Thread: What are we doing wrong ?

Florida is probably has highest number of
Freshwater licensed / retired fisherman
in the continental USA - number one reason, we can fish year round - no ice- snow-
consistent cold weather, yet on this
Crappie.Com forum we can't come close
to the number postings of other states regarding pros & cons of how to fish and whats happening in our state & local area.
We rank (11th) 53,765 - Mississippi(1st),
436,963, (2nd) Missouri 250,108, (3rd)
Arkansas 153,308, (4th) South Carolina
141,328 -Note just read post on SC,
about long-lining that took up 23 pages,
about 1 1/2 hrs to read - at no time was
there a negative remark - 125% all positive and helpful reading.(5th)
Louisana 139,530, (6th)Virginia 123,372
(7th) N.Carolina 115,806, (8th) Georgia
93,511, (9th) Tennessee 69,355. (10th)
Illinois, 64,885.
Slabfest meets have dropped off -
Tournament fishing is a 150% struggle
to get interest - We have some of the
best Crappie Fishermen living in our state
and are willing to work with and assist
new commers and old timers on how
what & where to find fish. Participation
is the key to anyting - get involved -
bemore than a "lurker" Work, Work is not
the only means of survival - get out and
enjoy your state and what it has to offer.
Fishing is or should be number one fun
think. WE are the one of largest states
in Union. 159 mi wide and over 475 miles
long.

I think the reason no one talks because people will cover you up and most of them should not have a boat and have no respect for others prime example the shrimp forum's oak hill is so screwed up you have to take a gun to go shrimping all because one person is trying to make money and be important just my thoughts

Multiple issues,
Demographics, the older retired folks you speak of do not want anything to do with the internet. Its the devil, steals your identity and soul. South Florida has a huge population that could not read this site if they wanted to and that also mixes in the rest of the state as well to a lesser degree. Most people here fish for Specks for food, not as a sport fishery or glamour. Most could not give 2 cents for tournaments or organized fishing of any sort. Dont believe that, go to Lake Monroe ramps in Sanford and ask the locals to fish a tournament or any organized event.
Favoritism, most everyone has a certain area they fish and are comfortable, I fish Monroe and even when other areas are on fire I know I can go to Monroe or the river 10 minutes from home and be entertained. Why travel an hour. In Baton Rouge, everywhere I fished was a minimum of an hour away, so traveling was the norm.
Diversity, Start traveling to fish in Florida and a whole other world opens. An hour from home puts me at Port Canaveral. Cobia at the channel bouys and following rays along the beach, redfish and trout inshore, Tripletail on the markers and crab pots. Mosquito Lagoon, know the area and redfish and trout abound. Same money for a fully rigged new tournament bass boat can put you in a mid tier Center Console boat that will get you to the stream, dolphin, Sailfish, Wahoo, Grouper, Amberjack, Red Snapper the list goes on and we still have not trailered more than an hour from home.
Now on to the great Tourney guys here. How often do you see them post on here? Don and Terri Collins? Darrel Cole? George Parker? Tim Eberly? and many many more. Where is all the FCC guys? Sam Adams? John Peyton? Wendell Connor? Larry Witt? When you read other states there are some pretty stout competitors posting. I Know many do not care for all the BS that gets posted, and all the hijacking. But if only 3-5 people post all the time it goes stale as seems to be the case here. I can not post much lately as I believe I have only fished 3 times since Thanksgiving maybe a total of 4 hours. Have nothing to add, but do post and help when I can. I read daily and get and answer a slew of pm's.

There's an awful lot of things to keep you busy here. How many real hobbies-- orchids, garden, grandkids,cycling, salt and freshwater fishing, birds native orchids and all that other stuff, kinda keeps one occupied, and yes some are not in the least interested in tournaments and it's easy to change directions not limited to seasonal fare, BUT speck fishing and Crappie.com i'm hooked.--shu

As for myself, I do love fishing with the Orlando based guys, and the Slabfest, and Slabtogether Tournaments, and get togethers.. Though it's a haul for me as most of the get togethers are 75 - 125 miles plus for me...

Best of it are they are free, or low cost...

I would fish more of the West Central Tournaments with you guys Harold.. But the $50 per boat for me, tends to be a factor most of the time.. Not saying there's anything wrong with it..

I just don't fish Crappie consistently enough, or can commit to fishing enough with a partner to spend the money on top of other expenses involved.

That's one thing that I do like about the Slab Tournaments, it's more of a good time, get together with a good group of guys, teasing and joking with each other.

Anyways, I do plan on fishing in a few of your get togethers, it just hasn't worked out for me as of yet..

And I definitely want to get together again with the Slab guys, but it looks as though those events are declining somewhat at the moment..

Gentlemen: please don't get me wrong - i am not promoting tournament fishing,
my main concern is get and build interest in our Florida CdC forum. Tournament fishing
will only interest a certain competitiive group. I am wanting Florida forum to comparable
to other states on CdC, if not better. We have all the good things in our favor.weather,
Freshwater - Saltwater - year round fishing from Keys to Talguin..........We have the
largest boating registrations on file in the continental US, Yet we cannot hold a candle
to some of our Brothern States regarding fishing. We must be doing something a miss.
Everyone should be looking to us as to whats happening in the fishing world. Granted
a lot of the big national groups, also film crews involving Crappie Fishing do not - make
films in our state - main reason, fishing is different in this state than say Indiana-OHio
etc. We do not have the structure, the water clarity nor the depth to promote the
sale of fishing equipment compared to other states. Things that most of us learned
growing up - up North are totally different in Florida waters.
I personally have never attended a Florida Slabfest, not that i didn't want to, just always had a conflict of interest vs Tournament schedule. Have tried over past 5 yrs
or so to promote CdC whenever, possible - this is a very good source of information
and products advertised.

Originally Posted by fishin813

Everyone should be looking to us as to whats happening in the fishing world.

Everyone does look to you as to whats happening in the fishing world, but crappie is a tiny niche in the fishing world. Years ago, I was in Hungary talking to an Englishman. (It's a long story.) Anyway, he said to me, "You know what I like to catch? Bonefish!" And he caught 'em when he visited ... Florida. For all the fishing they have, they all dream about fishing in Florida. (The trout guys dream about Montana and Colorado.)

As huntinslabs noted above, y'all are sitting on a fishing gold mine. I'm going to Florida in a few weeks, but I'm not fishing for crappie. (I wouldn't even consider it.) I'm fishing for snook and tarpon and redfish and whatever else I can catch.

Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Everyone does look to you as to whats happening in the fishing world, but crappie is a tiny niche in the fishing world. Years ago, I was in Hungary talking to an Englishman. (It's a long story.) Anyway, he said to me, "You know what I like to catch? Bonefish!" And he caught 'em when he visited ... Florida. For all the fishing they have, they all dream about fishing in Florida. (The trout guys dream about Montana and Colorado.)

As huntinslabs noted above, y'all are sitting on a fishing gold mine. I'm going to Florida in a few weeks, but I'm not fishing for crappie. (I wouldn't even consider it.) I'm fishing for snook and tarpon and redfish and whatever else I can catch.

Where ya going to DBD? If anywhere close I would love to buy you a beer. I have read numerous posts of yours and have gained a lot from many.

Originally Posted by huntinslabs

Where ya going to DBD? If anywhere close I would love to buy you a beer. I have read numerous posts of yours and have gained a lot from many.

Thanks!

I'll be in Naples (not sure if that's anywhere close to you.) It's my annual mangrove swamp fly fishing trip. I love it!

The differences between Florida and other states waters is my thoughts on why the top tourney guys dont post. The miniscule changes or adaptations they make is the difference between a check and no check. Easy to slip and let the cat out the bag.