The post in question was put up on Sunday. The angler said he caught a 9.1-pound, 27-inch, walleye from Great Sacandaga Lake, a very large specimen for that lake.
Within minutes, the Facebook floodgates opened wide, racking up nearly a thousand “likes,” over 200 comments and dozens of shares at breakneck speed.
The original poster was immediately attacked and called a liar, which, in essence, he was, but not in what everyone believed. Everyone called him out for lying about the whereabouts of the catch, saying the fish came from Chaumont Bay on Lake Ontario and not Great Sacandaga Lake, going so far as to find his personal profile and posting screenshot.
That was included as part of the procedure, and they took the bait, hook, line, and sinker! If anyone had actually done research, at that time Chaumont Bay was not yet safe to walk on. Not to mention the topographical features within the picture look nothing like Chaumont Bay. People fighting each other to prove or disprove what others think, when, in truth, no one knows the real story on a fish.
When asked in an interview, which the savvy fisherman asked to remain anonymous, why he did it, he simply said, “I just really wanted to stir the pot,” and he stirred it. He went on to say, “I did it as an experiment to see how far people can go in dissecting social media posts and how easily you can create chaos in today’s world just by posting a picture of a fish. Social media has become a war zone for the misperceived brain, which has decided to embark on the journey of a chest pounding “who’s right” mentality.
The real story is that the walleye does come from the GSL. However, the photo is “long-armed” and was also taken with a fisheye lens. These tactics turned into a very good fish, at 23 inches, 4 pounds, in what looked like a giant, trophy-caliber walleye, which turned out not to be the case.
A simple picture of a fish can be made to create a chaotic, viral response, is truly remarkable. I feel like this is a great lesson learned regarding social media. Anything can be portrayed as something other than what it really is and with little effort.
In another somewhat related area, perhaps we, as fishermen, are too caught up in the social media craze. I think most of us have forgotten the true meaning of fishing.
It seems that too many anglers crave “likes,” fishing just for the ability to post a picture of a fish. Instant gratification that comes from the amount of likes. Of those likes, probably 95% are people who don’t care about you and your fish. Who the heck cares what other people think! Social media has become an addiction of epidemic proportions.
Sure, we’ve all been guilty of it at one point in time. Checking the post to see how many people liked it. Again, who cares? That is absolutely nothing. Fish because you want to fish. Fish because you love to fish. Fish because it satisfies your mental health. Fish because you want to make real memories with friends and family you value and care about.
Over the years, no one will remember how many likes a post got, but bet your bottom dollar you’ll remember a monster pike coming out of a hole with all your closest friends and family around , and you know they are, too.
Explore nature, who cares if you are unsuccessful. That’s the adventure aspect. When a location actually lands on something useful, the feeling of finding it on your own really goes away. Work on it. That’s where the fun really comes in. It seems like everyone wants to be spoon fed with tips, techniques, and spots. We live in a world of entitlement and expected reward, but not many are willing to work hard to earn that reward. Ditch the participation trophy mantra. Head on over and find yourself a new honey hole. They are out there, just need a little work. Don’t expect anything to be given, and when you are, be very grateful.
I think the general takeaway from this is not to let social media become a driving force in our lives. It certainly has its place, but more often than not, the negativity outweighs the positive qualities.
NEW YORK MUSKY EXPO
It’s a bit of a drive, but I also know there are some die-hard musky anglers in the area. Not to mention the ice conditions are a little suspect, as well, so what better than to take a little road trip to the third annual New York Musky Expo.
The Chautauqua Inn and Suites, along with the New York Muskies Inc. President Katia Rivers, will host the show on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 9 am-5 pm, and Sunday, Feb. 4, from 9 am-2 pm
It is located at 215 W Lake Road in Mayville.
The show features more than 70 musky related vendors, and features a rock-star lineup of seminars by professional musky guides.
Where else can you get a destination suite, musky show, lure swap with gourmet pizza on the house, restaurant and bar on scene, entertainment and fun all in one place?
Located on the shores of Chautauqua Lake, you can head across the street to go ice fishing, as well. There will also be Karaoke Saturday night. Each child (up to 17 years old) will receive a free musky bait of their choice. Bring the whole family and make it an affordable weekend getaway.
