Should the "Hook Up" Section be Members Only

Personally, if I post a hook up, I don't care who reads it. I am suspicious that the crab thieves may be using our hookup threads to time when to raid our pots. Will give some examples tonight. So what do others think?

I never thought about it but i can see that happening. It sounds like that's what happened during the Thanksgiving hook up because I heard a lot of stories of pots being raided early that day.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I don't think there are any limitations to membership that would prevent someone from just  becoming an anonymous member and continuing to get the information? It may prevent the extremely casual folks, but not much else.

That being said, I think it is still probably worth doing.

I hate a thief.....

This is an excellent topic.

TheDude has a point about getting around required membership/posting just to see things, but any move we make toward encouraging others to be honorable and known to the group should benefit all of us.  The reason for being a member in order to see our most valued information should be understood to be that we want a lack of anonymity - it's that simple.  We value contributions here, do we not?  So one of the ultimate breaches of trust here would be to just steal our information without ever even showing yourself, and that's actually facilitated by the structure of the forums to some extent if one is inclined to use them in such a nefarious way.

I would support required membership and at least 10 posts in order to view hookups.  It really takes less than an hour over a couple different visits to post 10 times - intro, asking about safety and what boat to get, where to launch, commenting on a public fishing report with something germane to that topic like you've been there...  It's absolutely easy to get 10 posts, and we the community get to see a decent amount of information in a new member's first 10 posts if they're at all genuine about it.  We also get to see how infected the person is with the Madness in how long they take to post 10 times, and it's those super enthusiastic new members who can make a hookup that much more fun.

Energy builds on energy here.  Protect the NCKA Community's positive vibe of Love and support by making the Hookups section MO.

Or lets just do a sting hook-up.

Or lets just do a sting hook-up.

Holy blown opportunity Batman!

Or lets just do a sting hook-up.

   Good one, Craig.   

Just a thought but could access to the "hookups" section be based on length of membership rather than posts?  Say, you must be a registered member for X# period of time?  I wholeheartedly agree that reaching a small number of posts can be achieved in a very short period of time & is no real test of ones dedication to this group/lifestyle/etc...  Just an alternative perspective.  Same might also hold true for "classifieds" section?

As a person who reads the forums but doesn't really participate in things, I like to read the hookups to make sure there will be other yaks on the water when I go out so if I am "alone" I am not really "alone".   I have had pots raided and I never post where they were until after I collect them and I have dropped in upto 200 feet of water.   I have posted in the hook ups section and never get a response so the knowledge of people being out there and my radio is at times all I have. I am a regular in my yak (red adventure) at HMB and often on Berryessa in my bass boat. Even when taking that out I check the forums to see if any yaks will be on the lake. Even though I do not stop by I am there for support if it is needed.

As a person who reads the forums but doesn't really participate in things, I like to read the hookups to make sure there will be other yaks on the water when I go out so if I am "alone" I am not really "alone".   I have had pots raided and I never post where they were until after I collect them and I have dropped in upto 200 feet of water.   I have posted in the hook ups section and never get a response so the knowledge of people being out there and my radio is at times all I have. I am a regular in my yak (red adventure) at HMB and often on Berryessa in my bass boat. Even when taking that out I check the forums to see if any yaks will be on the lake. Even though I do not stop by I am there for support if it is needed.

Yeah, but you've reached "members only" status, so you'd still be able to see the hookups board.

-Allen

I think the Hook Ups should be Members Only.  I don't want lurkers know when and where I fish!

We should also put tourney roll calls in a member only section.  Listing everyones handle and full name should be Confidential info.   

As a person who reads the forums but doesn't really participate in things, I like to read the hookups to make sure there will be other yaks on the water when I go out so if I am "alone" I am not really "alone".   I have had pots raided and I never post where they were until after I collect them and I have dropped in upto 200 feet of water.   I have posted in the hook ups section and never get a response so the knowledge of people being out there and my radio is at times all I have. I am a regular in my yak (red adventure) at HMB and often on Berryessa in my bass boat. Even when taking that out I check the forums to see if any yaks will be on the lake. Even though I do not stop by I am there for support if it is needed.

Yeah, but you've reached "members only" status, so you'd still be able to see the hookups board.

-Allen

...and even though you don't post as much as some I recognized you as someone who is relatively active.  That's the type of people we need - NOT anonymous, but not necessarily posting all the time either.

Just a thought but could access to the "hookups" section be based on length of membership rather than posts?  Say, you must be a registered member for X# period of time?  I wholeheartedly agree that reaching a small number of posts can be achieved in a very short period of time & is no real test of ones dedication to this group/lifestyle/etc...  Just an alternative perspective.  Same might also hold true for "classifieds" section?

Well, the hookups section was historically to draw people together, and is also used by newbies to find more seasoned veterans to go with.  I assure you, there are a lot more hookups going on in the background between people that already know each other.

-Allen

I fully agree.  I don't get enough time to fish, but when I do it's a great feeling to hookup with my extended NCKA family.

Thanks Everyone for a great 2013

~Bill