Just wondering & curious...

Ken Jones

Administrator
Staff member
#1
I often notice how I will be looking at a post and perhaps it has a few responses or no responses but I will see that it had numerous, often more than a hundred views. Obviously some people do not want to post but just view the discussion—which is fine.

I've often thought that's because so many are unwilling to share information in this modern age. However, a friend this morning said he wondered if the people were sometimes intimidated. Given the generally high fishing IQ seen by most people who post on this site, perhaps they are simply newbie anglers who do not feel they have the knowledge to enter the discussion? Perhaps they think their questions will be seen as dumb questions that might receive poor feedback? Perhaps they have limited English skills and are hesitant to post for that reason?

Just wondering if these or other issues prevent more from posting? What do people think?
 

TheFrood

Well-Known Member
#2
I think the issue is most likely in how views are counted... Better to check the site metadata to see how many unique visitors, filtering out known or highly suspected crawlers and bot sites.
 
#7
I haven't fished for a couple of years. I do come by once in a while for a good fish story/report, and I'm glad the site is still active. Without much to contribute, I am a lurker.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#8
I hope some who hesitate to ask questions here see this post.

No one is born with knowledge about fishing or any subject for that matter.

There is nothing wrong with not knowing about fishing. No question is dumb.

I firmly believe that a very high percentage of success by fishermen is due to continued education and research. Luck has a very low percentage.

With today’s availability of resources like internet, finding answers to questions are much easier than when I was a newbie to fishing. Library, for sale books and fishing magazines were the only source.

I still have and refer to it at times, a book I bought in the early seventies. I even bought a new publication of the same.

P.S. Good to see a post from Fishmom.
 
H

hphilpott

Guest
#9
I often notice how I will be looking at a post, and perhaps it has a few responses or no responses but I will see that it had numerous, often more than a hundred views. Obviously, some people do not want to post but just view the discussion—which is fine.

I've often thought that's because so many are unwilling to share information in this modern age. However, a friend this morning said he wondered if the people were sometimes intimidated. Given the generally high fishing IQ seen by most people who post on this site, perhaps they are simply newbie anglers who do not feel they have the knowledge to enter the discussion? Perhaps they think their questions will be seen as dumb questions that might receive poor feedback? Perhaps they have limited English skills and are hesitant to post for that reason?

Just wondering if these or other issues prevent more from posting? What do people think?
Hi there Ken,

This is Holly, big Rich little sister, I am reading the past post about my brother from many of you who loved and fished with him through the years. I am always looking for him to just pull up and want me to take a trip with him to answer your question feel that people don't respond due to fear of negative responses. They don't know what an open and truly nice group of people is. So I wanted to say Hi to you and when you are in my area look me up to fish inland for a minute. lol
 

Ken Jones

Administrator
Staff member
#10
Regionalism. Of the last 20 topics in the Pier and Surf fishing category, only 5 are not about Southern California, and those really do not pertain much to fishing. Look at Ken's Monthly Fishing Reports. In the last 21 months, only 5 of those are not about Southern California.

Before anyone gets irate or defensive, I acknowledge that most of this is due to the apathy of those of us from north of Big Sur. We are certainly more sensitive to the effects of spot rushers and internet anglers.

I do not like to speak for anyone else, however. I do not fish the south. Therefore I have little interest in the reports. Honestly I find them repetitive and bent on glorifying smaller catches as well as pay-per-fish expeditions. I suspect it's the same for southerners and northern fishing. You can certainly see evidence of this by the "likes" for actual fishing reports. When I put up a halibut post, with full details on methodology and gear, for example, I may get a decent number of attaboys from my peers in the north, but southern approbation or even acknowledgement is infrequent as best. (Truth be told, my posts are repetitive as well: I do not vary my approach because it is successful.) Same for others from this area and the feedback they receive.

I doubt very much anyone is intimidated. The posts here are positive and welcoming. Helpful, too. Response is simply unnecessary for most of them.
I understand the concern about the lack of Bay Area, NorCal and to a degree the CenCal reports. Unfortunately I simply do not have enough good contact points to give a decent report for those areas. The lack of reports on the Carquinez area is my fault since I do have contacts in that area.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#11
Hi there Ken,
This is Holly, big Rich little sister,

At the risk of going off-topic here, and with apology to Skipper Jones; I like to express my condolences and as the Turks would say…..“may he rest in light”. I met your brother once by coincidence. If memory serves, it was on the Santa Monica pier many years ago.

The PFIC family unfortunately has lost some memorable members. May they all rest in peace.
 

TheFrood

Well-Known Member
#12
I think a lot of issues is that people tend to interact more via FaceBook, Instagram, or other social media sites moreso than forums now... Given some of the things others have posted above, ie the localization issues (Bay fishers may read the posts but not feel like commenting for So. Cal fish stories) then it makes some sense...
 
#14
It's hard to say but I think it's down to: 1) some readers don't have a lot to say; or 2) might not feel they know enough about the topic to contribute. E.g., on DIY car repair sites, I would like to contribute if I knew a lot about solving the OPs' problems but normally I'm the one with the problem and needing some advice. You can only hope that people will stay interested enough to become contributing members. The best you can do is create an environment that is conducive to that outcome (and the PFIC staff does that). I think long-term lurking is an aberration.
 
#15
This site is great for newbies. I'm just getting back to fishing my old haunts but with new a generation of young fisherman. I will start posting my reports again, been hitting Martinez, Port Costa, and Point Pinole. They love hearing my reports of fishing from 35 years ago. Where i caught my first striped bass etc... A great thread will fire up the viewer with tips and advice.
 
#16
I rarely post anything here since I haven't fished the piers or beach for a lot of years. As a youngster, during the summers, I fished Newport pier, the bay from the 19th st. dock to the fish cannery, ( when it was a working cannery), and the beach from Newport pier area to almost the river jetty. This was 60 yrs ago.
I enjoy reading the reports of the people who are still active in fishing many of my old hangouts. So I'm one of the 'views' you are seeing, not a lurker trying to glean info without putting time on the ground.
Please keep up the good work.