My .02,
As Salmo_G said, VFS was the first comprehensive regional flyfishing forum on the internet. It was natural that there were many spin-offs.
Some have gone down in Flames, others are still around. Each has a unique "personality" and a group of regulars.
It's true - with more to choose from, most of us surf several different sites as opposed to becoming a regular on only one.
I look for sites that have serious/hardcore fishermen who participate. This site is one of the best for that. As others have suggested, there are many who read this site and only delurk on threads that interest them.
Maybe we need to start posting pictures of questionable origin as is commonplace on the Open forum? Homer's already started this with that nefarious character in neoprenes he "out"ed in an earlier thread.
:p I'm sure that would increase participation!!
TIC,
Brian