How did/do you all learn to fish? 2024
FishingPirate reply :
How have you guys learned to fish over the years? Just curious.
I got started around the age of two with the usual kiddie pole. I think I had a Donald Duck AND a Mickey Mouse. I would fish with my mom, dad, uncle, grandpa, just whoever. I didnt fish for a few years but around 1997-1998 my grandpa got a little 9' basshound abd we picked fishing back up. At that point I was around 5 years old fishing for whatever would bite crawlers. Eventually I got to use new stuff like GlowBait, mealworms, minnows, and a few artificials. That was what everyone in my family had fished with. I did that for a few years and progressively went from spincasters to light spinning gear then up to a little heavier spinning gear for when I would get to bass fish, which wasn't often, but I was in to trout fishing at the time.
The more I bass fished the more I liked it but my techniques were very limited. The fishermen in my family fished for what would bite but I started wanting to get bass. I think my true love for bass fishing began when I would get little lures from WallMart and go and catch dinks with them. That was a blast. My grandpa even got in on it so together we evolved our fishing and learned more and more about using artificials as fish catching tools.
In 2002-2003 I purchased my first baitcaster... and took it back. The little $30 Shakespear wasnt a good idea for a 10 year old. I didnt try baitcasters again for a while untill I got a Bill Dance combo at BPS. I learned the basics from the instructions that came with it and gradually became a mediocre caster. A few months after that I got my first really nice reel, a Diawa Viento, that had just came out. I loved it.
From then to now I've became dedicted to bass fishing and in the last year or so Ive started fishing competitively. My long term goal is to just keep fishing and decide if it's something I'm skilled enough at and dedicated enough to to pursue as my career in life. Short term, I want to maintain my grades and hopefully make it into a decent college with a fishing program. I also want to enjoy every minute I have with my family. Thats my poorly written fishing background, thanks for reading 
Bassnajr reply :
Time on the water fishing...time on the water fishing.... oh, by the way, did I mention, time on the water fishing.
SoFlaBassAddict reply :
I've been fishing my entire life. Started out learning from my father, who learned from his father. I guess you could call me a third generation fisherman. My uncles also played a major role in my fishing education along with my mother. We have always primarily fished saltwater. For sport, and as a means for some tasty food. Offshore, reef fishing, lobster diving you name it, we've done it. Now that my daughters are starting to get a little older, they've started to really enjoy it as well. Although they've yet to go out on the big boat to go do some offshore fishing, they absolutely love bass fishing behind the house. Taking them to BPS to look at the fish tank has quickly become one of their favorite things to do on the weekends. Hopefully they'll develop a true love and respect for fishing like my parents instilled in me. Right now fishing with those cheap little princess spincasting rods makes them giggle for hours. Now they're moving up to larger spinning gear (thankfully). Casting those 3 foot kids rods is a major PIA.
I also hope that the south Florida fishery is still worth fishing in once they get a little older. I can certainly see the downgrade in fishing down here as the years have progressed for me. You no longer see the massive schools of dolphin like you used to see seven to 10 years ago. Now that the catch limits have been increased and more heavily enforced things seem to be turning around somewhat.
swilly78 reply :
I fished sporaticly throughout my childhood, then stopped completely in high school, to interested in partyin' and chasin you know what. Then about eight years ago, I went fishin with a buddy of mine in Massachusetts. From that moment on I was hooked.(pardon the pun) I still made time for the bars and the girls in my early to mid twentys, but since about 4 years ago, fishing has become something of an obsession. Ive settled down in my personal life, finding a good woman can really help a guy in that respect, and now all of the joy in my life comes from my family, and fishing. Im currently blessed to work at a place with a great little private pond so full of bass that they are stunted, nothing over 3 pounds for about the last ten years. :'( However, its fun to catch huge numbers of fish every day after work. (They are attempting to manage the bass numbers with the successful intro of Walleye and Northern Pike) I also fish a few other private ponds, as well as a number of county forest preserves and state parks. I have to say however, that everyday I continue to learn more and more about fishing, and that is one of the things that makes this sport so great. I guess, at the end of the day, what im trying to say, is that im still learning to fish, and will continue to do so as long as I am able. Thank you.
6pointbuck2003 reply :
Dad started me on live bait. We only did this when we would go camping. I started fishing more and more when we would go camping since i was able to go by mysef. As I grew older i started to fish soft platics. I found this to be a challenge. A few buddies of mine and i would go out and fish farm ponds and became good at that. we would help each other out as much as possible. I got a boat my senior year of highschool. i am now fishing 5-6 days a week during the summer and 1-3 during school.
tennwalkinghorse reply :
QuoteTime on the water fishing...time on the water fishing.... oh, by the way, did I mention, time on the water fishing.
2X
roadwarrior reply :
Here are some thoughts:
http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1182371999
8-)
moloch16 reply :
I'm pretty much self taught. My family was never big into fishing while I've always been obsessed. Lots of books, magazines, and fishing show.
Bassin_Fin@tic reply :
QuoteI'm pretty much self taught. My family was never big into fishing while I've always been obsessed. Lots of books, magazines, and fishing show.
x2 Will,ambition,determination.When I fish I am in my element.I was never blessed with anyone to show me anything or even friends or family with a boat.
Little Luey reply :
QuoteI'm pretty much self taught. My family was never big into fishing while I've always been obsessed. Lots of books, magazines, and fishing show.
Same here, nobody in the family fishes, I was the one to start, and I had to do a lot of reading, asking questions and researching for what works. I am far from being a decent fisherman but I continue learning from books, mags, and sites like this one.
Joe Boss reply :
Dad taught me the basics like casting and fishing with a hook and bobber.
Through the years I learned a lot more through Fishing magazines, books and TV shows. Oh and experience, which is always a great teacher. It taught me to never be afraid to try new things when nothing else is working.
ZeNoob reply :
a buddy of mine took me fishing 3yrs ago for catfish. i had to have his daughter take the fish off the hooks for me.
after watching alot of videos TV shows and ofcourse this web site, i am a whole lot better. to bad i got laid off or else i would of had me a boat :'(
fishfordollars reply :
I was self taught early on.
Joined a very competitive club(Nacogdoches Bass Club) at 18.
Got tired of getting my arse kicked so I picked the top fishermen out of this club and picked their brains and begged until they would allow me to fish with them.
Kept my mouth shut, watched, and listened.
Spent hours on the water making every mistake you could make.
Still kept getting my arse kicked, finally a light went on and I started putting a few things together.
Most of the better fishermen did not want to have a young punk in the boat so I followed from a distance and watched them as best as I could. No I did not go in and fish their spots, just wanted a look at the types of water they were fishing at different times of the year.
I made myself a promise that I would help the younger anglers as they were coming up. I have kept that promise and have spent many days in the boat with the younger guys trying to help them out. I am always approachable and without actually telling them the exact spot have tried to help them as much as possible.
Many years ago a woman approached me about letting her young son fish a tournament on lake Sam Rayburn with me as most did not want a youngster(I think he was about 15 or so) fishing this money tournament with them. I agreed and although we did not win any money that day it was as for as I know his first competitive tournament. His name a lot of you might recognize. It is Bradley Stringer a touring BASS pro that has won several tournaments through the years and is a really great fisherman. I ran into him several years ago outside Coleman's store in Zavalla up at Rayburn. We had not seen each other in many years, but he made a point to stop a minute and say hello.
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
I have an addictive/compulsive personality. If I take an interest to something, I max it out.
Catt reply :
I learned techniques by my self but I was blessed in that my Uncle Joseph Addison who was a master of structure fishing in the Gulf of Mexico tutored me. His ole Lugger boat was only capable of 12-16 knot so it took 7-9 hours to get from Olmsted Ship Yard out 135 miles to the Flower Gardens. I would set the course by compass, tie a rope from the wheel to the captain's chair and away we would go.
That is the foundation on which I added Elwood L. " Buck" Perry & Bill Murphy teachings on finding & understanding deep structure.
1974: Joined two bass clubs whose members included John Torian, John Hall, John Dean, Villis P "Bo" Dowden SR, Harold Allen, Larry Nixon, Tommy Martin, & Zell Roland; I gleaned everything I possibly could.
I was introduce to night fishing in 1973 and have continued until the present. These years of having limited or no visibility has heightened my awareness of what is taking place below the surface. This heightened awareness has made me better at fishing deep water where feeling the bite is harder than finding structure.
47 years of bass fishing experience from the Gulf coast to Missouri and Brownsville Texas across to Inverness Florida.
My greatest thrill is paying it forward
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
QuoteMy greatest thrill is paying it forward
I'm with ya there buddy!! I get more excited watching a kid catch his first fish than any fish I've personally caught myself in the last 10 yrs or so.
Raul reply :
I learned to fish on my own, got help by reading magazines but still had to practice ( time on the water ) what I read.
Matt Fly reply :
I just remember having a canepole at an early age. My job was to catch some perch for Dad's Trotlines and the passion has grown from there.
I was fortunate enough to have a father that explained the food chain in the outdoors and the importance of each living thing. Back in the days, I thought fishing and hunting was to help with the food bill. It was.
I was pluggin (as he called it) next to my Dad when I was fixing to be a second grader.
Growing up and camping, I thought I was being punished at times, my Dad always made us pack out more trash than was ours, and of course, I was one of them that had to pick it up.
Dad always explained that each and everyone pulls his own weight and does what he can.
I was lucky to have parents and family who all enjoyed being in the outdoors.
simplejoe reply :
My Dad taught me when I was a child, but he's not much of a fisherman his thought of fishing is with a bobber and live bait. Then I've been fishing through-out high school off and on. I was more into cars and girls. ;D
6 years ago I found out I was having a baby boy so I started fishing again, so when it was his turn to learn I could teach him. But the past 6 years a hobby turned into an obsession, now a friend I met on here turned me towards tounament fishing this year we'll see how that goes.
joe
Catt reply :
I don't know how I forgot
The opportunity to spend hours on end listening to a friend of the family Dudley Carver Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Biologist.
Spending numerous hours reading studies by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Biologist Clarence Bowling.
coffee reply :
My father taught me some, my uncle taught me a little more, but really I am learning and have learned to fish on my own with the help of In-Fisherman magazine and dvds, the internet and other fisherman, not to mention plenty of practice.
zaraspook_dylan2 reply :
my dad and uncle have taught me everything. oh, and its been mentioned- TIME ON THE WATER
Scorcher214 reply :
bass resource. and time on the water helps
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
I was born with a abu 4600 in my hands and a Mann's worm on my head,I learned early by reading as much as possible and fishing as much as possible .back then we didn't have the Internet .so me getting bassmaster in the mail was a necessity
Btech reply :
.... BASSRESOURCE.COM...
Self taught before than
Btech reply :
BassResource.com
Self Taught Before Than
fastcasterjo reply :
I have learned tons online.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
I am also self taught but give credit to my uncle who got me interested. I started at the age of 4 with a coke can and cheap fishing line wrapped around it, a bobber/hook and a night crawler. My family was very poor back then! Thank the lord, we have come a long way since.
SJex reply :
Fishing shows and many hours of playing Trophy Bass 2.
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