Time and time again I have noticed poor etiquette on behalf of new or first time posters. Guess what, I was one who made the same newbie mistake.

Here are some helpfull hints for you Lurkers out there who would like to join our community.

1. We would be very happy for you to join! More info and input makes for a better board. Sure, there may be a few cliques, but I have not met a single fellow from the board who I wouldn't like to meet again.

2. Make you first post non-contraversial! Say "Hi", report a local success, provide us with a nugget of your knowledge.

3. Get a feel for who the different folks are on the board by conversing with them. Some folks I consider very conservative on fishing issues, like RichG and RPetzold. These guys care a lot about the resources that we fishermen, and fisherwomen, exploit. (Conservative is not a bad thing guys, just a different view.) Others are a wealth of knowledge, like RT, FJ, Gooose, Stlhdr1, Seacat, Smalma, Parker, Jeffhead, and a few others. Some guys are goofs, like me, Dave Jackson, and our buddy "Hedgehog".

4. Please don't bash someone in your first post, especially someone who has contributed a lot to either this board, or to fishing in the Northwest. We don't want any of that crap here. Leave the personal vendettas for Blue Creek. There have been a number of first time posters who within their first week have basically offended the entire board. I wish to save you this pain. Some of the memorable ones were Dogfish, (me), when I railed on Cowlitzfisherman, 4x4 when he railed on Keith aka Stlhdr1, and Hedgehog who went off on both Cowlitzfisherman AND Buzz Ramsey (Bob, what is it about you that attracts flamers) . I could go on, but you get the idea.

5. Most importantly, bring your sense of humor. Self depricating humor will generally give you license to laugh at others. If you laugh at youself first, then you may be granted the right to laugh at others. Let's have fun here, okay?

6. Offer to take someone fishing or make it a point to make it to a "Floatilla". This is an excuse for a bunch of us gear whores to get together, show what we know, and make a connection with the person behind the moniker.

Go catch a fish. Please.

Andy

Hey dogfish,
I've got to hand it to you, not bad for a (eight hundred and) FIRST post. Welcome aboard!!

Good post, and good advice, Andy!

If you have really THICK skin, like some of us do, "bashing" only makes the ones doing it look like asses. Most of us really try to help others learn and understand what is happening to our declining fishery. That is my goal, and I would like to think that it the goal of this board. So far, that is how I see it is!

Cowlitzfisherman
Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

Dogfish,

Do you mean some are "Pat Buchanan" of the steelheading or not as conservative? Just kidding. You don't get the full view behind keyboard and screen but as you said majority (99.5%) are very nice.

Excuuuuuuuse me, but not ONLY am I a yuckster but I ALSO got 80% on the RT-o-meter test. In the future please refer to me as the Pillar of Knowledge.

Thank you, and don't let it happen again.

For some reason "horse guy" comes to my mind everytime I see your name.

UFK, What, you don't agree withe everything Pat "the madman" Buchanan has to say???? I'm shocked!!

DJ, Are you sure you want to associate yourself with the name "Pilar"or "Pillar"? (Pilar from Ifish, please take no offense, just a side joke. Don't want to be called out, or somethin' like that.)

Andy

Dogfish,

He sure has some "mad" or radical views but I miss him on cross fire.

I miss Pat on Crossfire as well. He may be radical and an extremist but he does have some good points.

Thumbs up Andy. Good post! ... One trend, that fits what you are discouraging, is long time fishing BB personas that register an extra moniker to become agenda'd flame monkeys; so they don't sully their images. ... I prefer to flame with my real moniker, and stand up to the heat, but only flame at something really negative, if it might do some good. I've found more and more it doesn't do much good - so I'm about flamed out.

Hey UFK, is it Buchanan or Pilar that you miss in the 'cross fire'? Ooops, tiny little flame dig.

I have a feeling that pilar is a bad boy but if he makes it to CNN crossfire I may watch him. May be I should visit the other site to get a preview.

Just a reminder. Fishing must be slow.