Here is how it works
After your images are uploaded to our database, they are imported into the BountyFishing Forensics software.
The software first detects the image’s authenticity to ensure it is the original photo.
Using the human eye and other reference points in the photo of you holding your catch, the software verifies the accuracy of your ruler.
Finally the length of your fish is measured and validated from the image of the fish and ruler.

It is actually really sticky in that most users are active on the site daily and at worse weekly. I agree with you that copying the 2 year old social model is generally a little old school, but I think it works here because the Fishing industry is so old school that this is still on the fore front.

Just do a search in Google for Fishing sites or fishing community or even look at the link to the other site above in the comments that is supposed to be similar. The industry is in the dark ages and that is why I think Angling Masters is brilliant

I just think new sites need to keep pace with what’s working next, not what worked for the two or three dozen sites launched years ago, and both the web and end users have evolved.

Niche sites are fine, but I think they need to be better built around the users in the niche, versus recreating over and over and over what worked somewhere else.

I think this one in particular has an interesting twist, though will struggle with two things: 1) Many (and thisi s a generalization) of the hardcore fishign folk, aren’t necesarily into the social netwrorking thing - just too much of an indoor sport. 2) Lack of gender diversitywill stifle interaction. Let’s face it, it alwasy comes back to hooking up

Today more then half the responses are positive, and very few are critical of the actual service or model.

I for one, think if it’s executed properly could be wildly successful for the owners and wildly popular for the people that use it. In fact I believe there is almost no end to the number of popular passion-centric communities that can exist. It’s unlikely one will have an exit like YouTube, but if done right could be very rewarding for those involved.

http://www.troutfanatics.com

It actually truly works, we have had people meet and get married through it, people get together daily and fish together, we have tournaments, get together, the crabbing guys have two Tidal Fish Crab Feasts a year where about 200+ people show up.

It is amazing. You can check it out at http://www.TidalFish.com

Having been around the internet a long time, I will say niche sites work, it is just getting the community there and keeping the spam out with strict rules.

Thanks

Brandon
Chief Angler
TidalFish.com
http://www.TidalFish.com

I kind of let the idea slide because there are already /so/ many of those type of websites over here in the netherlands, each covering their own little area and group of people.. meh, who knows, maybe this is the solution!

That masterbait chick is absolutely bait.. and it’s working too

Nick, I actually created a prototype for a site where you could create your own tournaments and leagues for gamers(supagamers was the name for it), I realised pretty quickly that the cheating aspect was the deathnail in it. I did come up with a solution but I am not sharing it here :p

Is there already a social net for truck-drivers?
I think you can make a social net for almost any group!

To catch a fish, you need bait right?

To catch a fisherman and reel him into your “fishing network”, you need a “masterbaiter”

http://www.anglingmasters.com/.....p;too=2003

Yup, “masterbaiter” is a 24 year old beauty with 3 photo galleries you need to create an account to view

Sounds like enough reason to get a few lonely fisherman to sign up.
I have to hand it to them here, pretty clever actually.