Etiquette?

I never understood the point regardless of location. Why talk about where you fish or how many fish you catch there? Helping a buddy is one thing telling a group of strangers is pointless. I'd be out of business if I told everyone how many fish I caught and where I caught them. Fisheries can be discovered by anyone eager to pursue fishing opportunities. Why broadcast How many fish you catch unless you need a little ego boost from time to time. In that case, write a book if you're that knowledgeable it would do wonders for your self esteem. I do agree that this topic has been beaten to death and the same people always feel and reply the same way. Jack says its my rite to tell who I want etc... Pad just deals with it etc... Whatever.
 
CaptMatt wrote:
Why talk about where you fish or how many fish you catch there?

Why broadcast How many fish you catch unless you need a little ego boost from time to time.
Click to expand...

Not only did you answer a question with another question. You answered your own question.
 
Tom, I'm not sure what your trying to accomplish by pointing that out. I'm sure you understood my point without dissecting my sentences. Unless you needed a little "boost" yourself. You didn't respond to my statement you only attacked the wording of it. That's a nice example to set on a fly fishing forum board. Your statment was useless to this conversation.
 
I'll play the Devils Advocate,
I was told about a stocking of a DHALO and about some hog fish put in. I was told with in 100 feet of where it was. I went and guess what I got skunked.

We are reaching the point of information saturation. You can research if not the stream, then the watershed of just about anywhere. Satalite images, topomaps, heck the PAFBC even tells you if there are native trout in the stream!

I personally have never read a stream report and hit a stream as a direct result.
 
I didn't attack anything...I merely pointed out that you already know why they do it and you said it your self. It was no way meant in any mean or demeaning way. If anything I was substantiating your comment. You need to lighten up, man.

If anything was useless it was asking a question that you already know the answer to. I wouldn't even bother to mention that but you seem to be all agitated by YOUR attacking my post. I amde no such attack on yours.

But you are right...they only say I caught X number of fish because they want other readers to be impressed by it. The sad part is that those who make such posts may never have a fishing day like that again because others are likely to catch those fish before they are able to return and have another day like that.
 
My "answer" was more of a hypothesis. I can't begin to imagine why or pretend to know why "they" do what they do and I gave up trying to figure out why most say what they say a looong time ago. I technically wasn't answering any questions just taking a stab at some reasoning. I dont know the answer to this topic anymore than anyone else. It doesnt make sense, and that I do know. As for that, Im glad you agree.
 
I'm gonna offer a possible explanation: people like to share their joy. To be sure sometimes it is bragging. I consider it likely to be bragging when people say how great a day they had and DON'T name the stream. What good can that do except stroke their own ego?

Did you ever have anyone say: "You've got to hear this new album I bought." Or how about: "You have to try this cantalope, it is great." Then they will force you to listen to the music or force you to taste the cantalope. It can be a little irritating, but they aren't bragging. They are trying to share their joy in the hope that you will experience it just as joyfully.

Now, if I am right at all about the motivation of some people who share information about their successful fishing trips, can that really be something you want to condemn? Are the people who would rather horde their joy on such a higher moral ground? :-?
 
Im sure some of the intent is as you say and im sure that some more is bragging. I have never understood this and I never will. When i drop my clients off at the end of the day and am taking my boat out of the water I am always recognized as a Captain. I then get hoards of questions about where to find bait and what kind of day I had. If I answered honeslty I would be out of places to fish, and my clients wouldnt share in that so called joy.
 
I think you prove my point. The only reason to be tight-lipped is out of self-interest. You have an excuse because your financial means depends upon it. What excuse does the casual angler have? :-?
 
CA is not far off base guys. i have been guilty of what he talks about, but i dont see how not releasing numbers and size of fish is selfish.
 
Re: What excuse does the casual angler have?

Greed. One thing I've learned. Some people just think everybody else is a slobbish, fish killing, litter machine, and they are the only person who cares about nature and the future of the sport and all the other holier than thou elitist garbage. The reputation of fly fishermen as Elitist snobs has always been something that upset me, but I see it alive and well all too often.

If there are stocked fish in a stream and you bought your license with your hard earned dollar, they are YOUR fish, that is someone elses stream so take care of it, and there is room enough for everyone. I can count on one hand the # of people I know that fish wild trout streams. I prefer to fly fish because I like the challenge, not because it makes me feel like I'm a better person than a bait fisherman. I seen so much crap posted here picking on someone for trying to do what brings me the most joy in the world it's ridiculous. I recall someone picking on someone for fishing A rapala below a bobber like a minnow, take two seconds and show the man/woman/kid how to fish properly and you may be surprised what you've empowered them with. But, you're right it's so much more fun to keep it all for me and then complain when kids don't wanna fish because they don't know where to go and they don't catch anything when they do. I'm done ranting, cuz something else I've learned is the internet is useless when it comes to trying to make a logical point.
 
"I recall someone picking on someone for fishing A rapala below a bobber like a minnow"

BPS,
That would be me. That was not me being an elitist. That was me laughing at some funny stuff. It is not my mission in the world to teach grown men (who are crowding me and my kid) how to fish. In fact if some yahoo started offering me unwarrented advice fishing advice, well I think thats elitism.


If a guy don't know the difference between bait and a lure then well I'm surprised he shelled out the money for a license.
 
I will give you another reason people share information in stream reports - give some to get some. If you create a community where people all share information, then the next time you want to know how a particular stream is fishing then you have a place to go and find that out. There's a bit of a leap of faith involved - there is no guarantee you will get anything valuable in return - but it can work. I think it worked for a while on the Stream Reports section of this board, but I think it works less well now. It's not for everyone, and as I pointed out in another thread I rarely participate anymore. In some cases, like the Kettle Creek example, I don't see how it can do any harm. In other cases, I have been shocked at people posting descriptions or even photos of large wild fish, naming the stream, and saying they cannot imagine why so few people fish there. I'll make one more observation that I dont think has been made this time around (as opposed to years ago in this space) which is that if someone posts stream information you wish had never been posted then the best strategy is to keep your mouth shut and let it blow over - or possibly send the person a PM. In the past folks have sometimes taken off on a rant that just ended up drawing more attention to the "outed" stream.
 
Maybe it was his first time fishing.
You don't need to do anything man.
Your mission in life? that's biblical deep, kinda like give a man a fish vs. Teaching a MAN to fish.

I'm not telling you to run up saying "you're doing it wrong" here's a concept ; Introduce yourself,( you remember making friends when you were a kid? well it doesn't have to stop now that your an adult) and ask how it's going, maybe tell them what you find works well for you (trade secrets, I know) and maybe just maybe they'll become a knowledgeable fisherman after time. Or we can laugh at them and make them feel out of place. But, here I go with logic again. Somebody taught you I'm sure, maybe that guy didn't have the luxury of having a mentor like I did, and maybe he's just a jerk who like to steal fishing spots from 4 year olds. I'd at least try to find out. BTW I caught over 50 fish at the little bald eagle in Tyrone and released everyone. 3 were over 20" go get'em they're yours too.
 
I believe that the PFBC has more to do with fishing crowds than any posting on the internet. An example that I have noticed is when they change regulations. On codorus creek they changed the regs to trophy trout. Since the change I have seen a dramatic increase in fishermen (including people using bait). Initially I was a little peeved at the increase in anglers until I stopped being selfish. It's not my stream and everyone has a right to fish it. I still have concern for the quality of fish and how it will be affected by the increase in pressure. But, I think that once the newness of it wears off the pressure will decrease and the fishery will be ok.
As for someone bragging about how many they caught and where, makes no difference to me. Maybe they will take me next time and I can partake in the fun. After all, don't we fish to catch?
 
This is endlessly debated, but I leave it to the posters discretion and respect that.

I have been fly fishing for 45 years and here is my take on internet posting. Less people fish, but more people are trout nuts The newbies and casual anglers rarely venture far from the big name streams. Little Lehigh, Spring Ck, Penns Ck you get the picture. No matter how many prods I give I can rarely get casual anglers away from the regular spots and posting about them doesn't bother me.

How about those trout nuts and small wild trout streams? Well they fish all the time, know dozens of streams and any new stream is just another stream on the list. Most crazy trout fishermen I know can't find time to hit all the spots they want to.

The bottom line - I see the special regulations areas and famous spots getting more and more crowded, and since they are well known there is not much you can do. The rest of the streams I fish I actually see less people every year and many I would like to pump up a little interest for so that there are advocates for these streams when the builders show up. Most of this "concern for the trout" when trying to suppress info on the internet seems to be a self centered attempt to keep streams to one's self. There are exceptions of course (my streams!), but that is generally my feeling.

As for Opening Day madness, does any old-timer here think it wasn't crazier in the 1960's when everyone fished on Opening Day, and by everyone I mean every male capable of holding a fishing rod not every fisherman.

I also feel the numbers game is in bad taste. General info is enough.
 
Actually chaz, not all wild streams are listed on the PA website. I'm sure you know of a couple that aren't on it. I know of a couple. :-D
 
LASAGNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D 😛 :-D :-D

Boyer
 
Ah, that reminds me: I had some great lasagna at a little restaurant somewhere east of Pittsburgh, but West of Harrisburg. I had like 4 helpings and the waitress was gorgeous. She did nothing but wait on me because there was no one else in the place. I'm sure you understand that I can't give out the name because next time I can't chance that it will be crowded and that pretty waitress won't be paying all her attention to me. :-D
 
I've eaten there, and my waitress was 3" teller than your waitress!!!! She fed me 5 helpings. I think it was skill! :-D

Boyer 😎
 
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