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What's happened

Paul Boyle

Paul Boyle

Senior Member
15 days to go to the new season and the site is dead !
A few years back there were about 20/30 post a day this time of the year ..do we get that a week now ?
 
Well, quite naturally there has been little in the way of specific barbel related chat but the social board has had a very productive close season. Take a look at the diverse range of subjects being, ahem, debated. Sport, religion, politics, new threads for beer and wine lovers. A bit of controversy here, some absolute frivolity there. All good stuff. And there has been the pursuit of carp and tench.

On the subject of stillwater fishing, I was reflecting today that this close season I have fished far more than I have in the past and have enjoyed some great sport-mostly on the float. There is something quite special about watching a float weave and bob about as fish munch about in the swim, before finally dipping under the surface and you strikes into something solid. And sometimes it's a fish. Which is nice.

BUT, here's the thing. I have found in the last few sessions that I have got a bit bored. Don't get me wrong, it's still fishing (just noticed that my predictive spellcheck thing offers both "fishing" and, alarmingly "fisting"), and so wins hands down when compared to polishing my shoes, ironing my undergarments or washing my hair. But I did lose interest. All it's really done is revalidate what I already know. I love rivers and I love fishing them. They seem wild, untamed beasts in comparison. If a lake was a haircut, it would be a bob. But a river is a Mohican, heavily gelled and probably orange. I am playing fast and loose with reality here I know because to many, there will be lakes that mean the same as rivers do to me. Enormous barren watery wastelands occupied by a single 15lb tench. And there is no right or wrong, best or worst, just what does it for you. I am ready for the rivers to be open again and I have no idea what the season ahead will hold and that suits me fine.

There is certainly a great deal of activity on FB but perhaps it's just me and I am getting old and grumpy, but it's just so relentless. The constant stream of photos of favourite rivers and stretches, pictures of the stuff people have just acquired from the tackle shop and of course all the questions. That bit I don't mind at all to be honest but it got a bit depressing when someone asked what was the best bankside early morning beverage, tea or coffee?.

The 16th can't come soon enough.
 
I used to carp fish a lake which did have a short closed season. One of the guys fishing it used to get so twitchy during the close that he used to get all his immaculately cleaned and refurbished gear out and set it up in his living room, then sit and stare at it. I kid you not :D

Closed seasons do funny things to people, hence the odd (strange) threads and sometimes quiet spells on forums....it will all change shortly :D

Cheers, Dave.
 
I totally get where Howard is coming from re still water fishing. I too have spent a fair amount of time tench fishing this close season and have had my best ever results. I've definitely enjoyed myself, but I'm aware that I'm just filling time until I can get back on the rivers. I've now not fished for two weeks, preferring to spend my time sorting out my tackle/rigs/bait etc ready for the 16th.
 
Yes, FB has impacted the traffic on many a website chaps...

Ian
 
Agreed.

That said, FB was never designed to be a forum and it doesn't work very well as such IMHO.

BFW still has much to offer I say :D

Stephen
 
Paul Boyle said:
15 days to go to the new season and the site is dead !
A few years back there were about 20/30 post a day this time of the year ..do we get that a week now ?
Click to expand...

Yes Paul Tend to agree,
I think what is happening here is time moving on, years ago this place was a hive of activity, many folks hang out here, but most have moved on due to perhaps having nothing more to say, or are bored buy people asking mundane questions that truth be known there is no right or wrong answer.
If you look closely you can see this is a very tight knit clicky forum nowadays, posters not "in" feel slightly out on a limb when posting.
(just post a piccy of a Barbel without a unhooking mat and wait for 5+ pages of attacks almost telling you will not be going to Heaven!)

Everything has been done to death everybody knows what Landing net handle to buy, we all know that Bivvys are the house of the Devil, and we all now know how to have the cleanest rod handles since we took the plastic film off them when we brought them.

I do mostly River Carping but would never discuss it here as this place is seen as The Pinnacle of Barbel knowledge buy a clicky few. Sometimes its almost creepy how much certain guys here almost worship the species, and this sort of self righteous obsessiveness comes out to make it a tough place to get involved in any meaningful posts for fear of attack.

This place on the other hand is suffering like other forms (Not just fishing) prehaps people are starting to realise nobody likes a keyboard warrior and are getting on with what they preach or even more likely just not bothering to post anymore.
 
Tom Dodds said:
Yes Paul Tend to agree,
I think what is happening here is time moving on, years ago this place was a hive of activity, many folks hang out here, but most have moved on due to perhaps having nothing more to say, or are bored buy people asking mundane questions that truth be known there is no right or wrong answer.
If you look closely you can see this is a very tight knit clicky forum nowadays, posters not "in" feel slightly out on a limb when posting.
(just post a piccy of a Barbel without a unhooking mat and wait for 5+ pages of attacks almost telling you will not be going to Heaven!)

Everything has been done to death everybody knows what Landing net handle to buy, we all know that Bivvys are the house of the Devil, and we all now know how to have the cleanest rod handles since we took the plastic film off them when we brought them.

I do mostly River Carping but would never discuss it here as this place is seen as The Pinnacle of Barbel knowledge buy a clicky few. Sometimes its almost creepy how much certain guys here almost worship the species, and this sort of self righteous obsessiveness comes out to make it a tough place to get involved in any meaningful posts for fear of attack.

This place on the other hand is suffering like other forms (Not just fishing) prehaps people are starting to realise nobody likes a keyboard warrior and are getting on with what they preach or even more likely just not bothering to post anymore.
Click to expand...

Tom,
Thats a pretty poor picture you paint, and looking at your post count (21) you haven't really been putting your shoulder into BFW, the guy's on here that make BFW work do a great job, sure like any other forum you get problems.

The knowledge on here is superb, and would serve anyone well, I disagree with your comments about subjects being done to death, you used the unhooking mat as an example, their are forums who actually poke fun at those who use them, and post up pics of Barbel on gravel etc, so a little nudge from folk is never a bad thing.

Blimey cheer up just another 13 days left and you could posting pics on the River section of you holding some cracking barbs. That's the real deal I guess, fishing not talking.
 
ADE????????

So it seems I have now fallen into the Bracket of suspect poster:confused:
This demonstrates my last post, if you post something controversial there is obviously a big red light flashing and a siren wailing alerting the powers that be:eek:
Obviously someone called ade said the same thing?

And you wonder why nobody outside the "Clicky" doesn't post.
 
Tom, I think your post is a major distortion of reality. You have presumably heard the saying that you only get out of something what you put into it. There have been a few members like you quite frankly that have made virtually no contribution whatsoever during their time as a member except to moan and whinge about how boring its become and how only the cliquey few dominate the forum allowing no one else in. Its utter rubbish. I joined a couple of years ago and asked many questions, often quite basic, and received nothing but genuine help and guidance. I didn't know anyone on the site before that. I think that many others would say the same thing. Added to that I have now met and fished with a fair few of them too and I think what you see as cliquey exchanges on the forum is just a reflection of familiarity between members that have bothered to make the effort.

If its a dull place to visit then don't bother-move on. If you want to stay but would like it to be more fun and engaging then do something about it yourself. Its literally that simple.
 
Hello

I wasnt putting the site down boys...just thought it was a bit on the slow side..and it is.(compared to the past )
Mind you i guess thats down to us isnt it.:eek:

Ade ! ZZZzzzzzz ..get rid quick before we all ZZzzz and and never awaken.
 
Tom posted:
just post a piccy of a Barbel without a unhooking mat and wait for 5+ pages of attacks almost telling you will not be going to Heaven!
Click to expand...

Oh dear...mixing fishing and religion! That'll awaken a few souls ;)
 
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