3 minute read
DOCK BUZZ
BY NICK HONACHEFSKY
BEING SOCIAL
Some anglers love to troll—just don’t be one on social media.
It’s an ever-shrinking world, and maybe too close for comfort. Facebook, why they are implementing a certain method. I’m not oblivious to the positive Twitter, Instagram—they are all great outlets to showcase your fishing side of social media; it is a powerful tool for getting out information. But too adventures, but I wonder if social media has made anglers lazy, unwilling to many people just chase fishing reports. Fishing is not just about chasing the learn and downright mean in our community. bite, it’s also about learning a process. When it comes to learning something
I say this because 10 years ago, if I saw an angler on the beach, there was new, try taking the long way around every once in a while: the bayou less always a sense of camaraderie. “Catching anything? How are you making traveled, if you will. It could be good for your soul. You may not catch fish as out?” Now when I see people walking fast, but you will be wiser when you do. by on the sand, it’s usually a quick stare The second factor I want to address is and a snub, because I may be fishing bait the tone of social media commentary, which, instead of plugs. We’ve begun to build more often than not, is about bullying and walls. And I believe this can be directly promotes a separatist mentality. attributed to the influence of social media Case in point: the other day, I posted platforms that foster an extremely warped on Facebook about a 30-lb. striper I caught sense of celebrity and egoism. on a fresh clam in New Jersey during
Let me first address the gap in the learning process created by social media. September—a perfect time to dial in clamming, if you know your waters. A guy At one time, anglers might meet local fishing legends at the tackle shop or on remarked, “Who uses clams to fish in the fall? There’s so much bait around. Dumb.” the beach or boat. They might talk over a cup of coffee and ask about the moon Even though the guy’s comment was totally inane, it still riled me up. How could phases, the tide or baitfish. It was a personal experience and it fostered respect. an angler be so stupid? And what about others that may read his comment and be put
On the other hand, social media drives instant gratification and an impersonal off? Why couldn’t he have opened up a discussion and perhaps learned something? experience. Anglers hear about the latest hot spot or lure but may never learn “Wow, I didn’t realize clams would catch fish in the fall,” would have done the trick.
Sadly, the “internet hero” mentality prevailed—the idea that you always have to come off with a win or look like the expert. The result is social media bullying and it’s changing the way people interact. When I see posts of a kid catching his first-ever striper there are a lot of positive remarks, but you always get a handful of people saying, “Why is that kid holding the fish vertically?” A simple negative comment can turn away those who are new to the sport, young or old. It’s wrong.
Maybe all I’m asking is that we be a little more civil on social media. Traditionally, fishing is about relationships, about honor, respect and knowledge. We can’t lose that soul. We need to be a community that stays united and helps one another out. Maybe it’s time for the industry as a whole to restart the social media revolution and set an example for the rest of the world. Leave the vitriol for politics and Hollywood tabloid garbage, and let’s create a culture of respect within the sport of fishing.
We are all anglers. We are one family. We should treat each other that way.
The RipCharts mobile app allows you to download satellite imagery to your device and navigate offshore.
