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Posts: 7090
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | I am clearly biased here, but I just felt like throwing it out.
Do you feel the internet in the last 15 years has had a POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE impact on muskie fishing? The sport, stocking efforts, clubs, gear, boats, knowledge, lake pressure...just positive or negative is your only vote!
And I'm curious as to your "and why" you voted the way you did. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | 1. sport has grown ...
2. friends and enemies made for life ...
3. (2) helped through a rough patch of life ...
4. better than TV drama ...
5. sometimes when you can't get out on the water, you can catch a whopper in here ... |
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Location: Contrarian Island | you forgot one Sled...
6. you can portray yourself to be a big fish catching machine, and know everything about every topic simply because you spout the information from every mhunter article you read or every conversation you had with all the guides you've hired.... when in reality you catch 5 a year if you're lucky and your pb is a 44"er you caught in 2003... my personal fav...
internet...a place everyone is a musky magician! ;o)
lots of good and bad about the internet..sled has most of it spot on...
the only real positive imo are the friendships made...
Edited by BNelson 6/15/2012 7:17 AM
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| It does give people from MN an outlet to gain support for their causes. How many times have we had to email or call to support an issue in MN? It is a thankless job, but glad the internet is here to allow us to enable MN to have a decent fishery. BR |
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Posts: 1938
Location: Black Creek, WI | Slamr... you need a third option to vote for... that being BOTH. There are pros and cons to everything. |
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Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River | For me personally the Internet has had a negative impact on my musky fishing on SC. Being a caster on SC, I used to have most of the areas I fish all to myself. I paid my dues putting in the time to find these spots & endured hours of getting tossed around in my small boat and going home sore.
Along come a few guys that have a strong need for attention and had to post every musky they caught on a local Internet site. Other guys see these posts then talk the attention whores into taking them out for musky and in return these clowns go telling everyone and their uncle where they caught the fish.
To make things worse a retired musky casting guide goes selling a map of 20 of his best casting spots on the lake and advertises this map on a local SC site. Add a few fishing shows into the mix and now one of my favorite spots that never had more than 2 or 3 boats a day fishing musky now has 15+ boats a day fishing it for musky. I’m sure with the recent fishing shows that filmed on SC during the fall bite those areas will be hit hard come this fall.
A lot of guys will say that SC is a big lake and that there’s plenty of musky to go around. When it comes to casting for musky on SC the lake fish’s like a small lake. Opening day this year had a good 40 boats fishing an area that was about 2 miles long by ½ mile wide (spawning area). A few new guys to musky fishing where out there and caught a few then went and posted on the Internet where, when & how they caught them. I’m sure these same guys will be crying come mid summer asking people where the musky are because they can’t catch them anymore.
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i feel your pain ... but, in equal, yet opposite contrast the Internet has destroyed Wisconsin musky fishing ... it's not even worth wasting your time on our mid-30" fish. fishing in Wisconsin is terrible compared to the Holy Grail of Minnesota and LSC waters!!! |
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| Sled is a typical internet muskie angler. Portrays that he catches fish but has as much star power as Lucky Libby. He spends more time trolling for fights than actual time on the water. The internet has created jonnysleds and they can be found on every type of forum. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | the sled i know fishes smallies and plays golf ... |
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| Guest - 6/15/2012 8:40 AM
Sled is a typical internet muskie angler. Portrays that he catches fish but has as much star power as Lucky Libby. He spends more time trolling for fights than actual time on the water. The internet has created jonnysleds and they can be found on every type of forum.
I think the best invention is the "guest" though. It allows cowards a voice. H |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | You don't know Sled very well, Guest, and it's people like you who darken the experience with your drivel. The internet isn't anything but people in communication with each other. Cellular networks are no different, and texting is faster and more direct. It's probably better to ask if modern technology combined is good or bad. I'll go with good, because it allows for much more influence from an interest group than a letter writing campaign, and it's a part of the irrevocable fabric of current every day life....what one gets from it or gives to it is up to each individual. |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | I believe op muskie gained publicity mainly through the interwebs. Musky lures sales via online stores soar. Fisheries would have gotten crowded regardless. W/O the interwebs more movies and TV shows would have been made that gave away the locations anyway. That's how we hotspotted back then.
90% of Wisconsin muskie fisherman don't have a clue that muskie forums (or even the internet) exist. |
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Location: Minneapolis | I learned about getting all the right gear and some good lures to start with. More importantly I learned about all the release tools and leaving the fish in the water etc. I've also met and fished with some more experienced anglers thru this site. So I'd say it had a positive impact on me. |
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| The internet obviously advances communications. Communication spreads information (and unfortunately misinformation). The isolated angler can communicate with others, and sometimes learn from them. A big plus is e-commerce. You can usually find what you want and buy it over the net. What if you live in West Virginia and want lures only marketed in stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota? It's a long drive. Oh well... |
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Posts: 1086
| There's obviously some big negatives to the internet and but more importantly, some massive positives, just as J Long expressed, Pros & Cons to everything.
BNelson nailed it very well describing the armchair keyboard fishermen.
But overall, you just can not deny the massive positives to the sport, tourism, e-commerce, stocking, research, etc, etc, to the advancement of the sport. I remember, when I was young....vividly....having the drive for the musky and northern pike sport that I was so hooked on back then, that I'd have to go to the library (do libraries still exist today?  ) and checked out, with a library card, hard-back books to read up on whatever I could about the two fish and the one thing I kept learning and reading from those books back then was "Suick, suick, suick, suick." Haha! There was a lot of knowledge and a lot of tools, ie, lures, to use back then, but NOTHING compared to what is available to the anglers today.
Just like any hobby/sport and the internet, there's a forum on the internet for whatever you're interested in and there'll be clowns in each and everyone of those forums claiming to be a lot more than they really are. To be a steward of the internet and using these forums is to have a strong personal filter to weed through those individuals, to nevermind them and pay attention to those that have legit experience and knowledge...personal knowledge, not regurgitated knowledge. Sad thing is....the majority of those individuals that are out there that truly have the personal knowledge and experience are those individuals that Flambeauski speaks of; ie, they don't use the computer, don't need to or don't know what one is....or...don't have the time to bother with it. That's not to say there aren't still some really good individuals here on these sites, there certainly are great people, knowledgeable and experienced people here on these forums, but the vast majority are either newcomers, getting into the sport and learning first-hand, or the class clowns that BNelson speaks of.
It was interesting that about 7 or 8 years ago....I used to hop from one muskie forum to another and would pay attention to at least a dozen or so forum sites and started to see the same cast of characters and the same topics of discussions and the same arguments and quickly learned that I didn't need to waste my time trying to sift through all of that to try and hopefully find one nugget of useful information. Found it was a huge waste of time. Found this site to be the one site that I kept coming back to, I quit going to the others and just use this as my one-stop-shop for internet reading to take a 5 minute break from my daily routine.
All-in-all....internet: a positive to the sport of muskie fishing. As much as I'm on that fence, like J Long....to want to have that voting button to vote "Both." If I'm forced to choose...it's a positive.
Edited by MACK 6/15/2012 10:12 AM
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | Without a doubt a positive influence on the sport. Not saying there aint some bad, but overall very positive.
When I started out musky fishing there was literally zero information to be found on musky fishing. Musky Hunter Mag wasn't around, Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet. Musky fishing was done either by gleaning knowledge from some experienced fisherman, or by trial and error. Unfortunately, I choose the latter. A few years of futility, and 1-5 fish seasons, and things started to makes sense, and success came after it.
Now any Tom, Dick, Harry or Jane can do a few searches on the internet and in three hours learn what took me three seasons. The information has surely changed the learniing curve, but unfortunately, it has also exposed the last of any real secrets that were ever out there.
I wouldn't change a thing about how I became a musky fisherman, I think my years of failure made me a better fisherman today, but I also envy the information that the newcomers have at their fingertips today. |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | MACK - 6/15/2012 10:08 AM
BNelson nailed it very well describing the armchair keyboard fishermen.
I am curious to know. What exactly constitutes an arm-chair keyboard fisherman? How do you to deem someone one if you truly don’t know anything about them, or what their experience is? Is it because they don’t post many pictures of “proof” of their fish?
The internet is a wonderful thing until people start using it to make judgments about others without ever meeting or talking to that individual.
I voted a positive, but only because I think some of the positives out-weigh the negatives.
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | "literally zero information to be found on musky fishing."
I didn't think you were THAT old.
I think Ramsell and Rizzo were writing about them back in the 1800's. |
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Posts: 1086
| CiscoKid - 6/15/2012 10:19 AM
MACK - 6/15/2012 10:08 AM
BNelson nailed it very well describing the armchair keyboard fishermen.
I am curious to know. What exactly constitutes an arm-chair keyboard fisherman? How do you to deem someone one if you truly don’t know anything about them, or what their experience is? Is it because they don’t post many pictures of “proof” of their fish?
The internet is a wonderful thing until people start using it to make judgments about others without ever meeting or talking to that individual.
I voted a positive, but only because I think some of the positives out-weigh the negatives.
It's something that takes time. When spending time in a forum such as this...you're able to eventually learn the personality traits of certain individuals by not only their posts over time, but by having personal experiences with those individuals and/or reading/hearing of others having personal experiences with those people. Surely we can't know everyone on a personal level. But there's a lot of people out there that their real-world reputation superceeds their internet persona. |
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | I'm not really sure my vote counts all that much. If I am not at work, I am on the water. Trying to soak up all the personal experience and information that my brain can handle. I was musky fishing for roughly three years before I ever even thought of coming on a musky forum. This was my first, I have found the information on here to be second to none, there are an outstanding number of good sticks on this site (even though I'm sure some of full of it and even if the info is regurgitated it is still info I may not have known) and have appreciated all the discussions I have been able to be a part of. It has helped me a lot so far this season... Even though I am still without a musky in the net this season.
This site in particular has also opened up some wonderful opportunities for me to have the privilege of being a part of. Including larger roles in Muskies INC of which I feel very lucky and blessed to have the chance to be a part of something much greater than myself. So if it were not for the internet I would not have these special opportunities. All I know is, If I'm not at work I am on the water.. The internet and musky fishing gives me something to do while I am bored at work. |
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Location: 31 | I voted it's a positive even though I agree that the "hot bite" gets quickly found out by the masses and then eventually pummeled, it's good if you find out about it and get in on it, but bad if you're out in front of it.
However, I do not think it's just the Internet... that's just something tangible that you can see. The fact that everyone has a cell phone means there's more networking and news definitely travels faster at night in the fishing world these days.
As a matter of fact, I've seen areas get literally run over before everyone had a cell phone, and well before internet muskie forums were popular...it just took a lot longer is all. The positives far outweigh the negatives as far as techniques and equipment. For me it's an incredible luxury to post a problem on here and have a few opinions on how to solve it in a matter of hours.
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Posts: 555
Location: Tennessee | I'm gonna have to say positive for me. I had only occasionally heard about muskie growing up and all my family members that used to get out in the outdoors and fish/hunt have passed away. I've not had anyone to get me in the outdoors so I've had to be self taught since I was little and now I have people coming to me for advice on guns, hunting, fishing, etc and in the case of alot of it, particularly muskie I can thank the internet. Instead of being the guy with a $50 bassrig and 20lb mono losing/guthooking fish with incorrect bait/rigs, I have topnotch gear, learned how to handle and release the fish. Made alot of friends and even got my best fishing partner thanks to muskie fishings online popularity. It also helps to gather info to plan trips to places for the first time without taking a shot in the dark. |
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Posts: 20258
Location: oswego, il | I voted positive. The internet is what you make of it. There is info and controversy and people who inflate and make up things. You can get hung up in or participate in any and all of it. Your choice. I have been around since the muskie central days and have made some great friendships, found places to fish and learned a ton by being a part. Most all of it from this site. Not the best or anywhere near but i am a whole lot better being involved.
Edited by ToddM 6/15/2012 12:27 PM
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| I am curious to know. What exactly constitutes an arm-chair keyboard fisherman? How do you to deem someone one if you truly don’t know anything about them, or what their experience is? Is it because they don’t post many pictures of “proof” of their fish?
The internet is a wonderful thing until people start using it to make judgments about others without ever meeting or talking to that individual.
I voted a positive, but only because I think some of the positives out-weigh the negatives.
+1,000,000,000
Sworrall has got me pegged no doubt about it and has no idea who I am, but I bet he can block my Comcast Business IP with no problems. I guess I'll have to decide whether to continue being a jerk and lose my access here or maybe have a personal revelation and contribute something useful.
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Posts: 3157
| what would we be supposed to do on company time,,, "WORK" |
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Posts: 2384
Location: Chisholm, MN | I have met a few guys from just being on forums and facebook included a long lost cousin who have all help me become a better fisherman. I have benefited from it and have been attempting to fish muskies for the last 13 years. Without the internet I would have given up. Of course I hate seeing all those people on "my" lakes that heard about the bite from the internet. I think I was seeing more fish years ago on any given day and i was way worse at fishing. I blame that directly on pressure which mostly comes from the INTERNET! Just my opinion |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | happy hooker - 6/15/2012 1:13 PM
what would we be supposed to do on company time,,, "WORK"
^^^^^^^^
what he said. |
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Posts: 8840
| I think it's great for sharing information and definitely for entertainment's sake. It's definitely been great for getting all the anglers out of Northern WI and over fishing in MN instead. Which is great for N WI and not so great for MN...
As for all the other nonsense? I don't judge anybody's character until I've spent a day in the boat with them and an evening in the bar afterwards. Posting anonymously gives one free license to say stuff they'd never be dumb enough to say in person. If they were that dumb they'd have fallen out of their boats and drowned long long ago... |
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Posts: 1220
| For me, the folks who have a problem often forget what this stuff really is. It is an opportunity to voice an opinion or ask a question. And opinions, as most folks know are like rectums...everybody has one...some smell better than others. And even what happens there is often a matter that goes on with no consensus. And, this is supposed to be recreation. I have an opinion on everything, am on the water a whole lot more often without a muskie than I would prefer, try to compete as best as I can when doing that......but, this is ENTERTAINMENT. This is supposed to be about putting joy in a life that is often too full of work and worry. What, I am trying to say is, "Who really gives a good gosh-darn what the heck rod and reel you think is best for pulling double tens anyway?" I like the one I like and I even have their name plastered all over my boat...but it is just for my entertainment. Honestly, I try to spend time here and on the water instead of listening to political nastyness on the news. I will respect your right to say anything, but please just say it sort of nicely and without calling names. This is the kind of stuff that soon jumps into discussion of penis size, am I am just (sadly) not prepared to argue the "point." |
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Location: 31 | Kirby Budrow - 6/15/2012 1:17 PM I have met a few guys from just being on forums and facebook included a long lost cousin who have all help me become a better fisherman. I have benefited from it and have been attempting to fish muskies for the last 13 years. Without the internet I would have given up. Of course I hate seeing all those people on "my" lakes that heard about the bite from the internet. I think I was seeing more fish years ago on any given day and i was way worse at fishing. I blame that directly on pressure which mostly comes from the INTERNET! Just my opinion Kirby, I think what you're saying is true to a point... mainly just at at how quickly word spreads nowadays. But I don't think it's just the Internet, there's cellphones, texts, and certainly more of us now... part of what you are saying is the Internet, but the muskie fraternity is actually still very small, and people definitely yack more freely outside the Internet.
Like I said, I've seen fabulous fishing areas/spots get overrun in a matter of a couple of years well before the internet, and hardly anyone had cell phones then too. There's no question that word gets out faster now, and keeping something under wraps is harder these days. If you've discovered something on your own and then it becomes overrun in a couple of years... who's really to blame?
Edited by Jerry Newman 6/15/2012 2:35 PM
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