Snaggedline has gone quiet again

[J.A. Veil]

Dear Snaggedline members. The site has gone conspicuously quiet again. I recognize that fewer of our members have been fishing during the recent cold weather. Someone made a similar post to this one last year. Comments were made about more posts going on Facebook or other social media and fewer here. But in order to keep this site fresh and active, we need to maintain some degree of communications and posts, even in the off-season.

I fished five times during the last 10 days of December (4 times in the Severn and 1 time in the Magothy). My pickerel catches were way down from what I had been catching just a month before. I did not post because there was not much exciting about catching one or two pickerel in 2 hours of fishing while my hands were cold. Yet in order to keep interest in Snaggedline, there needs to be some ongoing series of new posts. I have noticed that during the past year, a large proportion of the posts or replies have been made by the same group of 25 to 50 members (myself included). I encourage more of you to make some posts or comment on another post.

For those of you who are fishing, how about putting up a short report. Even if you are fishing from the shoreline rather than a kayak, you can post in the General Forum. I suspect that some of you are working on modifications to your kayak during the winter. Don't hesitate to share what you are doing in the Drydock Forum. Most likely many of our members received new fishing tackle or even a new kayak from Santa. If you got something new, how about doing a product review. Or if you got something you don't like, you can try to sell it in the Tackle Shop Forum. If you have a fishing technique or a tackle rigging tip, please make a post about it so others can learn what you have done.

I put up a separate post that gives a review of my 2020 fishing year. I welcome others to do the same. Snaggedline has offered a unique and friendly place for discussing kayak fishing. I hope we can keep it going into 2021 and beyond.

[Mark]

John,

I was the someone who commented that posts were down at this time last year. Frankly, little has changed. As you noted a relatively small number of people post compared to the number of registered users. I think the reasons I cited last year about the decline are still valid -- a shift to other social media outlets and perhaps the popularity of kayak fishing has reached its zenith.

I am one who has posted less, even though I have fished during the pandemic but nowhere near your number of outings. I think few have your freedom or willingness to fish. You're fortunate you can do what you enjoy so often.

When I have posted here I have tried to be instructive -- like you and Moc and Ron. I see little value in posts in that are cryptic with respect to location or the methods used. Boastful "look at what I caught" posts do not impress me. In truth, I believe catching fish is pretty darned easy when you fish where the fish are. I think catching big ones is as much luck as skill. I say that because I have caught a big fish following a small one and vice-versa many times using the same lure and technique in the same location. It doesn't take exceptional knowhow to catch fish from our kayaks. We've each have had good days and bad days doing the same things in the same waters. When we start to think we have special angling talents on a good day, we're only fooling ourselves.

Further, fish succumb to numerous methods of catching. And that brings me to another point. I like to fly fish from my kayak but I see little interest in that kind of fishing here. My posts on the topic have gotten little traction other than from two fellow Snaggedline members. To be honest, we have largely taken our discussions off of the forum.

So during the latter part of 2020 I reduced the number of my posts. Instead I have been writing another a book, this one solely on the topic of kayak fly fishing. It's probably better that I channel my efforts there than here -- not because there is money to be made. Certainly not because there is interest in the topic here. I've already learned that self-published fishing books yield little financial reward. But they do offer a sense of accomplishment. So I am concentrating on that effort not for financial reward which will be minimal anyway. But someday, there will be a well organized description of something I liked to do that my children and grandchildren and possibly others may appreciate.

I like to be helpful and I will respond to questions posed here when I think I have something of value to offer. I will continue to do that. I will post fishing reports on occasion. But not as much as I used to unless the traffic increases here. So, John I hope your plea for more posts on this forum is productive.

Finally, Snaggedline remains an excellent outlet for meeting likeminded individuals. It would be a shame to lose it. I really enjoy fishing with others. I do not like to fish alone. I thoroughly enjoy the company. I like sharing what I know about fishing with others and I like learning more about fishing from others in the best place possible -- on the water. I have met many very nice people on this forum over the years. Even this year during the pandemic I have met and fished with four more forum members. To me those new friendships are the best thing about Snaggedline.

[summersoff]

Will do

[brianisoutside]

I for one am still here. I don’t get out to fish often so it’s more checking the pulse and seeing what others are doing.
I don’t have much to contribute while not getting out. But I could make a better effort to post something when I do. Hopefully enough of us “lurkering” around do the same and this group stays somewhat active.

One thing I’ve noticed is the lack of inviting others to get together on a day for some fishing. I know Covid and all, but we’re on kayaks and don’t even need to be face to face at all.
That said, anyone planning a fishing outing in the near future? I know blue cats on the Potomac and yellow perching are popular cold weather targets


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FRED driver]

JA-

I'd classify this as typical internet social behavior morphing and adjusting with the times. Similar to this site, the only people that post on TF and THT are generally guides looking for attention or a handful of the same few people that haven't moved on from the posting habit. I was also interested to see that nobody seemed to care about the light tackle fishing I was doing in December, so I'll probably stop posting (I just did another trip with some limited success but won't bother).

More people than ever before are fishing, so that's certainly not it. People just don't collaborate as much on legacy forum sites like this one as much, and I think it's as simple as that. Youtube, IG, FB, Twitter, Reddit, SnapChat, etc. enjoy far more traffic than older forums like this...they play better on a cell phone with a more visual, instant-gratification generation (that's not a slam on that crowd, it's just a fact). Much has been written about this shift in internet traffic so you can search away, but this site will likely die out soon even more than it has already. The fact is, it just doesn't meet the requirements of a mobile crowd.

It's a little sad because it certainly brought together a neat community over the last 10 years and I learned a great deal from it, but times are a-changin'.

[Mark]

...People just don't collaborate as much on legacy forum sites like this one as much, and I think it's as simple as that. Youtube, IG, FB, Twitter, Reddit, SnapChat, etc. enjoy far more traffic than older forums like this...they play better on a cell phone with a more visual, instant-gratification generation (that's not a slam on that crowd, it's just a fact). Much has been written about this shift in internet traffic so you can search away, but this site will likely die out soon even more than it has already. The fact is, it just doesn't meet the requirements of a mobile crowd...

Good points.

I'm certainly not part of the instant gratification generation. I have FB account but I rarely sign in. I visit YouTube occasionally. Not often. I use none of the other sites mentioned above.

I'm a retired federal worker. There's a saying among federal employees that is commonly used at this time of year. It concerned our annual leave (vacation time).

That phrase was "Use it or lose it." If you didn't use your accumulated leave annual balances by a certain date usually in early January, you would lose them.

That phrase is apt for Snaggedline too. If we don't use it we'll lose it.

Maybe too few care for it to be a concern.

[bignose]

For every active poster there are 50 or more lurkers.
Most of the sites that I participate in are about the same. The same people reliably post, and the rest just read and nod their heads.
I'm sure that many of those who do so are fishermen are looking for locations, and Snaggedline members recently have become much more tighter lipped about where they are fishing, due to spot burning.

Weems Creek is a perfect example of this.
There were times this year that the Creek seemed to be loaded with fishermen, along with the assorted paddleboarders and recreational boaters.

How much of it's popularity is due to the reports delivered on this site?

I am as guilty of this as anybody, for a couple of years I wrote a weekly report.
Now, I have some regrets about this.

At least it hasn't become a total $hitshow like the Patapsco has become at Daniels Dam.

Only one year ago we had over 1,000 members online at one time. (12/03/2019).
I'd suggest that right now many members have other priorities due to the current pandemic situation.

We have also become a product of our own promotions, kayak fishing has never been more popular.
So there is a need for "how to" articles as opposed to "where to articles.

[Jigsup]

I was one of the “lurkers” for a few years now. This is only my second post since registering. I still check the forum everyday to see if anyone has been out and if they had success or not. I enjoy reading about other fisherman’s adventures. With that said I also spend every bit of 3 hours/day-every other day during the week browsing YouTube watching how to videos, catching videos, not catching videos, kayak videos, offshore videos, million dollar yacht videos, winter catfish videos, etc.

I like this forum and enjoy reading posts. I will post more on this forum instead of just lurking. I own a kayak and fish a lot off the kayak. I will try to post more this year. Matter of fact I will post a question soon as I’m done typing this!!

[Yak Fish]

I was going through my notes the other day, and I was reading what I wrote about our annual kayak tournament. We would get 100+ anglers, and as much as I don't like competing over fishing because I think it takes away from the purpose for me, I loved seeing everyone each year. Again, it was a little different when the site was more active and you got to meet people you "spoke" with all the time.

But everyone brought something, and the stories were always great...the fishing wasn't always, but it seemed secondary.

Happy new year everyone.

[summersoff]

I think one mistake I make that I will try to improve upon is reading reports and not commenting. I need to acknowledge the report or video, even if I do a brief thumbs-up, I think it will encourage them and others to write reports. Does the sight have a thumbs up response? If not, can it be installed?
For instance, I have watched, and Im sure many others have also seen the Recent Hot Ditch Specks video, yet only one or two people responded. It was a great video, totally reminded me of Hot Ditch, and even got the braincells planning again. We have long cold months ahead, I think I will try better to acknowledge others effort in posting, particularly videos, in hopes to encourage others to do the same.

(sorry, Hot Creek was my old fly trout river, meant Hot Ditch)

[dsaavedra]

I remember that thread from this time last year. I read this site damn near every day.... it's often a quick read because, as you've brought up, there's not a ton of activity. I've been a member for a couple years now I think, and occasionally I'll ask about some gear or fishing locations/tactics and follow up after trying what was suggested. But a lot of times I feel like I don't have much to contribute. I have been trying to make an effort to post more lately though. As a matter of fact I can think of a few topics to write about right now.

[CHOC]

I know this isn’t the most popular opinion and I’m okay if others don’t agree. But snaggedline would benefit immensely from a move to Facebook. This is a great community, but post numbers are not going to improve in this format. Sadly, they will continue to decline. A move to Facebook would show an immediately and significant boost to activity. There would be new life added to the already great group here. We could still control who joins. Additionally, there are tools on the site to moderate, just like there are here.

[Redfish12]

Choc, there is still a facebook group that we created for Chesapeake Bay Kayak Anglers that was intended to help boost interest and communication for the CBKA tournament. It wasn’t meant to replace this forum and now that the tournament is over the group has also gone fairly stagnant. We get a few requests for membership a day but a lot of the time it’s just bots. That being said, I think you and others have used that site to start conversations or post topics and it seems to me the facebook site is also going through similar challenges. Perhaps it is the rise of so many other groups / platforms that has dispersed interested kayak anglers. Perhaps it’s all the content out there that new anglers can find that keep them from wanting to wait for answers on a regional forum. I think I joined here in 2008 and there was not a lot of info out there about kayak fishing in MD, now there’s a TON. More brands, more accessories, more anglers, more video content, etc. I think it’s all great and I really enjoy all the newcomers to the sport but I also shake my head at some of the bad decisions I see out on the water.

Example, and maybe this person is on here, but I was out fishing around the bay bridge in November and out at the Eastern rock pile another kayak angler comes right into where I am casting, no big deal we don’t usually spook fish, and then starts trying to jig there I guess thinking I was on fish. No biggie, I wasn’t and I move on. But the part that got me was there was no interaction. We used to be more like the Jeep crowd, you either get it or you don’t (the wave). I assumed he was a new kayaker because he was wearing jeans and a cotton hoodie in November and the air temp was in the 50s. He wasn’t with a buddy and I doubt he had a radio. We’ve been lucky as a group not to have any major accidents or deaths but other groups have not been so lucky. I hope that this site can remain a welcoming place where new anglers can come in and ask the age old dry suit or waders winter question and get honest feedback that will help save their lives one day. I too miss the tournament and the gatherings I hope as COVID eases we’ll see those increase. I’ve met some great people on this site and made some great friends!

This year one of my goals was to introduce more new anglers to kayak fishing and I feel like I accomplished that as there are now 5 new hobie owners that caught snakeheads, largemouth, stripers, specs, perch and some catfish and got to enjoy our great outdoors. I hope to do more of that this year!

[DanMarino]

Hi guys! Everyone is making valid observations. I still like to post here when I have trip reports. I'm guessing most of my posts in 2020 were fly fishing related. I ended up not making as many kayak fishing trips as usual and instead did more wet wading trips on small flows to get away from people.

Yes, Daniels Dam has been ruined. Really amazing what has happened there over the last several years.

My 2021 fishing trips will focus on Tenkara fishing. We will see how that goes as I apply Tenkara fishing to Maryland and the OBX. I need to renew my fishing license, so once I get that done I'll start making some trip reports.

I would be open to hosting a meet and greet at some point in 2021 for a fishing trip if anyone wants to give that a try.
My suggested possible locations would be:
1. Triadelphia Reservoir
2. Rocky Gorge Reservoir
3. Upper Potomac River

[DanMarino]

I think YouTube is a lot of the issue too. In my down time I find myself looking at fishing content on YouTube, instead of visiting forums like Snaggedline. I value this site though and post most of my trips on here. I like to document my fishing year on this site. It helps me remember where I have fished, what time of year, and what methods worked or didn't work.