Sir, I certainly feel sorry for you, or for anyone else with this attitude. I believe a more appropriate term you could have used to describe a "fisherman" with this attitude would have been "greedy" or "selfish".Dustin wrote:Good fishermen only share their spots with a select few people (if that), and definitely not on an open forum.
A GOOD fisherman is able to catch fish no matter where they are fishing, no matter what the fishing is like that day, and no matter how much fishing pressure they are facing. Adversity is what makes you become better at fishing.
Sharing information about fishing spots or techniques does not make you a BAD fisherman, it makes you a GOOD person. Every single person who reads this forum can trace back their experience and knowledge of fishing to one or two people who got them started. No one is born with a rod in their hand and knowledge of a secret spot to fish that no one else knows. We all have learned from each other, and developed our knowledge and skills from what others have taught us.
Let's remember folks, out of the 48 continental states in the US, Florida has over 1/3 of the total coastline. In every one of those thousands of miles of coastline there are fish. Please rest assured that no matter who you are and no matter how great you think "your" secret spot is, there are thousands of other areas for people to fish. "Your secret spot" is not in jeopardy just because other people know about it.
As for this forum, most of the people who submit informative posts are from the Tampa Bay area. The destinations page is full of information that has allowed me to find several good locations to fish when I decide to make the trip to the Tampa area. I feel that is only right that I try to reciprocate that sharing of knowledge if I know of a great paddle-fishing destination that others on this forum might be interested in. I have fished in dozens of places from St. Marks/Appilachicola to Port of the Isle in Naples on the Gulf Coast and from Little Talbot Island to Mosquito Lagoon on the Atlantic Side. One post about one of those spots may help others to enjoy that location, but will certainly not impede my ability to find a place to catch fish in this state.
My first post stating that I would be fishing in Tampa and asking if others would be too resulted in meeting with five other gentlemen who were more than willing to show my fishing partner and I around the Ft. Desoto area.
If you think that is wrong, then again, I feel sorry for you. For me, and I hope others, that is what fishing, and life, is all about.
I appologize, and wouldn't have singled you out, Dustin, but this is the second time that I have seen you respond negatively to either one of my or my friend's posts. I hope that you soon learn that we are all guests when we paddle in Florida's waters. No one of us owns any particular piece of water. Sharing fishing knowledge, destinations, and experiences with others will ultimately make you a better fisherman, and a better person.
Dave B