by Kathryn Hood

Created on: February 25, 2009

Love on the web...sounds a bit "fishy" to me. (After all, you are using a "net".) But thousands of people are casting their profiles out into the deep sea of the Internet in hopes of "landing a good one".

The beginner has to get their feet wet, by taking the first step into the depths of cyberspace, and creating a profile. Some beginners use lures like a great car, a motorcycle, a nice house, and yes, even marriage. Others use a different kind of bait such as a great physique, a fantastic income, plans of traveling, etc. Enticing the ones you seek in closer, so you can see if they are a keeper, is the trick. Each beginner comes up with a different angle. Using charm, wit, humor, or creative talent helps lure in the potential responses. A beginner may feel like it's a swim or sink ordeal. But actually you bob along with a catch and release attitude.

The more experienced on-line dater tackles a wider range of fishing grounds. They log onto different dating sites such as Match.com, E-Harmony, American Singles, Cupid.com, etc. Of course, they run the risk of getting swamped with responses. Often a response is more like a nibble, as in sending an Ice-Breaker. This is a generic form of communication that lets the person know you are interested. Others send out emails hoping they haven't bitten off more than they can handle. If all goes well, communication begins to flow as words stream across the Internet.

But there are problems in the dating pool. When you are out trolling for a new experience and you don't know the waters, you may end up in over your head. You may start getting too chummy and end up with a shark (a dangerous situation in all cases). On-line dating isn't always a simple, relaxing, leisure-filled time or experience. You do have to take precautions so you don't go overboard. Once in a while, a person has to bail out of an on-line relationship due to the back-wash of other commitments or personal problems. Knowing when the jig is up helps you determine if you are pitching the wrong lines. . Skipping communication steps, such as email and phone conversations, and going straight to meeting in person can cause a few snags or spook your potential date into tail spin, causing them to flip out.

The secret to on-line dating is to remember not everyone is going to fall for your profile hook, line, and sinker. We all have stories about the ones we threw back, and the ones who got away. There are techniques designed for triggering responses. Check out other profiles and ask for advice. Dive in and have fun.

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