[Rick Baerg]

I just want to thank everyone who has contributed to BCFR over the years, without all of you this site would not be what it is. As you know this website is one of the only truly free fishing forums for BC on the world wide web! This website was never created to make money, more to bring awareness to the resources so everyone can enjoy it, as I do. I will not be adding fees. I put a donation link up that was visited by two members, Bill and srethy, thanks.

Effective today all member with less than 10 post will not be able to view the fishing reports until they have reached the 10 post limit! In order for this froum to survive people have to post in it or I am wasting my time and energy for nothing!

We have recently added a members section to the forum for members with 50 posts or more. In this section you will find videos, fishing pictures, articles and more! You can view it here, http://www.bcfishingreports.com/forum/index.php?board=31.0

This is not designed so as to exclude people from a section, but more to encourage people to include themselves in the forum as a whole. We hope this will increase the amount of positive contributions and loyal members to the site, while also increasing participation without just increasing the number of redundant posts.

Thus we encourage posting not just to get post counts up, but to increase quality participation. We will go through and delete posts if we feel someone is posting the typical "nice post dude!", just so they can reach member status...

Regards,
Bergler and Ribwart
BCFR Admin
http://www.bcfishingreports.com/forum/index.php

 

[Mlawton]

Re: Forum Changes, Effective today!

I can't help but to think that this new wrinkle will be counter- productive. I must admit that I am one of those people, relatively new to the coast, who have used this forum to learn about the local methods locations and fishing etiquette so that I don’t make a fool of myself or bring on the wrath of others in our somewhat crowded fishing locations.

What I have to contribute to seasoned members is limited. How much uninformed c**p do you members want from people like me?

Ah well, I always was one to state my opinion and then live by the rules.

 

[Rib]

Re: Forum Changes, Effective today!

You bring up a valid point Mlawton, we are taking this into consideration, there are other posts you can make besides just fishing conditions.

You could post in the Introductions thread. Members can contribute to many different threads besides reports or techniques, or they can even start posts asking questions or making observations just as you just did. Inevitably you end up participating more and getting to know people better.

Before you know it you are way above that ten post count and everything is just as it was before...the members only section for 50 post members and higher contains a few small section with some vids and pictures right now. This is a work in progress, and we think it will be good for the site.

 

[GOFISH]

Re: Forum Changes, Effective today!

Yes you do bring up valid points as Rib mentioned Mlawton. There is more to being an active participant than posting reports about fishing methods, techniques, or hot spots.

Perhaps a simple "thanks" OR "good read" showing appreciation for something posted that you find useful and/or interesing is participation enough until you feel more at home. We all learn something new everyday, sharing that with others is what makes this site so great.

Hope you contribute more in the future, as I'm sure those that submit posts and reports would like to hear that what they write is being enjoyed and found useful by others.


GOFISH 8)

 

[markus23]

Re: Forum Changes, Effective today!

I don't know if I agree with all the changes. Its more of a boys club if you ask me. If you have to post replies, write elaborate stories and post pictures just to view the site, I think that's rediculous. You might as well start charging money. I also think that if you want to keep the access to this website to multiple posters, you should just limit the site to those who participate in your fishouts and fly swaps too. I enjoy reading people's stories and asking the occaisional question but I'm sorry, if thats the case it's not that important to me.

 

[Rick Baerg]

Re: Forum Changes, Effective today!

I don't know if I agree with all the changes. Its more of a boys club if you ask me. If you have to post replies, write elaborate stories and post pictures just to view the site, I think that's rediculous. You might as well start charging money. I also think that if you want to keep the access to this website to multiple posters, you should just limit the site to those who participate in your fishouts and fly swaps too. I enjoy reading people's stories and asking the occaisional question but I'm sorry, if thats the case it's not that important to me.

Thanks for your comments. Its real simple, this is a user participation website that is free! More than 90% of the members have less than 10 post and less than 10% of the members post all the fishing reports that everyone loves to read!

 

[Rib]

Re: Forum Changes, Effective today!

Markus, I think you misunderstand the nature of the change.

For anyone over 10 posts nothing will be different whatsoever. There is no private club. The forum stays the same as it always was.

For those under the 10 post count, we do not expect any elaborate stories, or pictures necessarily, just a little more participation, that's all. Introduce yourself, talk some sports, engage in a chit chat topic that interests you, or start one of your own...That's why the minimum post count is set so low, a few brief blurbs from those that don't post a thing, and suddenly we find our little community has started to grow. It will also discourage any spamming issues that might arise.

For anyone over 50 posts, there is a section with some cool video's that you can view, and some articles and such. The new members section will not detract from the original site. Reports will still be in their usual place, as will all the other stuff. We are going to keep close tabs on the member section content, and it will be quite limited. It is not meant to take away from the main forum in any way whatsoever, and we will ensure that is the case.

I hope that everyone will keep an open mind with regards to the changes, and understand that this is a change designed with the sites best interest in mind. Hopefully it will bring some of the lurkers out of the woodwork, and allow the BCFR community to grow, while at the same time bring some new attractions to the site.

Be patient, don't worry, we are not trying to exclude people in any way, rather, we are trying to encourage people to participate more, and give the site a chance to grow.

 

[biffchan]

Re: Forum Changes, Updated Fishing Reports, Effective today!

As a newbie (this is post #10 for me) think this is a good idea for the site.

When you take the time to write up a nice report you want people to enjoy it. But at the same time it feels a little harsh that you are going to all this effort to enhance the community while so many others simply take what you are giving without making any effort themselves. I am much more inclined to write detailed reports when I know the people who are reading it. By having a minimum post count we are at least getting to somewhat know our audience.

 

[testo84]

a little dissapointed

been a member for a year or so now i cannot see anything

thanks for the opportunity to let me be on this site


good luck

 

[kisinana]

I think the ten post idea is great, but I think there should be say a "30 day grace period" for a newbie to put his posts in and still read the fishing reports. Some people I know just come to the post to read and learn. Afterwhile they see there is no such thing as a dumb posts because all questions no matter how trivial are always answered with knowledge being passed out.
Some people just learning how to fish are looking for information on what works and where to go. As they spend more time on the site they will get more comfortable on posting.

 

[Rib]

You have 10 posts now Testo...now it should be the same as it always was...

Don't give up on us yet...Just wait! Once you get to 50 you get to watch some cool videos too!!! ;D

 

[tuberdude]

here it goes again, for some reason it wouldnt let me post the first time i tried. i agree with berg. you dont give any, you dont get any. simple as that. i also agree with rib in the idea of it making people become more interactive with the site. however that said, for someone like me who only has just started to take up the art of steelheading this year and only have been out salmon fishing a handful of times i have no pointers or tips to give out. if there was more talk of flyfishing in the okanagan that would be my slice of pie, but since the lakes up here are still blocks of ice all i can do to get over my ice-over blues is read the stories posted on the website. for the minimal effort it takes to reply to a post, ask a question, or start a topic the benefits greatly outweigh the hassle it takes to press a few buttons. im down with the changes, hopefully everyone else is.

 

[Guest]

Although I understand the reasons behind your 'quota' idea, it happers us fishermen that no longer reside in the area; those of us who miss hiking along the beautiful BC rivers in search of a worthy opponent on the other end of our fishing lines and use this website to reminice (sp)!

Having said that, I guess I have to get my post count up. Just putting in my 2 bits.

 

[Guest]

Oh, and one other thing, limiting our access to the forum also limits us to what we can reply to! :wallbash:

 

[Rick Baerg]

Oh, and one other thing, limiting our access to the forum also limits us to what we can reply to! :wallbash:

The only thing that is limited is the reports section. 90% of the members don't post in their anyways, they just view it! It is much easier to post in the other sections (9 other forums to choose from) that have more topics that members can relate to. Some people wont post reports because of the lurkers that view all the good info but aren't willing to share them selves! Its about participation, simple as that. You only have to give a little to get a lot, after all it a free site! :thumbup: In the end, the site will be better off and it will grow into an even better online community of the best anglers on the net!

 

[Royal_Coachman]

Interesting idea fellas.

I like it :thumbup:

-RC

 

[kisinana]

Perhaps the reports area could include the northern of Georgia Strait. Powell River, Lund, Desolation Sound. we are neither Vancouver Island nor lower mainland. That being said we have been slaying winter spring in the 10 to 22 lb range the last 2 weeks off Coho Point and Powell River. Betwen three of us in 5 trips in the past two weeks of a morning or afternoon we have picked up 17 keepers. There are lots out there, since the herring fishery was a bust this year.

 

[Zoomy]

People, myself included, tend to dislike it when things are taken away from them. To login this morning and not be able to read the latest reports was truly a disapointment, and quite frankly leaves a bad taste in my mouth. IMHO a move like this is going to promote quantity over quality, and more garbage to sift through to find the good stuff.

Anyway, my 2 cents worth, your board your decisions. That I respect.

Z.

 

[Rick Baerg]

The majority of the top posting members on this site wanted it to be changed to 50+ posts!

 

[EZ Rolling]

I understand the thought behind this ...trying to make it a more a user community than a few posting and many lurking but I also think this will cause a bunch of junk posts for a while.

EZ