Who taught you to fish?

[Mike Martin]

This is Charlie, my step-dad on his last fishing trip. I spent lots of hours with him fishing. I sure do miss him. 

[dick tabbert]

Keith thank you for sharing.

[Mike Martin]

Young guys, enjoy that person that taught you to fish if they're still around, better yet take them fishing. You never know when it will be the last time. I didn't.

Have lots of great memories fishing with Charlie. A few years back, well maybe more than a few I called him on the Friday before Mother's Day weekend. My sisters always did something with my mother on that Saturday and my wife did with her mother so I knew both of us had the day to ourselves. I told him to come over to the house in the morning andI would have the boat hooked up and we would spend the day fishing.

When I got up Saturday the weather had changed and the sky looked like if could open up at any time. I called my folks house to tell Charlie that we might want to hold off, but he had already left. We went to the lake, the boat in and just hammered gill all day. It never rained and was one of the best days I ever had with Charlie. He was worn out, and so was I after cleaning the fish we kept. 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

May he rest in peace, Mike.
I miss my step dad too.

My real father started me in the hook and line when I was about 4.
Throughout his life, and on into my step dad's time, fishing was a constant.

[jody call]

Basically,I was given a multi-year subscription to Sports Afield magazine when I was about 10 or so.Those mags read and reread along with many years of watching "Bill Dance","the Southern Sportsman",and "Virgal Ward" hooked me forever!

[Bill Cappelli]

I was basically self-taught as well as no one in my family were outdoorsman. When I was 7 yrs. old I convinced Mom to get me a Zebco Spincast combo from the local Western Auto. Didn't have a clue about any kind of tackle, etc. but did manage to come up a few small hooks from somewhere. One of the older neighbors said I needed to get some "flies" and go try them in the local brook.

Loaded with my newly acquired knowledge, my cousin (who was also 7) and I spent the better part of the following morning in the backyard, kneeling before a heaping pile of dog poop, with rolled up newspapers in hand making a valiant effort to fill our pickle jar with "flies" for our afternoon maiden voyage to the brook. The trip was a huge success as I caught my very first fish, a 6" Chain Pickerel ... and as the story goes, I've been hooked ever since. Thankfully, my choice of bait and the manner in which I would acquire it changed soon after my first outing :-)

      

[Vince Fusco]

It was my dad that taught me to fish.I started like many with a cane pole.  I was 4 at the time, and caught a tiny bass on my first time out. At the age of 7 I got my first rod and reel. It was a Zebco JR.  He passed almost three years ago, and not hardly a day has gone by that I don't see something that reminds me of him. 

[mike needles]

I picked up the sport about 13yrs ago at the age of 20. Magazines, the Internet and TV shows taught me a lot. But time on the water and fishing with so many different people taught me the most.

[James Feasel]

The seeds were planted when I was young, but did not sprout til I was older. My great grandpa took me to a paypit a couple times---I was young enough that I can't really remember. Fished with my great uncle a few summers behind his house. Another uncle took me to Canada once. A friend's older brother took us out a couple times. Dad does not fish but bought me a little zebco outfit when we moved out from the city and into the suburbs so I could trespass the banks of the local creek. That was about it before high school. From high school until my late 20's, fishing was a beer activity. It was not until I met my father in law that the fishing seeds of my youth truly sprouted. That was the transition from sit in one spot with a bobber and a worm to all other methods. Been trying to make up for lost time the last 25 years and wonder what I have missed by not understanding 20 years earlier. The lure that changed my outlook on fishing was a Touchdown worm given to me with advice the first time I discussed fishing with my future father in law. 24 years later I rigged up a Touchdown for him and gave him the same instruction he had given me. I now understand the phrase full circle. Last year was the 1rst year he needed help to get out. Looking forward to getting out some more this year and more God willing.

[Bruce Tomaselli]

I don't have a photo, but my dad loved to fish and he taught the family. His favorite fishing was rigging two rods, casting them into a lake (well not the rods), and sitting on the shore enjoying the scenery and waiting for a bite. He so loved just sitting there and taking it all in through his eyes.