Optimal Play in home game (long)

[EMcWilliams]

Ok, I just finished up a home game and had a long debate with some friends over the optimal stradegy in our home game......

Description of Game:

We play No-Limit hold'em 25/50 cent blinds, buy ins ranging from 10 to 25. Most recently we have played 25$ buy in, but there are times that we revert to our overly naive 10$ buyin. I will always buy in more then once, and it does keep the fish returning, so that is not my concern. As I said though, lately we have been playing 25$ buy in.
We play with 5-7 people on average, with different levels of people throughout the night. We play for about 3-5 hours per night, 4 nights a week. Each game there are 3 players who have an idea as to what poker is, and the rest are fish that make the ones on party look intellengent. An average description is a 17-19yo male, seen poker on TV, does not know what position, pot odds or implied odds are about, the gap concept they think is about someone wearing a Gap sweatshirt, basically think poker is a bunch of bluffs. Most are calling stations, some more so than others, but on average loose passive and clueless. As I said, there are three players who win regularly and are not clueless, Myself, a TAG, and 2 LAG's who border on maniac sometimes. The funny thing is that they will always win (and big) and I will win but not the same magnitude.
They argue that since we only play a limited number of hands, playing solid ABC poker is useless. They think that playing TAG is stupid. As luck would have it, the only observation that the fish have is that I am a TAG. As such, they fold a lot to my pre flop raises, and if not, will almost always fold to any flop scare card. Anyway, back to what I was saying, the LAGs are arguing that in our game, LAG is the only way to make money. They insist that since I need to loosen up and bluff more, and I dont think they are correct. In SSHE (I know it is limit oriented) they make the point that "tight is right". But the LAGS always win. Do I need to loosen up more, or should I continue as I am. What is the optimal play for this type of game? Is there such thing as too textbook?

PART II:
Another topic which we argued about is post flop play. They say that I am too aggressive (is that possible) and am missing out on EV. They insist I overbet, which to them means betting the pot. They make the point that fish are not aware of the pot, but I know if I don't bet the right amount they are making winning plays by chasing. They insist I need to slow down, and bet less. While the pot may be 20BB, the fish will still fold to 3 and 4 BB bets. I know if I make less, I am making plays of -EV. They do make the point that the amount of bluffing that occurs is outragious, and I should capitialize on it, but being passive is not right. I am giving them infinite odds to outdraw me. Should I not bet when I am a favorite. The fish know that when an A hits, they are in trouble, and I doubt they will bluff. Should (and how) do I use this to my advantage?

I have a lot of questions honestly, stuff that I do not think books will give me. I think I put up enough for one night, and i'll ask some more later. I feel bad about writing this much, but I do think there are many others out there with questions like this. I NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE!!!!