Dorset spearfishing 2014

[speerolee]

Stephan..
May I also point out that o have also been polite, amicable and respectful to other members on this forum; albeit accompanied with the usual banter . Even when abusive comments have been aimed at myself, I have continued with the utmost respect, sense of humor and moved it along.
No laws have been broken, no regulations broken, and certainly no terms and conditions have been breached.

I cannot help, niether am I responsible for others dislikes of my fruitfull dives.

 

[speerolee]

Nail me to my cross....ill be the martar if you like

 

[spearo Clark]

Yes best to sleep on it, I'm sure it will become more apparent in the morning of how ridiculous this really is!

 

[speerolee]

I know who's complaining. ....I blame the Hitler video on youtube! ......damn you

 

[scrumpy]

Well here I am sat on nights, wondering am I really reading reports of too many fish being posted up and people offended by what they see.
Is this not a spearfishing forum for spearos?
My last night dive lasted just short of 5 hours and I came away with 3 bass, it is hardly having a hit on the stocks. Yes to the experience spearo, fish can be found but look at the new guys they’re hardly posting up many photos. No offence boys but night fishing is a totally different experience and requires different skills. This is my third year of night time dives and only this year, can I honestly say I am seeing the results of hours of effort, long dives, lack of sleep etc etc to perfect the art of night diving.
People that know Teignmouth and the surrounding area, know viz is patchy at the best of times and night dives can be bloody hard work.
I am no expert but happy to pass on any tips if the new lads PM me and from their response they now understand, it isn’t a fish a minute and to be honest reports have been thin on the ground all summer, so I guess not many have been taken.
Lee has passed on many tips, spots and general support in my quest to understand night diving, helping me put good food on the table and enjoy the sport at the same time.
Without reading Lees reports over the last couple of years, what would we be reading about?
Not a lot I can tell you! And even less photos of fish.
These people that are offended are they jealous that someone is having success or are they feeling the guilt of the fish they have taken over the years.
To be honest I’ve never been a big fan of Facebook but I enjoy posting up photos without a sneaky comment. Having someone slate you time and time again, in the end becomes very boring.
Over the last few years reading archive forums on Deeper Blue has got me through the winter, but I’m tired of reading about the damage Lee is meant to be doing to the sport.
I think if you ban / remove him from the forum, you might as well close down the South Devon & Dorset forums. How many other posts are there worthy of a read? Not many I can tell you.
As you can see a quiet night for me!!

 

[kkdavids]

From the outside looking in i can see both side to this. Personally i dont have an issue with people posting pictures of fish, whether they are caught at 3 in the afternoon or 3 in the morning. I dont fish at night through choice, but if thats when people can go and it puts a meal on the table then fair dues (while its legal of course!).

From Stephans perspective all he is asking is for a little bit of sesitivity around whats posted, as its obviously upsetting a few people. So maybe just a bit of meeting in the middle and keeping the peace (as we are all here for the love of our sport), and keep to just pics of the better fish caught?

 

[Matthew Barker]

As an occasional contributor I would also like to voice my dipleasure at seeing Lee's bags of fish be it day or night!! Since I am stuck in land locked Leicester it realy boils my pi55 to see that someone who as put time and effort into learning their craft gaining rewards. Surely in this day and age of instnt gratification we should all be able to go out and bag up instantly. Anyway im off dowen the canal to blast some 2 inch perch for the hell of it

 

[chrisreynolds]

goooooood grief!

is this what its come to?! i havent posted here for a long long time for various reasons..............not one of those reasons is because someone spent 6 hours in the water in the pitch black swimming 5 or 6 miles and was rewarded with a few decent fish for their efforts!!

oh well, facebook it is then i suppose.

disappointed.

 

[chrisreynolds]

one of the reasons was, however, bullying.

 

[Stephan Whelan]

one of the reasons was, however, bullying.

I'm sorry to hear that. There is a mechanism on the forums to report any issues - including spam and bullying - by clicking on the report button under any post or private message.

All reports are taken seriously and reviewed by the moderating team and myself. If you ever experience anything along those lines please ensure you report it otherwise we do not know it is happening and cannot take action.

 

[Wood3154]

Stephan, it may help to provide some detail as to what these 'posting and non-posting members' specifically have an issue with, given that Lee hasn't broken any forum rules. Is it the fact he's spearing at night (where's the problem?) or is the number of fish (again, where's the problem?). Maybe you could ask them to provide you and us with more detail......if they have it.

You liken it to inviting someone to your house and breaking rules, of which Lee hasn't. If someone was in my house and not breaking the rules (like Lee here), but someone else was moaning at them (your posting and non-posting members), I'd be questioning the person/people moaning, not the individual who hasn't actually done anything wrong.

It seems some people are far too tolerant of intolerable people, particularly keyboard warriors, or 'non-posting members' who in actual fact just seek to cause issue.

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Stephan, it may help to provide some detail as to what these 'posting and non-posting members' specifically have an issue with, given that Lee hasn't broken any forum rules. Is it the fact he's spearing at night (where's the problem?) or is the number of fish (again, where's the problem?). Maybe you could ask them to provide you and us with more detail......if they have it.

You liken it to inviting someone to your house and breaking rules, of which Lee hasn't. If someone was in my house and not breaking the rules (like Lee here), but someone else was moaning at them (your posting and non-posting members), I'd be questioning the person/people moaning, not the individual who hasn't actually done anything wrong.

It seems some people are far too tolerant of intolerable people, particularly keyboard warriors, or 'non-posting members' who in actual fact just seek to cause issue.

Sent from my GT-I9295 using Tapatalk

I'm not going to share private details of what numerous members have said (just like if you reported a post in confidence you would not want it published publicly) but I will say that the primary thing people have complained about is quantity of fish in images posted, a secondary concern is night spearfishing.

As an example the first image in this post have caused a number of complaints via the reporting system: http://forums.deeperblue.com/posts/935650/

That is just one example of many and believe me this is not something that has just happened but has built up over time. It is the subject of numerous reported posts and numerous PM's both on here, on FaceBook and on email over a protracted period.

 

[Matthew Barker]

I'm not going to share private details of what numerous members have said (just like if you reported a post in confidence you would not want it published publicly) but I will say that the primary thing people have complained about is quantity of fish in images posted, a secondary concern is night spearfishing.

As an example the first image in this post have caused a number of complaints via the reporting system: http://forums.deeperblue.com/posts/935650/

That is just one example of many and believe me this is not something that has just happened but has built up over time. It is the subject of numerous reported posts and numerous PM's both on here, on FaceBook and on email over a protracted period.

 

[spearo Clark]

So a couple of spear-fisherman do a rare 400 mile round trip and post up pics of there rewards and you and you're moderators agree that this is offensive to other members.........ridiculous!

 

[Stephan Whelan]

So a couple of spear-fisherman do a rare 400 mile round trip and post up pics of there rewards and you and you're moderators agree that this is offensive to other members.........ridiculous!

Spearo Clark - it is obvious you have no desire to actually discuss this or try to listen. I have told you that it has offended numerous people and hence why I sent a private note to speerolee which was then made public with some sarcastic comments and both you and he seem to want to make a fight out of it.

Please refrain from posting further photos of that nature.

 

[Matthew Barker]

Having read the replies, neither Lee or Clark seem to be looking for a fight. Rather reacting to heavy hand officiating in response to annonymous complaints, some from non posters. With this being a spear fishing forum it would not seem unreasonable to see pics of successful trips. Even the example you give above doesnt seem over the top, 17 fish from 2 people after 6 hours in the water. That would seem to me to be some hard won silver rather than decimating our fish stocks.

 

[scrumpy]

Why not have a trip over and stand on shaldon bridge at 2am and watch probably 15-20 Chinese take anything they catch. Now that is a sad sight not someone swimming that distance and putting that effort in.
Seeing pictures of fish taken has given me the determination to get out there and learn my sport and gives me a buzz to spot bass as it's mainly bass I see and attempt to take the better fish. Many dives you see just takeable fish but our codes of practice are ingrained in us and they're left alone.

 

[spearo Clark]

Spearo Clark - it is obvious you have no desire to actually discuss this or try to listen. I have told you that it has offended numerous people and hence why I sent a private note to speerolee which was then made public with some sarcastic comments and both you and he seem to want to make a fight out of it.

Please refrain from posting further photos of that nature.

Stephan you are not allowing a fair discussion! I can assure you I am listening loud and clear, however it is a shame that you are taking a biased view against your own fellow Spearo!

 

[spearo Clark]

TREE HUGGERS!!!!

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Stephan I suppose to sum it up, as you are hiding behind a ridiculous biased view.

You have backtracked/retracted from your initial message to speerolee, so I suppose a result, however due to your lack of response I have to assume that you have finally come to your senses!! and that you are questioning yourself about what is obviously a ridiculous witch hunt?

As a founder and owner of deeper blue unfortunately you have lost touch and singled out a fellow Spearo and let's be honest a side of the sport that has been active for many years??????

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Stephan I suppose to sum it up, as you are hiding behind a ridiculous biased view.

You have backtracked/retracted from your initial message to speerolee, so I suppose a result, however due to your lack of response I have to assume that you have finally come to your senses!! and that you are questioning yourself about what is obviously a ridiculous witch hunt?

As a founder and owner of deeper blue unfortunately you have lost touch and singled out a fellow Spearo and let's be honest a side of the sport that has been active for many years??????

Actually am in turkey for a work event so can't spend every moment on these forums nor debating all this.

I haven't backtracked on anything - my stance stays the same. Post more photos like I have said and they will be deleted and infractions given.

As a point to note we held our UK member meet in August with 30 spearos and the posts in question came up with virtually everybody. Combine this with a completely seperate group of members reporting posts
I have quite a group of member unhappy so this isn't just a small group of unjustified members.