Reel Social

Try as we might, we just can’t fish and boat all the time. However if you are reading this blog, you may already be utilizing a helpful tool for making the most of your downtime: social media.

There is a theory known as “6 Degrees of Separation” where everyone on the planet is connected to everyone else by a maximum of six people. Thanks to the likes of Facebook and Twitter, any degree of separation is rapidly disappearing. We can send messages directly to actors, sports figures, even the next President. We also can use this resource to pick up the latest fishing reports, tips, and aquatic news.

I’m still trying to figure out this whole social media thing. (Not even sure that these social media platforms know what they are sometimes.) It is odd to be followed or befriended by a complete stranger. However, if I get a friend request on Facebook and you are holding a fish, you are guaranteed success.

But how long to wait? What is the social media equivalent of the second ring? The next day? 30 seconds?

What posts achieve “legs” or “traction” also constantly surprises me. Sometimes I’ll try to post something relevant, funny, or provocative about fishing and not get a single comment or retweet. (“Tap-tap-tap… is this thing on?”) Meanwhile, a friend will post something about the quandary of asking a neighbor for her brownie pan back, and she will get 347 comments.

Although they often share the same information, Facebook seems a little more intimate. It might be used to reconnect with old fishing buddies. Twitter is more like grabbing the loudspeaker at a Bass Pro Shop and making an unscheduled announcement.

If my math is correct, in the last 9 months the number of “likes” for TakeMeFishing.org has increased 1300%. That means there are a lot of anglers and boaters who are using this resource to share fish stories, photos, and information. Connecting with people who share in the common love of fishing and boating activities, not only helps with “cabin fever” but also can help make your next outing more successful.

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Andy Whitcomb

Andy is an outdoor writer (http://www.justkeepreeling.com/) and stressed-out Dad has contributed over 380 blogs to takemefishing.org since 2011. Born in Florida, but raised on banks of Oklahoma farm ponds, he now chases pike, smallmouth bass, and steelhead in Pennsylvania. After earning a B.S. in Zoology from OSU, he worked in fish hatcheries and as a fisheries research technician at OSU, Iowa State, and Michigan State.