# Expanding the Comunity



## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

Hey Guys,

I should be doing homework rather than writing this, meh.

I was thinking about the size of the yak fishing community, and the amount it has grown over the past couple of years I have been around. I have also noticed that the overwhelming majority of new yakkers are +25-30. While this isn't bad, adding plenty of maturity to the community, I believe that there needs to be as many of the younger generations getting into yak fishing, to continue to support the community over coming years. The amount of knowledge you can build up if you start yakking in your teens or early 20's until your at the ripe old age of 99 (I hope to be in a yak for at least that long ) greatly benefits the community in the long run.

Attracting younger members to the community of yak fishing is not an easy job. There is a fairly significant upfront cost of getting yourself started in the sport, as well as means and location. I bought my yak without ever having gone fishing from a kayak before, and took a large (and possibly expensive) risk in the process. Luckily it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. This kind of risk is not something everyone could or would want to take, therefore a means of exposing kids to yakking without stealing all their pocket money is greatly in need.

What I am saying here is that a method of introducing younger people to the sport is required, if we wish to maintain such a strong community into the future. I don't know what this would be. I don't even know if you guys (yep you, the old ones :lol: ) want a younger community base. But the way I see it is that if the sport of yak fishing is going to be maintained on such a large scale 20 or 30 years into the future, a younger demographic would be extremely beneficial. I understand the popularity of yak fishing is growing more than ever, and that you don't want a bunch of 10yo getting into trouble on yaks, bringing a bad public view of the sport with it, but the need for younger yakkers is definitely there in my opinion.

What do you think about this?? How can we get more younger people involved in the sport? Do we want more younger yakkers among the community??

Thanks guy, now back to the homework,

SDrag


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## RhubarbTheYeti (Oct 28, 2013)

Stop procrastinating - how do expect to pass your exams?  
For younger folks it requires the involvement of willing parents or older rellies as a form of transport is required for a yak. Its not as if you can just catch a bus or train with a bit of fishing gear like you could if jetty or river fishing.
As on oldy, its funny that you see people 25+ as old :lol:


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## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

RhubarbTheYeti said:


> As on oldy, its funny that you see people 25+ as old :lol:


Well, that means they are nearly twice my age, so they are pretty old :lol:

And yes, willing parents are the key, which is why the parents should start yakking as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And passing exams doesn't help you get a job with OK.. does it??

SDrag


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Yak fishing is pretty ageless when you are on the water, It always amazes me the cross-section of people I fish with and get along with.
I started with my first yak when I was about 17, this was partly because I needed to be able to get to the water in a car and partly because it was the only boat I could afford.
I think one of the issues with getting younger people involved is that they don't really do forums or email, so the format would need to move with the times.

On the affordability front, I think you can get into it pretty cheaply these days and part of the fun is making everything yourself. That's where the forum comes into its own, anything you want to make or modify is probably in here somewhere.


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## RhubarbTheYeti (Oct 28, 2013)

keza said:


> I think one of the issues with getting younger people involved is that they don't really do forums or email, so the format would need to move with the times.


So what you are saying is we need to get onto Myspace then? ;-)


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## RhubarbTheYeti (Oct 28, 2013)

nezevic said:


> Nope Myspace is old tech now.


It was an old codger's joke :lol:
Hence the wink


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## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

keza said:


> I think one of the issues with getting younger people involved is that they don't really do forums


What do they do once they pick up a hobby and need to ask super-specific questions?

I'm gonna go see if there's anything on tumblr


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## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

nezevic said:


> Instagram, Facebook, Twitter are moving with the times. Young people want things immediately in small bites and are not likely to go looking for information.


Totally agree. I personally don't use facebook or twitter but I am a bigger user of Instagram. The content of this forum isn't really suitable for that format.

I personally have to remember to make big effort to search for things, rather than just asking. It's the culture that's changing, can't see it in front of you, ask someone else to find it. Thats another important reason for keeping a community like this going for many years to come.

Loving the responses already guys, keep them coming,

SDrag


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## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

Squidley said:


> I'm gonna go see if there's anything on tumblr


No one uses tumblr, no one...


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## RhubarbTheYeti (Oct 28, 2013)

ScreamingDrag said:


> I personally have to remember to make big effort to search for things, rather than just asking. It's the culture that's changing, can't see it in front of you, ask someone else to find it.
> 
> SDrag


The internet, and particularly Google, has totally transformed the world from when us "oldies" were growing up - no answer at the click of a button. You are growing up in a world totally foreign to troglodytes like me 
Now, back to your homework! Stop wasting valuable learning time


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## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

RhubarbTheYeti said:


> The internet, and particularly Google, has totally transformed the world from when us "oldies" were growing up - no answer at the click of a button. You are growing up in a world totally foreign to troglodytes like me
> Now, back to your homework! Stop wasting valuable learning time


The research skills of my generation are virtually non existent. Either Google tells us or we don't have an answer.

You didn't answer my question before, does passing exams help with getting a job at OK??

SDrag


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## RhubarbTheYeti (Oct 28, 2013)

ScreamingDrag said:


> You didn't answer my question before, does passing exams help with getting a job at OK??
> 
> SDrag


I thought it was a typo - what is OK? :?


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

RhubarbTheYeti said:


> ScreamingDrag said:
> 
> 
> > You didn't answer my question before, does passing exams help with getting a job at OK??
> ...


Any job is OK.


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## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

RhubarbTheYeti said:


> I thought it was a typo - what is OK? :?


Ocean
Kayak

Only one of the biggest fishing kayak manufacturers :lol: (I'm not the only one who uses that abbreviation am I, I'm sure I saw it somewhere)

Ill forgive you because your old ;-)

SDrag


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

I'm using instagram a lot at the moment, it would be good to figure out a way to feed yakers back to the forum from there.
It's good for pics and quick comments and if people want to know more we need to lead them here.
I post up at least one yak picture a day.


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## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

I can't think of an Internet thing more fit for purpose for housing info and detailed discussion on a specific topic than a forum.

Facebook: pain in the arse to search
Twitter: character limit
Blog post: top down, harder to challenge or contribute to the author
Wiki: good for established info as long as you can ask a question a search engine can answer

The above (besides wikis and blogs) along with tumblr, YouTube etc are great promotional tools though.

I think the demographics on this forum have more to do with disposable time and income.


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## RhubarbTheYeti (Oct 28, 2013)

ScreamingDrag said:


> Ill forgive you because your old ;-)
> 
> SDrag


Bastard!  
So, as an old codger - what can I say.
As a 13yr old, no matter what you think you may want to do or be in the future, it will all change! Everything changes as you grow older - you ideas, your beliefs, your interests. As a teenager you won't believe it, but you will find out for yourself, oneday.
A good education will never hold you back. You may not use most of the specifics of what you learn (I have a degree in Botany and Zoology and Honours degree in Zoology but no longer work in exactly that field) but the experiences along the way aren't wasted.
Then again, having said that, it is an individual thing. You don't need a Uni education to be successful and having a degree doesn't guarantee success.
I myself quit school half way through Yr 12 because of depression and at that time I had no desire to go further with my education. I ended up at Uni as a mature age student after having done an apprenticeship as a Gardener. 
Life is about change.
Lecture from the Boring Old Fart ends.


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

RhubarbTheYeti said:


> ScreamingDrag said:
> 
> 
> > You didn't answer my question before, does passing exams help with getting a job at OK??
> ...


Depends if you're catholic or not.


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## scoman (Oct 4, 2010)

Growing a sport and introducing to the younger crowd is usually the domain of sporting clubs and bodies. They have a variety of reasons to grow and develop their sport e.g money, success etc. As kayaking for the purposes of fishing is more of a pastime no traditional clubs or sporting bodies exist. Any clubs or communities are just informal gatherings of people sharing information and socializing. Therefore the only group who need the sport to grow are the businesses who depend on it. Companies like Australian Kayak Specialists who sell Stealth kayaks here in Queensland are fairly active in growing offshore kayak fishing, running regular paddle days and fishing comps.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

As someone who could be called old by some and young by others, I'll use an old chestnut.

The people who should make up any particular group at any given time do. The ones who are there are the ones who should be there because they are the ones who are there. There ones oh aren't there are the one who shouldn't be there because they aren't there.

Greek?


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

.....in other words, what do I care if people do or don't want to enjoy the same things I enjoy in the same way that I do?


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## eagle4031 (Jan 29, 2010)

Zoology eh Yeti
that explains why your in the wilderness


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## RhubarbTheYeti (Oct 28, 2013)

eagle4031 said:


> Zoology eh Yeti
> that explains why your in the wilderness


And Botany, and a Gardener, and a fisho - I'm an outdoor sort of guy (who hates computers which is mostly why I'm not working using my degree)


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## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

scoman said:


> Growing a sport and introducing to the younger crowd is usually the domain of sporting clubs and bodies. They have a variety of reasons to grow and develop their sport e.g money, success etc. As kayaking for the purposes of fishing is more of a pastime no traditional clubs or sporting bodies exist. Any clubs or communities are just informal gatherings of people sharing information and socializing. Therefore the only group who need the sport to grow are the businesses who depend on it. Companies like Australian Kayak Specialists who sell Stealth kayaks here in Queensland are fairly active in growing offshore kayak fishing, running regular paddle days and fishing comps.


Thats an aspect I hadn't considered, and yes, I agree. We can still yak no matter how large or small the community is, we don't *need* others, although it does make it more enjoyable. Although a larger community would mean a larger need for resources which would then provide manufacturers a reason to start making yak fishing parts/accessories or even yaks. This creates jobs and gives much easier access to the required resources to the yakkers.

Thanks for your thoughts guys, even you Yeti :lol:

SDrag


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

So I should lose the beard and slick back hair ?


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

salticrak said:


> keza said:
> 
> 
> > So I should lose the beard and slick back hair ?
> ...


Thanks Salty.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Leave it in SWR boys ...


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

salticrak said:


> anselmo said:
> 
> 
> > Leave it in SWR boys ...
> ...


I'm glad you didn't say spread.

I confess, I abused my powers as a mod and adjusted salti's post, I'll hand in my badge.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

salticrak said:


> skinny can be sexy too.
> So, did you edit my swr marlin pic from yesterday too? ;-)


That one disappeared on it's own


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## ScreamingDrag (Nov 25, 2013)

I like how this thread has gone from community development to sexy legs and slicked back hair. Makes me wonder about you guys... :lol:

SDrag


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

salticrak said:


> anselmo said:
> 
> 
> > Leave it in SWR boys ...
> ...


Sometimes, sharing is not caring


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

salticrak said:


> anselmo said:
> 
> 
> > salticrak said:
> ...


Is that where you hit the baboon arse?


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

salticrak said:


> yep,him and ken


One cheek each.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

A bit ironic that you butt comes up in a thread about expanding the community salti.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

keza said:


> I'm using instagram a lot at the moment, it would be good to figure out a way to feed yakers back to the forum from there.
> It's good for pics and quick comments and if people want to know more we need to lead them here.
> I post up at least one yak picture a day.


I'm also on Instagratification now as well (Can't guarantee a yak picture a day though_
anselmofisherman


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## crag (Nov 8, 2010)

Given that Screaming Drag wanted to expand the community, he seems to have dropped off the radar. Hopefully he has just found a girl friend and hasn't been put off yak fishing by the weird bunch on here.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

anselmo said:


> keza said:
> 
> 
> > I'm using instagram a lot at the moment, it would be good to figure out a way to feed yakers back to the forum from there.
> ...


Got ya.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

crag said:


> Given that Screaming Drag wanted to expand the community, he seems to have dropped off the radar. Hopefully he has just found a girl friend


I would have thought his username pointed to other preferences.


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