Forums

I love the fact that i can talk to people who love my hobby as much as i do, some are experienced and resent alternative input, others just beginning or improving their knowledge love it. We have this enormous pool of info available, venues advice and no nos learned from so many years of experience and mistakes made over the course of years. What a facility, i could not have imagined this as a beginner in the early sixties, we have replaced the traditional tackle shop as the fountain of knowledge, i love talking to you all, even the awkward bar stewards, how did we ever get along without google earth and the net. I just watched a video from Kevin Maddocks busting his English PB twice ten miles up the road from me, not a gutball insight but the stocking programme is not to my taste. My question to you is can we agree a formula for the future and use the net to change policies and the thought patterns of fishery owners and the EA.

I think so. The net makes it so much easier for them to collect data and opinions. Think of the expense of organising a mail out in the old days to find out people's opinions on things. It costs almost nothing to do the same thing online and you can ask opinions on even the most trivial of decisions.

Hi,

I'd like to think the internet could be used in a way to bring a positive effect on our great sport. It's certainly easy to gain gain opinions/ points of view on the internet forums and brilliant to gain tips/knowledge from other like minded people.

Unfortunately with opinions they to use the old saying, "opinions are like (enter word here) holes - we all have one" so to use it to influence fishery owners or the EA would be difficult because ultimately pleasing everybody is impossible.

Sorting speculation, fact and pure fiction is the difficulty we all face when seeking advice, the net is full of it (sh) along with nuggets of gold.

The primary driver for facts are of course the result of testing which often means money, which is where not many are willing or able to pay. Companies are willing to pay marketing machines but not so much on facts, and they certainly take a leaf out of the journalist and politicians book of not letting facts get in the way of a good story.

You've mentioned before Steve about forums being like a pub, and this is a very true analogy - you have the jokers and pranksters, ones sat by the bar listening, those gobbing off after too much drink [drunk on the power being safely behind a screen] and talking Northampton [Cobblers] and those who genuinely wish to exchange ideas and facts for the price of good company and thought provoking enjoyable discussion.

The problem with the gobbies is that you have the option of banning or ignoring them, either way it's not what most want and there's no need for it (as discussed very civilly in another post).

There is one major factor with fishing, getting anglers on side.

The web is great, no doubt, but not sure if anglers can come together to change major debates.

The angling trust can't get its members to agree.

The debate on the close season is still divided.

The EA do what they want, when they wont, more or less. With funds being cut, the EA still do a great job, but do they listen to us ???

I still say the only way to get anglers together, is by paying an extra £5 a year on our licence. That would give every paying angler a vote, and a massive kitty, unlike the Angling Trust. The £5 extra would go to a new angling governing body.

Lets not have the, I am not paying a levy debate, you are paying already for your licence. So why not pay that little extra and have a voice for angling, from all anglers. Not the whisper we have at the moment from the minority.

Very true Ray :thumbs:

iannate said:

Sorting speculation, fact and pure fiction is the difficulty we all face when seeking advice, the net is full of it (sh) along with nuggets of gold.

The primary driver for facts are of course the result of testing which often means money, which is where not many are willing or able to pay. Companies are willing to pay marketing machines but not so much on facts, and they certainly take a leaf out of the journalist and politicians book of not letting facts get in the way of a good story.

You've mentioned before Steve about forums being like a pub, and this is a very true analogy - you have the jokers and pranksters, ones sat by the bar listening, those gobbing off after too much drink [drunk on the power being safely behind a screen] and talking Northampton [Cobblers] and those who genuinely wish to exchange ideas and facts for the price of good company and thought provoking enjoyable discussion.

The problem with the gobbies is that you have the option of banning or ignoring them, either way it's not what most want and there's no need for it (as discussed very civilly in another post).

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You know what Ian, i can picture myself as all those people at any particular moment, perhaps its the Newcastle Brown, but some guys are itching for a fight, even when they dont know what they are talking about, views should be challenged if you beleive them to be incorrect but not for the sake of a personal vendetta.

I like the company, frankly. Caring for handicapped relatives is a lonely affair; I consider some folk on here as firm friends and have no doubt that if we met they would be the same decent person that I imagine them to be. Others maybe see me as an a-hole, but there you go, it's no different in the wider world. It'd be a funny old game if we all liked everyone, wouldn't it?

If it was just a matter of gleaning information I wouldn't bother posting at all.

Takes a special person to cope with a caring role mate, i couldnt do it, having assissted my brother through my fathers last years, i dont envy anybody in your position, its not for me, hats off to you buddy, forums are good places to have a chat with like minded pals, its good to talk.

For me its a matter of sharing ideas with like minded individuals. Hardly anyone knows what the hell I'm talking most of the time either but no matter, its sometimes the same for many of us in real life too. As anglers I still treat everyone as friends, many of which I just haven't met yet that's all.

The Internet has changed all our lives and the way we communicate, for some its a real life line as well. Many people don't get out much, some retired, disabled and some live abroad but still have plenty to offer, even the most seasoned can learn a thing or two. A new comer to the sport can just as easily spark off an idea as can anyone and it gets us thinking more.
Writing (typing) words on a screen gives focus and concentrates our thoughts, how many times have you sent a reply or posed a question only to reread and edit? It helps us to think and formulate our ideas and what better than to share and help each other.

As for changing the minds and opinions, influencing others.... even if something makes perfect sense to us, guaranteed it will be dismissed by another. Unless we (the majority) can all think alike and agree nobody will listen to a minority opinion. Individual ideas today which might seem good can easily be shared on social media, but there's still no guarantee everyone will agree so its not always poor communicative ability thats to blame, mostly its personality that prevents acceptance... especially from behind a keyboard.

wanderer said:

Takes a special person to cope with a caring role mate, i couldnt do it, having assissted my brother through my fathers last years, i dont envy anybody in your position, its not for me, hats off to you buddy, forums are good places to have a chat with like minded pals, its good to talk.

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In this case it's my wife and youngest son, who each have their own trials to deal with. The biggest problem isn't the actual caring, funnily enough, it's the guilt you have to deal with when you're too knackered or poorly yourself, but there's still things that have to be done, regardless. I've thought some terrible things, but that's generally down to tiredness and frustration. It doesn't take a special person; it would be harder to walk away than to knuckle down to it. I couldn't do that and be able to live with myself, although I'd be a liar if I said leaving hadn't crossed my mind, more than once.

But if I hadn't explained, no-one would have been the wiser. It makes me wonder whether those fellas who are prone to go off on one have their own cross to bear. All you see on here is how a person expresses themselves verbally, not the things that formed the person that they became. Maybe we should be feeling sorry for the trolls, instead of reacting in knee-jerk fashion to the mayhem they create. No doubt some really are nasty pieces of work, but I find that there are few people who don't have a few redeeming qualities, deep down.

Yes mate, i know what you mean, you sometimes see that the inner strength of people you thought to be weak is more than you have yourself, this is what surprised me with my 2 younger brothers, one coped with my dad in a way i could never had, the other ran away in a form of denial of the situation, as for the trolls, we cant always be nice and life sometimes makes us bitter, but to select a single target rather than having a general angry voice, makes me suspect that they just want someone to be as miserable as them.

Robtherake

Makes a great point, one that can be extended to other sectors of society too like heavy drug users, they are normally covering up a very troubled life of abuse which in turn fuels their habbit and bad choices.

Forum trolls well they are the socially enept people that got bullied,abused beat up in the real world, therefore they find their place of stature from the safty of sitting behind a screen. Yes they are worthy of pity for definite

robtherake said:

In this case it's my wife and youngest son, who each have their own trials to deal with. The biggest problem isn't the actual caring, funnily enough, it's the guilt you have to deal with when you're too knackered or poorly yourself, but there's still things that have to be done, regardless. I've thought some terrible things, but that's generally down to tiredness and frustration. It doesn't take a special person; it would be harder to walk away than to knuckle down to it. I couldn't do that and be able to live with myself, although I'd be a liar if I said leaving hadn't crossed my mind, more than once.

But if I hadn't explained, no-one would have been the wiser. It makes me wonder whether those fellas who are prone to go off on one have their own cross to bear. All you see on here is how a person expresses themselves verbally, not the things that formed the person that they became. Maybe we should be feeling sorry for the trolls, instead of reacting in knee-jerk fashion to the mayhem they create. No doubt some really are nasty pieces of work, but I find that there are few people who don't have a few redeeming qualities, deep down.

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I take my hat off to you Sir.


As for the Trolls, some may well have had problems, but there are also those who do it for fun, just to get a kick out of it.

Agreed Ray.

Most defiantly Ray.

The best way of dealing with troll is to simply ignore them, unfortunately those words of wisdom has been uttered almost as much as the Lord's prayer unfortunately people find it hard to follow it

Sometimes they just ruddy annoy you, i had an idiot on another forum who suggested i was polluting the water with E-Coli, because i used tesco minced beef in a method mix, that was just one comment from a total idiot, when i told him to have a Dolmio day, i got banned, the same prat had advised a guy that had dug out his own lake to introduce manure to encourage biotic developement.

Well i am on the other side of the fence on Trolls. They have one thing in mind, to upset as many as they can.

I like to coat them along until they hang themselves and get banned. It takes a little longer with some, but all in all, they get banned quickly.

It might not be right, but its better than having them hanging around.

Trouble is both of you get banned and when you find out the bloke was banned previously, you start wondering what idiot is running some forums, in truth they didnt like my old school views and he gave them an excuse, no regrets, this website is more varied, i am not a carp angler and you have a reserved politeness that appeals to me.

I find forum's to be a great sounding board for trying out new ideas and also they are a well of knowledge for young and old alike, (middle aged can go #&$@ themselves lol).
They also give one a place to chat, brag or moan about the day you have had, on or off the bank because if you are like me (like most anglers are) a loner at the lake, it is your only chance to vent. no good talking to the wife about it because she will just find you something else to do next time
the problem with trying to sway opinion or influence changes at government or fishery level IMO is the fact that we are essentially loners in our hobby so even if or when we become a part of the Angling Trust or some other authority our voice gets lost in the face of 'what is important to the trust at the time' not what is important to us as a single entity IMO.
btw i am not saying that the AT doesn't do a fantastic job

oh yeh, they are also a great place to meet (figuratively) like minded (and not so) folk that you can have the craic with.
i have chatted with some of what i would consider to be great blokes, i have even met some of them lol
i have made new friends and new enemies, some self important bug gers just beg to be trolled said the bishop to the turnip (please dont judge me :wh) but i also have a sympathetic ear for some folk who are in a position where they just need to air their problems or sorrows to the only audience they have.
so, in summation (what was the question again?)
QUOTE[can we agree a formula for the future and use the net to change policies and the thought patterns of fishery owners and the EA.]QUOTE
maybe, but only if the fishery owners are part of the forum and susceptible to the input, the EA are a law unto themselves so IMO Steve that is your forlorn hope.