Fishing Forum Wanted

[ONTHECHEW]

This is only speaking from personal opinion but I would like this forum to not head in the direction I have seen other forums go down the track of. For some people like my self who works long hours in a stressful job coming home and reading this forum is a release from the day to day grind, if you don't get a chance to get out fishing as often as some people are lucky enough to do.

You get on and read about other experiences that other members have had at the sport that we all love so much. You can relate to their excitement or disappointment as you share the same dreams. What causes the downwards spiral of these forums is negativity and a whole lot of keyboard cowboy syndrome. This has a negative affect on the entire site, at first some of these threads may seem funny but can turn nasty very quickly. This promotes people not wanting to report any more and even worse the potential loss of sponsorship which in turns pays for the site that we all enjoy. 98% of posts on this site are of a positive or fun making gesture but as usual in life a minority can wreck it for all.

The first thing people will reply to this post is that this is a free country, and it is an open forum and people can post what they want, but do some of these things really needed to go so far. If everyone just thought, would I say it to their face, maybe a whole lot of the crap would not even make it onto the forum. If a post gets heated put a time out on the member or something, I am pretty sure some of the men in blue will vouch that if you chuck someone into the courthouse for the night, with maybe an accidental spraying with the fire hose they are a whole lot calmer (and sober) in the morning.

This is not my forum, I do not run this forum or have any say in it, I do not believe that my opinion will be that of 100% or even 50% of people that read this but as the first arguement that will be written opposing my opinion will be is that it is an open forum. I just believe that if every one thought about why they joined the forum for originally (fishing) not whinging and bitching that maybe we might even make this forum even better than it already is.

If enough people stop reporting, not going to socials or comps, no new sponsorship there will be no forum. It might sound over the top or dramatic but it can happen and has. Once again this is only my opinion, someone who loves to read about other peoples fishing related adventure or reporting on my own.

Thankyou for reading

Andrew

[Manni79]

Good on you mate for speaking your mind !! well said

[Seiran]

Well said. I must say, I'm of the opinion that the overall comments on this site are very positive and everyone seems very friendly.

I agree with you about the way that forums sometimes go. I was a very regular member/user of a sporting forum for a few years, but unfortunately that forum turned into a Aus/NZ/RSA bitch fest which ruined the website.

Hopefully with the great personalities that are on this site, and the fact that many of the forum users actually know each other, this site won't end up down that path.

[Eug]

had to be said... good stuff.

[AFO]

We have site rules in place to foster community spirit and a friendly atmosphere on this site. We have close to 9500 members now and it is always going to be tough keeping the peace with that many differing opinions, backgrounds and attitudes. We do try and keep the site fairly open yet we still do have to moderate discussions and posts, however this is not always going to please everyone but we do this in a way we believe is consistent with out rules and in a way that retains our site goals. After 7 years we think the site is still a great, friendly place to chat, discuss and learn from each other.

[ellicat]

Sometimes there's a full moon and the place goes haywire for a bit but it always settles down again, sometimes with casualties but most times not.

My personal mod goal is to keep the place as friendly and argument free as possible while still allowing debate to happen. Also to keep the site content suitable to all types of people so I know Dassa is comfortable allowing his girls to browse, Ted his boys, Doss his dad, Eug his Tina, Jerryl his dog, and me my wife.

So if you see something objectionable please hit the Report to Moderator button

PS It is always good to see these types of threads pop up when there is a bit of a kerfuffle. The community spirit is alive and is good enough to self regulate to a large extent. Cheers. :kiss: :silly:

[Do$tylz]

I wish everyone thought like you Andrew although what would Ellicat have to do?

Well said mate and its great to see as a relatively newer member you have the same sentiment as many.

[dassa]

Well said Andrew straight to the point and I think like 99% of the people on the fourm would agree and like I'm sure at some stage in life we were all told IF YOU HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY DON'T SAY ANYTHING.

[Angus]

This is an interesting topic and one that has been discussed and contemplated by me often. As has been previously stated by webby and others, with such a huge range of members, despite some people believing their opinions or views should be unanimously accepted, this will never be the case. Sometimes it's better to just ignore a post/thread if you find you don't agree with the sentiment. I find myself doing this a lot more these days. For example, instead of having a whinge in a political thread about why people are talking politics on a fishing site, how about read a fishing thread instead?

This being said, there is only one to ensure the website remains the way we all want it despite our personal convictions, and thats to keep posting and reporting. There has been in the past a couple of members who have ceased to post becuase they felt hard done by, ignored, or believed the general sentiment of the site was not going their way. Well there is no faster way to put a nail into the coffin than by removing the very sentiment from the site you agree with!

By going quiet and becoming a lurker, you are single handidly ensuring the content remains less than what it could be.

I firmly believe on this site that activity fuels activity. Do more reports and more will be made. Encourage newer members with tips and advice and maybe a deckie spot (not spot x's ), and these members could be the gun members of next year and may be passing tips back to you and doing awesome reports to satisfy your interest (this has certainly happened to me many times). No one (except maybe that banned Jesus fellow) is born with god given fishing knowledge so be patient and encouraging with novice efforts as opposed to arrogant and let the angler gain experience in his own time. We were all novices once. In short its not a magazine. There more you put into this the more you will get out.

I would strongly urge more of the lurkers and infrequent posters to contribute more in this sense. You may feel you get what you need out of the site without having to bother, but it would be shame if one the day the site was just not here to feed your passion due to lack of perceived interest. This is not really a threat or worry as the site is statistically growing, however think what it could be!

I have had several PM's in the past from quiter or new members commenting on how there is a bit of a "boys club" on here. I can assure you this is only brought about by familiarity among members, not the wish to exclude others. Breaking into this so called "boys club" is as simple as coming along to one social or event and having a beer (I am sure those who have taken a punt and attened any official or unofficial event can attest to this). The vast majority of members that attend such events are more than welcoming to new members. Keyboard warriors are also conspicously absent at tangible events as well Can I also suggest this to any and all members anyway as once you attend such an event your online experience will be enhanced simply by the fact that you are more than just a funny username to many. With this familiarity comes a greater desire to answer your questions, help you find a spot and maybe even give you new people to fish with.

RE the Monthly Comps, obviously due to a contentious call recently this has gone a bit quiet. Admin are meeting ASAP to discuss and improve the rules for these comps as well as tie them better into the physical events so the standard is clear cut and easy for members to follow. We ask for patience while we do this as we all work full time jobs not at all AFO related, and will convene when we are physically able. If members decide the boycott the monthly competitions for whatever reasons the only thing this will ensure is a termination of their existance.

ONTHECHEW: Thanks for the thought provoking thread. I no way aim any "lack of contribution" towards you as your reports I know for sure entertain and motivate many AFO members on a regular basis (me included).

Sorry for this rant and I hope it has made sense to some and might even encourage others to get a bit more active. This website is labour of love for us and I often reflect fondly on the top blokes I have met and fishing experiences I have gained from it. I sincerely dread the day with the cons outweigh the pros and its just not worth it anymore.

Angus

[youngy]

Totally agree Andrew, this is a great site to find out what's going on in the fishing world, lets hope it stays that way for a very long time.

As for the not so nice comments made from time to time, i know when i am fishing with mates things are often said that would offend someone you didn't know but this is why these guys are mates they give as good as they get and everyone has a good time.

Unfortunately smart arse comments to some one you don't know normally do not go down well and are best left unsaid, as the others have said it would be a boring site with no fishing reports or photos, cheers wayne

[Cheyne_jones]

Things seem to have become very serious all of a sudden. All I want to say is the owners/mods do a sweet job and IMO this is the best site around for anyone that fishes south east queensland bar none.

The reports side on things will come back once recent issues fade into memory and the wounds heal. I have avoided posting reports aswell, but I do share reports with other members via PM every week and we learn heaps from each other. Without this site I would never have met these people so IMO the community is still going strong.

Anyway keep up the good work guys, it is a thankless task and I for one have no idea how you put up with it from time to time.

[Bommie]

+1 C_J

[crazywalrus]

Easiest way to fix the site is to post more reports so the negatives get out weighed by the postive. I joined this site about 2+ years ago and I have been to every comp since and attended a lot of the socials. The Community is great and I get as much out of it as I have put in. I have made many good friends as well.

Get involved and enjoy the community. I have found it very welcoming and people are always up for a chat. I was worried at first when I went along to my first social as I did not know anybody and would not have anything to talk to people about. Remember everybody is as passionate as each other on here, that is why you are here. My tip is get involved. Write reports, go to socials and comps. I know it has dramatically changed my life and I now live it to the full. good on you AFO

Ted

[ellicat]

.......

The first thing people will reply to this post is that this is a free country, and it is an open forum and people can post what they want,

.....

Andrew

I've had this said to me countless times after moderating by the person being silenced on the forum.

The fact is that this is a privately owned site, all members are here as guests and at the will of the owners. The rules provide a guideline for behaviour. Step outside those guidelines risks finding out about how "free speech" is not a right in a private club. Having your say is a privilege and nothing more.

Rational debate is a good thing; aggressive argument is not.

The Tigers will win the NRL GF in 2012. This cannot be debated or argued

[shortie]

.......

The Tigers will win the NRL GF in 2012. This cannot be debated or argued

i think this is a huge debate.

Or a mass debate if you prefer.

[crazywalrus]

.....

The Tigers will win the NRL GF in 2012. This cannot be debated or argued

What is Rational about that statement Brian????

[tugger]

IMO a forum without debate would be boring and not educational for newbies to the fishing scene there should be still room to let someone know they have fished outside rules and laws of the land. If done politely pointing out perceived mistakes is in everyones best interest, just leave the name calling out

[Do$tylz]

^^ very true.

[Gazza]

There are SOO many good points raised but one I would like to add Why ? am I 'm a Lurker of late Mainly due to work then the weather's screwed and due to the fore mentioned work commitments to yard needs mowing etc etc so no input as far as offering advise Best Advise Search the Forum I gave up on copy and paste answers lol

Cheer Gaz

[bootyinblue]

Can I also suggest this to any and all members anyway as once you attend such an event your online experience will be enhanced simply by the fact that you are more than just a funny username to many.

Angus

Some people do attend an event and walk away with an even funnier user name than what they arrived with.

They may not know what the name is, but the rest will!

In all seriousness, I have been a member on here coming up 5 years now. I have had some posts moderated, some posts have disappeared completely and others remain standing for people to learn from. Perhaps its because I often challenge the 'grey area' arguement about things, but thats just me. I am a black and white sort of guy.

This is however by far the best forum I have been involved with. With a membership approaching 10,000 its a cross section of the community on a whole. Would you walk down Queen Street Mall and belt everyone with a keyboard that looked funny, talked funny, or had a funnier view of things than you do? As said, debate is good, sledging is best left to competing boats on the water, and the best way to join the 'boys club' is to come and lean on the gunwhales of my boat (or anyone elses for that matter) and have a chinwag about things.

You only get as much out as you put in.

Ps... Who is this Gazza dude? Well back Bud, bout time you bought some sheep for your lawn!

Pss.... No need for Tomca to answer the Queen Street Mall question ;-)

[Davo_Dinkum]

so true guys ,we would be worse off if there was no AFO or it closed .

[tomca]

Pss.... No need for Tomca to answer the Queen Street Mall question ;-)

I use a big ass trolley, causes more carnage than a little panel of plastic :whistle:

[ellicat]

Would you walk down Queen Street Mall and belt everyone with a keyboard that looked funny, talked funny, or had a funnier view of things than you do?

Only the ones in koala suits holding a bucket :evil:

[Gazza]

Ps... Who is this Gazza dude? Well back Bud, bout time you bought some sheep for your lawn!

Come on Greg you orta Know A sheep or two in my street :woohoo: How long before stolen , eaten or well you know what LMAO :whistle:

I Lock up my ride on

Green concrete what a brilliant idea :silly:

Gaz

[kmcrosby78]

@ellicat I just stumbled upon this blast from the past, you must have been so much more busy back then .......  I initially laughed when I read your 'the Tigers will win the 2012 NRL premiership and then unfortunately came to the realisation that their premiership drought is only one year longer then the 'heavyweight' club that I support ......... .

Good to see this site having such a golden run for so many years now, with many 'old faces' still active and lots of fresh young talent (well, @Drop Bear isn't that young anymore I guess .......... ).

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

8 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

@ellicat I just stumbled upon this blast from the past, you must have been so much more busy back then .......  I initially laughed when I read your 'the Tigers will win the 2012 NRL premiership and then unfortunately came to the realisation that their premiership drought is only one year longer then the 'heavyweight' club that I support ......... .

Good to see this site having such a golden run for so many years now, with many 'old faces' still active and lots of fresh young talent (well, @Drop Bear isn't that young anymore I guess .......... ).

Hi kmcrosby78

Yes, it is. I just spent the last 10/20 minutes reading all of the thread so I could understand (I like reading a lot of old threads, probably to many) everything and yes ellicat, you would've had so much work then. In my opinion, the forum still does have some friendly debate about topics, but we all get along well. 

Cheers Hamish  

[Drop Bear]

On 22/04/2020 at 10:16 PM, kmcrosby78 said:

Good to see this site having such a golden run for so many years now, with many 'old faces' still active and lots of fresh young talent (well, @Drop Bear isn't that young anymore I guess .......... ).

Its funny. I missed out on all the crazy politics from back in the day. The legends here are all polite and informative. I wonder if all of us have learnt how to behave online? Dunno. I am just so glad that I have met so many of you legends that are on this site. It has absolutely changed and guided my life. 

Shellfish reefs forever.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

12 minutes ago, Drop Bear said:

Its funny. I missed out on all the crazy politics from back in the day. The legends here are all polite and informative. I wonder if all of us have learnt how to behave online? Dunno. I am just so glad that I have met so many of you legends that are on this site. It has absolutely changed and guided my life. 

Shellfish reefs forever.

Hi Drop Bear

Yes, I 100% agree with you. Everyone here is great, polite, and helpful. I missed all the crazy big chats back a long time ago, LOL, in fact, a couple of them I would've been 3 or 4 (I don't know, but I do know way to young to type ). I do hope to meet some of you guys eventually (even if no one wants to meet me...) because you are all so nice and the forum itself is a great site! 

Cheers Hamish  

[Drop Bear]

On 29/04/2020 at 6:13 PM, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hi Drop Bear

Yes, I 100% agree with you. Everyone here is great, polite, and helpful. I missed all the crazy big chats back a long time ago, LOL, in fact, a couple of them I would've been 3 or 4 (I don't know, but I do know way to young to type ). I do hope to meet some of you guys eventually (even if no one wants to meet me...) because you are all so nice and the forum itself is a great site! 

Cheers Hamish  

happy to go for a fish one day mate

 

[Drop Bear]

On 29/04/2020 at 6:13 PM, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hi Drop Bear

Yes, I 100% agree with you. Everyone here is great, polite, and helpful. I missed all the crazy big chats back a long time ago, LOL, in fact, a couple of them I would've been 3 or 4 (I don't know, but I do know way to young to type ). I do hope to meet some of you guys eventually (even if no one wants to meet me...) because you are all so nice and the forum itself is a great site! 

Cheers Hamish  

Have you seen OzFish? 

I run the Moreton Bay Chapter. We are restoring shellfish reefs in Moreton Bay. 

https://ozfish.org.au/

Junior membership is $15, Adult $25 and family is $35

We have a boat and an oyster lease that is great fun and good to fish from. 

This is our chapter page.

https://ozfish.org.au/chapters/central-moreton-bay/

Perhaps have a look and see if it is something you would like to join. 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hey Drop Bear

I just read the page, and it certainly interests me. It's very good how you are restoring the shellfish reefs for fish habitat, better environment and ecosystems, etc.

I will look into it with my dad, I guess it will be his choice overall. 

I do hope the restrictions are eased a bit more eventually, but we probably could go for a fish one day.   

Cheers Hamish