[CreekMonster]

Del, I agree, Mark, I agree, Nova, I agree, Bobp, I agree, everybody, I agree. So, where do I stand? I was introduced to fishing by my grandfather over 30 years ago and it has been the love of my life since(after God and family of course) I made my first lure when I was about 8 or 9 yeas old. I tied a knot in some yarn and stuck a hook in it..lol..I got serious a few years ago and spent a lot of time searching, and buying info on how to or how not to do things. I saw this site in the process but didn't sign up. ( or search it for that matter) After about a year I finally registered and to my disappointment I realized I could have saved hundreds of $ by simply registering. It was a pleasant suprise to see fellow fisherman and lure builders freely sharing info. Info that some people charged to see. In some cases years of trial and error resulting in sound advice that saves people like me time and money. A big thank you!!!! to all yall!!!! I started out a hobbyist but quickly realized that this habit costs money. After friends saw what I was doing, I got requests. This got me to thinking " i can sell these". I am in the process of starting a small home based business that will help offset the costs of the hobby. And maybe, just maybe, make some extra income along the way, so I guess you could say I do stand to profit from this wonderful site. I have no problem paying "dues" for the privileged info shared here. Especially if it means keeping the site up. I can tell you from experience that sites similar to this one (not lure sites) have suffered from membership losses due to the introduction of "fees". I agree a little with everybody's no's and yes's. but in the end, if it mean's "pay to play", I'm in. just keep in mind a lot of us are worried about the economy and whether or not we'll have a job next week, so don't be suprised if you lose some folks. It would take me years to pay back in $ what I've taken from this site, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. In short, I'm in, no matter what happen's. Thanks for taking the time to start this forum and for all the helpful info. Just my $2 worth....lol....

Jay

[redg8r]

Originally Posted by mark poulson

I'm not sure how to vote.
If you're saying you need to charge to keep the site going, then I vote yes.
If you're saying you just want to make the site different, and need to charge to do that, I vote no. I like it as it is. Any more complication will just make it a pain to visit.

So you are content at the moment, thank you for the feedback.

If you're saying you are thinking of selling the site, and this will increase it's value, I will probably vote yes, to help you increase the value of the sale, pay the dues for a little while, and then eventually stop visiting.

Wow thats a kind gesture, The site could probably sell, but you would be at the mercy of whoever takes over & that could turn TU into a myriad of things, good or bad. You dont want to know how many companies I've turned down who offered to buy TU's email list. (It'll never happen)

If you had had a charge to visit the first time I came here, it would have been my last visit, and I'd have looked elsewhere for help.
I can see how expanding the site would involve a lot more work, and more moderator time, so charging for that makes sense.
I just don't think the site needs expanding.

Duly noted

I'd just like to know, upfront, why the changes? Of course, you don't owe me, or anyone else, an explanation, but letting us know why you're doing it would help in my decision making.
From my perspective, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies.
So, is it broke?

Up front? I own a 1 man woodworking business (me) & this site. Time & effort has forced me to choose focus on one or the other. I find myself working 7 days, 8-10 hours in the shop & 2-4 hours on TU.

My skills in both aspects are pretty equal, if you want to see my work: Welcome to www.goodwincustom.com BTW It's not a plug because I only service my local area (Plus I'm expensive).
I need to make a decision on which way to devote my full time to.
My Choice, TU hands down, I love what we're doing, plus I can utilize my shop & tools as a stage for demonstrating & improving the processes we discuss here.
If anyone follows my post, you know I dabble in every aspect of luremaking, except rodbuilding, which I'd love to start.
I use the shop for the hobby anyway. On my lunch breaks & any downtime I find myself working on lures & luremaking jigs & gadgets:

• Home built spincasting machine, amazingly simple.
• 8 color soft plastic pouring station, possible
• Spiral cut wood lure duplicator, works, sitting in the shop.
• 4 different drying wheel designs (1 idiot proof), sitting in the shop.
• Virtual paint booth (paint lures online), nearly complete.
• Various calculators
• (more I wont go into)

Time to document, film, produce or make them available here, not enough time in the day.
These are just my personal projects, with member generated revenue we wont be dependent on advertising agencies & cater to anyone.
We can be open, honest without fear of pissing off a company that supports us.

You've obviously watched your share of fishing shows, ever notice how much of it is becoming commercialized? that's how they get the bills paid, basic cable? same. I'd like to see TU as a self sufficient entity that don't have to answer to anyone.

TU remaining unchanged is fine, if everyone is content, so be it. I'll likely keep doing what I'm doing to keep the place as-is.

Thanks again for your input.

[Swede]

Could a Paypal Donate button work ? Instead of a fee i mean ?

[kellure]

Jerry, TU is your vision and I am certain that you will make the best decision for the site as a business and also for you personally. I think you have been more than gracious with your time, money and direction and you deserve to reap any rewards that may come.

My personal level of participation in TU like many of the crew has decreased over the years, primarily due to restraints and demands on time.

It is an innate human trait for those that are creative, that we must continue to develope, evolve, create, and keep pushing towards a dream...TU is unique in many ways, yet no different from any other business...they all require constant attention, hard work and the passion & guts to take risks. I know you will make the correct decision Jerry and I will do what I can to support your cause.

[redg8r]

Originally Posted by kellure

My personal level of participation in TU like many of the crew has decreased over the years, primarily due to restraints and demands on time.

Your situation is like many others here, they get popular, maybe too busy & can no longer devote time to the things they like to do, which is my case also, but take Alsworms for example, he tried juggling too many things at once & had to stop making baits altogether, the commendable thing is he decided to stay on here & is one of our most active moderators.

Originally Posted by Swede

Could a Paypal Donate button work ? Instead of a fee i mean ?

Hi swede, As mentioned previously, donations are awesome, but that means the site would be continually supported by a select few & the ones who should donate the most (the beginners) likely wont use it at all.
This is only speculation so feel free to rebut.

Also, to clear up a possible misconception, discounts for all existing members would be retrospective to date, meaning, anyone reading this topic & trying to boost their level by overactively posting & participating would be useless.
After all existing members are offered their discount. no more would be released, all new members would then pay full share.

[cadman]

Reading all these posts to what everyone is saying is understandable. I’m a simple guy that tries to excel in what I do. If TU wants to do a membership thing, I’m all for it. I don’t see the $53.91 amount excessive. I personally like the site the way it is. To me adding more bells and whistles will probably not be beneficial to me, since I do not sell nearly as much as some of you guys do. If not adding all the bells and whistles would reduce the annual membership, I would lean more towards that. Yes I’ve gotten some business from being on TU, and I’m grateful for that. But this is more of a hobby to me than a business. That is why I’m still here, and volunteer my help. I enjoy nurturing newbies, even if they ask the same question 100 times. I know several guys that are no longer on this site. I think what really happens to the fact that we lose some members is this. #1. Personality conflicts, egos (this will never change). #2. Guys feel they give more than they receive, (if this bothers you move on.) #3. Boredom, I think at some point we all achieve a point in this hobby where we have excelled in everything we know about it, (my suggestion is to try taking up crankbait making, rod building or whatever to get you motivated again). #4. Guys feel that there are secrets among certain members (an inner circle of members). Sure there is. My question is does that bother you? If it does, why, who cares? I speak to 3 or 4 members in here outside of TU on occasion. I hold all these guys in high regard. I treat them with consideration like I expect to be treated. I have no problems with anyone. I also answer a lot of PM’s about my powder painting tutorial. Talk about answering the same questions over an over again. Yet since I talk about it, I have never turned anyone away, or have never not answered any questions asked of me. Are there secrets maybe, I don’t have any secrets about what I do. I’ve posted everything I know about making jigs. However, if someone tells me a secret, I will not tell anyone, it’s just a code of ethics. My feeling is this. If you think you have some sort of super phenomenal million dollar secret, that you don’t want anyone to know about it, then don’t brag about it and don’t post it. Don’t even tell your wife or your parrot until you cash in on it.
Sorry for getting off track. I believe that if Jerry wants to do a trial for non members for free for a month that’s fine but after that time period I believe that all lookers or non-members should pay and join if they want to take advantage of all the mass amount of knowledge here. This won’t stop anyone from stealing your ideas, but it will definitely keep it to interested parties. Jerry, however you do this I will be there to support you. I have gotten a lot of help from TU, and have met lot of guys who are now friends. Thanx TU

[jimbo]

I,ve often wondered why and how you guys did this with no fees. Yes i like TU the way it is, but nothing lasts forever, you got a yes vote from me, if i don,t like what happens over the next year i simply won,t renew(hope that doesn,t happen) Whatever happens i wish you all, the best of luck with this hugh step forward.
JIMBO

[smartbassu]

Hi guys,

I'm a relatively new member here and would like to add some input from my perspective if I may.
First of all, That is some impressive cabinet work! I know because I've done custom woodworking.
I googled luremaking and found a few sites and almost payed a good bit of money for what I now know was just the basics. I found this site and more information than I have been able to digest. I believe the idea of limited access to non-members in order to wet their appetite is excellent.
I believe redg8r has done an impressive job with this site especially since it's part time. If he could do this full time I predict the results would be outstanding.
Sites will always have a change in membership. Some people will decide they have learned all they can and move on but you will always have new members coming in. The site should keep growing and improving so the members continually have something new and interesting to them, thus they stay longer.
As for the view of a novice. Well I haven't yet contributed much because I'm still at the learning stage. Which means that I know so little it seems like everything has been covered or discussed before. I have jumped into luremaking and do intend on selling lures but I still feel (especially when I see the works of Art in the gallery) that I have nothing to contribute to the forum. In my defense I plan on contributing as soon as I feel I have something new and helpful to everyone.
As for stealing ideas that is going to happen in the lure business. There is no way to stop it. All you can do is carve your niche and develope a name for yourself. Case in point: How many poppers are on the market that are identical to the Pop-R? The only way to keep your lure secret is to only fish it yourself by yourself.
I can understand not wanting to tell everyone your secret technique or method that makes your bait special but basic luremaking knowledge should be openly shared.
As for my lures I'm sure if it catches on well enought some big company will make their version. All I can do is carve my niche.
Thanks to everyone here and I for one voted yes because I think the changes sound exciteing.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[rhahn427]

I voted yes before I saw the membership rates ......... $60 a year is crazy guys ................ I subscribe to several sites and I gladly pay ............ the most anyone of them charge is $25 bucks ........ sorry guys .... but $60 will kill this site ......... there's great info here and it works but there is not enough readers to charge that much ............. if it ain't broke don't fix it ........ especially for $60 bucks a year .........

PLEASE CHANGE MY VOTE TO NO

[thedude]

i voted no.. and here's why.
I really enjoy this site, but namely for looking at some of the fine work some of the members here produce. I don't make my own baits however and the forum in which i would participate the most is pretty dead most of the time (rod building).

I belonged to a waterfowling site a while back that did something similar and there was a mass exodus when they did. I understand the position the owners of the site must be in - web hosting certainly isn't cheap and it doesn't make sense to spend money out of ones own pocket just to give the rest of us a place to waste our bosses time! In that vein i hope that the site can remain free and an open forum for the sharing of ideas. The fact that certain members are leaving do to "too much information" being released is a little troubling to me. Tackle making and rod building are great hobbies for a lot of people and this place is a great one to learn the trade.. lets keep it that way.

There are lots of guys selling their brand on here - and while i have no issues with that - the model that has worked for countless other forums has been to ask these people to sponsor the board to be able to advertise their product openly on the forum. I try to shop at board sponsors at BBC and other fishing boards i use for this reason.