How do I REALLY win at cash NL. Play Tight or Loose?

[Minnie Man]

Here is my story. I started playing Texas Hold'em in January of this year at a local B&M. They had $2-4 limit there for a while. I would try it out every couple of weeks with very little success, but I didn't loose too much either. I then read Jone's Low Limit book and went on a hot streak.....a streak for me. I actually had winning nights. Then I entered my first ever live NL Hold'em 2 table SNG. I won! Now I was hooked. I started playing online now for real money. I deposited my $100 to start and entered a small MTT. I placed something like 2nd in one and top 8 in another. My bankroll was an amazing $180! A good start. I proceeded to play NL200 like the in the live casino near me. My bankroll was literally $1 in about 10 days. I vowed to play more solidly and ABC poker and I built my bankroll up to $14, then $60 and as high as $280. Since then (about 2-3 weeks ago) I have mostly played within my bankroll at the NL10 and NL25.

I really like the play of Negreanu, Hansen, etc, so I had been playing fairly loose and aggressive (about 35%/20%/3.00) and built up my bankroll to $280, but I took a couple of beats....actually really bad calls by me. My bankroll went to about $180. I became careful with my play. I changed to only playing about 20%-25% of hands, but staying aggressive as I read in these forums and other good books. Now, I have decreased my variance in sessions, but I also have not had much success.

Now I feel like I am playing much more of a tight agressive and solid game, but I keep losing. What I notice is I get many people playing back at me when I raise and having the flop come out rags, they bet and take the pot when I miss. Also, I am not getting much action at all on my bigger hands when they do hit. I definately think other players can now read my hands much better. I now do not call a raise with suited connectors or other hands in hopes of hitting the big hand. This is because I am not getting sufficient odds (not implied odds).

My quesion is coming....it seems like the players winning on High Stakes Poker and at my B&M casino are the ones playing more marginal hands and knowing when to push the hands. They get more action on their hands and seem to hit the hands that pay off (staights and flushes). I see players winning much more than me playing 35%+ of their hands. They hit more straights, flushes, two pair on ragged boards, etc. It seems like everyone here in these forums is tight (20% hands), but aggressive.

I am confused....I know playing tight is safer, but....frustration is setting in as my tight play is making my bankroll disappear.

Any thoughts?