How long have you been fishing?

[MartinTheFisherman]

Hello, 

 

How long have all of you been fishing?

 

Martin

[A-Jay]

Circa 1967 ~ A couple of years into it.

A-Jay

[CrankFate]

41 years. Mainly saltwater, but I was sent to the Midwest all summer, every summer as a kid.

[Glaucus]

Over a decade. I picked it up when a freak injury ruined my high school sports career and my developmental disorder started to wreak havoc on my ability to maintain my inner peace.

[MN Fisher]

This was either 1967 or 1968 - can't remember exactly, but the car behind us was a '67 model, so no earlier.

 

 

[Glaucus]

1 minute ago, MN Fisher said:

This was either 1967 or 1968 - can't remember exactly, but the car behind us was a '67 model, so no earlier.

 

 

Is that an old school baitcaster you have on your rod in that photo?

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Glaucus said:

Is that an old school baitcaster you have on your rod in that photo?

Why yes, yes it is...traded it in for a Mitchell 320 not too long after this pic. Stayed with spinners for a decade-and-a-half before trying BCs again.

[PAbasser927]

I am a relative newbie having switched from crappie fishing to bass fishing in 2017.  That being said, I feel like paying attention on this site has earned me more knowledge of bass fishing than I would have been able to acquire on my own in a decade.  No substitute for time on the water, but in the “getting started” phase, this site is invaluable. 

[Fishes in trees]

I've always had the bug.  When I was a kid my day took me a couple of times, but he wasn't into it.  Later as a slightly older kid, he bought me a Zebco 202, and there was a carp pay lake nearby and I took a few whippings when a 12lb + carp bit my dough bait and shredded the gears of that 202.

 

I got serious about fishing when a year and a half after I got out of college, (mid 70's) I went to Walmart & K-Mart and dropped around $200 on a rod & reel and various gear.   I still have that Mitchell 301.  I bank fished exclusively for 5 or 6 years and then fell in with some professor pals who had boats and then I was seriously into boat fishing.  I bought my first pond prowler in 1982 or so and my next one in 1998 and in 2002 I got an 18' Lowe.  When I get some spare money I'll get a bigger/better boat.  My plan is to fish til I can't no more.

[Scott F]

In a couple of weeks, it will be 54 years since I caught my first smallmouth. 

[slonezp]

Awhile

[Koz]

I started about 49 years ago when I was 6 and fished regularly until I was 15 or so. We had local ponds near us with sunfish, yellow perch, and bass. During the summers we went camping at Bantam Lake (CT), Lake George (NY), and Lake Bomoseen (VT). We also took trips to Lake Nipigon (north of Lake Superior) in Canada for some pike fishing.

 

Once I hit college I didn't fish much for the next few decades but picked it up again about 7 years ago when my son was old enough to fish without poking his (or my) eye out. Now I fish 4 or 5 times a week, even if it's only for 30 minutes or so.

[flatcreek]

Started bass fishing in 1962 at 6 years old

[WRB]

Over 70 years.

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

This isn't a picture of one of my boys, but me about 32 years ago. 

One of my first pictures with a bass. They weren't the target back then, too much work to catch and not enough fillets as a result.

Really got bit hard by the bass fishing bug when we moved to the KC area and when I got my first truck to drive around to all the different lakes. 

 

 

[bowhunter63]

Since 1970 still love every minute of it.

[813basstard]

I got bit by a dinosaur the first time I went out..hurt pretty bad 

[OCdockskipper]

1 hour ago, Scott F said:

In a couple of weeks, it will be 54 years since I caught my first smallmouth. 

For your sake, I really hope you have caught a second one ?

 

1968, age 5, caught a bluegill without any help from an adult.  I ran up the dock, down the road to the cabin we were renting to show it off.  Poor thing was dried out & covered with dirt by the time I got there.

 

First bass was around 1974, after watching a neighbor kid catch a 2lb largemouth using a broken tail rapala.  It has been my fish of choice ever since.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

45 yrs now..95% freshwater farm ponds and streams the rest was shore fishing saltwater..patuxant river,potomac river, cheasepeake bay, breton bay..

[GotTheLine]

I have not been fishing for that long really. Been in love with this hobby for around 10 years I guess. 

[Hammer 4]

Almost 60 years, both fresh and saltwater.

[A-Jay]

Already one of my favorite threads . . . . . 

A-Jay 

[PourMyOwn]

Since 1981 when I was four. I took many a nap under the console of dad's old Fisher Marine.

[Catt]

1954 ?

 

[ike8120]

Started fishing with saltwater with my mom and dad in the early fifties, got a boat after college, finally got my captains license. Sold the boats and all saltwater gear . Got into freshwater fishing, then sold everything, got back into freshwater fishing about 2 years ago.  I would say 20 plus years.