- Gather fishing intel. Don’t be afraid to ask how fishing is in your port of choice. You’ll be surprised how many people are actually wiling share good intel with you. Many are willing to share a great deal of info with you. Everything from depth, speed, techniques that are working and those that are not. What lures are taking fish and what lures are not. Any time I am planning on going out I will post on at least one of these groups to get intel. They are a great time saver for us weekend warriors who can’t make it out regularly.
- Need help solving a problem. There are a lot of fellow fisherman in these groups with years of experience fishing on the Great Lakes. Having trouble constantly tangling your lines. Or just getting started and having a hard time catching fish. Just ask for help. You will get the occasional joker who gives you a “smart-ass” answer. However, the bulk of the folks in these groups genuinely want to help. Quite often you will even get offers from those more experienced to go out with you and help show you the ropes.
- Need to find a piece of equipment or part. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people in these groups. Need a part to get your older boat up and running. Chances are good someone in these groups can help point you in the right direction. Looking for who makes a specific lure. You’ll probably get your answer.
- Find out about events. These groups are a great resource for everything from tournaments to swap meets. Take the time to check in regularly and peruse the feed. Swap meets are a great source for used tackle and gear.
- New Products and Sales. Another thing these groups are really good for is keeping up on new product announcements and sales. We are fisherman and most of us can’t help but want to buy a new lure or piece of equipment to help us “fish better”.
Social media can be a great resource for all levels of trout and salmon fishing in the Great Lakes. You do have to put some time and effort into it. You will want to check the groups you follow regularly. Also, it is a community and as a community, you should not only take information from the group you should be willing to give back as well.
Below I have provided a short list of Facebook groups that I follow for information. Monsters of the Great Lakes in my opinion is by far the best of the groups I have found to date. You will find this group very willing to share information and offer helpful information. The admins for this group also do a good job of limiting the b.s. that can be found in less well managed groups.