Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Bob Lusk and others.......Get back to this board, or.......

I love you guys!
I wondered how Evander Holyfield felt when Mike Tyson bit off his ear.
Last week, President Bush was in Australia addressing parliament. One assemblyman leapt to her feet and interrupted the president to heckle and bash his stance on the war.
Bush’s comment? “I love free speech.”
We deeply appreciate your thoughts, all of them.
Expect to see me frequent the website...especially since the pond management season recently shifted into a slower gear.
It’s been a banner year in the pond management business. Best one ever.
Here’s some news.
The Pond Boss Board of Directors, about a month ago, appointed me to be the new editor of the magazine.
Mark McDonald has taken a full time job as editor of a well funded start-up outdoor magazine.
New things are on the horizon.
Mark built a wonderful magazine.
Now, it’s time to go to another level.
The editorial calendar, each issue will include the following...
Cover Story
Know your Pond Life
Ask the Pond Boss
Customers always write
On Northern Pond
Managing the mini-pond
Field notes
Featured product
Pushing the Envelope by Norman Latona
Down to Earth by Mike Otto
Beyond the Shoreline by Sherman Wyman.
Over the next few weeks I will be working feverishly to land other writers, especially in the upper midwest and northern sections of the country. Subscriptions north of the Mason-Dixon Line have increased dramatically over the last few months, so we will cater to that audience.
I want your story ideas. Offer an idea, and be prepared to hear my response. We want writers, and we want to improve the magazine.
As everyone knows, we charge no fee for people to participate in our forum. That’s by design, and we intend to keep the forum free.
The only real problem we have had with the forum are those handfuls of people who have actively solicited business for themselves, while our paying advertisers work the magazine. Our plans are to keep the forum for information, not to help a non-paying soul make a living at our expense.
Do we want more subscribers to the magazine? Yes.
Is the website a tool to increase subscriber numbers? We hope so.
In regard to this thread, several people asked me to respond. It reminds me of a story.
I remember a Super Bowl game once, where the Dallas Cowboys had momentum. In the waning minutes, the Cowboys threw for the end zone. Dallas’ receiver was knocked away, obviously interference. No call.
That “no call” energized the opponents, Pittsburgh as I recall, who took momentum and charged on to win.
After the game, Coach Tom Landry was asked by a reporter, “What did you think of the pass interference in the end zone?” Stoic as always, Coach Landry replied, “The official’s call will stand on its own merit.”
So do all the comments.

I love you guys!
I wondered how Evander Holyfield felt when Mike Tyson bit off his ear.
Last week, President Bush was in Australia addressing parliament. One assemblyman leapt to her feet and interrupted the president to heckle and bash his stance on the war.
Bush’s comment? “I love free speech.”
We deeply appreciate your thoughts, all of them.
Expect to see me frequent the website...especially since the pond management season recently shifted into a slower gear.
It’s been a banner year in the pond management business. Best one ever.
Here’s some news.
The Pond Boss Board of Directors, about a month ago, appointed me to be the new editor of the magazine.
Mark McDonald has taken a full time job as editor of a well funded start-up outdoor magazine.
New things are on the horizon.
Mark built a wonderful magazine.
Now, it’s time to go to another level.
The editorial calendar, each issue will include the following...
Cover Story
Know your Pond Life
Ask the Pond Boss
Customers always write
On Northern Pond
Managing the mini-pond
Field notes
Featured product
Pushing the Envelope by Norman Latona
Down to Earth by Mike Otto
Beyond the Shoreline by Sherman Wyman.
Over the next few weeks I will be working feverishly to land other writers, especially in the upper midwest and northern sections of the country. Subscriptions north of the Mason-Dixon Line have increased dramatically over the last few months, so we will cater to that audience.
I want your story ideas. Offer an idea, and be prepared to hear my response. We want writers, and we want to improve the magazine.
As everyone knows, we charge no fee for people to participate in our forum. That’s by design, and we intend to keep the forum free.
The only real problem we have had with the forum are those handfuls of people who have actively solicited business for themselves, while our paying advertisers work the magazine. Our plans are to keep the forum for information, not to help a non-paying soul make a living at our expense.
Do we want more subscribers to the magazine? Yes.
Is the website a tool to increase subscriber numbers? We hope so.
In regard to this thread, several people asked me to respond. It reminds me of a story.
I remember a Super Bowl game once, where the Dallas Cowboys had momentum. In the waning minutes, the Cowboys threw for the end zone. Dallas’ receiver was knocked away, obviously interference. No call.
That “no call” energized the opponents, Pittsburgh as I recall, who took momentum and charged on to win.
After the game, Coach Tom Landry was asked by a reporter, “What did you think of the pass interference in the end zone?” Stoic as always, Coach Landry replied, “The official’s call will stand on its own merit.”
So do all the comments.

I love you guys!
I wondered how Evander Holyfield felt when Mike Tyson bit off his ear.
Last week, President Bush was in Australia addressing parliament. One assemblyman leapt to her feet and interrupted the president to heckle and bash his stance on the war.
Bush’s comment? “I love free speech.”
We deeply appreciate your thoughts, all of them.
Expect to see me frequent the website...especially since the pond management season recently shifted into a slower gear.
It’s been a banner year in the pond management business. Best one ever.
Here’s some news.
The Pond Boss Board of Directors, about a month ago, appointed me to be the new editor of the magazine.
Mark McDonald has taken a full time job as editor of a well funded start-up outdoor magazine.
New things are on the horizon.
Mark built a wonderful magazine.
Now, it’s time to go to another level.
The editorial calendar, each issue will include the following...
Cover Story
Know your Pond Life
Ask the Pond Boss
Customers always write
On Northern Pond
Managing the mini-pond
Field notes
Featured product
Pushing the Envelope by Norman Latona
Down to Earth by Mike Otto
Beyond the Shoreline by Sherman Wyman.
Over the next few weeks I will be working feverishly to land other writers, especially in the upper midwest and northern sections of the country. Subscriptions north of the Mason-Dixon Line have increased dramatically over the last few months, so we will cater to that audience.
I want your story ideas. Offer an idea, and be prepared to hear my response. We want writers, and we want to improve the magazine.
As everyone knows, we charge no fee for people to participate in our forum. That’s by design, and we intend to keep the forum free.
The only real problem we have had with the forum are those handfuls of people who have actively solicited business for themselves, while our paying advertisers work the magazine. Our plans are to keep the forum for information, not to help a non-paying soul make a living at our expense.
Do we want more subscribers to the magazine? Yes.
Is the website a tool to increase subscriber numbers? We hope so.
In regard to this thread, several people asked me to respond. It reminds me of a story.
I remember a Super Bowl game once, where the Dallas Cowboys had momentum. In the waning minutes, the Cowboys threw for the end zone. Dallas’ receiver was knocked away, obviously interference. No call.
That “no call” energized the opponents, Pittsburgh as I recall, who took momentum and charged on to win.
After the game, Coach Tom Landry was asked by a reporter, “What did you think of the pass interference in the end zone?” Stoic as always, Coach Landry replied, “The official’s call will stand on its own merit.”
So do all the comments.

Well said bob! Now lets all get together and work with these guys to get the topics we want and have fun again. I hope that all who submit articles for print do get paid and they are printed as written and paid for with gratitude. My suggestion, get a trout consultant on board to write an article each issue. If this is done you have no idea how the word will spread to us guys who do the trout deal. Look forward to your response and hopefully renewing my subscription.

Jeff

Glad to see your respond Bob - your help to everyone you come in contact with has always been that of going the extra mile - Pond Boss is and will continue to be a great source for the regular person out there who wants to learn and enhance their private lake or pond. You are a class act - also, Mark's new magazine is also first class and for any hunters or outdoorsmen, it is well worth the subscription too. Outdoor Journal

B.Lusk has been gone so long that he's forgotten how to properly "post a reply", LOL.

I like the sound of his words, we will see what prevails; very good things I hope.

Bob, it won't hurt too bad to show up here once a week over coffee or a night cap and "hit" one question. It will allow you to calm down before hitting the sack.

I swear I only hit the post button once. Honest.
Bill, I haven't paid much attention to the website over the last few months. I have been consumed.
But, things are settling down, and I will make time for the site.
I married in December, we bought a piece of property, remodeled a house, built several ponds, drove more than 60,000 miles this spring working my pond management business, and wrote my articles for Pond Boss. So, trying to work on a relationship, create a home, run two businesses, write and spend time on the web site was.....well you see.
However, we are in the new home, the marriage is blossoming, the ponds are filling and I am completely caught up with pond management stuff.
Now, the focus shifts to Pond Boss.
We need several articles from you about Northern ponds for 2004.
And, I think it's a great idea to have a trout writer.
Any of you guys have other suggestions?
Feed me some names, and I'll get in touch.
I want fresh writers, fresh topics and photos.
E-mail me direct at pondboss@texoma.net.
Let's move ahead and have fun.

Glad to see you are still breathing Bob!!! Thanks for you Pond Boss!!

Married? Again? Congrats Bubba.

To heck with managing my pond !
I want to know how to make a marriage blossom ?

Welcome back, Bob.

Water it.

Been gone a long time. Like Bob, I have been busy. I too, saw trouble on the horizon with the mag and website. It does not take too long to read the mag. But since Otto started writing, it has been worth it.

I was always raised to be fair and honest. Back in the day, when filling stations had an air hose attached to the corner of the building, and you didn't have to put a quarter in... My daddy taught me that if I used the free air, I needed to buy something. If we were on a car trip and stopped at a station to use the restroom, we always bought something, just to be fair and decent. (Here comes my point) I use the web site to death, for free. So I pay for the mag in order to reimburse Pondboss for all that I have learned and continue to learn.

How fair is it to play and not pay. If you are using the site to gain knowledge, does it not feel sorta like stealing to not pay for the learning? I teach college. We charge over 29,000 for an Associates Degree. Education is not cheap. This website is offering a lot of education for free. I think that decent folk ought to be grateful enough to support them by paying for the mag. But that is just my opinion.

Nick,
You're right on!! Unfortunately society today expects something for nothing. Too many people expect gov. ect to take care of them. Well, government is all the rest of the taxpayers & their freeloading off everyone else!! I'm an endowment member of the NRA, Life member of our state org. .. there's apx 80 mil. gun owners in the US, 30 mil. hunters & only 4 mil NRA members paying to protect all the freeloaders right to own their guns. If we could get only 1/2 of the freeloaders to join we wouldn't have to ever worry about loosing that right.
EVERYONE using this site should do as you and I and several others here have done & subscribe to PB mag. & buy the other lit!
But I'm afraid this country is going the way of the French .. Government will take care (and control) us all if some of the polititions have their way.
Ric

Nic and Ric,

Of course it's bad if folks just want to come on this site but won't pay for the mag. But I think you guys missed the point. I subscribe and so does Bill Cody. So I really don't see why you went off on that tangent -- no offense intended.

Looks like Lusk is not only an intelligent, but wise to by listening to contructive criticism. Not sure if that was true of his counterpart. If he really means what he says the magazine can only get better. The market is there and this magazine could have a massive mailing list if they strive to produce the best magazine they can do the right marketing.

Best of Luck and I'd like to do what I can to help.

BTW, for those of you who thought my previous post was vindictive it was not. I just wasn't sure I wanted to add a feather to the cap of someone by posting on this site if it appeared they were taking advantage of contributors. Nuff said.

Yes I think there is a huge market that pond boss can reach out to. I've known many people in my area who just hired someone to move some dirt around so it would hold water. Then they would go catch fish from another lake and put it in there without any knownledge of what was going on. Trust me my dad did it, and now his pond has some HUGE bluegill and 100s of 12 in bass...and one monster 6lber that probably only weighs 4 or 5 lbs now. If he would have known about you guys back then he would definitely of subscribed. I think maybe some advertising should be made in some other magazines somewhere. Also while the magazine definitely has room to expand and get better, I'd like to personally thank Bob for his books. They were without a doubt the best learning experience I have ever had towards pond managing. I hope you write more in the future.

Chris