BFT Utah 20 year anniversary is this week

[wiperhunter2]

I went back through the post and found this one from 20 years ago, there could be others but this was the only one I could find from Feb 2002:

https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...p?tid=7836

Here is a link to two more post from later that same year I guess when the site was rebuilt two years ago the post got mixed up:
https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...?tid=15719

https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...?tid=16373

Predator was the moderator back then and Kentofnsl and I were the first two members to sign up. So many things have changed since all those years ago. Hard to believe BFT is still around after all those years.

[meancuznalfy]

Dam, it's been around a long time.

[addicted2fishin]

I believe I joined about a year later, after the other message board we all used to use (can't even remember the name of it anymore) died off. If I remember right it had a lot to do with the moderation policies of that site.
It sure has gotten a lot quieter in here over the past couple of years with the popularity of the Facebook groups, but glad this site is still around.

[wiperhunter2]

I believe I joined about a year later, after the other message board we all used to use (can't even remember the name of it anymore) died off. If I remember right it had a lot to do with the moderation policies of that site.
It sure has gotten a lot quieter in here over the past couple of years with the popularity of the Facebook groups, but glad this site is still around.

Glad you have hung in there with us. A lot of members that were on those threads I listed above have moved on. Not sure it was the same site but I think the site a lot of us came from was Utah fish finder and you are right there was an issue with the lack of moderation, not by the moderator but by the site owner not letting the moderator do his job. That site eventually shut down it's forum page I believe and now it's just an information site.

[Cowboypirate]

I would love to know how many 15-20 year  tenure BFT members are still on the site and what they miss vs enjoy from the site then and now.

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I went back through the post and found this one from 20 years ago, there could be others but this was the only one I could find from Feb 2002:

https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...p?tid=7836

Here is a link to two more post from later that same year I guess when the site was rebuilt two years ago the post got mixed up:
https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...?tid=15719

https://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/show...?tid=16373

Predator was the moderator back then and Kentofnsl and I were the first two members to sign up. So many things have changed since all those years ago. Hard to believe BFT is still around after all those years.

So Curt, is "Leaky" still around?  I used to enjoy his adventures with his dog on the Weber River.  I haven't seen a post from him in years.  Just curious.

[MACMAN]

I was a year or so late getting in. Can’t believe it’s been 19 years. BearLakeMac turned me onto the site after we had what was my best day ever on Bear Lake. We caught 60+ fish that day. It was epic. I’ve been a faithful follower ever since.

[wiperhunter2]

So Curt, is "Leaky" still around?  I used to enjoy his adventures with his dog on the Weber River.  I haven't seen a post from him in years.  Just curious.

Sorry to say this Scott but I heard that Leaky passed away a few years ago.  I also enjoyed his post and his adventures with his dog Sparky.

[Jig-fisher]

I would love to know how many 15-20 year  tenure BFT members are still on the site and what they miss vs enjoy from the site then and now.

I originally joined in Oct of 2004, although under a different name.  Back then I went by PDS.  This was before smartphones so checking the forums had to be done on a computer.  PDS is still in the system as registered user, but I switched over to Jig-fisher in 2012 to better reflect my favorite type of fishing. I miss the ease of use of the old forum and there seemed to be a lot more active users as well.

[TubeDude]

Been here since Sept. 2002.  Over the years I have served as moderator a couple of times and was even an admin for a while.  Have set up and moderated a couple of other boards...like the Arizona board when I lived down there and first joined BFT.  Also started and built up a pretty good float tubing board.  But all the photos, articles and reference material I used to build it was wiped out during the big changeover. 

I really miss the old board.  I know enough about websites to know that the original format outgrew its capacity and was about to implode.  And the new owners...who bought the site from Angler...were not nearly as knowledgeable and financially sound as needed to take over this runaway train.  Still, they have tried hard.  But as evidenced by the major loss of members the new format is not nearly as user friendly.  And the increasing availability and popularity of fishing boards on social media has siphoned off a lot of former members too.

There are a double handful of former members who have passed on to the great beyond.  In most cases we only find out about it if one of their close friends or family members posts something about it on the board.  And there are several of us old-timers that are hanging in there...and grateful for every new day when we can get up and log on to BFT once again.  Even with all of the glitches and irritations of the "new and improved" version it's all that some of us still have...and it is still a good place to hang out and talk fishing.

[Gone Forever]

Only 20 years? I thought it had been around longer than that. I thought I had been around longer than that.

[wiperhunter2]

Only 20 years?  I thought it had been around longer than that.  I thought I had been around longer than that.

The site has been around longer, Theangler was the one that got the site up in running in the Winter of 2000 but those of us in Utah did not find out about it unlil Feb of 2002.
https://bigfishtackle.com/forum/member.p...file&uid=1

[Bovineowner]

I'm a baby since I've only been here since 2014. But even with all the changes and losing members to other places and time, i enjoy checking in here. You all have shared so many cool things, from fishing techniques to pictures of giant fish! I very seldom don't come to BFT and learn something. I have also been fortunate to meet several really awesome people from the site. Top shelf and happy i got to know them. Living in a remote area of Utah, BFT allows me to see and learn things from my phone or computer I'd otherwise miss out on. I'm truly grateful for that!!!!

[SkunkedAgain]

I'm with Darrell it's still a pretty great place to hang out and learn new things... The social media sites do tell the fastest updates on what is biting where and how are the current conditions, but they just don't do much to teaching techniques and expanding ones knowledge.. Here's to another 20 years... Guess I've only got 11 or so years on the site, so I'm a late comer as well, be been a fun time... Later J

[Springbuck1]

Only 20 years?  I thought it had been around longer than that.  I thought I had been around longer than that.

 Me, too!  I found this place at least 18 years ago, and I would have said 20 if asked.  It was such a great resource and seemed so well established, with such good people and good info.  I figured I'd been missing out on it for many years, already.

[Gone Forever]

It took off.
Utah was searching for a site like this and it quickly became very popular, exceeding most of the other states as far as activity at some points.
Leaders like yourself, Pat, Kent and many others promoted Utah fishing like at no other time.
I signed up in January 2004 as Troll. Troll caught the virus that so many others experienced in Dec of 2019 and everything about him vanished. Oh, well,, "Gone Forever", casualty the of the metaverse.
It's still a great site with lots of great people, I miss the get togethers we used to have and love to read the reports of people I have met and know can and do fish. This is social media, These kinds of sites were pioneering when founded. But there is a lot more competition now, the proliferation of FB fishing pages concerning Utah is large.

[Kent]

Been a member since February 2002. I have seen it go through two major upgrades and the last upgrade was by far the worst. I think the disastrous upgrade had more to do with members leaving than Facebook did (although FB has been a major contributor). I still gain a lot from BFT, but I miss the glory days of yore.

[AFDan52]

I have been a Member here since September 2002 .

[fishinfool]

The 2002 club was some good times. I miss those days of wiper tourneys and sharing information on what was catching them. Prism shads ruled the water and then faded away after the fire burned down there building. I'm still in hunting mode but will be back when the water thaws. Hoping willard walleye fishing will be as good as it was last year. And the wipers come back to the numbers they were back then.

Anyway Happy Birthday BFT. It's been great being here with you all.

fnf

[N.E.T.O.]

I've been a member since 9/17/2004. I had no idea (till today) that the forum was so young back then. Just figured it had been around since the internet was invented...