How did you get your start???

I was taught to enjoy the outdoors by my Grandfather starting at the age of 7 yrs. old

Started out with my Dad and a Cousin. Renting row boats from Jim and Billy Bryant on Herrington. My cousin did not have kids of his own, so I was sorta the adopted child for him. He would make a call to my mom in the evening to have me ready by 5:00 in the morning and he would pick me up. Year round which was often hard for a 7 year old. But even at that age I had the bug. Spent most of our time rowing that boat and trolling for white bass with the origional white shysters. That's the only lure other than live minnows, that i can remember having. I never had a tackle box till I was in my teens and buying my own gear. Kept my shysters in a paper lunch sack. If the sack got tore or wet, you just get another. Get low on Shyster's, go to Mr. Wiggs and get a few more. Got into Bass fishing at around 17(1979) and it has now become a "sickness", as my wife puts it. Got grandkids now that can only make it better. Oh yea!! I still have a few white Shysters and a few yellow.

My grandfather was my biggest influence... he liked to hunt rabbits more than anything, but he liked to fish too. As a teenager, I didn't fish much, was more into the rabbit hunts... then moved to SE Alaska and my roommate up there was a big fly fisherman, so we'd hit those salmon runs in the fall, and halibut too from a boat when I wasn't commercial fishing or goin' to school. Then moved back to KY and didn't fish much at all till last year, I bought a baitcaster and started watching shows and trying to get out as much as possible. My kids like to go too, so I take them when I can. So in all honesty, I'm pretty green - but determined I tell ya! Heck, I haven't bought all this stuff for nothin'!!! LOL! :)

i was raised fishing herrington,my mom and dad would take me,my brothers,sister and granfather with us and i have pictures sittin the by the blue bridge in my pamper holding a cane pole that got broken when i hooked a turtle and then i cried,lol.but of course like everyone else its a part of my life i wouldnt trade for anything and will always remember and hopefully pass it on to the next generation

I was raised on a farm in south east Illinois we raised cattle. My father was a dentist, farmer and owned two D 7 caterpillars we had four ponds and a creek running thru the farm. I would get up in the morning put on a pair of blue jeans and was dressed for the day. I would go to the ponds or creek with a cane pole and dig worms or grubs and fish by the hours.

We would have several people come fish our farm pond and I would always go watch them fish and would drool over their tackle boxes. More times than not they would let me fish with their equipment and teach me how to use the lure several would give me lures.

Those were great summers I was either fishing, riding a horse or shooting my B B gun.
What a great post. Also I always take an interest in kids fishing and like giving them baits to fish with.

Beep Beep

Yes, there is fishing in heaven. John Prine says so:

"Father forgive us for what me must do.
You forgive us, and we'll forgive you.
We'll forgive each other 'till we both turn blue.
Then we'll whistle and go fishing in heaven."

Great Thread guys. Like many of you my grandfather was my inspiration. He was a bi-vocational pastor and never had much. But he always had a very used boat. I can remember fishing with him in the boat and I was so small that he tied a rope to my belt loop to make sure if I fell out or got to far away he could "reel" me in. Lots of good times. I still have one of his favorite baits the "jitterbug", I still fish it today and it has brought in many fish. Of course my dad continued fishing with our family...we never owned a boat, but always had access to a pond, creek, or river and sometimes a friends boat. As I got older we moved 2 miles from Lake Erie...did lots of perch and walleye fishing. But bass is where it was at. I never really new about the small mouth fishery on Erie when I lived there (everyone was perch/walleye), but I would love to go back now. I could go on and on about the memories on Dale Hallow and Barren River as a very small child and Lake Erie as a pre-teen and teenager. As far as I am concerned God, Family, and fishing is were it is at!! My family lived by that order and continue to do the same today!!

Like most, my parents introduced me when i was young. Started when i was about 4 years old saltwater fishing in the Keys for sharks and such and for the next 10 years it was saltwater all the way. In my early teens we started the freshwater fishing along with the saltwater flats fishing mostly in South Carolina and Florida. Started bass fishing in my mid 20's and have loved it every since. I still love the Florida saltwater fishing just about as much. My parents still love to fish or talk about our fishing trips since special memories were created each time we went. I brought my daughter up fishing and enjoying the outdoors as well.

Fished here and there as a kid and always loved it, but going to college next to KY Lake and having two roommates with bassboats really caused the addiction. My wife would like to thank those two roommates, and if you ever get a chance to stop by, she would like to have a word with you.

I was raised in southern Ind. My grandmother was from Casey Co. Ky and loved to fish streams and rivers. She used to take me with her when I was barely old enough to tag along. My dad was also an avid fisherman and introduced me to the early baitcasters, Pflueger Supreme, Shakespear Wonder Reel and bass fishing in farm ponds and creeks. I love to fish starting in those early days and still do. My dad later owned a bait shop and we fished together many times until he died several years ago. Like all of you, I just can't seem to get enough of it!!

My Dad always took me fishing on local lakes which are mostly gone or off limits to the public now. I remember going to Cherokee park early in the morning to catch night crawlers using flashlights. I also spent many a time with Dad hunting squirrel and rabbit hunting I still have his old vest. We would spend a lot of time on the banks since we never had a boat. My Mom would fish but never did like putting the bait on the hooks. But she sure could catch them and my Dad would then have to remove the fish. I remember one time I caught a fish and pulled it so hard that it came out of the water and almost hit my Mom in the head. I now try to take my nephews and niece's out. I also have a big bag of baits that whenever I meet someone who has a kid that is into fishing I give them some of the baits to help them along. I think if all of us took some of the baits that don't work for us and give them to the younger ones they will have fun and even catch fish. Just my way of thinking. I do tournaments and I have no problem showing the other person where or how I catch fish because it is all for fun for me. I never really got into the part where I had to win every time. I will even not fish a tournament if I want to just go catch some crappie or ride on the water. I have to credit this to my parents that you should do things like this for fun and share with others.

Nick

I grew up fishing in south elkhorn creek right behind the house. Man I was the red eye and log perch king ,so I thought. I had uncles that seemed to be on the water every time I would turn around. I finally wormed my way in the back of the boat. I can remember the first keeper LM I ever caught like it was yesterday. Standing in the back of the boat with BiggW and Rangermac, fishing across from the Hawgs back, throwing a purple Manns Augertail worm. Man what a feeling, And the addiction began I guess you could say.. Many Thanks for getting me hooked on fishing....