Merg,

I'll echo what a few others have said. I use the internet for tides, weather, river levels, and such when I feel the need to. Not as much for technique. Though I feel pretty comfortable employing many techniques, I do get online and do some research before I hit a new body of water for the first time. Each river (or lake, bay, etc.) has it's own nuances. Some of those can be learned through other's reports, but many have to be learned first hand.

Scott