The hard cold freaking truth!!!

[Admin]

Ok lets have some fun. A post a long time member made in the items for sale forum really just inspired me to make a mid night post..

Here is the hard cold facts.

If you dislike the site please click the god damn red x up in the top right hand corner and please please do not come back!

I am shocked over and over how alot of you guys will never be happy.

Our goal was to not work on numbers of visiters but value of the visitors.

Well at one point a few years ago some regulars would ***** that there posts did not get alot of views.

For years now we have worked hard to make sure our traffic sources are very targeted to fishermen and boat owners. Fact is with out drama sites can run slow as sadly fishing does slow down around the country.
Fact is though drama brings in shit heads.

Now I am not the kind of guy to want to deal with shit heads so I have choosen to keep this site as on target as possible for you all so you can come here and enjoy fishing content.
But hell lets face it a good BS thread is good for the ticker sometimes and also breaks up the slow times of the year.

What I really do not understand is if some of you guys do not like BS why are you the guys busten peoples balls?
I mean shit guys If you dont like something dont freaking read it!

Now over the last few days I get poeple writing me saying John why are people being so mean to each other right now?

I really do not know, usually if I dont have something nice to say I refrain from posting as it is not healthy for sites like this.

If you guys have not noticed this site was built pretty cool.
Let me give you some insight.

Every once in awhile we get a big influx of new members.
Some of you actually get rude with some of the new guys who roll in the door. Some of you are very nice to them. But the fact is when knew people roll in the door if they love fishing they will probably stick around. But if they are in to drama and tons of jokes they soon find out this is not the site for them and they leave. Sadly I have watched some of you guys chase away some great people. For what ? Do you want to feel superior or something ? Fact is you all are equal and everyone has the right to ask questions and try to learn. Why slam them for asking? Just ignore the post and move on. Hell I ignore most of you all day long its easy I just yell at the moniter and then i feel better.

This site is like a washing machine. They come in as a group they spin around and the shit falls off and goes down the drain and you end up with a couple really nice cool new members who stick around. You all have seen it over and over but again I think most of you dont think i have a clue about what im doing. The site is built to push people away who do not like fishing and it works. Yes we may get a few bad days but it always works out.


For some odd reason I truely think most of you think we do not pay attention or know what is going on.
Fact we now employ 5 full time people and the site is monitered just about 24/7 these days. We log on spread sheets every time you are richard, we watch who you fight with and we actually learn how to deal with some of you. Some of you I will never learn to deal with but that is life.


Something I am going to say to all old members.

Fact is I respect you guys not all the time but I do have respect for you. Now with that being said you make my life hell some times.
Why you ask ?
Well if someone makes a dumb post or is a asshole and you snap on them and then people join in it is now out of my hands.
I am not going to run around here deleting out stupid remarks.
But fact is if someone posts something dumb or something that does not make sence it is very easy for me to write that member and ask them if its cool to remove the post.
But once you guys get it going and all your peeps jump on board its out of my hands.

Lets face it guys. You all are the ones who will make or break the site.
It all boils down to how you treat each other. It has nothing to do with me.

Fact is if someone posts something off topic or dumb it should drop off the main page pretty quick. But for some reason some of you can not resist takin a poke at someone.

So in regards to the people being rude lately I must say I am sorry to the new guys and I hope some of the old members start to give everyone atleast a first shot before sticking a fork in ya. To the old members, give people a chance to learn what the site is about.

Small site big site again I will never win with you all.

So here is the hard cold fact of the day.

With or with out you guys I am going to continue building The Ultimare Fishing Resource and I am going to continue doing this with a smile and treating everyone with respect. Even when it kills me to be politically correct I still make my best attempt at it since its best for the site.

For those of you that choose to continue to rib people please stop and think is it worth setting an example to the new guys by posting something negative.

Oh and by the way. The for sale forum is for members to post shit that is for sale.
At this point you all could post lawn mowers for all I care. What does it matter? None of you pay to sell your shit its freaking free. Do you want me to control what people post ? ? In my little project manager webmaster hand book it says Capt John when the for sale forum really starts to get really buisy make sub catagories and break it out boats tackle cars trucks clothing. Fact is who cares what someone puts up for sale.
Yes you do run the risk of someone making fun of your cloths or your sofa but who cares your getting more views on your shit and better odds of it selling.

Well I started this about a hour ago and Im starting to feel like this is one of fred archers posts that is a mile long and makes no sence Just kidding fred you know I would never read this much text.

Well this post will do one of 2 things. One nothing or 2 I will have alot less customer support and phone calls to answer tomorrow as you will all go to tht.

Good luck everyone on your internet adventure.
This is Capt John Eppehimer and Im going to go back to reading my hand book on how to run a website.

[Captain Fred Archer]

Well said, John, except for that part about long, Fred Archer type posts - hell, boyo, yu cain't tipe fastly 'nuff fer thet, so don'tchaeeven trah, ya heres? LOL!

For my two cents, seems to me that mean spirited newbies pretty much self destruct around here, IF they are left alone. Yes, the wolf pack attacks don't do the site any good. And members, old or new who persist in taking potshots at others who are asking a question, giving a report that they are proud of but that is no big deal to a hard core, or doing his best to help and or teach all are a major detriment to the site. Plus they make themselves look shallow to most, except for others of the same ilk. There are a lot of lurkers who aren't into the armed combat or wicked ball busting that some of us can't seem to resist dishing out and they get turned off by it. In fact, I'd kind of liken them to "the silent majority" and they are important to the site and important in and of themselves. I get PM's from that sort all of the time and to a man they are good folk, but the majority don't post because they don't want to get worked over by some of the specialists in that sort of thing that we have.

Like you said, John, if you don't like a guy, or don't like what he writes, don't read it. Even somebody with the IQ of a chipmunk ought to be able to figure that one out. Stick with what you like and you should be a happy camper. Try to exercise restraint and show respect for the others here. Bingo! Great site!

That's a precious thing as far as I'm concerned. Let's keep it that way.

How's THAT for short and sweet, Mr. InternetHeadHonchoDudePerson?

[reel fishy]

You know the poo from the other site has got to trickle somewhere. Unfortunately some has landed on your door step and others have now stepped in it. Luckily I was never a member of that site and all of my buddies who were could care less weather they join another and contribute to the good of all. Some of my friends have been around the boat business a long time and are now jaded by public forums and the flack they received. It's the internet, some think they need to be over critical and attack any weakness they see fit. No matter how long sportfishermen.com is around there will always be one or more turds in the kiddy pool. We as a whole, including those who run the site, have just got to look past the negative and focus on the positive. I for one respect the job you and your employs do Admin, I admire your ability to take the third party approach and deal with what deserves your attention. What some of the long timers now have to notice is this is no longer just for those from the mid-atlantic and north. We are a global nation and just because you have one idea of how something should be it is not the only way that it works.

[Double D]

And members, old or new who persist in taking potshots at others who are asking a question, giving a report that they are proud of but that is no big deal to a hard core, or doing his best to help and or teach all are a major detriment to the site. Plus they make themselves look shallow to most, except for others of the same ilk. There are a lot of lurkers who aren't into the armed combat or wicked ball busting that some of us can't seem to resist dishing out and they get turned off by it. In fact, I'd kind of liken them to "the silent majority" and they are important to the site and important in and of themselves. I get PM's from that sort all of the time and to a man they are good folk, but the majority don't post because they don't want to get worked over by some of the specialists in that sort of thing that we have.

Capt Fred nailed this one. Pile on the rabbit when somebody posts a questionable thread is bad enough. But when a guy comes on and asks a heartfelt question, or posts his report only to have some self declared expert come out of left field and belittle him or try to start a controversy, that guy will be much less likely to post again. And that can only hurt the content of the site.

[La Gringa]

You know the poo from the other site has got to trickle somewhere. Unfortunately some has landed on your door step and others have now stepped in it. Luckily I was never a member of that site and all of my buddies who were could care less weather they join another and contribute to the good of all. Some of my friends have been around the boat business a long time and are now jaded by public forums and the flack they received. It's the internet, some think they need to be over critical and attack any weakness they see fit. No matter how long sportfishermen.com is around there will always be one or more turds in the kiddy pool. We as a whole, including those who run the site, have just got to look past the negative and focus on the positive. I for one respect the job you and your employs do Admin, I admire your ability to take the third party approach and deal with what deserves your attention. What some of the long timers now have to notice is this is no longer just for those from the mid-atlantic and north. We are a global nation and just because you have one idea of how something should be it is not the only way that it works.

Actually most of that poo trickled right past you to a third forum... you really didn't get that much and if you did, it didn't last long. I don't think your problems have much to do with tht poo - it's more like the usual kiddy pool turds and how it's received by your members.

What gives this site a step up, as you said, reel fishy, is that you largely ignore it and the poo moves on. It's not any fun if the poo slinging is going only one direction. It seems so challenging for some to just let it go and yet it's so effective.

I wrote in a post somewhere recently that I thought you guys were a class act. I still feel that way. Maybe you're having some growing pains? Admin seems bothered by something. Maybe it's winter and folks are cranky - who knows. I say stick with what's working and don't lose sight of the good thing you have going here.

[Gringo]

"'Cos everybody's got to have somebody to look down on.
Who they can feel better than at anytime they please.
Someone doin' somethin' dirty, decent folks can frown on.
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me."

(Kris Kristofferson)

[randall r]

like my good friends directly above i am new here. this has been my experience....i already feel like ive made some friends, one or two in particular. i check the site daily and find the content great. the truth is i like to fish but am not a professional or even that hard core compared to many of the members here ,but have been made to feel welcome and i appreciate it. compared to the other "general ,open to everyone " sites out there this one is a gem.

[krisis7]

[Misconduct]

Well said, John.


It' as you said, there's not much going on fishingwise, so the focus turns inward.

It may start as fun, but some people don't have a sense of humor.

Keep up the good work.

[jawz12]

i've been on this site since,i believe it just started...i have never seen anyone personally atacked or belittled...it's real prevelant on other sites,but not here...that my friends,is a good thing...
admin,and me had a conversation about this...the add in big game journal says it all...."no drama"...