Have Lake Specific Forums Run Their Course?

[Paradice]

I used to watch lake forums very closely to hear the current chatter.  I never fish any of those lakes anymore, but I'm still curious.  Not to knock on any specific site, but it seems there is no longer any lake-specific chatter on the web.  Five to ten years ago, those forums were on fire with tips, pictures, etc.  Have they burned themselves out due to acceleration of info and subsequent mobbing, or what's the deal?   A few weeks ago, even the DNR made comment that the speed of information has had an impact on fisheries.  

 

Curious what others think.  

[eyeguy 54]

info speed, electronics, titanium spring bobbers, custom rods, inline reels, faster augers, plastic baits, sharper hooks.  fish dont stand a chance.   Speed of info probably the biggest factor. Pics on sites are great but cant share specific location or even the lake unless its a beast of a lake. I just heard last week that sometimes cell phone pics can be investigated to find gps location if a guy is knowledgeable in how to do it. Blurr out the background might not work before long. I think these type sites can still be good for tips but gotta be careful with location info. 

[Grainbelt]

A good way to wreck a lake is to put out "there is a hot bite" out on the internet.

[Wanderer]

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

I just heard last week that sometimes cell phone pics can be investigated to find gps location if a guy is knowledgeable in how to do it. Blurr out the background might not work before long. I think these type sites can still be good for tips but gotta be careful with location info. 

 

Don’t have find my phone turned on or whatever your particular phone’s location service is and your photos shouldn’t be geo tagged.

 

Sometimes when I get geo tagged text pics from others, I let them know. 

 

I agree with Eyeguy, we’ve slanted just about every fish catching possibility our way and the internet forums are just another one of those tools.  But like a flasher for ice fishing, we’d hate to be without em anymore.  Everybody wants to know what’s going on.

 

But yeah, being careful with sensitive resources probably has led to less chat about specific lakes unless they’re the ones already being advertised on billboards.

Edited January 21, 2018 by Wanderer

[vtx1029]

Been on facebook? there's plenty of chatter on there.

[rundrave]

On 1/21/2018 at 9:55 AM, Wanderer said:

Don’t have find my phone turned on or whatever your particular phone’s location service is and your photos shouldn’t be geo tagged.

 

yes this is a good point. But also remember to not be like a particular poster that used to frequent the forums who alleged to catch the same exact fish on different casts. But the exif data showed that the 2 pics were taken within a second of each other and the b.s flag was thrown.

[Big Dave2]

26 minutes ago, vtx1029 said:

Been on facebook? there's plenty of chatter on there.

 

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

I think the difference is that when message boards like this one were more popular, the info was archived in a user friendly format. Anyone could find the info about Lake Waconia because it was cataloged and searchable under a heading or search terms that made sense. Now the info being offered in groups on Facebook is just a bunch of bits here and there and if you don't catch it when it is first posted, the chances are you will never see it.  

[vtx1029]

1 hour ago, Big Dave2 said:

 

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

I think the difference is that when message boards like this one were more popular, the info was archived in a user friendly format. Anyone could find the info about Lake Waconia because it was cataloged and searchable under a heading or search terms that made sense. Now the info being offered in groups on Facebook is just a bunch of bits here and there and if you don't catch it when it is first posted, the chances are you will never see it.  

agreed

1 hour ago, rundrave said:

 

yes this is a good point. But also remember to not be like a particular poster that used to frequent the forums who alleged to catch the same exact fish on different casts. But the exif data showed that the 2 pics were taken within a second of each other and the b.s flag was thrown.

i use an app called geo gone that scrubs all data. I have locations turned off but also scrub every photo just encase.

[eyeguy 54]

2 hours ago, vtx1029 said:

Been on facebook? there's plenty of chatter on there.

 

I have checked a couple.  the stupidity and one-upmanship and language in most of the posts are unreal.  not for me.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

59 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

 

the stupidity and one-upmanship and language in most of the posts are unreal.  not for me.

 

I couldn't agree more.  The Facebook pages are just ridiculous....all of them.  Surprising to me, given the fact that people are using their real names and what not.  Back when this site was popular, it was a great resource for all things hunting and fishing, and there were a lot of great friendships made.  Now it is but a shell of it's former greatness, but I'd sure like for it to get back on track!

[hnd]

2 hours ago, Big Dave2 said:

 

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

I think the difference is that when message boards like this one were more popular, the info was archived in a user friendly format. Anyone could find the info about Lake Waconia because it was cataloged and searchable under a heading or search terms that made sense. Now the info being offered in groups on Facebook is just a bunch of bits here and there and if you don't catch it when it is first posted, the chances are you will never see it.  

 

yup. 

 

its changed the forum game for sure.  i can easily find specific bodies of water/areas on facebook in a much easier to participate with format.  posting pictures, replying, etc etc. 

 

i also think like you that in the interest of trying to keep everything in order, many message boards such as this one spread themselves to thin with so many subforums it because almost impossible to navigate. 

was a moderator of another webforum that has been 5 or 6 years defuct.  their problem wasn't facebook it was that it had 150 active members but over 200 different forums.   it was ridiculous.  i had no say, the site got so little traffic that they shut it down. 

for HSO/fishing mn (annoying 2 sites now) all of the subforums for different areas are void of info, but you can find plenty of info on facebook.  (faribult fishign reports on fb for example has 10 new topics and almost 60 posts in just a handful of days.  never got that in this forum. 

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

 

I have checked a couple.  the stupidity and one-upmanship and language in most of the posts are unreal.  not for me.

 

the bigger ones this is for sure an issue but easily navigable.   it is amazing that people under their real name will be so unhelpful and hateful. 

[Walleyehooker]

You get a lot less followers when people finally learned that running their mouth on a public forum about where when and how to catch fish only got them more company at the boat ramp or on their honey hole. Not to mention added a lot of fishing pressure to some bodies of water and nearly ruined a few. And not just small lakes and rivers.

[Wanderer]

45 minutes ago, Lip_Ripper Guy said:

 

I couldn't agree more.  The Facebook pages are just ridiculous....all of them.  Surprising to me, given the fact that people are using their real names and what not.  Back when this site was popular, it was a great resource for all things hunting and fishing, and there were a lot of great friendships made.  Now it is but a shell of it's former greatness, but I'd sure like for it to get back on track!

 

I’ve only heard about the FB banter being obnoxious but haven’t seen it cuz truly, I stay away from FB completely.  My wife fills me in.

 

What that stuff sounds like is some of the stuff that got moderated out of this/these forums.  That was the intent anyway.  Yes, there were cases of over moderation but honestly, forums in general were just getting popular and it was a learning curve for both posters and site Admins.  I think things are more relaxed now.

 

I used to think using screen names rather than real names let the keyboard cowboys feel more reckless but maybe not?  Just crazy how some people have NO manners in public.

 

I’m still hanging in here and hoping activity keeps improving.  I’ve checked out other sites besides FB and still come back here. It’s my home forum.  And it will as long as people are interested in helping others.  You get what you give.  That’s just a constant in life.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

2 hours ago, Wanderer said:

 

What that stuff sounds like is some of the stuff that got moderated out of this/these forums.  That was the intent anyway.  Yes, there were cases of over moderation but honestly, forums in general were just getting popular and it was a learning curve for both posters and site Admins.  I think things are more relaxed now.

 

 

I think you are right with the moderation of Facebook pages.  With forums (in general), it seems like moderators just delete individual posts, or ban certain users.  It seems like what happens more often than not with the Facebook posts is that they'll start off with good info, but 20 mins later some Richard comes along, and the admins just delete the entire post rather than delete certain comments.  Forums are still very much alive and well, and have a tremendous value with being able to retain content....I just don't see them being replaced by social media (in it's current format).  

[hnd]

18 hours ago, Walleyehooker said:

You get a lot less followers when people finally learned that running their mouth on a public forum about where when and how to catch fish only got them more company at the boat ramp or on their honey hole. Not to mention added a lot of fishing pressure to some bodies of water and nearly ruined a few. And not just small lakes and rivers.

 

yeah its really gotten bad.  especially on fb.  if you leave any identifiable mark on a photo, guys become google earth slueths and will find it.  next thing you know there are 9,000 people on it. 

i had a buddy that didn't believe it to be the case.  i posted a pic of a smallie i caught in mn 4 years ago, and said that i caught it at the mouth of a creek off the river.  on my way home, i can see this spot. hadn't seen a soul there for weeks.  the next day there were at least 10 people fishing.  

while i believe fb is killing web forums and does make things easier, i think its introduced many problems as well.   Basically most of these area specific facebook pages have 5% of the community contribute and then the other 95% is full of "spot beggars".  all they want is where the fish are biting. 

 

[Paradice]

I don't understand facebook anymore.  I joined when it just got going back in about 2003.  Used it for years, and then the content kept deteriorating.  People I wanted to interact with quit posting.  People I didn't posted too much.  Then politics got hot, or "look how great my life is" or "look how miserable I am" or "look at my baby" etc.  I finally threw up my hands and shut it down about six years ago.  I still cannot understand what value remains.  

[hnd]

i did a mass chunk of unfollowing about 6 mo ago.  i found when i was on fb, all i saw was topics and updates i could give 2 craps about.  so i started just unfollowing people.  once that was done, it got much better.   the people i care about and the activities i care about all in one place. 

Topics can get rehashed, comments are sometimes awful in some of the larger national groups like Ice Junkies and what not, but they are easy to to ignore.   

 

if you pay attention, you can make fb really work for you.