Andy, as a former 17 year old I'm going to offer my three cents on this issue:

1. We admire your passion and honesty. Don't lose that fire. Keep the language and the tone clean -- no need to stoop to others' levels. And you can change the world, too, but usually it's a little bit at a time, and a long time in coming . . . but it still makes a difference. Don't give up on the Nooch and sleds. Perservere.

2. This Board IS worth caring about, but you have to realize that it's become enormously popular in the last year (11,700 posts for goodness sake!) and unfortunately the number of new Robbo's, Hawks, Martys and other ace contributors hasn't kept pace. So there's a lot more 'noise'.

Like most of the other guys, I simply skip or quickly abandon threads that are bitch sessions. If you ignore the hate-mongers, they eventually self-select off the Board (perhaps finding more people to spar with on other boards). I'm going to be around on the Board as long as Bob continues to run it. We'll outlast -- and possibly change the minds of -- a few of the new guys who resort to name calling or have their facts backwards. So hang in there. There's no need to start you own Board. Stay and make this one better.

3. There's still plenty of good info being exchanged of real value (at least to the person asking the questions). Where else can a post on gluing felt soles on waders get three or four expert replies in a few days? I mean 'felt soles' isn't exactly a topic of high interest to 98% of fishermen, yet the level of professional courtesy is high enough that old timers and new posters alike gave me their thoughts. That's what I value about this Board. (Try making a similar post on 90% of the other Boards and it will dangle in the breeze forever.)

4. You will indeed lose customers for your stands on things like condemning yahoos on this Board and sleds on the Nooch. You're also gaining business, too: my business. Those jigs and rags you sent me two weeks ago are first rate, and I'll be ordering morre -- and passing your website and contact details on to several other serious gear losers (the best kind of customers to have).

The Romans had an expression that sums up what you're going through "Don't let the bastards get you down."

Tight lines.