The Ice Fishing MA is board

Author Topic: This used to be my favorite website. Things really Died down. What happened?  (Read 14724 times)

Offline xklipze

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So sad to see this website fizzle away like MySpace and Kmart

What the heck is going on?

Where did everyone go?

Offline stripernut

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Out looking for ice?

Offline Ryan51993

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I haven't been here that long maybe 3 years so I probably missed this sites heyday but it seems fairly active considering there's been no ice this year. All the folks that just like to blow up spots and beg for ice reports have moved on to Facebook because its unfortunately more tolerated there.

Offline river_scum

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Yup spot burners and freedom of speech issues is what I hear from friends/members.  Facebook shouldn't even be used by Americans. Its slightly worse than here. This site is slowly being left with only Karen's andlwingers

I agree with you up its sad
real fishermen don't ask "where you catch those"

OANN the real story

- member here since -2003- IN.

Offline teamtip-up

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The site has been hemorrhaging active users for over A decade.   Obviously climate change has been a factor but the biggest contributor to the downfall is the  fact that the message board format is untenable.  There is no spot burning on a quilting message board and those type of boards failed as well

Im amazed this place held on as long as it did.  Its a testament to the greatness of ice fiahing

Offline jrjach75

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Never thought climate change could be part of it, in my area ice fishing is growing, so you’d think activity would pick up.
Social media and especially Facebook groups are where people are posting now. If you ask my kids what a message board is, I don’t think they would know what I was talking about. Most people I’m seeing post on FB don’t want reviews or tips, they want to know exactly where to go what bait, etc.
it will be interesting to see what happens in the next few years, of all the younger people I know, say ages 15-24, they don’t use Facebook and have no interest. Maybe people will migrate back to message boards(?)

Offline DR.SPECKLER

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I dont really post anywhere but here and catfish1.and its never lake names or spots.i will give tips and techniques here and more if i see a guy struggle at a lake.thats the first step in fishing.get in yer ride,get to the lake and try fishing.i have zero tolerance for a couch hot spot lurker that wants to put in no effort and waits for someone to drop a hot bite and name the lake.i think thats why new members dont like it here,most of us are seasoned and know better to post all that on the web.and most have been here so long that we are internet buds and just shoot the sh$t about anything.i just joined fb again, but just for airbrush and lure making.few other groups.im not into drama or i will delete fb again.

Offline SalmonAndStriper Stalker

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I mean it is an ice fishing forum and there is no ice

Offline Rebelss

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I mean it is an ice fishing forum and there is no ice

I guess if yer looking for lotsa silly social psychobabble, go to buttbook or any of the other silly social sites. 
Lack of ice everywhere = no fishing, no fish, no fish pics, and fewer questions being posted.
“The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation”  Thoreau

Offline rmoody79

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my ice fishing season is either non existent or a period of 7 days in February in southeast MA if I am lucky, the rest of the winter I just come on here to bust balls so I dont go crazy.  The reality is this MA page should be changed to Berkshire County because the 4 guys from there are the only ones doing any real ice fishing consistently

Offline Rangerboats391

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been here for 5 years and enjoy the banter, i like the story's the questions and learning and sharing, but most of all like seeing whats going on in our little world of ice fishing. thanks to all that post here ;D

Offline mattthehairy

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I've always considered it a mostly seasonal message board. I'm not sure about the broader site losing users but once the ice sets up there's enough activity to keep my interest up for the season.
"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." - Calvin Coolidge

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                   ><:>      '     <:::><
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                   ><:::>   *

Offline Doeslayer

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I dont really post anywhere but here and catfish1.and its never lake names or spots.i will give tips and techniques here and more if i see a guy struggle at a lake.thats the first step in fishing.get in yer ride,get to the lake and try fishing.i have zero tolerance for a couch hot spot lurker that wants to put in no effort and waits for someone to drop a hot bite and name the lake.i think thats why new members dont like it here,most of us are seasoned and know better to post all that on the web.and most have been here so long that we are internet buds and just shoot the sh$t about anything.i just joined fb again, but just for airbrush and lure making.few other groups.im not into drama or i will delete fb again.
Ohh cmon doc gimme your spots.... Im in a chair not on the couch its safe lol....
Catch and release, into the grease!
"gotta be somebody needs some killin" ~ Major Payne

Offline DR.SPECKLER

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Ohh cmon doc gimme your spots.... Im in a chair not on the couch its safe lol....
lol with a name like doeslayer...nope jk

Offline Yachtzy

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Facebook hurt it for sure, pre FB this site, and a few others were very active. At one point it was way easier on FB to post pics and videos, you can post an item for sale without getting your thread deleted, and the arguments/drama are a lot more funnier imo. Both sites have their pros and cons.

Offline V Menzone

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Been a member since 08 prob the peak of the great posts and was lurking before. I have to say alot of spots were burned and the og posters still watch but won't post pics anymore I don't blame them

Offline xklipze

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Yup spot burners and freedom of speech issues is what I hear from friends/members.  Facebook shouldn't even be used by Americans. Its slightly worse than here. This site is slowly being left with only Karen's andlwingers

I agree with you up its sad

Hello friend...  it's funny. I just tried to give you a Like 👍  and there was no Like button.    I read all the comments....

It appears the owner of ice shanty made it hard to be a member with a difficult to use platform.   

The possibilities are endless... but it appears this website has turned into Blockbuster video.     

The old days on this site were truly amazing...   I'm chasing that feeling and it's never gonna happen... 

As soon as Smart Phones & social media  became popular this website nose dived...   this site took off with the camera phones and died with the smart phone era....

There isn't even a Like button !!!!    lol.

Northeast Shooters has a Like button!

Offline ICEHOLE

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Hello friend...  it's funny. I just tried to give you a Like 👍  and there was no Like button.    I read all the comments....

It appears the owner of ice shanty made it hard to be a member with a difficult to use platform.   

The possibilities are endless... but it appears this website has turned into Blockbuster video.     

The old days on this site were truly amazing...   I'm chasing that feeling and it's never gonna happen... 

As soon as Smart Phones & social media  became popular this website nose dived...   this site took off with the camera phones and died with the smart phone era....

There isn't even a Like button !!!!    lol.

Northeast Shooters has a Like button!
The like button here says "REPLY " if we like a post we comment, if we don't MOST of us move on.
Reading all of these comments, some of the people responding are why I don't share as much info on open forum.
When I was newer to the site I was asked to take some kids fishing cuz dad has some important stuff to do. Strangers kids from this site. SURE. I'd love to teach them. Show up to the pond and theres the two kids and Dad fishing away. Dad was juat using his kids as a pawn to trick me into giving up my spot. So no more meet me at this pond, at this time unless I know you
I still love ICESHANTY, 2 years in a row I asked for a IS Hoodie and Santa  forgot

Offline lenz

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first i would say no ice..no posts.  i bet within 10 years, Mass will not have winter ice except for a few spots.
site has become more of a chat room with fewer fishing pics.
too many people looking for spots that do not want to put in the effort. took the 'older' crew years of driving around to find good ponds...newbies nope.  did you know you phone pics provide GPS location in the embedded code?
i have been on the ice for 50+ years as have the other G.O.D.S.  old school rules do not apply anymore, spot burning especially. we shared our spots amongst ourselves, we would never bring anyone else there. we still go fishing after all these years..some of the best group of guys i know.
my fav bass pond was ruined decades ago meeting up with a newbie on this site. next weekend he was there with friends, posting pictures and pond name.  next week there were 10 guys out there.
caught  few big fish last year..did not post here..not worth it anymore. >:(

burp


Member of G.O.D.S

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all

Offline lowaccord66

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my ice fishing season is either non existent or a period of 7 days in February in southeast MA if I am lucky, the rest of the winter I just come on here to bust balls so I dont go crazy.  The reality is this MA page should be changed to Berkshire County because the 4 guys from there are the only ones doing any real ice fishing consistently
X2

Offline pmaloney86

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The site has changed over the years but I still enjoy it.  I've met a lot of great people through this forum and have learned more than I could imagine.  TBH I think with social media people expect to see 100s of active posts with people posting pictures every few minutes but that's not reality, its Instagram or Facebook.
westernmas on the finder

Offline Roccus

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it aint like old times.. lots of factors, lack of ice bring one of them.. myself, I've just migrated north to New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. Instead of the old days when i went north to extend the season.. i just go north early.
"A mans got to know his limitations"

Offline lowaccord66

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Agree Pat I have made some solid connections here.  People ill fush with till the end of time.  I also agree that some folks with short attention spans and desire for instant gratification may not find the amount of spot burning they are looking for here. 

Offline fishingeek

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Made a lot of connections on here when I first joined. It was a very active forum then despite all of the drama I think it was one of the major reason that drove the OGs away from site. I still keep in touch with them til this day. Most of the conversations are now through text messages and phone calls. 

Offline taxi1

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Yup spot burners and freedom of speech issues is what I hear from friends/members.  Facebook shouldn't even be used by Americans. Its slightly worse than here. This site is slowly being left with only Karen's andlwingers

I agree with you up its sad

But at least they don't have the bearded people in Mass!  :roflmao:
I live in the midwest now but have fond memories of fishing in New England as a kid.

Offline mikez

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I'm sure there are many seasonal participants like myself that only check in once I start getting on the ice and disappear with the ice at the end of the season.
Without ice there's just less interest.
I wasn't gonna post until I got on the ice myself but started lurking a week or two ago to start getting in the groove.

I definitely agree that compared to modern forms of social media, the old forum format is cumbersome. I'm not a youngster but I do prefer the faster, shorter, more streamlined mode of communication. I'd much rather see a bunch of "likes" for a post than have to scroll through 5 pages of "nice fish" posts.

One last thing I will say, and I'll probably get my balls busted, but IS in general is not a very friendly place anymore. The ball busting and hazing of newer members can be pretty off putting. Sometimes it kinda seems like it's more of a private club where new members are not desired and the same few guys try to out do each other in driving people away.
Not all the regional forums are like that but enough do seem that way.

Offline Brendog9

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I use the site from November to about March then hang it up. Unless we get lucky this year and have ice longer than that, then I'll hang around a touch longer.
Marking anything?

Offline Icer for life

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For me (I am now the old get off my lawn guy) it is climate change.  Here in the lower half of Michigan I used to ice fish from early/mid December through mid March.  The new normal is mid January if lucky and we do not get any rain, and then done before March even gets here.  Just not right getting rain in January.

On a positive note, this years ice (started last Saturday) is perfect hard ice.  Perfect for fishing (with creepers) and teaching the grand kids how to lace up and hit the lake for some pond hockey....gonna be Joe Louis Arena quality ice.

Plan to spud my way to some fish this weekend.

Peace to all.

Offline rdhammah

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Lack of ice is a big factor. As Mikez said, the ball busting (aside from the kidding) makes this site unfriendly. Lack of respect. if a newbie asks what you consider an obvious question, they are oftentimes answered with mean spirited comments and the admins/moderators let it happen. The Facebook pages have rules and admins that watch comments. Many of them have rules such as "...be kind, show respect, no abusive comments, ...."

Offline rmoody79

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Let’s also mention the majority of new members are millennials that want an experience and instant gratification when they go on the ice, they don’t want to just sit there all day and put the time in, it needs to be instant success

 



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