So which forum does have a sprinkling of 'names' ? Pike & Predators used to have a string of names making regular contributions. Neville Fickling, Eddie Turner, Mick Brown, Gord Burton and Charlie Bettell. Only Charlie shows up these days, the rest appearing to have less thicker skins, since a small minority wished to hang draw and quarter all who make a living from the sport and in doing so, were truly offensive. Sticking an asterix or two into a piece of over-ripe phrasiology does not absolve you of the responsibility to keep it clean. Dave Kelbrick, in reply to recent criticism of his Fox jerkbaits, never bothered to do so directly on the forum, deciding to respond via the editor. His critics, in the main admitted that they had neither seen 'in the flesh' or used the offending lures.
The big thing about a forum is that unlike a magazine, there is a level of equality that is built in and everyone is entitled to a shout, however absurd. If Des writes the usual daft stuff in his AT column, our only right to reply is what the editor decides to print. Were he to say the same thing on a forum, he would have no control over the instant responses. Perhaps that's the key to why more names do not use forums, it would make them seem mortal and that would never do.
FM is okay (too many carp and match fishermen for my liking!) But it at least encourages contributors to have a say, names or otherwise and Andy Warhol's view that everyone will be famous for 15 minutes is never more true of fishing. I've felt fairly famous a number of times in my life when the fishing has surpassed expectations and I've had a line in a newspaper or a picture in a magazine.
There's that other 'name' on this forum, claims he was well known years ago, says he's caught a lot of big-toothed, long nosed african something or others,. can't remember his name, Ron something....is he still alive ?