Well, not this time.
On a good day while out fishing, words will sometimes wander around my brain that I can eventually put together into a semi-interesting blog post.
Other times, the best I can come up with is “nice fish” and a bad picture.
I should record things while I’m out wandering. Amazing how thoughts are so fleeting and try as you might, never quite the same when you sit down to recall them later.
I’ve avoided putting up blog posts that read too much like a fishing report. No number counts, or few. No endless gear reviews of what I happened to be using that day. Generally, I throw what I think fish will eat. Preferably, while it’s attached to a hook of some kind. That’s about as technical as I like to get.
I see no reason to put up posts with more technical details than that. I would bore myself to death.
But I do get out fishing at times where some might find a fishing report helpful. Especially if you live within 50 miles of the Fox River. I still doubt if I’ll dwell much on the technicalities. No matter how you phrase it, it’s dull.
I’ve been involved with local fishing forums since 1997 or so. I think I’ve been on all of the ones in the Chicago area at one time or another. In 2001, I had my own. Didn’t last long. Like all fishing forums it degenerated into stupidity triggered by those that like to hide behind aliases and anonymity.
In January of 2008, I started another one. This one started out semi-private, strictly word of mouth. The stipulation this time was that if I didn’t have you on speed dial in my phone, you had to sign on using your real name.
Amazing how few are willing to do that.
What I did find out over this past winter while manning a booth at a few fishing shows, was that there are others out there that are annoyed with many of the local forums. For the same reasons as me.
I recently decided to make my forum public, but the stipulation on using your real name still stands. Real names make people accountable for what they say and, I hate referencing people by nickname when addressing them. I’m 56, that crap ended with grade school.
So, there’s a chance there will be a slight drop off in the number of posts put up on my blog. There’s a good chance that there will be fishing reports of some kind on the forum instead. Not every outing is all that interesting and warrants a “good post” designation.
If you care to see those fishing reports or to even leave your own, go to the following link and follow along with what it says.
But remember, unless you have a name like Quill Gordon, Owl Jones, Roderick Hawg-Brown or something else I would readily recognize, you have to use your real name.
Otherwise, don’t bother.
Gretchen Steele
28 Apr 2012Good post! Funny i have always used my real name on forums.. all together as one word grant you – but I was done with that nickname business 40 years ago 🙂 Besides posting pictures with my copyright on them would give it away anyhow.
Ken G
28 Apr 2012Gretchen, I’ve been Ken G since day one on every forum I ever bothered with. I mainly did it because most non-Poles can’t pronounce or spell Gortowski correctly anyway. Besides, if I’m going to give you a hard time, you’re going to know who it’s coming from. 🙂
Dan Roloff
28 Apr 2012I post most the above information just to keep people from asking “What did you use?” and “where is that at?” Saves time, all I have to post is read it again. 😀 Plus it helps me remember what I used, makes it harder to forget.
The posts that get me have always been the ones where the person gives no information about lure, line etc. , uses an alias, Does not disclose the body of water and includes a picture of the largest fish they got, (excludes any dinks) and blacks out the background. They literary contribute nothing to the world but a picture of a fish to stroke their own egos. But then again you already covered that in a past blog… 😀
Ken G
28 Apr 2012I thought that was a good post lambasting that attitude. I was being kind.
As you know, I’m a one trick pony for the most part. But what I like to do, and what I’ve found out most don’t notice, is put where I caught the fish in the background of the hand held fish shot. You won’t find that exact spot, but you will find water that looks like that all over the river. After that, I don’t care what people throw to catch the fish, but that’s where the fish were holding.
I don’t know why I’m given such a hard time about my lure choice. I’m catching fish, aren’t I? 🙂
Dan Roloff
28 Apr 2012Some seem to keep their egos in their tackle bag, most of how I fish the river i learned from you and Norm. I fish a grub when the hatch is small and go to a jig when the hatch is larger. It has worked out good for me so far, I do Texas rig and use heavier gear but that is my spin on things and it works for me.
Another one of those posts just went up on WCF today or yesterday, White whale or something like that. I just choose not to say anything and reserve my comments and time posting for people I respect.
Mike
29 Apr 2012I’ve avoided putting up blog posts that read too much like a fishing report….No matter how you phrase it, it’s dull.
Amen, Ken. Fishing reports are a dime a dozen. I want to read something that tells me more than “threw red lure, caught 24″ fish“. Something that entertains me. Something that makes me laugh, or cry, or (God forbid) think. Something that took some craft to compose.
I certainly acknowledge that I may read for different reasons than others so there’s need and room for it all. But, in the end, there’s definitely no room for hiding behind an alias and using the anonymity to snipe. Unacceptable.
Good stuff, Ken.
Mike Sepelak
Ken G
29 Apr 2012Thanks Mike. I needed to make a distinction between the two for myself. My reports still get a little wordy, but have more local detail than what I want for blog posts. Not sure I can balance the two, but worth a try.
Haven’t been commenting much on blogs lately, but been following your adventures to warmer climates and wide expanses of water. I can do warmer, big expanses of water freak me out. Ever since that whole Titanic thing…
cofisher
29 Apr 2012I really dislike people who use those silly names that stroke their egos. You’re right, we gave that sh!t up in school. My name on the other hand is born and bred of proud people from the old country. I forgot which one.
Howard Gortowski
Ken G
29 Apr 2012My long lost cousin from Warsaw!
I’ll have to teach you a little Polish and we’ll start calling you Stash.