A PASSIONATE PLEA to Fisherman

[jackextracter]

Some of you guys need to harden up yous are acting like yous are getting picked on in school, (Oh i have not posted up any pics or post cause im to scared about getting some negative feedback, or different feed back to what i would like to hear),not everyone on this board likes to kill and keep every thing thats within size limits and theres alot of people on here who love to c&r so thats why there will always be a debate going on, And yes there is nothing wrong with keeping a fish for a feed, but theres some people that go over the top and keep every thing like its an ego trip or something, but in the end theres a positive and a negative to every ones thoughts and beliefs and thats what a site like this is for to gain information and express your thoughts.

[Adamy]

Some of you guys need to harden up yous are acting like yous are getting picked on in school, (Oh i have not posted up any pics or post cause im to scared about getting some negative feedback, or different feed back to what i would like to hear),not everyone on this board likes to kill and keep every thing thats within size limits and theres alot of people on here who love to c&r so thats why there will always be a debate going on, And yes there is nothing wrong with keeping a fish for a feed, but theres some people that go over the top and keep every thing like its an ego trip or something, but in the end theres a positive and a negative to every ones thoughts and beliefs and thats what a site like this is for to gain information and express your thoughts.

Think maybe you've missed the point Jack... for me its more about the loss of good information from the boards which is lacking lately. The type of info which helps bring a fisho up a level in his skill and ability - nothing about being soft. You should know - you've been a member since 2005 you know some of the names that used to frequent these boards which dont anymore - I dont know exactly the reasons why - but its a loss.

Like T said - to each his own - C&R or C&K I dont care what people do - its their choice. But once the hows and whens and the little tidbits of info that really help another to lift their own game goes missing - then thats a loss to the whole community.

I have fished with T many times - when I fish with him - I fish better harder and smarter because whilst we cheer each other on - we also have a bit of a competition going and I'm always looking over my shoulder hoping to catch a tip to make me a better fisher... its like that on the boards - if you can pick up a tip that makes you better then great... but you cant pick up a tip - if there are no reports - or at least decent reports.

You said it - the site is to gain info - how is that info going to come if people are constantly being discouraged from reporting?

Cheers,

Adam

p.s Jack - nice Jack!! (in your avatar) when was your last report???

[outsiderskip]

hi t
i personally know what you mean

pete

[Jeremy]

I have been an ausfish about 6 years. What I have seen is that people come and go, people get tired of posting reports after a while. Things go in cycles. Mostly it is the newer people who post alot, and then after a while they start to post less and less.

I am deadset against banning negative responses. It is a public forum and people should be allowed to say whatever they want within reason. Personal attacks are out, but pretty much everything else is OK.

It seems that there have been some negative responses to reports recently which has prompted this post and the other poll. Haven't seen them myself, or at least anything which I thought was inappropriate.

Anyone who constantly makes an @rsehole of themselves doesn't last long anyway. Ain't much fun on the forums when you don't have any friends.

Jeremy

[Jeremy]

I haven't posted many reports recently because I haven't been catching much. I will post a report again when I catch something worth showing off.

I have no problems with anyone who wants to have a shot at me for whatever reason. I am a big boy and I can handle different opinions, criticism, whatever.

Would be very boring if everyone agreed with each other, and multiple copies of "great catch" in a post become inane pretty quickly.

Jeremy

[T1]

JACK, as ADAMY stated, you're missing the point! It is about the quality reports returning! To answer your point, hardened, soft or whatever, ultimately there are a hell of a lot of people who despise conflict! Just want to happilly place a post and not have it turn into a 'poo fight'! Nothing wrong with expressing opinions whatsoever - i'm a champion at it myself! But as you can see by the responses before you, it's getting a bit tiresome hearing the same thing over and over again - people like yourself who might consider something over the top because that is your personal opinion (which you are entitled too of course)... It is tiresome having the same people constantly hounding each post with their opinion (either way) - and like i said, you just get sick of it! I sometimes relate the constant hounding to a Mormon constantly knocking on your door - eventually you stop answering it!

Just a point on the Comraderie, i have met and fished with people from AF like ADAMY, GREAT WHITE, TINN, BEEFAMAN, ALB78, SCALEM, WHITE STEENBRAS (just to mention a few) and i have enjoyed every trip and learnt something from every one of them - it would be a shame if this was lost on fellow AF'ers because of the lack of posts...

JEREMY, agree to a point and it is cyclic like most things! But as you can see from the responses, guys are not posting because of the reasons stated... And that is a completely different kettle of fish (so to speak).

Take Care T

[_Dan_]

I agree with Jeremy, and everyone else in other ways. But people should post if they want too, i only post rarely because i dont catch a heap of fish and we never take a camera and they all go back.

I think its like the saying goes, 5% of fisherman catch 95% of the fish, and when it posted all the time people get a bit narky about it (jealous maybe?) who knows?

Maybe they could think of another C&R area of the boards for people who wish to post in there?? Just an idea.

Anyways, i will post a big report next week after my week fishing down south, whether i get bagged about it or not, i will never give a toss because my consciounce is clear ..

Cheers

[_Dan_]

Forgot to add one more thing, maybe they should put in a NO THANKS button, then its easy to see who the negative people are.

Cheers

[mickstar001]

Or perhaps they could make a "Your a wanka" button, for those unrequired negative posts!

Mickstar

[big moose]

congrats on the post T1 couldnt agree more, regardless of your own point of view there is no need or place for personal attacks on an otherwise excellent site Come on fellas lets lift our game a bit

[kingtin]

Jeeeeeeeez, this post is a hard one, and seems like I'm in the minority

Either I'm plain stupid, suffering from alzheimers, or am from the planet Bliss, but I have absolutely no idea what all the fuss is about.

Admitted, I had a couple of weeks recently when I was offline, and may have missed some bunfights, and yes, I have noticed a decline in reports, but I had put this down to weather and the clarity of water. I always report when I have been out, whether I catch or not, but I can't report if I haven't been out and there is little evidence that the lack of reports is due to anything, other than the lack of fishing.

OK, some have responded saying that they "fear the flack" but the site is pushing 20000 members for C's sake! We can't all think alike, or hold our tongue when something gets our goat, and neither should anyone expect us to do so. As long as we respond in a civil manner, then that is all that should be asked of us.

I find it strange that there seems (in this thread) to be a well supported whinge about others expressing an opinion, when OTOH, a poster in a recent thread, who self-admittedly had broken the law in a manner that was clearly deliberate (from the evidence) and who then went on to tell a pack of lies, received a plea for a "fair go" from a considerable number of members.

As I have mentioned in another thread, if you have a difference of opinion, then take it to pm. sadly, once that difference of opinion is in the public arena, then it has to be dealt with in the public arena, if one is as pedantic as myself

I've been subjected (in the main) to friendly banter regarding my vermin, (which I encourage for a laugh) and I have also been subjected to veiled abuse and sarcasm regarding my capture of shovellies. I am aware of the poster (s) involved and frankly, don't give a shi*. I don't even bother reading their posts anymore (although they are knowledgeable), it is simply my way of dealing with them........I dismiss them as insignificant. I do not allow those who would unjustly denegrate me, to impact on who, or what I am, or how I conduct myself. If I thought that they could, then I would never post. Unfortunately, that is what the substance of this thread seems to be saying, that there are those who are not posting because they have allowed others to impact on them. isn't that a form of cowardice? are you not stronger than that?

And yes, I am aware that certain (good) people on this site who have considerable concern for our environment have been labeled (elsewhere), "The Wello Bag Out Crew", but if I was part of that crew, I would pay it absolutely no concern and treat it with the contempt it deserves.

If you allow yourself to be touched by every negative response, then you are going to be pretty miserable. They become the winners and you become the losers. Cra* is only cra* if you allow it to be so, and the smell only rubs off if you let that cra* touch you.

Simply steer clear, don't touch it, and the smell will go away. OTOH, if you happen onto a situation whereby the cra* has already fouled the air, then you must minimise it by making a more powerful stink which at first may be unpleasant but which will eventually sweeten the atmosphere.

Just my 2 cents worth and please don't think I am slinging cra*

kev

[finga]

No point sharpening the hooks BD, the prize fish is already out there and is just looking for my bait on the weekend!!!!


Tight Lines all.

Puff

That's why we're going tomorrow...to get it first
Ha

[sarg]

Good on you T1 you have always been most helpfull when i've asked for help and thanks for that.

I used to log on before work after work and when I should be sleeping and now I think it would only take one hand to count the number of times in the last 2 months. It was said that new members come and go because they get bored which may be the case for some but for others they get sick of hearing sh$t, not necessarily directed at them all the time but also for others on the rieceiving end it doesn't make for good reading. I remeber my first report and cause I didn't have the photo up straight away i coped a few "not at this time of year you didn't" and when the photo was up there wasn't any woops sorry you did get them.

Most of the negative comments are not necessary, if you feel strongly enough to post don't try and bignote yourself and do it via pm, and the place would be better with out it wether or not the are 20 000 members.

Andrew

[kingtin]

Somethings I forgot to add. Apart from the odd long serving member(s) who always have, and likely always will, push their own agenda(s), the vast majority of negative comments that I have witnessed have come from relative newcomers. Some, as we all may have guessed, set out to deliberately disrupt this site, and unfortunately, threads such as this may well encourage them to do so further.

As in any society/culture, those who do not fit in, or are in some other way objectionable, will eventually be shunned. It is a fact that children will seek attention even if that attention is only negative attention and it doesn't simply cease in adulthood. Some folk will argue black's white and make all kinds of negative comments purely to get the attention they crave. they are invariably sad characters through no fault of their own and the best way to help them is to not give them that negative attention so that they may then somehow seek positive attention. Many detractors of society often become worthy contributors.

It is sad that some newcomers with potential positive aspects may be deterred by those with the negative aspects, but there is little that we can do about this, other than to make newcomers aware just how good this site is, despite the negative comments.

People change, and they come and go, and just because we may see or "hear" little of a long standing member doesn't necessarily mean that they have departed because of a lack of "quality" at the site.

If we dwell on, or highlight the negatives too much, then we risk the danger of losing sight of the positives. This is a bloody good community, and negatives or not, there ain't many communities that are as peaceful as this one and apart from reminding ourselves of this fact, we should also let the newbies know this.

kev

[4x4frog]

I have been absent form ausfish for a couple of months, just due to family life and things being full on at home. Being a house husband(illness doesn't allow me to work anymore) I had been an avid follower of ausfish since my join date in Jan 2006.
T1, I have noticed the decline in fishing reports rather abruptly upon my return. Wow whata difference whatever happened has made. I am at least clear now on what's going on as I was thinking that this winter would be a great fishing season because of all the recent rains. This isn't the case with the reports though as no-one's posting anymore it seems.
I for one plead to the guys who were posting regularly that they recommence and like you have said, ignore or don't read the negative commentary sometimes posted. The only time I agree with any negative comments posted is if there is blatant evidence that someone has bagged way more than reasonable and is clearly boasting.

Let's all help to bring ausfish back to where it belongs, right at the pinnacle of fishing forums