were straying too much

[happy hooker]

I love the guys on this board and Im the first one to want to have fun and not just serious musky talk all the time here. But I think we ( me included) are straying a little too much from the intent of this board with some of our posts. None of the pros post here anymore and I miss their valuable input and I think they have kind of given up on this site a little. Not meant to be a " heavy" statement on my part but I think it needed to be touched upon.

[Shaggy]

Zoinks!You are absolutely correct!Let's talk Muskie fishing Not favorite cartoons!

[Sky Pilot]

Let's not talk about anything BUT muskies, then only the best + brightest could take over the board + the "cartoon lovers" could fade away + we could have an elite purist board.....maybe hire some "CYBER MARSHALLS to police here.....NO THANKS....YOU CAN HAVE IT!

[MuskieJ]

There are a lot of good topics on this board some serious and some fun. If you dont like a topic then dont read it.

Later

Jim

[Class clown]

Nobody likes me…Everybody hates me…Think I’ll eat some worms…Big ones, Fat ones, Juicy ones…All you do is chew them up and suck their juices.

[tomyv]

I'd have to say there are other reasons that pros don't post here anymore. I don't think it has anything to do with cartoons.

[DocEsox]

Tomyv is probably correct. There are many reasons pros have left the board. Many became offended because of the outright rudeness of some of the responses to them on the board which many times degraded into personal attacks. These attacks frequently extended into their personal email and guide sites and quite frankly was something they just didn't have to put up with. MuskyHunter Board is set-up differently because all of the staff pros for MHM post there, can't fault their loyalty. Most of those pros don't post here because of some natural enmity between MHM and EA. MC is independent and is much more volatile because of it. If you look at the MHM board its traffic has greatly diminished and you can track much of that back to its tenuous support of the CFMS earlier in the year. They haven't recovered.

MuskieFirst was set-up and gets more pro input due to the completely censored Pro Prospectives board....it shields the guides from the idiocy but it must take up a lot of Jason's time too. For myself I go back and forth between MC and MF interchangeably. Alot of the pros don't do much posting during the fishing season--they are fishing!!

Editorial Done,
BrianW

[anonymous]

Hey Doc, don't you think it's time to bury the CFMS thing. You're the only one who ever mentions it anymore. nobody cares anymore

[Ballistic]

Doc, you are right on the money...

It is difficult for most of the guys that make their living in the fishing world to spend the time answering questions in the first place; the nature of the job keeps one very busy with no regard to any 8 to 5 schedule. MC asks these folks to comment here at no compensation, and it only takes a few attacks to make a reasonable person decide to spend that time writing, with the family, or sleeping, for that matter.

The completely protected forum is the only way to see to it no silly, mean, unkind, or plain stupid attacks take place, and that is why we implemented that style forum over at www.muskiefirst.com.

I was the Editor at Muskie Central for over 16 months, and took a fair number of licks, deserved and undeserved. I have worked in the PR arena in the fishing world most of my life and have VERY thick skin; coupled with training and lots of experience in the art of interpersonal communication. That helps, but sometimes I had to turn off the computer and settle down before answering.

[Ballistic]

Hey Anon;
I care. Alot. There were PAGES of disinformation printed by a couple of the authors of that study, and it was a disservice to any thinking muskie angler, period, not to mention innaccurate, misleading, and biased.

Have you read the most recent issue of Esox Angler? Pretty good reading, and sums it up.

'Nobody cares' is a pretty broad statement.

Also, your commentary is exactly what Doc, and I were referring to, an annonymous attack on the ideas, opinions, or statements of another user not germain to the thread, meant only to demean, or put the subject down. Waste of energy, sir.

[Skeeteam]

I used to be a frequent contributer to this website and so did many of my freinds that are "pros." In my opinion, also stated earlier, it is all the personal bashing that has happened in the past. People don't have time for it. Also spending time putting our "two-cents" takes away from things that we enjoy doing, whether it be working, family or fishing. The rewards for responding are not that great. Also some of these "pros" have seen increased pressure on their home waters because of they have stated. They now want to remain quiet.

Also I have seen many so-called "internet-born pros" surface that really have no background to be considered knowledgeable. These people think that they should get deals on baits, boats, and write articles with little or no experience.

I will side with DocEsox and Ballistic on the CFMS stuff also. It is really sickening when you take the time to read RK and Worrell's article, and think about what Ty Sennett has been put through.

Bottom line: Life Is Too Short


Skeeteam

[Ghandi]

Reach out in love my cousins....Skee dude is right; let's not contaminate this new board w/ slanderous slices of spicy slangs....let us melt into harmony + become uno......

[HerbB]

I think its important to keep a focus on the purposes of this board and it seems like its to learn from each other, get to know each other a little, and discuss things about a shared passion - Muskie fishing! It doesn't seem that attacking each other is at all helpful to accomplish these goals. A good discussion never hurts anyone, but I think its best to not get personal. After all, whether pros or not, we're all still learning and will be until our last outing when we finally put the boat away for good and go to the big water in the sky.

My two cents.

[Anonymous]

Ballistic, is there a certain clic one has to belong to to bash? I guess it's alright for Doc to continually bring up the cfms study just about every chance he gets, bash the authors, bash Musky Hunter, bash anybody associated with it, and then turn around and complain about all the bashers on the boards. It's old news. So what we got told some lies, some people alledgedly profitted from it, and the natives didn't spend their money wisely. Guess what?? The authors are showing no signs of coming clean. Big deal!!! What? Are you guys gonna dwell on it for rest of your lives? Are you waiting around hoping for some kind of sick public lynching? Maybe a hanging? The article in EA just repeated what was said and debated ad infinitum 8 months ago. Give it a rest.

[guideman]

Come on guys......can't we all just get along?...It's just fishing man! :)

[Ballistic]

Hey, anon;
Doc posts here and at the 'other sites' frequently, and only brings up the CFMS when it is germain to the conversation.

Point: You could have simply taken Doc's point for what it was, and in context, but you did not.

Point: I do NOT CARE if you are 'sick' of the debate surrounding the CFMS. It still is a part of the conversation on and off the 'net', and is important to discuss, as is any myth or non-factual written material that is still being widely read and accepted as fact by the folks that have not read the rebuttals out there.

POINT: You are sick of hearing about the CFMS controversy, I am not. If I had not taken the stand I did, the material from that event would still be accepted as gospel, misleading countless anglers that have taken the time to study their prey.

POINT: I cannot remember a single post from Brian that is a 'bash'. I can remember lots of questions, informed commentary, and debate. I also would mention that he is not anonymous.

Point:I am going muskie fishing!! Tomorrow, on Pewaukee, with Jason Smith and I will not be looking for wolfpacks of muskies zig-zagging across the structure in a spooky fashion.

[Ballistic]

Hey Guideman!!

PEACE!

[Adman]

Hey Gang,

We are very commited to keeping this site one of the best out there. With the addition of Jim and myslef to moderate the tone here we are making better strides to that end.

I openly welcome all the input of all the Pro's, guides, writers, TV personalities and most importantly, you. You, being a fan of the muskie, are what this board is all for. This is your site and we want to keep it that way.

I, and Jim and Scott as well, enjoy seeing a wide array of topics. A little change up here and there is a good thing. I also enjoy reading the opinions of other anglers on current, important, day to day matters. But I also try to maintain the perspective that this is a muskie board.

I will never remove a post that merely expresses an opinion, but when that opinion is loaded with words you couldn't say at the Holiday dinner table, well, it may just be cyberdust.

I am looking into an idea that may offer the "Pro's" a forum where they can truly interact with anyone else, and yet prevent the posts we all know are over the line, from ever seeing print. In fact, I may do a poll on it........... :P We have just such a forum over on Walleye Central.

Well, I babled on enough for one night. And remember, we work hard at making this the best Muskie site we can, and everybody is welcome to stay as long as they'd like.

Have fun.......R