Specifics

[Deepstep]

I just wanted to take a moment and remind myself as well as everyone else, that we should really all use caution in how we word our posts. Please hear me out ....I am no one on this site, but I just think it would be good to be a little more careful about saying exactly where we are fishing in some of these posts. There are people who scour the internet reading sites like this who have a complete and total disregard for the well being of a fishery, and care only about how many they can catch and eat. All I am saying is if you are having great trips, that is awesome, please continue to post your pics and stories...but maybe just leave out where you were and save that info for your close friends , family, and other members of the site whom you wish to share it with. If you have ever had the delight of great fishing in a spot, only to be rubbing elbows the next time you go because some one read it on a forum somewhere, then you know what I mean. I'm just saying lets protect our fishin holes and be good stewards of information...sorry I hope I don't offend anyone, jeff

[BasserDrew]

The post is perfectly fine, deepstep. And, it is only reitterating the forum rules which are stickied to the top of the General Discussion forum.

Here is rule #3.

3. Be sure not to mention certain sections of rivers on this public message board because if you do, you might just see a bunch of others there the next weekend. Remember, everything typed can be searched 3, 5 or 10 years from now. Use the private message system for specifics. Be respectful of those who call those sections of river their "home waters." Many times it is just best to say that you fished a "local flow" or an "unamed flow." No one will be upset, afterall it is no ones right to know where you were fishing.

Also, for those that have never read this, it is good. This is a post that Tootall on the GA website wrote one time when it started getting real big and folks were upset when they didnt get ever piece of info they demanded. It is a good "down to earth" reality type post.

We have become a society of instant gratification. Over the past months I have noticed newbies as they join asking really specific questions and almost demanding answers. Guys, its not their fault. Long before I ever considered posting a comment, I read every article in the info section. I read posts to get a feel for the mood and flow of the threads. When I have asked specific questions I have received good information and have become paranoid at the number of threads I have killed. But I am older, bald and fat and learned my research skills in the UGA libraries wandering through stacks of real books. Our family history is told in pictures of men, women and children with stringers of fish. Now I can sit at home and find out almost anything known to man. For those that have come of age in this information revolution, the world is at your finger tips, but that does not break a certain code of silence that has been learned by fishermen over long years of polite conversation at the bait shop. Yes, it is a secret society and it’s pictures hold the answers to the code. You may share tackle or rigging, but seldom locations. Within the pictures there is however, the unspoken answers and they should remain unspoken. The eternal question “Doing any good?” and the eternal answer “Naw. How bout you? The language of fishing is handed down generation to generation. There may be many who have not had that generational influence. So you guys with success and experience and heritage continue to teach the art of fishing. And to those of us still learning, be willing to take the information as it is shared and then work hard to become better.

[BasserDrew]

PS. this is also why I made a forum for members only. So that if people didnt want to get too specific they could just post it on the SCRF members only forum at the bottom where only a little over 100 (right now) people can view it and probably only about 40 or 50 of those even look at this board on a somewhat frequent basis.

[Deepstep]

I think you are doing an incredible job!! I just wanted to throw that out there as a reminder, again not to point fingers or place blame, just a reminder...I myself said I was fishing the ****** the other day, and when asked I should have PM'd the answer instead of posting it...so I am guilty myself, thanks everyone, jeff

[BasserDrew]

true, and I am sure if you had caught some big fish you probably wouldnt have responded. That is when names really start turning heads. Even though our site is small and cozy we probably shouldnt ask either because it puts people in an awkward position IMHO. If someone wants everyone to know then they would put that info in their report. If they don't then we all should assume they dont want us to know and if we do want to politely ask we should do it all through private messages - but understand that if they decline then it is nothing personal. I agree this is not a thread pointing fingers but it is just a good "teachable" moment.

[frankinnc]

Excellent point deepstep..... I have seen what you speak of in the past.

[BlackwaterBill]

Hey Deepstep

One thing to remember when you post something it can be edited. Like in this post you mentioned a certain river by name by referring to it by the name you mentined in a previous post. You might have considered editing your previous post as soon as you decided it was better to not name the river. Then in this post you could have used the illustration without repeating the name again. That is a rather short, rather small river and gets a lot of heat already.

Does your name relate to Deepstep Creek in Edgefield County which is a Savannah River trib?

Blackwaterbill

[Shoalwalker]

I frequently offended the spirit of the rules by giving out too much info. I've been called down by the grf guys and some local guys who don't like me posting too much on grf about one particlar location.

Hey, I also shared in the sandbox, but I'm trying to learn. I'm trying to limit my reports to general areas such as Upper Flint, Upper/Lower Flint, and Lower Flint.

Fortunately for you guys, I can't give out anything but 25 or 30 year old info about Buzzard's Roost.

Nevertheless, I do like to at least know what rivers fish are coming from. Example: Drew's early season LM bonanza day. It wouldn't hurt to say "I was on the X River." After all, the X is pretty long.

[Deepstep]

Yeah.. I sse your point and I know about the editing feature...I was using that situation as an illustration, the part I was on isn't worth anyones time anyway which is why I used it to make the point....yes my name refers to the area of stevens creek and the savannah where the two come together, jeff

[derekp]

Good post Jeff.

I have been guilty of both giving out too much info and searching the message boards for specific info (but not to take home loads of fish, I 99% CR).

If any of you think I give out too much, send me a PM to cease and desist. Don't worry, you can't offend me, ego too big for that. I just get carried away in my enthusiasm so need to be reminded once and a while.

derek