Since I have only been here for a short time I can say that there are some very knowledgeable folks here with a lot of good information. Saying that I can say that there are some very good sites out there with the same depth of knowledge and civility. To name a few,
Flymphforum for wingless wets
sparsegraymatter for Catskill style tying
clarksclassicflyrodforum for rods, tying and generally good information
fiberglassflyrodforum for glass rods and classic reels.
there are other regional sites that are very good. IMO if you just limit yourself to one site you are cheating yourself and others that might be looking for the information and knowledge you have.
Because of the troll, I visited the “Drake” site just now. Wow–talk about being underwhelmed. Makes me appreciate FAOL so much more.
I visit more sites than this one…never heard of the Drake. Probably not where I would end up, but to each his own. That is probably one end of the spectrum overall. I’m somewhere in the middle. That place looks like a younger crowd than I am aiming for. But I remember my youth and it didn’t all suck. LOL! I’m not a per’fessor in life…so I don’t intend to be one on a flyfishing forum. Nor do I fish in tweed and debate the merits of $50 seegars.
I flyfish. I love spending time at my bench. But I’m also a lifelong hunter, a conservative & a disabled vet…so as you would imagine I am opinionated also:D
YEA !!! FAOL… The best site on flyfishin around… YEA !!!
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a moderator at the drake and have been posting here way longer than that site has been around (though less in recent months). For me the drake and FAOL are two very good sites for different reasons. Neither one should (or could) replace the other.
What makes a site good is communication. It can be done in a most civil tone or being more vulgar, crass or sarcastic/biting. However it is done, it is about communicaton.
A good site has a target audience. Here I would say it is the full gamet of fishermen from newbie to old hand. There it is more directed towards the experienced.
There is a goal. Here it is about sharing knowledge about fishing, there it is more about providing a “campfire” for fishermen to sit and talk about anything they’d like (except the how do I… and what piece of equipment should I use for …)
Just like books and stores and restuarants. Different place for different people or desires.
One thing I find interesting in terms of a comparison is the model of moderating/guiding the site. Here there are fairly strick rules that you follow, and if you don’t your out. Moderation is controlled by the… moderators.
There moderation is done mostly by the members. There are very few rules and nobody (or almost nobody) gets banned. I consider it an experiment in self direction, anarchy in the true sense of anarchy, not lawlessness but laws defined by the body that come and go as the body of participants dictate.
I personally spend more time there because I volunteered to moderate what I consider a social experiment and a place that has a focus on younger people. Average age is I believe under 30 years old. This is our next generation that needs to be nurtured. That committment (plus my daughters wedding) have made my time here minimal, but when all is said and done, i would be very said if either site were to dissapear. Both have a role to play in the encouragement of fishing in general, fly fishing in particular and the nurturing and protection of our environment.
Lastly, I hope nobody sees this post as a troll for the drake. Rather it is my thoughtful opinion of two very wonderful sites and an explaination of my lack of time spent here.
Hello to all my friends.
jed
zaxaca
He didn’t get any more traffic from me. Have never been there. And due to the descriptions read…won’t be going there…ever.
This site more to my liking.
But I get the point.
Jim
Never have been to Drake and from what I’ve seen here don’t think I’ll go there. Not trying to be a snob, just don’t think that is my kind of place. I enjoy myself too much here to try and change, you know,‘‘the old dog new trick’’ issue. I just enjoy FAOL way too much to change, my kind of people here. Y’all take care, John.
I’m sure not going anywhere No traffic from me! 8T 
Interesting Comments
RFA
Well, I had to go look. I have generally found that folks that have to yell that loud to tell folks what they know, don’t know much at all.
I know the Drake forum. I have no love for the Drake forum. The Drake forum can be a cold dark place. :twisted:
I agree half the guys on there are usually pretty drunk and clueless but it can be entertaining. The problem is if you disagree with someone or be too objective you’ll have 20 wolves, I mean sidekicks after youz. Watch your bak
Went and checked out the Drake forum. Heck, I figured I might as well. A couple of observations, though:
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I was actually considering maybe subscribing to The Drake magazine, but am having second thoughts now. I’ve not been able to get my hands on an issue, but had heard good things about it. But … I work in the media, and I’m not sure how tight the forum’s connection to the magazine management is, but one of the Drake forum’s recent topics was on the “death” of flyfisherman.com, and now this discussion has popped up here. I’m all for brand loyalty, but it should be built on the quality of your product or site, not semi-anonymous hit-and-run tactics so common on the Internets. If these are tactics to drive hits for The Drake and the magazine’s management is responsible, then that’s not good. If they’re not, they should consider reigning some of that in, because that forum, and, to a degree, the participants, reflect their reputation. The right way to do it would be to be open and honest, sponsor a site like FAOL, then mention the forum, or at least be open about your connection when you guide people there from another forum.
Also, reveling in the “death,” real or imagined, of any media outlet right now - not very classy. -
The “vulgarity,” honestly, doesn’t exactly bother me. I’m a child of the Web age. I’ve seen way too much in life and on a computer for much to shock me at this point, and that doesn’t color my opinion of The Drake. What does, however, is the overall tone of the forum. Would I post a question there being a newbie? Not a snowball’s chance. Am I scared of a little ridicule? Nah, I realize that my knowledge on fly fishing would be dwarfed by the head of a pin. But, at the same time, from just a short visit there, would I expect an honest answer if I asked on that forum what the best line would be for me to use to chase smallmouth on my local river? Not a snowball’s chance. Here, I know I’d probably receive multiple theories, a little old-school, a little new-school, but mainly good solid friendly guidance.
I have never had a problem on this site.
I’m Not saying this forum’s better in any way, because to each his own. But I guess I’m saying the grass does seem greener on this side, at least to me.
RFA said it well and Rcassady touched on it.
The Drake has a gangland mentality with, at least at one time, initiations that newbies are subjected too.
I’d rather talk fly fishing on a Bulgarian porn site.
I give this opinion in all humility since if there is a “FAOL Family”, as many here believe, I’m one of it’s black sheep.
Actually The Drake magazine is pretty good. They are a primary sponser of the Fly Fishing Film Tour. For some reason Tom Bie, the editor, keeps a hands off attitude toward the forum. I don’t know why. It must hurt his magazine sales. I won’t subscribe to the magazine primarily because of the attitude of the people that inhabit the forum.
… you personally think The Drake is the best site around, better than FAOL.
Methinks your values and preferences are distinctly different than mine.
John
P.S. Is it fair to assume that you were drunk when you started this thread, and made the reply quoted above ??
Is it fair to assume that you are clueless about what makes a forum good ?? I mean, after all, you did ask the question.
Is it true that you are a global moderator on that site and failed to disclose that fact ?? What does that say about your credibility ??
I’ve dropped by the Drake forums a few times and like others wouldn’t want to join. The tone of discourse there is just plain nasty (in both language and opinion), and as others have noted newbies are brutally hazed. I guess it is really a “too each his own” kind of thing. If that is where you feel comfortable then FAOL is going to seam pretty sedate, however if you feel comfortable at FAOL the Drake is going to feel like the wild west.
Like others I feel like there might be good information on the Drake, but wading through the verbal sewage to find it just isn’t worth it for me.
Brian
The Drake Magazine and the Drake BB are similar in name only. Listen to Tom Bie on the January 21, 2010 podcast where he discusses why he has a hands off attitude on the Drake BB.
Actually Tom is pretty hands on, he’s on there a ton and gives me freedom to bump/delete change anything on there I want. I think the Drakes’s attitude to most is if you don’t like it get out…that’s basically it if you don’t like it there’s the door. We love to bash people on there and will continue, that’s the Drake!
“bashing people” - now that’s flyfishing stewardship! jeez…