Fishing reports ?

[ERABBIT]

Is it time for the site to go to a closed system for fishing reports so the WHOLE internet can’t see these reports?

I would like having them only being viewed by logged on members or taking it one step farther to joining *** LOU Professional - Members Only *** .

It's would help this great site out and be an incentive for folks to take the next step !!!!

I know a lot will not LIKE this idea but I've been thinking about it for some time and just wondering how many more are also........

[traveling man]

i think they should be members. its not hard to become a member.

[mrclean]

I think one of the biggest draws of this site is the fact you can see them. And what is the point to closing it off?? its nothing more than a report on how your fishing day or trip went... The membership will grow based on the exposure currently here.

The lou professionals already have their private forum.

I recently joined because I read the trip reports section.

lol...thats like closing all the lights and signs in the bar and just having a few people in a closed room way in the back lol....

[ray koziatek]

Well now ant you sumpting,,,,,,so the way i read it is you prefer "private viewing" sounds like the red light distrect.

hey ant nuttin saying anyone has to report every trip ,holy crap 10,000 guys postin reports could fill a page or two....if ya wanna pm a friend with a "hot spot" ya can do that now,,,,if ya dont want 3000 strangers showing up to yer favorite spot dont be so exact or yer reports..or put down a different lake..

[tcon]

i think they should be members. its not hard to become a member.

I agree with Traveling man. To be honest with you the only reason I went pro is I thought the site was awesome and didn't mind one bit supporting it. I'm getting to the point now that I would like to give when I can... info that is, cause so many have given to me. I think becoming a member shows atleast a little commitment...maybe i'm off just my $.02.

Tom

[LongLine]

If the intention is to get more report posters and fewer lurkers then how about this: Can only be viewed by logged on members and at the bottom of each thread is a list of those that have viewed it.

I'd love to see 3,000 boats at a port, like the old days.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Captain Carl Bish]

If I am wrong, please correct me, but I believe you have to be logged in as a member to see the reports.

Secondly, this is a privately owned site and the fishing report do have some value, I would not hold it against LOU to make the reports pay to view. I think the $20 to be a professional is very inexpensive given what we pay for less valuable fishing tools (Look in your tackle box)!!!

For the record, I voted for the way it is, but at $0 it is grossly under-valued!!!

One more comment, I recently traveled to another state/fishery and would have gladly paid $20 to get fishing reports with the same diverse, quality and quanitiy of information found here for LO!

[ray koziatek]

hey i told ya to come down tothe camp and id take you out for some good fishing for free.....maybe next year I know vac time is valuable with family...

(Capt. Bish was in the Fla. Keys this winter and it didnt work out for us to get out on my little boat..)

[LongLine]

Carl - yes you're correct. One does have to be logged on to view the open lake reports.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[skipper19]

Yup, you need to be a member to see the reports, and it still costs way more than 20 bucks to put together a fishing trip, so it's not like it's going to attract a whole lot of long distance fishermen, except for the occasional weekend derby/tourney guys. Besides it helps the guys who travel to the lake once or twice a year to plan for their vacation, and that never guarantees the weather and waves to even be tolerable. I see no extra pressure on the lake more than usual. Heck the entertainment level is just as important to me, ....I can't even fish for the next three weeks due to my job, and I live 13 miles from THE OAK! leave it the same.

Mark

[ERABBIT]

Well now ant you sumpting,,,,,,so the way i read it is you prefer "private viewing" sounds like the red light distrect.

hey ant nuttin saying anyone has to report every trip ,holy crap 10,000 guys postin reports could fill a page or two....if ya wanna pm a friend with a "hot spot" ya can do that now,,,,if ya dont want 3000 strangers showing up to yer favorite spot dont be so exact or yer reports..or put down a different lake..

I've always been sumpting ,don't you remember your wawawa deleting spree a few years ago .......anyway thanks for taking the time for the replies. I didn't know you had to be logged in to veiw them.....we need the same deal in the finger lakes and trib sections........ I was (and still am ) for anything that will help support this site......NO SITE ..... and you got a extra $20.00 in your pocket to try and find a site as good as this one............

Thanks again everyone no matter which way you voted

[shorething]

Good poll , see what the moderators think of this idea , 20 bucks a year is virtually free for a ton of great info . I check here often , and am a land based fisherman . Really enjoy the reports from all you boating fisherman . keep up the outstanding work !

[ray koziatek]

aww just get yer starter fixed and give us some reports..sometimes its the unwriten reports we all could learn from ,,,,,like how to run 3 big paddles off a 6ft beam and tangle em so bad ya couldnt save em with a sharp knife ,not that I ever had a tangle like that ,,,,,,,,ant know better place to reflect on loved ones lost than floatin on the water doing the things you love.We never know when our number is up so post away,share some of those goof ups ,and ya better get yer butt to the hudson one of these years soon,It was tuff but i think i learnt Buckboard how to hook them big tasty bass...you wont be dissapointed...Im gonna tryfor 1 more trip after our short blowoff day monday..we had 6 good hours did 25ish stripers most were keepers but only a few over 10lbs ..cold water in the creeks flushed the shad outa the small tribs and the bass had all they wanted for food ...need about 3 good sunny days in a row to get the big boys hungry and spawning..then it will be over soon..

[Waltzin Sue]

You can see some reports on Facebook without being logged onto LOU.

I am only an occaisional Lake O fisherman. I do read and enjoy reading these reports when spring is arriving. It gets me pumped up for my future trips. If I had to pay $20 to read them, I'd do without. I'd miss it, but I'd get by. I'm sure there are many other members in the same category as me. That's my 2 cents worth.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[traveling man]

i did not know that you had to be logged on as a member to view the reports so i would change my vote to leave it the way it is.

[ERABBIT]

Ok I changed the 1. choice to what we (some of us ) thought it was when we voted.

[Captain Carl Bish]

Ok I changed the 1. choice to what we (some of us ) thought it was when we voted.

Ed,

Are you a politician?? Changing the poll mid stream -- I bet the next thing you will want is for us to show ID before we vote!!

[carpedium]

i think they should be members. its not hard to become a member.

I agree with Traveling man. To be honest with you the only reason I went pro is I thought the site was awesome and didn't mind one bit supporting it. I'm getting to the point now that I would like to give when I can... info that is, cause so many have given to me. I think becoming a member shows atleast a little commitment...maybe i'm off just my $.02.

Tom

Same reason I went pro 3 years ago.

Besides, keeping some info open to lurkers does drive page views, and probably ad clicks. I'd be willing to bet this advertising revenue far exceeds pro member dues revenue on an annual basis.

Next time the site needs an expensive upgrade a promo like " renew/add your pro membership now, and get a free set of LOU decals for your boat" would be awesome.

Increase exposure as well as new memberships. Plus keep the existing members happy.

[ERABBIT]

Ok I changed the 1. choice to what we (some of us ) thought it was when we voted.

Ed,

Are you a politician?? Changing the poll mid stream -- I bet the next thing you will want is for us to show ID before we vote!!

No I made a mistake and some posted that they would have voted leave as is if they knew you could not see it without being logged on................. so realy this whole poll is way off as far as the #1. part goes the only real #'s are #3. the rest are a mix of what they thought at the time they voted............... to my pi$$ poor mixed up poll.....

[jonboat]

I think leaving it like it is (registered members) is the way to go... I think if it was pay-to view, we'd lose members, and more importantly, we'd lose the reports from those members. a lot of the guys who read the report, also post reports (even though they aren't pro members).

I also think that in NO WAY should the reports be opened up to non members. If you want to read the reports, then you should participate in the LOU community. NO LURKERS ALLOWED.

[Chas0218]

Right now it isn't like your saying more than a depth and what port your leaving. I mean if you started giving GPS coordinates it would be something different. But for some useful knowledge like colors of baits and what port isn't worth paying for in my eyes. I have no problem offering up some good advice as long as the favor is returned.