Has anyone here started there own personal fishing website? How did you code it, raw HTML or using web design tools? How did you host it? What is your business plan to monetize it? How did all those choices work out? I have a 2016 B.S. in Information Assurance (e.g. IT Security) but no web coding experience (lots of Unix scripting, Matlab coding, some Fortran though).
My story: I'm a top local fisherman who does not participate in tournaments. I have about 8 - 10 years of amazing reservoir Striped Bass catches (e.g. 90+ fish between 32"-43") and would say I'm the best guy in my state for freshwater Stripers (artificial lures, at least). I would guess I'm among the top 20% of Largemouth bass fisherman locally as well. I had an end-of-season LMB that would have been the biggest Largemouth weighed in our local lake tournament, would have won a $75 fishing permit for next year, but I released it to keep the lake wild and mysterious, even though I am temporarily unemployed and could use the money.
So why don't I show these catches here or on other BBSs? Simply because there is nothing to gain financially, and a lot to lose if my local lakes get pressured from monkey-see monkey-do imitators. Example, one day I showed off a nice big Striper during release to a shore fisherman and showed him the bait. Next day, he and a friend where there furiously casting the same spot with the closest imitation of the bait they could find at their local Walmart. What did I gain in that transaction? Nothing. Fishing ain't charity either. (Even the Atlantic Ocean is not big enough for 6 boats on Wicked Tuna). All the fine artists in the world have a virtually unlimited amount of paint and blank canvases to practice their art. We fisherman, on the other hand, must share/compete over a finite number of fish on a finite number of spots, during a limited fishing window (due to weather, closed season, night lake closures, hard water,etc.)
With that in mind, I am not going to disclose my catches and techniques on a website like this in which I reap no rewards but a few "atta boys" and "nice catches". I understand many of you make deep and valuable friendships here, and I think that is great and worthy, but that is not what I'm after. Basically, any material I create here goes to benefit the site owners and not me. (I could lurk and glean hints and pointers without providing free material, eh?)
Moreover, some of the best discussions and topics have controversy. I don't want to get a on a good rip (not rude, mind you but controversial) only to get "goodnight Irene" or other similar bs.
Therefore, I am thinking about setting up my own website. So I'll say again:
Has anyone here started there own personal fishing website? How did you code it, raw HTML or using web design tools? How did you host it? What is your business plan to monetize it? How did all those choices work out?
