I have been a regular an MANY forums on the net, and there are many that are good, many that are bad.
What do I mean by Good, Bad?
There are some forums that you can join, where you can get a TON of information, and others where all that goes on is a bunch of whining and bitching!!
I can say, out of the 30+ forums that I have been a part of, there are only a hand full that I have found to be worth attending on a regular basis. This being said, there are MANY the I do not attend or that I even know about, but for me in the area I live in, there are a few that I am attend on a daily basis.
I have found that these are the types of forums where not only one can learn, you can turn and help others, even if you are a beginner.
-For the fly Fisherman in western Canada/North Western USA there is no better forum than FlyBC!!
-For the All round Fisherman (Gear & Fly) there is non better than FWR (Fishing with Rod)
-For the fly tyer, The Fly Tying Forum and it’s data base is AWESOME!!!
-For the Fly Tyer who want AWESOME advise and great patterns for great people, Flytyer is GREAT!!
Now, there are a few others that I do attend, but just not a daily basis, not because they are not good, but because I prefer the ones listed above (Personal Taste)
Many of the people on these forums are the same, you can go to 5 different forums and see the same people, that is why I like the ones I listed, many of the people are different, and the same (If you understand that). This way, we ALL get the chance to learn from each other.
There are a few forums that I would not be caught on, EVER!!!!! but I will not list them as I think that is up to the individual to find out, just because i don’t like them, does not mean that it may not be good for you.
I would say in general, about 85% of the people on the forums are GREAT, 10% are OK, and 5% are complete jerks!! The issue is, there are a few forums out there in where the Mod’s don’t keep up with what is going on, and the 5% get going and really make the whole forum a real waste. I really don’t understand why some people get so “Tough” on some forums? They act like they are all tough, and start being “Internet Bullies”, but as soon as someone happens to see them on the flow, they are all “Mr nice guy”. Why? If you want to be a jack ass, fine, but don’t be offended when you are out on the flow and people don’t help you out!!
As for the 85%, what can I say, the fishing community is AWESOME!!!! Most of the people will give you the shirt off their backs, others are willing to share their knowledge, and then there are others that are willing to take you to their “Honey Hole” as long as you keep it quite!
Man, I LOVE the forums that I go to, and really can greatly for MANY of the people that I have had the pleasure to meet through these forums!
So, again I ask, good? Bad? What do you think?
Rick Passek “The FlyFish Fanatic”