[Vodkaman]

Personally, I troll through all the forums, even though my main interest is hard baits. I find that there is a lot of knowledge that is transferable between the different fields of expertise. Just looking at the current active threads:

Flexible tails for swim baits, soft plastics could provide the best solution. Anything you want to know about lead pouring for ballast weights or working with wire for hook hangers, wire baits is the place to look. Information on PoP can pop up anywhere (sorry). So you want to dress your trebles, wire baits or the tying forum will provide the information. Painting and associated equipment, tons of it in the hard baits forum.

Some links have not been made yet and I have resisted jumping in, but paddle tails and lipped cranks work exactly the same way. Also, although there is a hybrid section, very little has been explored here. There is so much more to learn by not restricting yourself to one forum. There is so much more to be discovered too. Those of you that think it has all been done before, are sadly mistaken.

This site is not just about looking after the new members, giving them a leg up by sharing time served experiences. It is also about the little things, tricks, techniques. These can come from anywhere. Fresh minds are notoriously good at revealing new ideas. TU is also about innovation. True, lots of innovation happens, but it doesn’t find its way onto the pages every time. We all have plans for the future. I too have stuff that has not been revealed. Nothing wrong with that. But there is enough to make it worth while even for the lure vets to stick around.

The poll and associated discussions has been enlightening and has probably given Jerry lots to think about. Regardless of which route Jerry decides to take, I firmly believe TU has a bright future. There is not another forum that comes even close to TU in my opinion. That’s a couple of Ringgits worth from me!

[KcDano]

The Tackle shop is good idea! But I have to wonder if revamping the classified section first wouldn't be a more cost effective approach during the interm. It seems to me that there would have to be significantly more traffic driven to this site before a tacklestore would be successful.

[spare tire]

I visit this site about 4 times a week, and wouldn't mind spending the money to continue to do so. In my opinion everyone on this site is valuable, but there are a handful whose advice, baits to see on the gallery, and vast knowledge, can not be lost do to a pay site. I believe those few I'm talking about, don't get that many fresh ideas from the rest of us, but enjoy sharing their knowledge, and showcasing their talents. I'm not saying that they don't learn anything, but not as much as say me. So why not wave the fee for the group of guys that contribute in that way,
and mabey do the same later on for somebody else that might shine down the road. I think the guys that contribute so much without taking much in return would be a shame to lose.

[sagacious]

Originally Posted by cadman

...
It's not about the site itself, it's about the cost to maintain it. Lot of people want everything and give nothing in return. We all have to pay for what we want one way or another.
...

Cadman, I hope it's OK to use your quote as a convenience to underscore a question I haven't seen addressed.

Does or doesn't the advertising space pay sufficient revenue for the maintenance of the site?

Probably more folks would be more willing to support a membership fee schedule if there was a direct answer to this question. There are over a dozen links for ads on this page as I write this. And that's fantastic-- I'm glad that there appears to be no shortage of advertisers willing to buy ad space on TU. As it is now, some pay for the privilege to advertise, some contribute their knowledge free of remuneration, and some reap the benefits of both for free. Seems equitable.

[King Bait Co.]

Some people keep saying $6.00 a month isn't very much. In reality its not but in these times it is for some of us. I have cut back on my spending and basicly changed my life style but I am still living check to check. While still slipping behind. Everything keeps getting higher and higher but my pay check. So $60 a year is a little out of reach for me right now. I would do flips if I had three twentys in my pocket right now. My wife is going to Iraq soon and they don't pay for everything when you have been in the I.A.R. for a while. I am not trying to make people feel sorry for me because other people are a lot worst than me. Still I love comming here to learn and to give what I can and take my mind off of money. It would be a shame if it all comes to an end over money. I am trying to figure a way to save here and their to pay the $60 if it comes to that because I still need to learn alot. In the end it is up to Jerry what happens plain and simple. I understand where he is comming from. I don't think paying to go on other parts of the site is a good idea. So here's my idea make mebers that are already here pay $20 membership. Then another $20 for this year which is $40 up front. Then give a free 1 day trail to new people but don't let them be able to post or leave threads and print anything off. Then charge them $25 membership and $25 for the first year than $20 after that. Then charge more for the adds because they are making a good chunk of change of this site. I did vote no on the poll but afterwards I did some thinking alot of us do make money off this site in the long run even its a little or a lot. Why should Jerry not make anything and foot the bill for us and the people that advertise here. Think about it would you! yet $60 is a lot for me right now but I am going to try and get what ever amount it comes too. My vote is still going to be no because I don't like paying for extras right now but I also see Jerry's side of this.

[hazmail]

I would like to try and put it all in perspective, we don’t know how good we have it.
Anything we buy here is just about double what you guys pay there, and for Phil in the UK it's probably tripple, fuel here is now $7.82 a gallon, but compared to most places, it's cheap. – I know I don’t earn double, whatever a fireman in the US earns, and Phil certainly would not earn triple. I drove to Queensland last week to pick up a boat, cost me $600 in fuel (in a 4 cylinder car). Granted, I am single and don’t have the costs of some, with a wife and a couple of kids, but I did, and still managed to go fishing 2 or three times a month (probably why I’m single).
TU is not my whole life, but has become a large part of it. In the short time I have been on here, both on line, and in person, I have met quite a few, what we would call ‘genuine people’; ready to help with their ‘secrets’ and knowledge, gained over years of hunting/fishing. Here (in Au), I get sick of talking to people who idolize some pro fisherman, who says ‘X’ brand lure is the only one to use. They believe him every time he comes up with a new one, and shell out $15 or $20, just so they can say to their mates ‘Starlo’ or ‘Bushy’ use these – They are usually crap imported from China, don’t work, and probably have mark ups of 500%, they happily pay this, yet in the next breath complain about beer going up 4 cents a schooner.

For those that say, “why should I pay $60 a year when I can get it for free“, nothing is FREE. The Wild World Web appears to be, but every time we click on something .00001 of a cent is paid to somebody, and when we buy anything, the sting is added on. I am sure you know Jock Strap (World all time Bass Champion), gets his boat, sonar, batteries, outboard, rods, lures and probably jocks, for endorsing these products. Every time I/we buy one of these same products, the company has added a percentage to pay Jock Strap, (and his hangers on), so who is paying for Jock to have fun, and fish, ‘big note’ himself, and coincidentally, making a pretty good living at it – you and me. I just paid US$2,300 for a 54lb Minn Kota, 2 batteries and charger, add it up, how much are these there? It costs about US$3000 to fly from here to there, by the time I pay taxes etc, how much from there to here? I know your economy (and ours) is currently in a death spiral, to where the rest of the planet already is, welcome to the real world, where you pay for what you get, and everything is NOT subsidized (or endorsed).

I think we still have 4 choices here,
1. Sell/shut down TU.
2. Let Jerry pay for it.
3. Indirectly pay $60 a year when you buy something that is advertised in the ‘side bar’.
4. Or pay TU $60 a year.

I think I have a conscience, so for me the first 3 are not really an option - I would rather just send the $’s, even if it’s US$60, it’s about A$64.20 here. At 50/50, I don’t envy Jerry, having to make this decision ! ! Pete

[philB]

Pete

Your right mate. We have an advantage at the moment because the £ is so strong against the $ as UK residents our fee would be more or less half price, how long that will last though is anyones guess. Petrol in The Uk is now £ 6:00 per gallon which is just about $ 12:00 as the exchange rate today is $ 1.99 to the pound.

[King Bait Co.]

I do have a questions. How much does it cost to run a web site like this with time, equipment and software? I had figured if you got the full 1,189 active members to pay $60 it would be $71,340 a year or even if half paid it would be $35,670 a year not including taxes taken out. I don't know if thats a lot or to little to run TU. I was just wondering.

[Nathan]

I think everybody needs too reread the proposed pricing structure.Everybody keeps saying it's going too cost 60.00 a year..It won't cost that......If you pay a year in full, you get 3 months free..if you pay 6 months..you get a month free.If you are a long time member AND CONTRIBUTER you will get a substancial discount on top of that.
Plus Jerry intends on adding a ton more content too be used..Nathan

[King Bait Co.]

When is this going to start?