The self-appointed social media police should give fishing posts a pass

I’m a nice guy, I really am.

I don’t go out of my way to provoke trouble or arguments. I don’t hurl insults or try to hurt people’s feelings. I try to adhere to the words of an old Jimmy Buffett lyric, “I’m just trying to get by, being quiet and shy in a world full of push and shove.”

That’s the problem with social media. If I spend too much time on it, I feel like my mental health is declining and it isn’t beneficial to my physical health, as well. I swear, I think you can develop an ulcer from spending too much time on Facebook. People on social media can be awfully vicious.

I have 5,000 “friends” on Facebook and my son-in-law asks me: “How do you have so many friends that all show pictures of adult men holding up fish? Don’t you have any other friends?” I guess not and I don’t really care. It’s what I’m all about.

That said, I do see an awful lot of posts about fishing and many of the posts contain pictures of fish. I love looking at the pictures. Think about it. A person has to be pretty proud of themselves to post a picture of a fish that he/she has caught to publish it for the world to see, don’t you think? I think a person smiling and holding up a nice fish is a beautiful thing and I thank all the folks who take the time to do this to amuse, educate and inform the rest of the social media browsing public.

I hate to have to admit this, but I think I am becoming part of the minority of people who feel this way. I swear that as soon as a picture of a person with a fish gets posted, someone will post that the picture isn’t worth posting. Immediately, some stranger is making fun of the fisherman and his fish. Even worse is if the posted picture is accompanied by the person’s estimate of the pictured fish’s weight or length.

“You’re a liar. That fish isn’t 8 pounds. Who are you trying to fool?” or “Give me a break. That musky is nowhere near 40 inches. You’re a no-good liar.” The insults go on and on.

I hope the posters give up social media and don’t give up fishing instead. I can’t imagine how hurt someone’s feelings get when they are called names by strangers on Facebook. By the way, I believe they call this “bullying,” don’t they?

I’ve seen people post pictures of nice fish that were caught from a local pond. They’ve been attacked by posters who call them liars because they claim to know there aren’t any good fish in that particular pond. Hey, I realize posting locations is not the best idea, but calling someone a liar is hurtful and destructive. Leave the folks alone.

I see plenty of pictures of fish that are nowhere near the size that the poster claims them to be. So what? It’s not my mission in life to correct them on social media.

If someone wants to believe that their 3-pound pond largemouth is 8 pounds, that is their right to be mistaken. They are not hurting anyone and you are not the social media length-and-weight police, my friend. Move along.

So let’s try to be a little kinder and gentler on social media, especially as far as fishing is concerned. In the words of Rodney King, “Can't we all just get along?” I guess Mr. King wasn’t on social media.

• Daily Herald Outdoors columnist Steve Sarley can be reached at sarfishing@yahoo.com.