How did you get started fishing?

[Outdoors Junkie]

With the opener coming up this weekend, I thought it would be cool to hear how you got started fishing.

 

Who got you into fishing?  Was it a parent or grandparent, a friend?  Please share your story of how you got started fishing.

 :fishing2:

Thanks! 

[MTCOMMER]

Well, I first bait my hook with a half nightcrawler and then I...  !

Honestly, I dont remember the first time I actually fished, but when I was 2 our family bought a cabin up on Franklin Lake in Otter Tail County.  Im pretty sure I started fishing with a hook and worm off the dock and catching sunfish (This was after my kid pole with those huge plastic fish tied on the end and no hook,  that was the only time I caught a fish every cast).
Before the cabin, IDK what my family did before the cabin, I know they ice fished on Minnewaska quite a bit.
I dont think anyone taught me fishing, it was just something to do at the cabin, but my Grandpa and I used to always go out and fish sunnies in his little 14ft yellow boat.

 :fishing2:

[deadeye]

My first memory of anything "fishing" was digging worms with my grandfather.  He died of blood poisoning in 1956.  Funny, I don't really remember him dying or the funeral but I do remeber the fishing part. 

[Realtree]

Way, way, way back when we lived in Austin MN (I was probably 10-12 yrs old) we would come up to Waseca and camp at Kiesler's Campground 4-6 times a summer and fish for Walleyes and Northerns on Clear Lake. It was always my Mom, Dad and my little sister and often we would meet other close family friends there for the week or weekend.

We had a small fishing boat that would be loaded on top of the old Ford pickup upside down with the pop-up camper or eventually the 16' Starcraft being pulled behind. I can remember trolling the north and east shores along the weed beds with Red Eye's and Flourescent Yellow daredevils. If I remember correctly my Dad lost his brand new rod and reel along the northwest shore and spent 2 hours wading and diving looking for it. The NW corner was usually where all the Bullhead hunters from Iowa would be camped out. Good times!

[corny13]

I always loved fish as long as I can remember, when I was 4 my parents bought a cabin on Pikebay near Cass lake.  My dad didnt fish just wanted to relax at the lake.  I was blessed by our neighbor at the lake.  He was a 50 year old guy that loved to fish from Marshall minnesota.  He took pity on a dumb kid from ND and taught me how to fish.  Id help seine minnows set up jugs to mark drop offs, supply night crawlers for walleye fishing and all that stuff.  He had the only boat house on the lake we would meet at 5:15 am every mourning and head out fishing.  He had one of the first sonar's ever in the early 60's .  What a guy!  Sure hope he is catching big ones up in the sky!    I still think of all he taught me and what it means to me each Walleye Opener  I wish I could have shown him the walleye in my avitar.  A few years back I sold my dad's old cabin and bought a new place.. it has a boat house...just like his, my 618 Ranger is in it!

[Lee Borgersen]

Well lets see now

To the best of my recollection it was somewhere between the end of prohibition and the end of The Big One WW II. My grandfather was a fishing fanatic so my dad as a child fished so much that he got burned out on it. By the time I came along my grandfather past on when I was five. For some reason I developed a passion for fishing. I guess it was hereditary because my pop had no interest in fishing any longer.

Now the man next door loved fishing and had a son 2 years older than me that hated fishing. What a break that was for me since the neighbor man and I became fishing partners for many years. It's funny how things have a way of working out sometimes.

[jena2010]

I think the first time being on a lake i was probably 10 months barely able too stand by myself with my dad on L.O.W. , I've fished Mille Lacs, Moose Lake, Red Lake, and so on and so forth, my favorite lake is the one i live on up north which is L.O.W.  I try to go at least 2-3 times a week sometimes i can't go because of course busy with something else.  I've always been in a boat my hole life, But ice fishing is like no other and i LOVE it    !!  I am very lucky that i'm with my bf that is a winter guide, 2 brothers and my step dad also do winter guiding.  My real dad owns the bait store here out at the lake so that means for me Free bait!! Can't beat that!! Then summer rolls around when i can rent a kicker at work, go with my step dad Gonzo in one of his 3 boats (Gonzo's Guide Service), or go find a dock around here and set my line in.  I will have to say that I live in "God's Country" and i freaking LOVE it!! I am obsessed with fishing and plan on keeping it a tradition with my son!!  :fishing2: FISH ON PEOPLE!! ~JENA~

[Baron Von Crappie]

my grandpa and dad pulled me out on a little sled when I was 4, didnt walk yet because of a hip defect. they cut a hole and let me lower down a hook with a minnow, and i would pull up a perch. I thought it was a magic trick turning the minnow into a fish! I was hooked just as bad as those fish hehe

[Fawkinnae]

my grandpa and dad pulled me out on a little sled when I was 4, didnt walk yet because of a hip defect. they cut a hole and let me lower down a hook with a minnow, and i would pull up a perch. I thought it was a magic trick turning the minnow into a fish! I was hooked just as bad as those fish hehe

Funny!

Question - any special training required to become a Baron? I kind of like the sound of that.

[22lex]

Started fishing in the bitteroots around Hamilton, Darby, Lolo in southwest montana as a young child of 5 or 6 with my father and uncle. Was literally learning the 10 and 2 positions at this age with a fly rod and had a few feeder creeks within walking distance of our house that I frequented on a daily basis. As a child I remember my mother getting frustrated at all the rainbows i would bring home, and after a while told me not to keep anymore (she didn't want to clean them).

Been hooked to all types of fishing ever since.

[Mayfly]

Started fishing in the bitteroots around Hamilton, Darby, Lolo in southwest montana as a young child of 5 or 6 with my father and uncle. Was literally learning the 10 and 2 positions at this age with a fly rod and had a few feeder creeks within walking distance of our house that I frequented on a daily basis. As a child I remember my mother getting frustrated at all the rainbows i would bring home, and after a while told me not to keep anymore (she didn't want to clean them).

Been hooked to all types of fishing ever since.

Thats awesome!

I lived in Missoula for a year... went to the U of M. also lived in Bog Sky for some time as well. If my memory serves me right the bitteroots can be seen to the south of Missoula correct?

[mahmoodmahi]

I started with my dad, though he is convinced I was hard wired for it. When I was two he took me to lake michigan (we lived in milwaukee then), and as soon as we got to the spot, I ran into the lake up to my head screaming fish, fish. I guess I was pretty worked up over the idea.

[22lex]

Thats awesome!

I lived in Missoula for a year... went to the U of M. also lived in Bog Sky for some time as well. If my memory serves me right the bitteroots can be seen to the south of Missoula correct?

You are right MNO, south of Missoula around 45 min-hour is Hamilton with the bitteroots on the backdoorstep.

On our out-west excursions we target the sellway national forest, and sometimes the bitteroot national forest for elk.

There's a thousand mountain streams, and countless brooks/rivers to fish. We also used to fish at como lake (outside of Hamilton) as it was too cold to swim in.

[Mayfly]

Thats a great area... we used to frequent a hot spring down in those parts. Used to do a lot of hiking around there as well. On fridays after school we would sometimes hop on our bikes and head north into rattlesnake for a night of camping or just a ride. And then there was rock creek to our east we used to camp there a bit as well. Love that area.
 





I have some great early memories of fishing and will share a couple later. I may even have some video laying around here 

[boogityn]

All I remember is fish'in some sunnies on a dock. What a great way to start And I was the one who would stand there all day if I could.......Good topic Brings back some great kid fish'in memories.

[Outdoors Junkie]

Let's hear from some more!   

[Basspastor]

Since before I was born my family had a cabing on Twin Lake (West Lake Sylvia) in Wright County.  I was so young that I don't remember when my parents and Grandmother started me fishing.  Once I got grown up a little bit my dad started to teach me about fishing and we would get up before sunrise and head out to fish for bass, usually with live frogs.

As I got older I learned about fishing with artificials from TV shows like Roland Martin, Bill Dance, and In-Fisherman.  Soon I was reading magazines and books to teach me as well.

Thank You Mom, Dad, and Grandma!!!