When You Were A Kid....

[Mobasser]

My older brother was the first one who started me on fishing for bass.We spent a good portion of the summer at our grandparents farm, and went fishing almost every evening on the bigger of two ponds there. We mostly fished with baits we borrowed from our dad's or grandpas tackle boxes. Most were surface plugs. Hula Popper, Bass O Reno, and Lucky 13 were our favorites. A red/ white Lazy Ike was one we liked at times too. We would row the boat to the center of the pond, and slowly row and drift along, casting to the shoreline. The pond had a good population of 13" to 15" bass, and we caught quite a few, especially the last hour before dark. Our reels were Zebco 33, paired with fiberglass Heddon rods. These are my earliest memories of bass fishing. How did you get started fishing for bass? Who taught you, or did you learn on your own? What baits, and tackle did you have? We all fish for a variety of ressons.Without realizing it, my big brother helped to create memories which have, and will last the rest of my lifetime. Getting a youngster involved in fishing is one of the best things you can do. Create memories, and pass it on- down the line. What are your earliest memories of fishing for bass?

[Koz]

We did a lot of family camping when I was a kid, mostly at Bantam Lake (CT), Lake Bomoseen (VT), and Lake George (NY). I don't recall catching any big fish, nut most of what we landed were bass, yellow perch, and bluegills. I remember using nightcrawlers and Mepps spinners, and a Red Devil spoon for baits.

 

For a while I lived close to a decent sized pond in Newtown, CT and we would ride our bikes and fish there for yellow perch and bluegills.

 

When I was in my early teens we made a few trips to Lake Nipigon up in the province Ontario for some pike fishing with live bait. Nipigon is actually north of Lake Superior.

[jeffo21]

My older brother got me hooked on Bass fishing as well. He lived about an hour away from us but every weekend when he came home we would go fishing at some ponds. We mostly fishing spinners. I remember he had bought a baitcaster and left it there and I tried it and birdnested it so bad all the line had to be cut off. I really thought he would be mad and I had thought I ruined the reel. He came home that weekend and just laughed and respooled it.

[LonnieP]

My earliest memories were when I was probably around 5 or so. Me and my dad would go out to the pasture and dig up nightcrawlers from underneath dried up cow pies. We would fish a couple local ponds and the local river that was stocked with trout. When I got bigger I would ride my bicycle and fish the ponds and 2 lakes within a several mile radius of the farm. I had mostly plastic worms and I remember fishing a Jitterbug alot. I brought whatever lures I had with money I made from mowing grass. I used my dads gear which was a Zebco 404 and a 33 until I bought my first baitcaster when I was around 19 or so.

[Paul Roberts]

Many, many many! They just seemed to stick.

 

My very first bass was a 12" LM I caught from an aluminum rowboat, rowed by my dad. His dad had introduced him to bass fishing, so my dad was passing it on as the natural course of things. Oddly, I don't remember what I caught it on -probably a bobber-n-worm. But I do remember we put it on a chain stringer we then clipped to an oarlock. I was thrilled with that bass, and I kept pulling it up to look at it. At one point, I pulled it up -again- finding the chain had broken and the bass was gone! I was crushed. I remember my dad saying that a snapping turtle had probably got it. Been keeping a narrowed eye at those snappers ever since.

 

I bet I remember every bass I caught, or even saw, for the first decade I fished. I can picture them now.

[Jleebesaw]

I have been fishing for as long as I can remember. My father was a typical northern angler. We would fish for bullheads and perch in the spring. Then we would move on to pike in the early summer. Through the summer dad didnt fish much. Most of the good eating fish are caught in the spring and winter. Dad always fished for food, not just for fun. We didnt have big boats when I was growing up and electronics were something rich people had, so we didnt do much walleye fishing. We mostly bank fished or used canoes. Then during the winter we would ice fish for pike, perch, and walleye. 

 

    It wasnt until I was 12 or 13 years old that I started targeting bass. My friends and I would go to local lakes and rivers. We mostly bank fished because I had the only canoe and there was usually 4 or 5 of us going. I got my first boat at 16. It was a 14ft v bottom with a 10 horse. I dont remember specific equipment, but I always had good rods and reels and plenty of tackle. My father had heavy equipment and I had to work from a pretty young age. Dad was happy to buy fishing stuff for me as payment. Its safer than giving a 16 year old cash!

[Randy Price]

I remember visiting my cousins in AR (where I'm from originally) sitting by a pond fishing and catching bullheads.  We would cuss, smoke and look at dirty magazines we had found.  This was in the early '70's way before the internet.  We fished with Zebco reels and who knew what rods we used.

[A-Jay]

 Growing up in MA during the mid - 1960's, my Mom & Dad took my younger brother and I fishing on weekends.

I lived for it !

We'd go to small state & county parks that had lakes. 

 My Mom loved to sit in the sun and read or knit (believe it or not) so these were almost always mid-day affairs.

  My brother & I would pick night crawlers from my Dad's garden the night before and then beat up on the local panfish population that next day.  Every once in a while, we'd get a bass and that was always a big deal.  

Routinely took fish home 'for supper'.

Once I was old enough to ride my bike around by myself, all bets were off.

With my Sears & Roebuck Ted Williams Signature (pistol grip) Spin-Casting rod & reel securely (sort of) strapped to the frame, a small assortment of pre-rigged Creme worms (the ones with the little propeller on the front) along with some Mr Twister curly tailed worms, I'd be up at the crack of dawn all summer long to ride that one speed, coaster brake Schwinn, several miles to fish all day. 

Always had to be home by dark (used to bum me out as I hated leaving 'early' to make it). 

At 16 1/2 years old, I got my drivers licence, a job and bought my Mom's 1970 Ford Maverick: fished from the bank all over New England for a couple more years until I joined the service - didn't have a clue what I was doing but I was learning every trip out. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[Derek1]

32 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 Growing up in MA during the mid - 1960's, my Mom & Dad took my younger brother and I fishing on weekends.

I lived for it !

We go to small state & county parks that had lakes. 

 My Mom loved to sit in the sun and read or knit (believe it or not) so these were almost always mid-day affairs.

  My brother & I would pick night crawlers from my Dad's garden the night before and then beat up on the local panfish population that next day.  Every once in a while, we'd get a bass and that was always a big deal.  

Routinely took fish home 'for supper'.

Once I was old enough to ride my bike around by myself, all bets were off.

With my Sears & Roebuck Ted Williams Signature (pistol grip) Spin-Casting rod & reel securely (sort of) strapped to it, a small assortment of pre-rigged Creme worms (the ones with the little propeller on the front) along with some Mr Twister curly tailed worms, I'd be up at the crack of dawn all summer long to ride several miles to fish all day. 

Always had to be home by dark (used to bum me out as I hated leaving 'early' to make it). 

At 16 1/2 years old, I got my drivers licence, a job and bought my Mom's 1970 Ford Maverick: fish from the bank all over New England for a couple more years until I joined the service - didn't have a clue what I was doing but I was learning every trip out. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

Where about in mass 

[buzzbaiter83]

My family have videos of me catching my first blue gill at 18 months old. My dad or Papaw would always take me along. As far as bass, I cut my teeth on the river. I’ve been blessed to live my whole life on one of the 3 forks at the start of the Cumberland River. When I was 10 my Mom finally let me start wade fishing as long as I stayed within distance to hear her whistle or our car horn. I spent every day i could wading and catching smallmouth & redeye, then camping out and fishing for bullhead and channels at night. 

[WRB]

You mean I am not still a kid?

Most of us have snippets of memories before 5 years old, a few outstanding events I can recall without digging up old family photo albums.

I do remember fishing off the family dock using a cane pole and unwinding the line around it, putting on a cork bobber and catching bluegill or crappie before age 5.

I also vividly remember watching my dads rod and reel being pulled off the Zebra Room dock by a big trout while he went into the restraunt. My older brothers asked my to watch the rod while they left to do something. 

Tom

[12poundbass]

My first memory was my grandpa taking me fishing to my aunts lake for bluegill, I was probably 5-6. My dad wasn’t in to fishing or hunting. Then a few years later my mom and her boyfriend rented a cottage and we spent a week there on the lake. That’s when I caught my first bass, 12 inches, that was so fun! 

 

A couple years after that my at my step dad came along and fishing took off! He had a house on a chain of lakes so we were always at the lake fishing. They got married, sold the lake house bought a camper and up north we went fishing Black lake two weeks a year. He’s a walleye guy and that’s what we did. Then came the UP property and more walleye fishing on Big Bay de Noc.

 

It wasn’t until I turned 16 and my license did my bass fishing really take off. There were a couple farm lakes my friend and I fished, and the lake he lived on, mostly the farm lakes though. We always used a pre rigged three hooked worm with wire weed guards, only the natural color with the red dot would work. Anything less and we were going on a road trip to find them. 

 

I bought my first boat 14’ Tracker flat bottom when I was 19 (my 19th birthday present to myself) and I was always gone trying new lakes. A couple years later I meet my wife and find out she loves to bass fish! Fast forward 14 years and we live on a lake, we have a ton more lakes around us and we have our 9 year old son who is hooked on fishing. He’s been keeping track and it’s been 56 days since he’s gone without catching at least one bass. Rain or shine he’s on our dock or we’re on our boat getting them. 

 

I look forward to hearing his first memories of fishing. I remember his first fish and his first bass. 

[A-Jay]

14 minutes ago, Derek1 said:

Where about in mass 

Born in Malden, Grew up in Everett - Woodlawn area.

Fished Middlesex & Suffolk Counties a bunch as a kid. 

Parents rented a place on Lake Winnipesaukee every summer as well.

Upper Moultonboro Bay - it's where I cut my brown bass teeth.

A-Jay

 

[NYWayfarer]

My earliest fishing memory was a "snippet" as @WRB put it. I was around 5 years old fishing at an upstate reservoir with a spincast setup.

 

I remember this because I caught a Sunfish and my dad helped me land it. He then got in trouble with a Ranger because we were fishing a reservoir and he didn't have a reservoir license just a fishing license. Back then you had to pay your fine on the spot and he didn't have cash on him for the fine. The judge, after a lot of back and forth, decided to let us go home and pay the fine by check in the mail. 

[Tennessee Boy]

Earliest memory of fishing was for catfish with my grandfather in a pond on his farm.  A few years later on the same farm I caught a bluegill on a popin bug.  That was my first fish on a lure and I was hooked.  From there,  I slowly evolved into a bass fisherman.

[flatcreek]

I grew up lucky enough to have a pond about 200 yards east  and another about the same distance west of our house.we didn’t own them but were given permission to fish em.i learned to appreciate the outdoors  and got hooked on fishing.we used bamboo cane poles and then upgraded to zebco 33 combos

[MN Fisher]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Growing up in MA during the mid - 1960's, my Mom & Dad took my younger brother and I fishing on weekends.

You and I are of an era...same area too.

 

Mid to late 60s I was living in Worcester, MA...Greendale section. Indian Lake was a short walk away where I'd catch sunnies, yellow perch, white perch and LMBs. My favorite fishing at that time though was to troop through the woods behind the Animal Rescue League to the stream that ran through Nick's Woods. There I caught brook and brown trout.

 

Occasionally dad would take me to Wachusett Reservoir too.

[scaleface]

My dad   liked catfish and use to take me to irrigation ditches  that were full of bullheads .  That way I was assured to catch some . When I got old enough my uncle and I { we were the same age } use to ride our bikes to these ditches and catch bullheads .  Dad worked at the lock and dam on the Mississippi and I would go with him day or night . I'd  spend 8 hours fishing below the locks for catfish , carp , white bass or whatever would bite . I loved to go at night with friends and sit on a sand bar , and make a campfire  . When I got older I took him fishing  . He wasnt into bass fishing but loved to catch catfish .  Mark Twain lake was new and we figured those cats out . Here he is preparing to clean our nights catch .He passed away last month .

[jbmaine]

We had a camp on Mousam lake in Maine when I was a kid. Always had the fishing bug. Started with worms, then dare devil spoons, inline spinners, jitter bugs, and so on.

 Here's a picture of me and my dad around 1956. Even with a toy rod,reel, I tried to catch something.

 

[Derek1]

21 minutes ago, scaleface said:

My dad   liked catfish and use to take me to irrigation ditches  that were full of bullheads .  That way I was assured to catch some . When I got old enough my uncle and I { we were the same age } use to ride our bikes to these ditches and catch bullheads .  Dad worked at the lock and dam on the Mississippi and I would go with him day or night . I'd  spend 8 hours fishing below the locks for catfish , carp , white bass or whatever would bite . I loved to go at night with friends and sit on a sand bar , and make a campfire  . When I got older I took him fishing  . He wasnt into bass fishing but loved to catch catfish .  Mark Twain lake was new and we figured those cats out . Here he is preparing to clean our nights catch .He passed away last month .

Sorry to hear that. 

[The Bassman]

2 hours ago, jbmaine said:

We had a camp on Mousam lake in Maine when I was a kid. Always had the fishing bug. Started with worms, then dare devil spoons, inline spinners, jitter bugs, and so on.

 Here's a picture of me and my dad around 1956. Even with a toy rod,reel, I tried to catch something.

 

Dig those Costas.

[geo g]

First fishing experience was in the Boy Scouts in the late 1950's.  We used worms with small hooks, salmon eggs also for trout and small fish in the rivers.  My parents went out and bought me a Mitchell 300 that I still have, and still works, although I retired it a long time ago.  It started a life long love of fishing that I still do at least 5 days a week.  A lot more expensive these days with a bass boat, 10 bait casters, three spinners, and 50 pounds of extra plastics, boxes of hardbaits, and all the other things that go along with fishing.

Teach a man to fish, and his wallet becomes thinner!  Still love it.?

 

[Sam]

Fishing with my aunt and two cousins at Audubon Park Lagoon in New Orleans using cane poles, some sort of line, red and white bobbers, small gold hooks, and rolled dough from white bread.

 

We killed 'em!!!!  

[drew4779]

My love of fishing comes from my dad.  I caught my first fish (LMB) from a pay lake near our home when I was 5 on a bobber/popeye/wax worm.  My mom still has the picture of me proudly holding it in my favorite Johnny Bench t-shirt.  

My dad loved crappie fishing and would take me and my little brother along to his friends farm ponds from time to time.  When I was about 10 - 11 years old, at one of these farm ponds, I was pointing out a water snake that was sunning itself on a patch of duck weed to my 6-7 year old brother, when my popeye touched the surface of the weeds and 3 pound bass devoured it.  I was hooked.  No more crappie for me.

When I got to college, my friends took up golf.  Golf was expensive and I was paying my own way through college.  I already had fishing gear and one of my friends parents just bought a house on a golf course.  I had an open invitation and started fishing the course lakes after classes (still had to pay to play, but fishing was free).  Never looked back.  

[jr231]

When I was 10 years old. My best friend and I would troll jointed rapalas off the back of a paddle boat. We caught bass. And I've been in love with fishing ever since. Still fishing, 16 years later. Every once in awhile I'll tie on a jointed J-7 for old times sake. And it still catches bass. I have one from that time i keep on my key ring.