very light handed but the members of the board were very quick to call someone out for BS. I know alot of you don't like Chris, but he has the finest BS detector on this site. Sometimes the delivery is less than gentle, but that's just his style. Don't take it personal. Now I'm not suggesting that we all scream and yell at each other, but the occasional call out is OK in my book. Most of the time when folks get called out they are like, "Yup, you guys are right, I'm a dork..." In our case we need a non offensive word to describe it. Something like DINK! Imagine when we see the 800th "What rod should I buy thread" we can just respond "Search function, DINK!" How fun! (Usually followed by legit responses.) :D
Anyway, these are just my ideas, and they might suck. And while this isn't my site to run, I've been on sites where that the norm and there is a much bigger sense of community on those sites and that's a good thing. It's worth a think....