Your Total Years

[Deleted account]

'67 or '68, started fishing from shore in the Pacific, wrasses, smelt, halibut, white bass mostly, plus some pits and quarries for carp and cichlids. Fished Long Island salt from '69-71' flounder, bluefish, weakfish, striped bass, porgies, blackfish and black sea bass mostly. Moved to the Catskills, where I fished for trout in the streams, and anything that swam in the ponds and lakes. Caught LMB, SMB, pickerel, yellow perch, and sunfish. Got the surf bug, and did that for about 3 years, when I met a good friend who's dad ran a headboat, and his older brother commercial fished, kinda like when toto pulled back the curtain in Oz. I've never considered myself a bass angler, I will fish for anything with fins and gills. 

[J Francho]

I don't remember a time when I didn't fish. Must have started around 2 or 3. 

[Deleted account]

4 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I don't remember a time when I didn't fish. 

Man, woman, person, camera, TV...

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

using a combo I ordered from the back of a comic book.

Brings back memories, one of my first combos was from trading in one of those "books" you'd fill with the stamps you got from gas stations. It was spinning with a solid fiberglass white 2 piece rod with a metal ferrule, and came with the reel attached, and some basic tackle, bobber, hooks, snap swivels and the like on a cardboard backed blister pack/shrink wrap plastic.  I had to talk mom to let me get it instead of a kitchen appliance or the such. Times were tight, and we were 4 boys on dad's salary, so it was not a small thing, but she said yes. 

[Fishingmickey]

My first memories of fishing was hand lining with popcorn off of the dock for bluegills at Lake Opecka in Des Plains, IL. early to mid 60's. I've been fishing for everything since. 

Fishingmickey

 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Deleted account said:

Brings back memories, one of my first combos was from trading in one of those "books" you'd fill with the stamps you got from gas stations.

Ya - my second combo was gotten that way...only the 'stamps' were 'coupons' that Raleigh/Belair cigarettes had on the packs. Parent's both smoked, so we collected LOTS of those coupons.

[king fisher]

I caught my first perch in 1969.  Started bass fishing in 1976.  Moved to Alaska and started guiding anglers for trout an salmon, in 1988.  Became a captain of a private sport fishing yacht based out of Puerto Vallarta MX. in 2006.  Only bass fished while on vacation visiting family in Eastern WA from 1988 to 2018.  Started bass fishing Mexican lakes in 2018.  I continue to work as a captain, fishing for saltwater fish on the west coast of Mexico.  I bass fish out of a kayak every chance I get.

[Bankc]

Since around 1983.  I've always fished for bass and crappie with both bait and lures.  The only time I target something else, is when I fish in the ocean.  In which case, I still catch bass, despite my best efforts.  

 

However, there was a spell between 1996 through 2018 where I probably averaged two fishing trips a year.  So I don't know how to calculate total years.  Is it 38 years?  16?  I'm not good enough to claim either.  So I'm gonna say 3 years.  

[Spankey]

I was probably about 5 years old (1964) folks would take me to a couple of park type ponds. My people were not fishing/hunting type people. I’ve been sort of a black sheep my whole life. My whole life I’ve been told that I was just like my great grand father. He, like I had been into fishing, hunting and shooting. I have been since I was young. He passed when I was a baby, never really remember meeting him. He Had to be a great guy regardless what they might say. 
 

I was exposed to trout fishing when I was about 10 years old. I worked for a farmer (an old retired guy from Philly Electric) and trout fishing was his passion and he took me and taught me what I needed to know. I took to it immediately, developed my passion for it really quickly. Stocked and some wild trout. I’ve never quit fishing for them. I put in a lot of hours a year fishing for them. I have a slew of people who want them. I don’t eat them. Can’t give enough of them away. 
 

Back in April/May of 1976 a few guys I grew up with wanted me to take them trout fishing where I would generally go. So I drove us on out to the next county over. They could fish but they were only so so at trout fishing. I don’t mean any disrespect in saying that but even if only fishing for stocked trout you have to do your homework, put in some time, get over a bit of a learning curve. I tried to show them a few things. I spread them out over a couple of decent holes. I had caught a limit fairly quickly. 7 of my 8 because if I had 8 on my stringer I’d have to stop fishing. I was using Panther Martins, CP Swings, worms and Velvetta Cheese. 
 

I moved up stream just a short bit to a spillway type ledge. No rush to catch my last fish, I fished the CP Swing throwing it into the spill and kept the blade and spinner moving in a big arc back to me. I believe within 3 casts I had a heck of a bite, one heck of a trout on I thought. A bit different of a fight. But no it was a smallie. To me it was like WOW. It was amazing and different all in one. I played around with some in-line spinners for an hour about. Must have caught 20 smallies. 10”-12” fish. Put them all back unharmed. My buddies started making their way back to me. They saw me throwing all these back and they presumed the were all trouts. 
 

I stopped fishing and lined those guy up in front of that spillway and kept them baited up. Those smallies took worms, corn and Velvetta Cheese also. A few more trout came off that spillway. 
 

Well that’s when bass fishing started for me. 1976. Mostly would fish for them with a fly rod ( I am not very good with a fly rod). Would fish streamers and live minnows for them. Got hooked on those smallies, started fishing were that creek went into the river. That was a whole new ballgame. Within a few years I bought a small puddle jumper to get around on the river. Became a river rat ?. I love the river. I am at peace there. Sun up on the river has very few words to it. Hard to explain or put in words. I have no complaints as to my fishing since as a kid. 

[CrashVector]

40 years for me.

[J._Bricker]

  I caught my first fish when I was about 3 years old on a cane pole in the Philippines. I probably caught my first bass also on a cane pole and bobber a few years later from a pond in North Carolina.
  As an adult, I discovered bass fishing in the California delta, that it wasn’t a place out in the boonies to only catfish. I got my first boat, an affordable Caddis U-shape float tube, neoprene waders, vest and flippers. With the help of the tidal current to cover water, it was a one rod deal (spinning or baitcast) for me. The tube taught me to “fish the fish”, cause I couldn’t pull up the trolling motor go find more cooperative fish. 

  And now I get to go chase those little green fish or just go fishing whenever I like ?

* Oh yeah, my total years fishing is over half a century ?

[Bird]

Our home place was only 100 yards from Stoney creek and 1 mile from the Shenandoah river.

We ate fish 3 or 4 nights a week in spring and summer months and that was my job.....to catch fish. 

It actually got me out of pulling weeds in the garden as long as I brought fish home. Lol

Don't know the exact year but know for sure it was late 60's. 

 

It wasn't until my early 20's when I bought my 1st boat and became a serious bass.

Let's just call it an even 50 years that I've been fishing.

[scaleface]

62

[A-Jay]

I'm pretty sure I'm getting close to Maxing out my allotted number of 'Likes' for the day.

But just want to say, I really enjoying reading through ALL of these.

Fish Hard Bassheads !

A-Jay

[Mobasser]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I'm pretty sure I'm getting close to Maxing out my allotted number of 'Likes' for the day.

But just want to say, I really enjoying reading through ALL of these.

Fish Hard Bassheads !

A-Jay

Me too A- Jay. 

[LrgmouthShad]

5 and 5 for bass. Closely approaching 6 though. I started getting serious about it a couple years ago.  

[Catt]

19 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

But just want to say, I really enjoying reading through ALL of these.

Fish Hard Bassheads !

A-Jay

 

 

[papajoe222]

Started fishing with a rod and reel when I was 7 or 8 back in ‘57 mostly for walleye as we had a summer place in Wisconsin. I began fishing for bass when I got out of the army in ‘71 as my dad had passed and mom sold the summer place. By my calculations, that’s 65yrs of fishing and  50yrs of targeting mostly bass. 

To the OP……..Thanks for reminding me that Eisenhower was President when I started (I think).

[Spankey]

Mo, this is a great post. My head is spinning over some thoughts I’ve been having of days ago. 
 

You guys with some old pic and even you younger guys with your first or from not that long ago is nice. 
 

I can’t dig up anything when I was real small and pre-teen stuff but can of when I was a young guy. Just out of school. I wish I had them of me and my buddies I grew up with at the trout stream and when we were even younger fishing the quarry. Not sure how to put it but a camera was never a thought then. You just went and did. Would sell my soul to the devil to have certain pics of the guys and gals I grew up with. 
 

I really don’t remember when I caught my first largemouth bass. I’m pretty sure it came out of that quarry. Was not huge so it wasn’t lasting. My first that had made an impression was out of the river, about 1981. 23” long. Released. In all seriousness it wasn’t until recently (10 years) that weight was an important thing. We always talked about how long they were. Really still that way today. 

[DogBone_384]

I don't remember my first bass, but I started fishing while in grade school, in the mid '70s.  Eaton's Pond was the local pond we fished and skated on. That evolved into riding my bike from home, in Quincy, MA., to Wampatuck State Park in Hingham, MA.  I wasn't addicted to it back then, but fished on/off until college.  I still fish Eatons & Wampatuck at least once a year, just to go.

 

I took our daughter fishing when she was young, but she didn't show much interest. Family, and working two jobs took most of my time anyway.  

 

When Kathryn went to Jr. High, I got back into it by myself, and right down the rabbit hole went I.  I started with a BPS Pro Qualifier and Carbonlite rod.  Discovering this forum aided my ascent too.  More rods, reels, baits, and my first fishing kayak sealed the deal.

 

Fast  forward to '22, I own custom Kistler rods, two FeelFree Lures, too many rods & reels, almost everything Matt Allan and Tim Little preach, and a Ranger RT178. And it only took 8 years!  I still work two jobs, but with Kathryn graduating college this Spring and the house nearly paid for, I get out at least once or twice a week in SE Massachchusetts.  I try to fish with @Fishing Rhino, @Saltysmalljaws, and @Mr. Aquarium at least a few times a year as well.

 

My wife's finally on board too, though she's much smarter than I am.  She has one setup (a custom Kistler with her nickname on it) with a LV500 on it that she calls 'her fishie'.  She sits on the back of the Ranger and just enjoys being on the boat, regardless if she catches anything.  THAT's why she's so much smarter than I am.

 

So to answer the question, how many years?  I'd estimate 30 of my 55.

 

 

19 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

She created a monster.

No Mike, she created MR. AQUARIUM!

[NYWayfarer]

I caught my first fish on a snoopy spincast combo the year the NY Jets won their last (only) Super Bowl. I was three years old and it was a Bluegill at a reservoir. 
 

Been fishing every summer since then. Primarily back then for whatever bites. When I was in my 20’s I switched to targeting Bass when freshwater fishing and I haven’t looked back.

[The Bassman]

I started fishing about the same time Andy Griffith debuted. I'm the same age as Ron Howard. He was cuter than I was then but I think I've got him beat now, just a lot poorer.

[N Florida Mike]

The first fish I remember catching was when I was 4 , so it was around 57 years ago. I vividly remember the moment. It was some kind of little saltwater perch. My dad made me throw it back, and it had to be pretty small for him to throw back anything.  Dad liked saltwater fishing so we did that a lot. When I was  14 or so , I started fishing the lake I now live on, at first for bream and catfish. One of the first bass I caught was when I was 15, it was a 4 pounder caught on a doughball with a handline!  Caught my first artificial -caught bass on a red and white spoon. I think I caught one other bass on it , then discovered plastic worms. So Ive bass fished 45 years or so… This is one of the first bass I ever caught . Think I was 15 . I dont have a pic of the 4 pounder lol…

[DitchPanda]

I started fishing when I was 4.. We were living in Louisiana at the time. I started fishing for bass in 2002. Ill be 39 in May so 35 years total...20 for bass. The past 5 or 6 years I've really ramped the bass thing up.

[T-Billy]

Grandpa started me on carp, cats, and panfish at 4. That'd be in 73. Started chasing bass in ponds and a local lake in 82. Quit drinking in January 2011 and I've spent more time on the water in the past 11yrs than in all the years prior. Fished close to 100 days in 21.