20 members and 189 guests?

[Corbo]

Any of you ever look at "who is on the forum" at the bottom of the page?

Well I'm not much of a computer person and have only limited skills BUT I have heard of the word "lurker" and was reminded of this activity by a very nice person tonight who regularly visits HERE, is not yet a member and tells me she lurks HERE to learn more about fly fishing....

I hope she jumps in!

So I got to wondering about the enormous disparity between members and "lurkers", (sorry but I like the sound of it) GUESTS I mean, that are viewing this forum at any given time....


Perhaps they have nothing in mind to share.

Perhaps they come here to learn.

Perhaps they want to know what rock to stand on at a particular river or stream.

Or maybe they are embarrassed to ask a "dumb" question.... even though there are few dumb questions in our world of dumb people.

Seriously folks; I'm dumbfounded at this disparity.

I would love to think that tonight there were 189 NEWBIES hoping to learn a few tips from the 20 of us who THEY think know everything about trout and fly fishing... when the truth is that we spend a lifetime trying to figure this whole thing out...

Fly fishing humbles the accomplished angler as much as not... (yes; you can quote me even though I'm the exception to my own rule! LOL)

So I guess I'm honored that so many "guests" come here to read Byron's fishing report and gain a little entertainment from reading whatever thoughts the active members post.

Perhaps there ought to be a "newbie" sub-forum where some of the shy lurker newbies can post their questions as members without fear of reproach?


Just a few thoughts I felt like sharing... I'm certain nobody will bite the head off of somebody who wants to stop lurking and join in the conversation.

Richard

[silvercreek]

I'm not sure what counts as a guest or lurker. Most of the time I read the forum without logging in. Maybe that counts as a guest. I suspect others do the same.

[Knothead]

My father always said the only dumb question was the one not asked.

[billyspey]

just looking for that free ROCK and what you catchin em On.

[tnflyfisher]

Originally Posted by Corbo

I would love to think that tonight there were 189 NEWBIES hoping to learn a few tips from the 20 of us who THEY think know everything about trout and fly fishing... when the truth is that we spend a lifetime trying to figure this whole thing out...

So I guess I'm honored that so many "guests" come here to read Byron's fishing report and gain a little entertainment from reading whatever thoughts the active members post.

Perhaps there ought to be a "newbie" sub-forum where some of the shy lurker newbies can post their questions as members without fear of reproach?

Just a few thoughts I felt like sharing... I'm certain nobody will bite the head off of somebody who wants to stop lurking and join in the conversation.

Richard

I think you touched on it a bit... it IS a form of entertainment IMHO. You can read the reports, jokes, banter and look at fish pics from others who are able to make it out on the river when you can not. I don't think that it is necessarily all "newbies". I have been reading this forum for a couple years before joining but have been fly fishing for over ten years now. Only within the last year though have I started fishing the park and now "feel" involved enough to join and contribute... just my $.02

Originally Posted by silvercreek

I'm not sure what counts as a guest or lurker. Most of the time I read the forum without logging in. Maybe that counts as a guest. I suspect others do the same.

I think this is also a valid point... I only log in when I want to leave a reply to a thread. Maybe 80% of the time I just review recent activity as a "guest". However, I now read the fishing report religiously every morning regardless if I'm on my way to fish the park or not as I appreciate the time and effort that Byron puts into making this report every morning for all the anglers out there. He can also be fairly entertaining as well...

Tight Lines,

[buzzmcmanus]

Originally Posted by silvercreek

I'm not sure what counts as a guest or lurker. Most of the time I read the forum without logging in. Maybe that counts as a guest. I suspect others do the same.

Same here. 90% of the time I'm on here, I'm here as a lurker and not signed on. I usually sign off as soon as I post what I have to say also.

[Byron Begley]

Me Too!

I hardly ever log in. I just jump on here and look at what people are writing.

tnflyfisher,

Thank you for the kind words about the Fishing Report and thank you for reading it.

Byron

[flyman]

Luker? Yea I kinda like that Long trench coat and dark sun glasses, hiding in the shadows. Yea, I kinda like that

[5xtippett]

"Long trench coat and dark sun glasses, hiding in the shadows. Yea, I kinda like that" Would be an improvement over those shorts you wear to the Pechman Center!

[Corbo]

Flyman; do you keep an ultalite spin rod under that trenchcoat & are the pockets full of red worms? If so it's no wonder you wear sunglasses! LOL

It's a funny thing; some people claim there's been a a bit of historical "hostility" on this forum and ever since I got personally got my fair ration a couple years back about being a "yankee" when I commented about the Park Brook Trout fishery everyone has been very nice to me.

Thank You!

So any of you "non-member lurkers" who are worried about posting... the water might be cold but wade in anyway as the people here are warm IMO.