Simms
New member
With the days getting noticeably shorter, even though temperatures still climb into the high 80’s during the days, one cannot help but to begin thinking of those cold, crisp mornings, screeching drags, and silver bullets. A time when anglers are pushed to their limits, their gear tested, and small coffees are considered common speak.
However, it is hard to deny the fact the thought of NEFF, how it started and how far it has come doesn’t come to mind. Not because NEFF rises above the rest offering judgment free advice and tips or the fact each one of us is respectful, well behaved citizens, but because we all share a common passion. For some it’s a passion you share strictly here online, sitting behind your computer ( or Drive-Thru window) like a negro at Kool-Aid camp thinking you’re tough shit. Then there are a select few of us who have fostered life-long friendships by embarking on weekend outings fishing with each other from this board.
We have people from all walks of life here on NEFF. From pompous, know-it-all smartass pill popping Shallow Hal types to the cane-wielding, glasses propped on the bridge of nose, cigar puffing type. And then we have Beetle. Regardless of our lives outside of NEFF, we all find solace and peace from real-life rigors when we log on or when we meeting each other on the water for a morning hatch. While we don’t realize it, this community has a commonly accepted filter, or lack thereof. New members come and go however it’s the core group of us here that stick around. The fact we scare them away matters not. Those who can handle the constant shit storms spewed upon the board prove this fact.
This is the first board I have been a part of that encourages banter such as the type we display. Too often, an audience or the potential for one is quickly extinguished do to stiff moderation. Boards only have the appetite for FLY FISHING ONLY posts while anything else gets deleted or members banned. Having the ability to accept and in fact encourage threads and dialogue outside of the fly fishing world is what makes the fly fishing talk (on the rare occasion it makes it that far : ) so deep and informative.
The fact the moderators themselves interact with the members on here is what keeps topics and behavior in check, for the most part. We all understand this NEFF, as lenient as it may be, can be taken away just as quick. I think of NEFF as one of those buckets of candy you leave out with a sign on Halloween that says, “Only take one.” While I filled my pillow case up with the whole fucking bag, 99% of us on here respect that notion. The honor system.
I remember like it was yesterday. After my winter ski accident when I cut my leg in half, I was hobbling down the side of river, more specifically, Point Mountain. I approached the river as the sun was setting behind the trees in anticipation of trout looking up. As I adjusted my full leg cast, a gentleman came up to me, perplexed. I’d bet everything I have that this gentleman was thinking “WHAT THE FUCK is this retard doing with a full leg articulating cast on his leg, going fishing?” Turns out, this guy was Rusty. We chatted for a while and then he departed. Never met a nicer guy and just as friendly each time I saw him after as was the first encounter.
Beeber and Philthy Phil are two guys on here that are stand up gentlemen as well I met these dudes at the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Annual Steelhead Bash who traveled all the way from PA. They both got into some great fish.
Ronbo, Ak Skim, D”Angler, Mike, all great guys. Many laughs were had around camp fires as bottles of fireball were tipped back and bullshit stories told.
Hell, I now hang out with Trout Guy and Sneelhead on a regular basis whether its in Miami on South Beach or NYC. Sometimes we fish… haha
Regardless, notice how all the fondest memories aren’t because of the biggest Steelhead we caught that day. Or the trifecta of trout a single BWO yielded. But the best memories are of comradery. Times after fishing we beef up that story about the 6’’ Brookie making it out to be a 21’’ slob. Those future trips we look forward to with the friends today.
NEFF is really a cool outlet. I can’t thank Dennis, Pete, and MAC enough for putting up with my shit as well as everyone else’s. If it wasn’t for this group of guys (and whoever else), Beetle would still have his internet privileges!!!
In closing, I have no fucking idea where I was going with this. Also, where the fuck has LYNCH been? Another great guy who I’ve fished in Pulaski, Ausable and places in between!! Such a stand-up guy who breathes fishing! Lynch come back! Its almost DSR SEASON!
However, it is hard to deny the fact the thought of NEFF, how it started and how far it has come doesn’t come to mind. Not because NEFF rises above the rest offering judgment free advice and tips or the fact each one of us is respectful, well behaved citizens, but because we all share a common passion. For some it’s a passion you share strictly here online, sitting behind your computer ( or Drive-Thru window) like a negro at Kool-Aid camp thinking you’re tough shit. Then there are a select few of us who have fostered life-long friendships by embarking on weekend outings fishing with each other from this board.
We have people from all walks of life here on NEFF. From pompous, know-it-all smartass pill popping Shallow Hal types to the cane-wielding, glasses propped on the bridge of nose, cigar puffing type. And then we have Beetle. Regardless of our lives outside of NEFF, we all find solace and peace from real-life rigors when we log on or when we meeting each other on the water for a morning hatch. While we don’t realize it, this community has a commonly accepted filter, or lack thereof. New members come and go however it’s the core group of us here that stick around. The fact we scare them away matters not. Those who can handle the constant shit storms spewed upon the board prove this fact.
This is the first board I have been a part of that encourages banter such as the type we display. Too often, an audience or the potential for one is quickly extinguished do to stiff moderation. Boards only have the appetite for FLY FISHING ONLY posts while anything else gets deleted or members banned. Having the ability to accept and in fact encourage threads and dialogue outside of the fly fishing world is what makes the fly fishing talk (on the rare occasion it makes it that far : ) so deep and informative.
The fact the moderators themselves interact with the members on here is what keeps topics and behavior in check, for the most part. We all understand this NEFF, as lenient as it may be, can be taken away just as quick. I think of NEFF as one of those buckets of candy you leave out with a sign on Halloween that says, “Only take one.” While I filled my pillow case up with the whole fucking bag, 99% of us on here respect that notion. The honor system.
I remember like it was yesterday. After my winter ski accident when I cut my leg in half, I was hobbling down the side of river, more specifically, Point Mountain. I approached the river as the sun was setting behind the trees in anticipation of trout looking up. As I adjusted my full leg cast, a gentleman came up to me, perplexed. I’d bet everything I have that this gentleman was thinking “WHAT THE FUCK is this retard doing with a full leg articulating cast on his leg, going fishing?” Turns out, this guy was Rusty. We chatted for a while and then he departed. Never met a nicer guy and just as friendly each time I saw him after as was the first encounter.
Beeber and Philthy Phil are two guys on here that are stand up gentlemen as well I met these dudes at the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Annual Steelhead Bash who traveled all the way from PA. They both got into some great fish.
Ronbo, Ak Skim, D”Angler, Mike, all great guys. Many laughs were had around camp fires as bottles of fireball were tipped back and bullshit stories told.
Hell, I now hang out with Trout Guy and Sneelhead on a regular basis whether its in Miami on South Beach or NYC. Sometimes we fish… haha
Regardless, notice how all the fondest memories aren’t because of the biggest Steelhead we caught that day. Or the trifecta of trout a single BWO yielded. But the best memories are of comradery. Times after fishing we beef up that story about the 6’’ Brookie making it out to be a 21’’ slob. Those future trips we look forward to with the friends today.
NEFF is really a cool outlet. I can’t thank Dennis, Pete, and MAC enough for putting up with my shit as well as everyone else’s. If it wasn’t for this group of guys (and whoever else), Beetle would still have his internet privileges!!!
In closing, I have no fucking idea where I was going with this. Also, where the fuck has LYNCH been? Another great guy who I’ve fished in Pulaski, Ausable and places in between!! Such a stand-up guy who breathes fishing! Lynch come back! Its almost DSR SEASON!
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