Do you remember the first time you ever fished?

Although it has been over 25 years, I remember it with great detail.

Dad had just bought our farm on the river.  For one reason or another he decided to take me fishing.  My parents had gotten me a small Snoopy rod & reel for my birthday, so that was all I had.  Dad had a couple of old rigs he had used a few times before I came along.

I remember walking through the overgrown fields down to the river and then along the 'gut' (high water overflow that formed a couple of islands during wet weather).  We came to a pool that drained into the main river, but was now land-locked thanks to a low river level.

I can't remember what baits we started with, but I do remember dad tearing a couple of rotten logs apart and finding a few dobsonflies (adult hellgrammites).

I remember that I didn't catch a thing, but dad did catch a bluegill and a redeye.  I remember just how big they looked to my young eyes.  He cut a branch off a tree and used it as a 'stringer' to carry the fish.  I was so proud when we got home and I handed my mom the fish.

That wasn't the first fish I had ever eaten, but I remember it being the best tasting fish I've ever had.

A few months later dad went out and bought me a 'real' rod & reel (Johnson Century combo that I still have), a tackle box, and a lot of lures (many of which I still have).  That started a period of about 10 years where he and I fished almost weekly during the summer.  Dad even bought a boat about a year later and we starting visiting a couple of small lakes a couple of times a month.

We never caught a lot of fish, but we always had fun.  Those early trips to the river or lake with dad inspired my fascination with all things water and my love for the outdoors.

Thanks dad!

I remember mine.  I was nine, and had recently joined cub scouts.  After my first time camping with them, I liked it.  Well, in March, dad took me up to lake Winfield Scott to go camping.  He decided to see how I liked fishing.  So he bought me a Zebco 20/10 spincast combo and a few hooks bobbers and sinkers.  He had his old folding travel rod from his motorcycle days, when he would spend a weekend up in the mountains tearing up the twisty roads at 150 mph.  We also split an old telescopic cane pole.  It was drizzly all weekend and it was about 2 weeks before they stocked trout.  The bream there are to stubborn to bite even though we could see them.  You drop the worm next to the dock and the bream would circle it but never eat it.  The bass there are all in the 5 pound range but hard to catch.  (Getting one this summer)  We almost caught a little bream but it fell off while lifting it to the dock.  Yet I still loved it.  So, we went and tried to fish in our local lake (allatoona) and I was determined to throw a little rapala crank even though dad was using worms.  (So thats where learned to like bass fishing)  Neither of us caught anything due to the lack of cover of the cove we were fishing.  Finally, after about 2 months, did I catch a fish.  Or two.  We went to an old farm pond that the owners will let you fish on for free.  Just if you catch a cat, you have to keep it, and pay by the pound.  But there were bream and bass stocked to, that you could do what you want with.  Finally after dad and our foster kid at the time caught about 20 bream, I caught one.  Then another.  But I still to this day want to know why they caught about 30, and me 2.  I was fishing the same place as them with the same bait set at the same depth.  But for some odd reason, after 2 months of no catchy, I still loved it.  

 Both my parents really loved fishing. They were always dyed in the wool cane pole using panfishing anglers. My Daddy worked on and retired off the river. He always figured if he could work in it, he could fish in it (weather). I really can't remember  when I first went fishing. I do remember the first bass I ever caught, was so young the cane pole had to be 3X my height. My parents acted like I had caught a gar. They didn't eat bass, and if they didn't eat it, they weren't interested in it. Have always loved everything associated with fishing, from being on the water at sun rise to the characters that always hung around the old time bait shops!

                                                           As Ever,

                                                            Skillet

Oh wow, I went fishing alot as a kid, so its hard to keep all the different trips straight, but I will never forget my first bass.  Bluegill fishing with Dad and my Uncle, I snuck into my uncles tackle box (strictly forbidden) and tied on a roostertail.  As soon as the bait hit the waiter a bass slurped it in.  I set the hook hard, turned my back to the bank with the rod over my shoulder and ran 50 feet until i knew there was no way the fish was getting back in the water.  He was about 2 1/2 lbs, but he was special because that was what all the MEN fished for.  Suddenly I was one of them, and hooked on bass fishing forever.

Audubon park Lagoon in New Orleans.

Age, around 10.

Cane pole and used rolled white bread balls for bait on a small hook.

Caught bluegill and bream.

Had a blast and I didn't fall in!