Fishing Forums V Magazines ?

[matt fraser]

Ausfishers,

I read a lot of fishing magazines - usually get two to four a month, but in the last two or three years I definitely spend more hours on fishing forums than reading magazines.

I also believe I learn more on the fishing forums than from the mags, as most magazine articles tent to gloss over the facts, make it all sound great, get you enthusiastic about a particular style of fishing, but then doesn't give you quite enough pieces of the puzzle for you to put it all together.

Although the quality of writing and photographs on forums aren't on par with magazines, there is so much more info available through these forums, so in my opinion, many reports and posts are priceless, yet the posters are giving it away for free.

I've personally learnt heaps here on impoundment barra, Threadies, sand crabbing, whiting and snapper in the bay, fibreglass boat rebuilding, and I really enjoy reading an alloy boat build, and the waffling from Charleville and other contributors.

Unfortunately we see great posters come and go, for various reasons.

Benefits of forums - they are current! the reports are mostly unsolicited! they are interactive! you can generally get replys to questions quickly, although not all information can be taken as gospel.

Down the track, Its going to be interesting to see how Ausfish and other forums evolve.

Will they eventually attract more advertising dollars than the mags?

Will they start charging for the time you spend on them?

Will they ever pay posters for their contributions based on hits etc?

Would this see an increase in the quality of the reports and discussions?

What do you reckon?

Matt

[NAGG]

Iteresting times Matt .... and I couldn't agree more.
there is another side to it as well - social networking! ..... and that is something that you cant get through a magazine.
The web sites will evolve .... i have no doubt about that and like you said , they will be driven by advertising dollars. No doubt this will lead to manufacturers & distributors asking their sponsored anglers to get on line and start spruiking their products::) Mind you - if it did go that way as a sponsored angler .... you would be put under a microscope and become a target. Have you ever noticed that you see very few (if any) of the high profile anglers and writers participate in net forums - they all have something to protect.
In lots of ways ..... maybe not having professional writers / anglers on line is a good thing - It keeps it real:)
Plenty is learnt on forums like this and a lot of information is available ....... or you can ask8-)

Chris

[bennykenny]

i personally wouldnt have a problem with them charging people who just read the posts but it would be a little unfair if they were to charge everyone a flat fee, considering that a forum like ausfish is based soley on contributions from its members, but if you started paying people for posts i think you would end up with alot of crap somewhat like the magazines are like now. i think it would be very hard to start charging people, because there is so many places you can go for free, if they started to charge i think they would lose alot of their members.

[nigelr]

Having access to the Ausfish communal knowledge gratis is fantastic.
Reflects the fact that people willingly give their opinions and advice.......and in doing so make this the best site of its' kind in Aus IMHO.
Mags are fun, but some of the reports on here are just as good if not better, and all of them are of some interest or another.
Long may it continue!

[Mike Delisser]

A good thread Matt.
I cann't see why a very popular fishing forum couldn't derive a % of income from advertising but it would have issues, like if fishing product X poured a lot of $ into advertising on the forum and some of regular posters started to slag off X because it was crap. If the "Mods" regularly looked after their advertisers the forum would lose credibility fast. And as you said Matt, one of the things you like most (and me too) is getting an honest opinion from some on the forum. It would be a delicate tightrope to walk for the forum owner.
Cheers

[004dam]

ill keep it mega short, i like fishing forums over mags because the fishing is everyday mr fisher catching a feed or for fun. They have a wealth of knowledge that they are willing to spill and real experience with brands and products not bias ones!

[murf]

I like freedom of speech and this site already controls that in a lot of ways like XXXXXXXX is a great spot to get fishing tackle and XXXXXXX is a great charter operator and XXXXXXXX is good at fixing boats and don't go to him because (get on the bus:( )

so if any more controls come in they can tell you anything for you to believe :)

cheers Murf

[PinHead]

I believe that a lot of people buy mags and never get on a forum..other use forums and never buy mags and a lot do both.
I think the status quo will remain and there is room for all types of media on this and many other forms of recreational activities.

[Mike Delisser]

It's also worth remembering that there is no shortage of posters on every forum who do all their fishing from the computer in their home or office.

[murf]

It's also worth remembering that there is no shortage of posters on every forum who do all their fishing from the computer in their home or office.

haha the way this rain is going and the flood waters have risen that much I can fish out of my office window atm :)

and with mags, which I have not purchased in 10 years since I went on a pension and can not justify the cost as well as forums, you have to look closely at the pictures and read between the lines, there are so many hints that are put out there by the people (thanks guys :) ) that write articles and post pics, its a matter of research so you can spend less time on the water looking and more time catching (ok that is for me) so many people that post on here put in countless hours and lots of $$$ and are still willing to share with us everyday fisher folk for nothing but to help others :)

thanks to all that willingly pass on info through experience so we can all share

cheers Murf

[tunaticer]

I do not buy mags and only flick through them at the Dr's clinic whilst waiting. Mags do not have good information as a rule, they have products to sell and the guys writing the columns these days are sponsored by X or Y or both. As a youngster i was addicted to mags, pouring all over the articles of where to fish for what and how etc.....been to lots of those places and fished for all of those fish and lived a lot of experiences and came to the conclusion that the mags are 90% hype and about 30% credible and full of brand this or that. Don't piss in my pocket....cold hard facts.

Forums are a better source of real info from real ppl without as much bullshit.
I do get annoyed reading peoples advertorial reports piled with wank factor this reel that rod this line crap which amounts to a hell of a lot of moneys as a boast....i hit the back button immediately i start to read that crap. Don't piss in my pocket and expect me to read the crap.

I like to read ppls honest opinions oin every product but dont be bragging this or that just honest opinions.

I wonder if any forum can survive charging ppl like mags charge when there will always be the free sites close by........TalkCity tried that and died very soon after TalkCity was massive beyond most ppl's imagination with 200-300 ppl talking live in the sports-fishing and sports-hunting chatrooms 24/7 died in 3 weeks once they started charging access fees.

[TREVELLY]

I subscribe to two monthly QLD fishing news type mags (enjoy reading them on the train) and they are okay but can only say what you should expect to get during the month ahead where here is it current and very useful - I share reports too. Maybe an apple ipad will see them become less important in time.

I have subscribed to boating magazines and did buy a boat contary to mags plainly biased views and will not bother to renew subscriptions to these boating mags. I did find them useful for some fit-out items currently on the market.

This is a good forum that will attract all sorts of people.

The fee is small for the useful info from it.

[matt fraser]

Iteresting times Matt .... and I couldn't agree more.
there is another side to it as well - social networking! ..... and that is something that you cant get through a magazine.
The web sites will evolve .... i have no doubt about that and like you said , they will be driven by advertising dollars. No doubt this will lead to manufacturers & distributors asking their sponsored anglers to get on line and start spruiking their products::) Mind you - if it did go that way as a sponsored angler .... you would be put under a microscope and become a target. Have you ever noticed that you see very few (if any) of the high profile anglers and writers participate in net forums - they all have something to protect.
In lots of ways ..... maybe not having professional writers / anglers on line is a good thing - It keeps it real:)
Plenty is learnt on forums like this and a lot of information is available ....... or you can ask8-)

Chris

These sites are definitely evolving into very strong fishing media outlets, and I believe fishing magazines are suffering. As are mainstream newspapers as the internet continues to grow.

You bring out some great points Chris, and i agree with them all.

Very few full time writers contribute to the forums, but I'm sure a lot of them spend many hours reading them. These forums are great levellers, where egos don't last long.

cheers,

Matt

[matt fraser]

i personally wouldnt have a problem with them charging people who just read the posts but it would be a little unfair if they were to charge everyone a flat fee, considering that a forum like ausfish is based soley on contributions from its members, but if you started paying people for posts i think you would end up with alot of crap somewhat like the magazines are like now. i think it would be very hard to start charging people, because there is so many places you can go for free, if they started to charge i think they would lose alot of their members.

BK, I'm thinking the other way that contributors should be paid, or have a credit system, pay x amount for 100 credits, one credit an hour of usage/browsing. Users can rack up credits based on their contributions, and the value of their contributions based on the thanks they get.

Forums need to be a sharing thing, if you just want to lurk, you pay for it, if you want to participate or share in a positive way, you should be rewarded.

Just an idea,

Matt

[sarg]

I buy a mag if there is something eye catching on the cover ie an article on Jack fishing :) Otherwise i normally check in with the forums every now and again.

I wouldnt pay to use a forum, but there a re few ways to get the extra coin that most are happy with and see the value in.

One forum i am on is a sponsored forum so they expect value for there money so only they are to be spruked ie. if this site was sponsored by Tackle world and BCF they are the only ones who are allowed to be spoken about in regards to buying product. I could jump on and say that allround angler had the best deals going on shimano reels but those sort of posts are deleted. There is no limit to how many companies can be sponsors. They usually give members a really good deal too.

Another forum has site sponsors and they are not so strict (unless the post/poster is comercial) they just encourage shopping with the site sponsors and as above they usually give the members pretty good deals anyhow.

A couple of other forums ask for donations and have a button somewhere on the home page so you can jump on and make a paypal/bank transfer deposit. Most people have no problem with this and willingly contribute to a forum that helps them. Some offer subscriber only sections like private chat rooms and forum sections.

[matt fraser]

nigelr, I fully agree, its awesome!

Mike,

I've seen it on another forum that was sponsored heavily by one tackle company. It turned it into a farce as moderators were continuously editing posts, to promote the sponsors products in a good light.

People saw through the mods pretty quick and the forum went downhill.

I would think that Ausfish sponsorship would be a good investment of advertising dollars to many tackle companies. But I don't like to see things edited because of sponsorship arrangements.

Murf,

I agree, sometimes its a fine line between trying to pass on genuine information, or giving someone a free plug. A few things get XXXXXXXed when they don't deserve it and other things get through? I wouldn't like to be a moderator sometimes.

Tunaticer,

Forums do cut straight through the crap, and people tell it as it is. There is a lot of info here not worth reading - same as some magazine articles. At least you know most of the time people aren't getting paid to talk up their tackle/boats/etc.

Maybe people would stop partaking if they to pay, but when I look at how much I spend on fishing mags a year..........crikey,

My main aim of this thread is to see if there is a way that contributors (with valued contributions) can be rewarded for the time they put into posting a report, or replying to a post with helpful info or positive feedback. I think it would see the quality of the content here improve dramatically. If there was a way of encouraging more positive sharing, it would be good!

Cheers,

Matt

[nigelr]

I see your point Matt but not everyone is equally as articulate or extroverted as others or even own quality camera gear, and some are in a better position of being able fish more often and or in more productive locations than others.
Just purely for example, not all of us can get amongst the reds like Reefmaster, let alone write a good yarn or take superb pics. I don't agree that 'lurkers' or other users should be in effect penalised for this fact; I'm sure we all appreciate RMs' and others' posts equally.
In my own case I've been fishing for a long time (45 years+) but don't get at it as often as I like let alone catch anything of note or post over, but I'm happy to help from experience and participate with an opinion in a debate.
What I really like about this forum is that we are all equal, whether we put up superb reports/posts or not. Perhaps an avenue for your suggestion, which I believe does have merit, would be in the private members' section?
Going back to mags, correct me if I'm wrong but I think they welcome freelance reports and certainly plenty of those I've had the privilege of viewing here over the years have been well worthy of payment by publishers.
The few times I have put up a report just doing so has been sufficient of a buzz by itself.
Cheers.

[PADDLES]

i don't fish as much as i'd like to at the moment but we go family boating a bit and i also like boats, so for me i buy boating mags like modern boating to check out what's new in boating and steer clear of fishing mags, but troll around on here for any fishing or boating info. forums, especially this one, give a more personal experience because most guys/gals on here are from se qld and face similar issues and boat/fish in similar areas. i think paying to participate will narrow the diversity of opinions expressed on here, excessive moderation to keep sponsors/advertisers happy would do the same.

[NAGG]

A user pays system will generally kill a web site unless the readers / members get true value out of it - how can they do that ?
Sponsorships well .... its a no brainer particularly that Magazine sales would be declining. I can see tackle companies , guides , boat companies paying to join these sites - then using them to advertise new product , their business or even sell their product. Now it gets interesting .... E Trading sponsors sell limited product through the sites at a discount - Now imagine if you could obtain a 10-15% discount or obtain product pre release , discount guide fees , discount custom rods etc - would you become a premium member:-? - you'd have to think about it - hey ?

Yeh .... I could imagine change

Chris

[STUIE63]

I think ausfish is a lot more than a fishing forum for sharing info . it is a community . that is something you can't get reading a magazine . I have met a lot of people through ausfish . I have had answers to many varied questions not at all related to fishing . the magazines just cannot compare in my opinion
Stuie

[matt fraser]

I see your point Matt but not everyone is equally as articulate or extroverted as others or even own quality camera gear, and some are in a better position of being able fish more often and or in more productive locations than others.
Just purely for example, not all of us can get amongst the reds like Reefmaster, let alone write a good yarn or take superb pics. I don't agree that 'lurkers' or other users should be in effect penalised for this fact; I'm sure we all appreciate RMs' and others' posts equally.
In my own case I've been fishing for a long time (45 years+) but don't get at it as often as I like let alone catch anything of note or post over, but I'm happy to help from experience and participate with an opinion in a debate.
What I really like about this forum is that we are all equal, whether we put up superb reports/posts or not. Perhaps an avenue for your suggestion, which I believe does have merit, would be in the private members' section?
Going back to mags, correct me if I'm wrong but I think they welcome freelance reports and certainly plenty of those I've had the privilege of viewing here over the years have been well worthy of payment by publishers.
The few times I have put up a report just doing so has been sufficient of a buzz by itself.
Cheers.

All good points nigel, especially "we are all equal" and it is a buzz to put a report up especially when you've had a great trip that you want to share.

Cheers,

Matt

[matt fraser]

i don't fish as much as i'd like to at the moment but we go family boating a bit and i also like boats, so for me i buy boating mags like modern boating to check out what's new in boating and steer clear of fishing mags, but troll around on here for any fishing or boating info. forums, especially this one, give a more personal experience because most guys/gals on here are from se qld and face similar issues and boat/fish in similar areas. i think paying to participate will narrow the diversity of opinions expressed on here, excessive moderation to keep sponsors/advertisers happy would do the same.

Yeah its awesome free local info, but I think new members now have to pay if they want to post, can someone clear that up for me?

Matt

[matt fraser]

A user pays system will generally kill a web site unless the readers / members get true value out of it - how can they do that ?
Sponsorships well .... its a no brainer particularly that Magazine sales would be declining. I can see tackle companies , guides , boat companies paying to join these sites - then using them to advertise new product , their business or even sell their product. Now it gets interesting .... E Trading sponsors sell limited product through the sites at a discount - Now imagine if you could obtain a 10-15% discount or obtain product pre release , discount guide fees , discount custom rods etc - would you become a premium member:-? - you'd have to think about it - hey ?

Yeh .... I could imagine change

Chris

? but I think fishing forums will continue to evolve to take over from the mags. Where does this leave fishing writers? and their relationships with sponsors?

[STUIE63]

Yeah its awesome free local info, but I think new members now have to pay if they want to post, can someone clear that up for me?

Matt

Matt
I think there is an option to be a premium member but you can also sign up for free and start posting
Stuie

[Aussie123]

I had a mate join here about 3 weeks ago and he cannot post on the forums unless he pays a fee first.
He left and joined the other free forums after that and hasn't been back.

[STUIE63]

Aussie
I think your mate has done something wrong as there are still new members here and the paid members are called premiun members
Stuie

[Camhawk88]

No Stewie- costs $10 per annum to join now and be able to post responses or open images etc. I think about $50 from memory for Platinum. Only if you have been a member since 2008 do the fees not apply

[STUIE63]

No Stewie- costs $10 per annum to join now and be able to post responses or open images etc. I think about $50 from memory for Platinum. Only if you have been a member since 2008 do the fees not apply
thanks I wasn't aware when it first came in they said it was voluntary
Stuie

[NAGG]

? but I think fishing forums will continue to evolve to take over from the mags. Where does this leave fishing writers? and their relationships with sponsors?

They will no doubt be writing reviews or posting reports and stories (pluggin away as they go)
It happens now to some minor extent

Chris

[Nic]

Magazines and newspapers are increasing their online presence, for example putting past articles/issues online. If you can't get a satisfactory reply/search result on a forum, it can be good to run a search on a mag website to get results from past articles. Sometimes you have to pay (e.g. for international titles like New Scientist) but most of the time it's free.

On another note, I know lots of blokes like to take a fishing mag to the dunny, but does anybody take their laptop? (Hang on, I don't want to know the answer to that...)

I'm biased though, so I don't want to talk up mags too much!

[matt fraser]

No Stewie- costs $10 per annum to join now and be able to post responses or open images etc. I think about $50 from memory for Platinum. Only if you have been a member since 2008 do the fees not apply

Thanks for clearing that up Cam,

But now I need to know whats the deal with being a Platinum member?

$10 is pretty cheap for what you get in comparsion to magazine costs, but enough to put lots of new members off joining.

Matt

[matt fraser]

Magazines and newspapers are increasing their online presence, for example putting past articles/issues online. If you can't get a satisfactory reply/search result on a forum, it can be good to run a search on a mag website to get results from past articles. Sometimes you have to pay (e.g. for international titles like New Scientist) but most of the time it's free.

On another note, I know lots of blokes like to take a fishing mag to the dunny, but does anybody take their laptop? (Hang on, I don't want to know the answer to that...)

I'm biased though, so I don't want to talk up mags too much!

Mags do have a lot of info on the web now, and I think they will have to do more in the future. A few have forums but they aren't as good as they could be.

I agree about the dunny reading, magazines that is....

Cheers

Matt

[mod5]

Thanks for clearing that up Cam,

But now I need to know whats the deal with being a Platinum member?

$10 is pretty cheap for what you get in comparsion to magazine costs, but enough to put lots of new members off joining.

Matt

There are two levels of membership for Ausfish.

All new members from July 2008 have to pay a subscription to post. See this thread - http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=135298

This thread details Premium Membership - http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=131906

[matt fraser]

Thanks for that, I do recall seeing those posts now.....great to have options.

cheers,

Matt

[Thunderace2]

There are two levels of membership for Ausfish.

All new members from July 2008 have to pay a subscription to post. See this thread - http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=135298

This thread details Premium Membership - http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=131906



I've paid the $10 to be able to post, have got value with some great advice but I also sometimes see some posts get heaps of views but bugger all posts on a subject that I would have thought there would be plenty of opinions, I would how many views have permission to post ????. I wonder how much the $10 scares people off. Forums come and go, then always need new blood to keep alive

[sarg]

nigelr, I fully agree, its awesome!

Mike,

I've seen it on another forum that was sponsored heavily by one tackle company. It turned it into a farce as moderators were continuously editing posts, to promote the sponsors products in a good light.

People saw through the mods pretty quick and the forum went downhill.

I would think that Ausfish sponsorship would be a good investment of advertising dollars to many tackle companies. But I don't like to see things edited because of sponsorship arrangements.

Cheers,

Matt

I guess thats where ausfish would have to be clear and have a set of guidelines that potential sponsors would have to be happy with.

Maybe where tackle retailers would be better than specific brand/companies.

On qldaf (an aquairum forum) the sponsors there are charged an annual fee and that is just to cover the running of the site and in turn get there own forum section where only they can post and where only members can see (free to be a member but maybe a bonus for premium membership) and they get to run free advertising offering member discounts etc. One sponsor makes an absolute killing from forum members as he offers good discounts and looks after members well. People travel from as far as the sunshine coast to redland bay to shop with him as even with the fuel they still save money. If sponsors are smart forum sponsorship will be one of there top advertising investments they will make in a year.

I didn't know about the donation option and that would be a good place to get some professional writers in. I would pay $50 if there was more to it than just no adds, more pm's and photos arent going to blow my skirt up, but if there was a seperate forum that was premium access only that had extra stuff like pro contributors etc that would be a good thing as well as some site sponsors and the forum member discounts they could bring.

Queensland aquarium forum and coffeesnobs and both sponsored forums and both the biggest in thier fields in aus and are both free to join as the sponsors foot the running bills. Both are still growing in both members and sponsors.

[nigelr]

Yeah spearboard from the states is like that sarg. Also anyone that wants to sell/advertise their gear has to pay to do so. It is by far the world leader in its' field, membership is free but can take time, though it really is a privilage as well as a pleasure to belong to.

[the gecko]

I agree Matt. But now, where do we see mags and forums evolving to?

I think mags will lie on in their current format for many years. Im still surprised how many fishos I talk to, and I ask 'are you on any of the forums on the net?' and they say 'no mate, I dont do computers'!!!! So go figure. These guys will be mag customers for many years. I think the Australian Fishing DVD will take over from mags in the long run. I buy it every edition.

I think forums will generally be free/low cost, because there are too many second tier forums that poeple will migrate to in a heartbeat, if the powers that be change the rules in a way thats negative. Smart net surfers use popup blockers, ad blockers and whitewash sites, but 90% will still see the borings ads and wont care. Advertising income will stay minimal IMHO. Big corporates will try and buy out sites here and there, only to wonder why they lost all their people in one week. Yes the internet is a great leveller, and innovation will be rewarded. Just look at the evolution of torrent sites. Find a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.

So to adress your suggestion that top quality posters should be rewarded somehow? Ive often thuoght that this should/could be the case, but how do do it? Site owners want to keep quality posters, but I dont think cash is the answer. Other sites are using sponsors product as monthly prizes. Dids won an Egrell rod for a good post on another site, eh mate? I just like the thanks button. Recognition from peers is what most posters really want. Lets face it, we post a pic of a good fish cos we want all the fishos to say well done mate.

A forum is a different thing to a mag. To me its the evolution of the fishing club down the road. Now we can all communicate by net at home, its so easy, and its social.

So, is ausfish better off for having a $10 entry fee? I think so. Perhaps the trolls won in the end. They certainly had a major influence on the evolution.

cheers
Andrew

[PADDLES]

top post gecko, with some good points. yeah, it is like an evolution of the local fishing club, just bigger and with more info and in some respects it brings all the clubs together. i'm not altogether convinced that a $10 fee for newbys is good, but people come and go and if you pay your tenner then at least your going to want to hang around on here and make a contribution. i personally would be happy to pay a low yearly subscription of say 2 to 4 bucks, or basically whatever covers the costs of running the site, if there is any extra cash collected over and above the running costs it could be used for prizes for good posts like has been suggested earlier. either way this forum is way better than any magazine ................. and nic ................... laptop on the dunny???? that's hard core girl!

[Sheik]

Magazines and newspapers are increasing their online presence, for example putting past articles/issues online. If you can't get a satisfactory reply/search result on a forum, it can be good to run a search on a mag website to get results from past articles. Sometimes you have to pay (e.g. for international titles like New Scientist) but most of the time it's free.

On another note, I know lots of blokes like to take a fishing mag to the dunny, but does anybody take their laptop? (Hang on, I don't want to know the answer to that...)

I'm biased though, so I don't want to talk up mags too much!
I'm biased too Nic and I agree forums are great for some reasons, magazines for others.
I get far more specific information from forums about what's happening around the place, and how to attack specific problems, but I love mags for the pictures and also, believe it or not, for the ads.
I go through QFM for example, and read the information that's relevant to me, and then go through again to check out all the ads, especially boats, to see what's on offer. Can't really do that on a computer; it's different somehow. I can take the mag to work, out on the verandah (and OK... into the dunny).
THe forum though is immediate, and as also has been mentioned, a community. Having said that, if there's a charge involved, I'll just move to one that doesn't have a charge. It will be inferior, but I won't pay for this. Just my $0.02.

[HeadBanger]

I think the Australian Fishing DVD will take over from mags in the long run. I buy it every edition.

But how long until people stop buying that and go to Youtube for similar videos? Or if someone starts leaking the DVD online before (or even after) it is released each month, then less people will buy it and just download it (the same goes for music, TV shows and movies, which is somewhat unfortunate.)


Anyway, in my opinion, mags are here to stay, at least for a decade or two. I buy a few fishing magazines, one in particular, and I will continue to do so. The only fishing forum I'm a part of is this one, as I have tried others and they do not have the amount of members or the quality posts that Ausfish has.

At the end of the day, you can't bait up, stick your rod in a holder and sit back with a drink in one hand and a computer in the other. With a magazine, it's a different story.

Just my 2 cents,
Kaidon

[matt fraser]

I've paid the $10 to be able to post, have got value with some great advice but I also sometimes see some posts get heaps of views but bugger all posts on a subject that I would have thought there would be plenty of opinions, I would how many views have permission to post ????. I wonder how much the $10 scares people off. Forums come and go, then always need new blood to keep alive

I reckon the $10 keeps a lot of new blood from coming through, which works hand in hand with the lack of replys per views. Free to look, costs to participate....

Some forums do come and go, but Ausfish has stood the test of time well, allthough good posters seem to come and go a bit.

[matt fraser]

I've paid the $10 to be able to post, have got value with some great advice but I also sometimes see some posts get heaps of views but bugger all posts on a subject that I would have thought there would be plenty of opinions, I would how many views have permission to post ????. I wonder how much the $10 scares people off. Forums come and go, then always need new blood to keep alive


I guess thats where ausfish would have to be clear and have a set of guidelines that potential sponsors would have to be happy with.

Maybe where tackle retailers would be better than specific brand/companies.

On qldaf (an aquairum forum) the sponsors there are charged an annual fee and that is just to cover the running of the site and in turn get there own forum section where only they can post and where only members can see (free to be a member but maybe a bonus for premium membership) and they get to run free advertising offering member discounts etc. One sponsor makes an absolute killing from forum members as he offers good discounts and looks after members well. People travel from as far as the sunshine coast to redland bay to shop with him as even with the fuel they still save money. If sponsors are smart forum sponsorship will be one of there top advertising investments they will make in a year.

I didn't know about the donation option and that would be a good place to get some professional writers in. I would pay $50 if there was more to it than just no adds, more pm's and photos arent going to blow my skirt up, but if there was a seperate forum that was premium access only that had extra stuff like pro contributors etc that would be a good thing as well as some site sponsors and the forum member discounts they could bring.

Queensland aquarium forum and coffeesnobs and both sponsored forums and both the biggest in thier fields in aus and are both free to join as the sponsors foot the running bills. Both are still growing in both members and sponsors.

Good info there, some of those ideas sound really good to me.

Thanks,

Matt

[matt fraser]

Some great points and discussion there Andrew/Gecko, paddles, sheik, headbanger and everyone else who has had a say. I've learnt a heap about how this and other forums work. Too many to reply to all atm, but all valid points and some great info, thanks, and I hope to get to them over the next few days.

It's going to be a while before I stop buying magazines, then I'll have to build a foldout table in the dunny to put the laptop on!

Cheers,

matt

[the gecko]

eventually, the laptop will be a soft, roll up scroll. no hard monitors, just a flexy screen. apple have already developed it.

easier to read on the dunny.

just for you matt ;D;D

[Dodgy_Back]

I enjoy a viewing a number of Fishing forums and only a couple of mags each month.

If I had to pay to join a forum, I wouldn't !!

Alot of info on forum is good , you can get a good laugh at times reading about some one elses misfortune and checking out that great catch that just makes you envious.

But...
On forums you do get a lot of kids making a bit of a mess and posting just plain and simple rubbish. My reason for not wanting to pay to use !

Being pretty much a Bream angler only ,I frequent the few bream lure sites around the trap.

One was notorious for deleting posts not associated with a sponsor. Made me rethink what I read on it as it was not what I expect from a forum.
For that I think they dont get much traffic anymore and a reason why I dont post much any more.

I believe sponsors (advertisers) pay for ads and should not dictate what the topics read.

The one based in WA is a bit of a kindergarten at times. Yes I am becoming a grumpy old bugger . Does have some very good reading at times though.

The fishing mags , I feel will never lose their attraction to me as even though they are full of adds I am happy to read the many well written articles and look at photos that havent had the back ground photo shopped out.

One thing that dissapoints me the most is seeing a couple of small tackle companies post absolute rubbish and constantly slag differing opinions and rival companies. Cheers