|
|
Post by getlinewet on Feb 20, 2013 10:49:20 GMT -5
Hi guys, I just moved to Union hall and I plan on fishing the Blackwater river area.
I'd like some input as to what you guys think about joining the Smith Mountaina Lake striper club. Looks like it has annual dues of around $30.00. That would seem to be well worth it if the club can provide some valuable fishing info.
The only reason I ask is that it appears to me that this forum seems to provide a wealth of information, perhaps even better than the "club". Hard to know since the club's info is firewalled for the most part.
Thanks for any info
|
|
BentRod
Global Moderator
Posts: 2,252
|
Post by BentRod on Feb 20, 2013 11:22:22 GMT -5
I'm sure the striper club can provide something of value to you. They hold monthly meetings, tournaments, and participate in various volunteer efforts in the community. I think they also offer members certain discounts, one of which is a substantial discount (you would get your $30 back!) at Fitec Cast nets I think. At the moment also, they pretty much have the voice and influence as to the future of the SML Striper fishery (Brookneal hatchery is still not up and running), which is a main reason that I decided to join up this year. There are some other overlapping members of the club and this site. My honest opinion of the club over the years is that it was full of "older" members who were set in their ways and philosophies, which I didn't always agree with. It also felt like more of a social club to me, which I didn't really have any interest in. There have been a few changes though in recent years.
As far as this site is concerned, it is relatively new but the information and content is excellent and growing monthly. We've had a lot of new members join in the past several months and get involved so that is very encouraging. There are a lot of skilled fishermen on here with years and years of knowledge. If you're relatively new to fishing SML, you can certainly learn a lot from this site and it's members.
|
|
|
|
Post by maintenanceman4lif on Feb 20, 2013 11:52:13 GMT -5
I can't speak about the striper club but these are a great bunch of guys with tons of information and BS but they are all real good to deal with on here.
|
|
|
|
Post by mytoyzfishing on Feb 20, 2013 13:13:04 GMT -5
Bent Rod makes some good observations on the Striper Club. I joined at the begning of this year. In the past it has been a mojority of older folks, but they are trying to get more younger folks involved. Like Bentrod said there is a monthly meeting which they normally have someone talk about a topic geared towards striper fishing each meeting. They do a fish fry a couple times a year. This coming meeting is the fishing swap meet/grage sale. They do things within the community such as help out at the 4-H, Lake clean up days, and in the past have hosted an event for Freedom Alliance and their Wounded Soilder program. This year we are starting a new Tournament style. We are going to try a Tournament Series overlayed ontop of the 6 Tournaments a year (5 this year). With the first one being Saturday March 23. And like Bentrod said right now the Striper Club is pretty much the sole organization helping push to keep the Striper fishery going on the lake. Is the $30 worth it? I think it is, just as well as the wealth of info on this site. Both places have great people and wealth of information.
|
|
|
|
Post by mwardncsu on Feb 20, 2013 19:02:00 GMT -5
I'll chime in with my two cents (OK, well three).... The Striper Club and this forum are different things and in many ways target different purposes / folks / etc. There are a number of folks on here, myself included, that are members here on the forum and also on the Club. There has been an active effort over the last year or two to engage new members (and re-engage old ones) in the Striper Club - of any age - that want to get involved in striper fishing and helping with the future direction of the striper fishery at SML, meet and get to know like-minded folks, etc. Speaking from a Club perspective, we'd love to have you come to a meeting and check it out if nothing else. I try not to "push" too much about the Club on this forum as it is its own thing with its own "purpose". As mentioned, there is a ton of valuable info on the forum (and it is unfortunately we lost the history we did last year), but there are a lot of good, knowledgeable folks here that continue to share and will be willing to "teach" on the SML Fishing Forums, just like there are similar folks in the Striper Club - find what is right for you - or both  The Web presence for the Striper Club is fairly new (site just relaunched mid-late last year) and the discussion forum side has not taken off much yet with most of the members - for a variety of reasons, but some of which may be the fact that we have such an excellent discussion forum resource here - and that is OK - no reason they cannot co-exist, complement each other, yet be distinct. I will reiterate, as I think it is important to do so - that one key role the Striper Club provides is an interface with DGIF in the management of our fishery. When the Brookneal Hatchery issue came up two Decembers ago, they came directly to a few of us in the Club, and then between the Club, and our voice here on this forum, we worked to get some attention raised through the right channels. The Club has been involved in the fishery management for a long time - that was the primary reason it was founded - it has perhaps drifted a bit from that core value and has realized it needs to take a more active role in the current political/economic climates. This takes effort and support from all of us - your support in the Club would help that - but even if you are not in the Club, expect to hear about issues in the coming months with need your support. Finally - Like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. With the Striper Club, if you come to the meeting and sit and don't get engaged and involved, then you won't likely get much out of it. If you come on the forum here and just read, but never post/contribute, then you are also missing out. As an example, MyToys recently joined as mentioned above, and within a month he is Tournament Co-Director - now that's how you jump in with both feet and get involved ;D Find the path(s) that works for you, that you are comfortable with and then get involved  |
|
|
|
Post by Shadslinger on Feb 20, 2013 21:01:35 GMT -5
I'll chime in with my two cents (OK, well three).... More like 30.... ;D |
|
|
|
Post by mwardncsu on Feb 20, 2013 22:41:13 GMT -5
You know - inflation..... |
|
|
|
Post by HokieChad on Feb 20, 2013 22:42:46 GMT -5
hey Shadslinger, have you ever known Mward to be brief in his comments? The man must've gotten an A in keyboarding.....  |
|
|
|
Post by mwardncsu on Feb 20, 2013 22:47:04 GMT -5
"I am sorry to have wearied you with so long a letter but I did not have time to write you a short one" - Blaise Pascal
;D
|
|
|
|
Post by Gotcha on Feb 22, 2013 4:41:45 GMT -5
30$ is nothing for what you can get in return for the year out of the club! Went to my first meeting in February, had a demo on the lowrance elite 7, few details of the tournament series, and a few door prizes(cold weather gloves, few fishing lures, bait tank net)!!! That's not counting what these guys do as far as preserving the fishery!! |
|
|
|
Post by k5 on Mar 3, 2013 8:46:28 GMT -5
Thanks guys that good information.K5
|
|
|
|
Post by striperseeker on Mar 3, 2013 10:22:38 GMT -5
|
|
The Web presence for the Striper Club is fairly new (site just relaunched mid-late last year) and the discussion forum side has not taken off much yet with most of the members - for a variety of reasons, but some of which may be the fact that we have such an excellent discussion forum resource here - and that is OK - no reason they cannot co-exist, complement each other, yet be distinct.
