Today's anglers have a wealth of information and resources literally at their fingertips. Simply fire up the computer, known to some as the "confuser", and you have instant access to articles, product reviews, stories, tips, links, photos, fishing reports, maps, message boards, and chat rooms, as well as the ability to purchase everything from plastic worms to high dollar rods and reels. This is in addition to the magazines, books, and television shows that have been around for many years. The amount of information available on the internet is mind boggling. There's no doubt the world wide web is the next great frontier waiting to be explored.....

.....or exploited. Unfortunately, the abundance of great websites is a feeding ground for unsavory, dishonest individuals who seek to take the easy path on the coat tails of those who have worked hard. Recently I have had separate discussions with a couple of gentlemen who mentioned that they were having problems with people stealing their material and using it elsewhere. Due to the very nature of the web it is not difficult to take articles, graphics, or photos from a website. Anyone with basic computer knowledge can do it in a matter of seconds. There is nothing more aggravating than to stumble across a website and find that someone has taken your material and is now claiming it as their own. Saving something for personal use is one thing, but to re-publish it somewhere else without permission is an entirely different matter. The "electronic age" makes it so easy to steal and manipulate while remaining anonymous. Then you have the folks who blatantly steal material and get nasty when you call them on the carpet. It is indeed sad that it takes the threat of a lawsuit to get people to remove stolen material from a website. The fact that there is no personal eye-to-eye contact and you can be anyone you wish makes the internet a coward's paradise. The up side is that just as there are many dishonest people lurking about, there are also many more fine folks who make visiting the web worthwhile.

The past two years have afforded me the pleasure of coming in contact with some of the nicest people I have ever met. Just within the realm of River Smallies.com you will find a bunch of great folks. The information and experiences that are shared is amazing. The same can be said for Bronzeback.com which has an outstanding forum possessing a wealth of information. It doesn't matter if you are a novice smallie angler or a savvy veteran, you can find the help you need. Unlike some sites that have message forums, you will not be chastised or belittled for asking questions here. Even when disagreements occur they are civil and a resolution is eventually reached. It was not too long ago that most anglers would not dream of sharing the information that is exchanged today on a regular basis. RS.com and Bronzeback.com are certainly not the only good sites out there, I simply used them as examples.

Many times these helpful contacts turn into good friendships. Right now plans are being discussed for a regional fishing rodeo by the folks who frequent RS. Some of them have met in the past and many have not, but what a great way to solidify the online friendships! I encourage our many silent visitors to participate. You would enjoy the interaction and might make a lasting friendship. Statistics show the majority of folks who regularly visit a given website do not post on the message board or otherwise get directly involved. Everyone has something to contribute regardless of experience level and we hope to see more new faces around here!

This medium we call the web has also allowed us to provide news and updates on issues that affect us as anglers. The White River tragedy is a good example of how information was spread quickly and we were aware of the problem before anything was even done to remedy it. There is an upcoming proposal to make a certain section of the New River in WV a "catch and release only" area. We hope to be involved in this as the proposal makes its way through the various stages. It is not enough just to talk fishing when there are issues we should be concerned about. Our staff is dedicated to not only providing good smallmouth information, but to keeping you up to date on conservation, regulation, and environmental issues that directly or indirectly impact our rivers, streams, and the fish that inhabit them. The good news for you folks is that this information is only a mouse click away, not just here, but all over the web.

Currently, the majority of homes in the U.S. do not have internet access. Those of us who surf the net are in the minority for now, but that is changing. The number of people involved in fishing seems to be on the rise and what better way to provide them the proper information they need than on the net? The increase in fishing pressure means we will need to be more conscience of proper resource management and make sure new anglers are aware of it as well. We cannot afford to trash our waterways and deplete fish populations if we expect to have these resources available for our grandchildren. The web is a great medium for increasing awareness in these areas.

As you can see, the internet is comprised of the good, the bad, and the ugly. We'll do our best to deal with the bad and ugly and provide you with good information and assistance. We don't know it all and we don't have the answer to every question, but we have come together at RS to do what we can to get you those answers. Use the web to your advantage, there is a wealth of knowledge out there that can make you a better angler. By all means we hope you will be on the water whenever possible, but when you can't, have fun fishing the net!

Good Fishing!
Brian