We don’t a name. The Silent Generation 1925-1945 covers 5 years, the Baby Bombers cover 1947-1960.

1940-1950 generation grew up to create modern bass fishing as we know it today.

Take a few minutes to talk to us before you can’t.

Tom 

I spend time with my father-born in 42- every day. My first and favorite fishing partner.

My Dad was born in 1937.... he was my fishing buddy. When I saw a bait or lure I wanted to try I bought two. One for him and one for me, he did the same.
I didn’t fish for a few years after he died in 2013.

But your right get the information  now. 

 

1953 for me so I’m a little out of the dates window WRB and you are so right. We lived it and have so much to offer but very few seem to want to listen these days.
They should remember the old EF Hutton commercials. 
“When EF Hutton talks, people listen”

7 hours ago, WRB said:

We don’t a name. The Silent Generation 1925-1945 covers 5 years, the Baby Bombers cover 1947-1960.

1940-1950 generation grew up to create modern bass fishing as we know it today.

Take a few minutes to talk to us before you can’t.

Tom 

I'm 1961, and they keep trying to lump me in with all ya'll old farts, now where are my reading glasses I gotta get this line through the guides before lunch time....  

Completely agree about talking to folks with the experience.

My father was born in 1938 and I talk to him almost daily. He started fishing again in recent years after a long lay-off. 

44 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

I'm 1961, and they keep trying to lump me in with all ya'll old farts, now where are my reading glasses I gotta get this line through the guides before lunch time....  

Completely agree about talking to folks with the experience.

I was born in 59 and you're right. To the young old is old and many just aren't interested. I'm sure there are exceptions but I don't see many giving much thought to the history that's right in front of us.

 

I was lucky enough to know great grandparents who were born late 19th century and grandparents born prior to 1920 and parents born in the years leading up to WW2.

 

Even though I spent a lot of time with some of them I still can't help think that I didn't ask enough...only because I didn't know what to ask at the time. I think back on accounts they gave and have questions that I just didn't think of at the time. Of course it's too late now.

My weekly fishing partner is 81. He says I'm constantly teaching him about fishing. I tell him it's still a very uneven exchange of knowledge. He's seen and done things I haven't even thought about. He's still got it.

My generation today are 71 to 81 years old. We could be known as the aerospace generation going from propeller airplanes to jet aircraft and rockets to as far as the+moon and beyond. 

We loved to race everything and our bass boats are evidence of power and speed. We are not sitting on the porch in rocking chairs, we are still creative and catching bass.

Tom

My father is in his 80's, and shoots competitive sporting clays, ranking in the top 5 in the nation of his age group.  He still fishes too.

 

Age is a mindset.

 

15 hours ago, SC53 said:

but very few seem to want to listen these days.

When I was in my 20's, my friends and college professors weren't giving me the knowledge I knew I needed to know. I wanted to learn lifetime pragmatic lessons that were real-world, timeless, and immediately applicable. So I surrounded myself with retirees. I deliberately made friends with them, went fishing with them, and went on vacation with them. 

 

These were former CEO's, senior managers, executives, business owners, and more.  They taught me the important and complex things that aren't taught in any college classroom: people skills.

 

Many have passed on, but I still hear their voices and wisdom guiding me every day.

 

 

I caught my first bass in 1948 (if I remember correctly) I've helped quite a few younger fishermen but I was mentored by men who gave me more than I have been able to give.

Men who changed bass fishing and whose influence is still felt.

I try and help a few youngsters each year catch their first bass - that is my debt to the sport. I've fished a lot of tournaments and guided for several years but wading a stream and watching a kid catch a little smallmouth that's what I've arrived at for fishing fun.

My dad was born in 1918 in the Appalachian mtns. He was the man of the house after his dad left. He had to support his mom and 2 siblings being the oldest. He somehow did that without working in the mines or moonshining during the depression. Like the song says “ when wall street fell , they were so dang poor they couldn’t even tell. ” He learned how to work hard, raise crops and fish. He taught me how to fish , garden , work hard and how to be a man . All my memories of him are great.

I learned to fish better than him, but my middle son is better than me, especially at saltwater fishing.

I visited with an 85 year old gentleman at the lake the other day for an hour. He was there when the lake was being built and was FULL of knowledge that he was nice enough to share . 

My generation of bass anglers learned to fish with knuckle buster casting reels before Abu came out with Ambassador free spool 500 red reels with star drags. 

Dacron line like Ashaway was state of the art. French spinning reels with 1/2 manual bail followed by Michell 300 series...and monofilament line for trout fishing.

Crankbaits were called plugs. Trolling motors were 3 1/2 hp outboards used to troll lures.

Look up the 1st All American Ray Scott’s bass derby, very few bass boats had bow mounted trolling motors in 1968. We were all in our 20’s when bass tournaments started, we created professional bass fishing.

Tom