How did you learn to fish?

[g_trout]

I started fishing again after 25 year break. I fished with my dad and now that I am one, I wanted to get my kids into fishing. I took up fly fishing, got some spin cast gear, and some ice fishing gear this year. In the last year we have been to Long Lake, beaumont pond, NSR, Pembina river, shunda Lake, pigeon, chikakoo, nakamun and ashland dam. I am stumbling around trying to figure everything out on my own.

This year I am going to focus on a couple of things. First me and my daughter will get some fly fishing lessons and am doing some research on that right now. Then I want to focus on one river and one lake to learn as much as I can. I figure you get one place figured out, it helps to apply that to other water bodies. I still want to get to some other places but I want to stick to getting to know one lake/river really well. I haven't got a set plan yet so am open to suggestions for good places to improve the skill set around Edmonton. I was thinking of focusing on the Pembina river and Long lake with a few trips out to Nordegg area.

That is my background but I am curious on how others have learned to fish?

How about learning to tie flies? I am going to try going to pike on the fly this year and am thinking about learning to tie.

[Dacotensis]

First started in the lakes of northern Alberta from a tin can of a boat powered by a 9hp. I was about 3 years old.
My grandparents had a farm just east of Alphs corner on the Yellowhead. When the new hwy was built, soil was taken from their land to build up the road. Several underground streams where hit and the borrowpit filled up, about 9 surface acres worth. They stocked it with rainbows and farmed the fish to sell at the farmers market. We fished it all summer and drilled holes in the winter while others chose to skate or play hockey. The dads would have a contest with their latest 4x4's to see who could climb the hills and break drive shafts. Cool!
Later I honed my skills on the Ember ass river, Mcleod and several other creeks West and East of Robb. I think this is where you really learn to cast and place your hook, catching whites and rainbows in the streams of the foothills.

[horsetrader]

I fell in and started moving my arms........ Oh fishing man to old to remember just seems like I always had a rod in my hand ....... shut up chubb..lol

[FisherGrrrl]

When I was about 3 my dad found a kids mickey mouse fishing rod out a hasse lake while having a family picnic. He quickly taught me how to throw the line out and I used that rod for the next two years. After that he started taking me in the canoe with him and he got me a retractable fishing rod that I used until I won my first fishing derby when I was about 9 and won my own spinning combo. We continued to do 2 fishing derbies a year as well as camping trips throughout the summers.. I was my old mans fishing partner.

As I got older (teens) my fishing slowed down but I still fished at my grandparents cabin and still at the fishing derby but I didnt have a large fishing community of friends. So about three years ago I figured working at TFH for a summer would get me more involved and sure enough I made friends and began the fishing addiction. Hearing peoples stories from fishing trips I started to make my own to the west coast/vancouver island/ontario/and throughout alberta. Taught myself to fly fish, bought a centerpin/float rod, bought a pontoon, got a baitcaster/salmon rod.. just fell in love with the sport and the adrenaline of catching big fish.. as well as the places fishing was taking me.. It truly is a great sport

[TheLegend]

All by myself and through trial and error and many days of getting skunked. Eventually got myself to slow down, quit casting and concentrate on catching a fish.

[sureshot]

By myself watching redfisher and talking to people on the shores when I was a kid.

Andy

[jkind]

Dad started taking me fishing as soon as I was old enough to sit up in the boat...I remember 15' home made poles with no reels and cork bobbers...lots of perch(not those dinky things we catch nowadays), walleye and pike.

When we moved to Calgary in the 70's Dad taught me how to catch large browns in the seams with dew worms and rockies with maggots.

I moved to Swan Hills in the 80's and learned to fly fish on grayling.

Now I am back in Red Deer and don't fish as much as I should so I bought a fishing kayak last summer to try and get me to fish more...I think it is working because I cannot wait for the snow to go so I can get the kayak back on the water.

Jim

[Guy on a Buffalo]

Camping trips with Dad...mainly to Fawcett or Wolf lake...but all around Alberta. Fond memories. After pretty much a 15 yr hiatus, thanks to 2 of my closest buddies I've had nothing but fishing on my mind and go when I'm at my cabin frequently on Long lake. Now that I have a daughter, I can't wait to get her out there! Tim McGraw's 'fishing' will attest to this. =)

[Albertafisher]

On my own. First and only one in my family who does it...

[Rabdo]

I just got into fishing last winter, just learning as I go along, lots of info on these forums. Lots of days I end up getting skunked haha, but they're getting less. I'm either getting luckier or better.

[Toirtis]

My father taught me to fish when I was 3-4, bought me my first fly-fishing gear when I was 11, along with a fly-fishing course and a fly-tying course.

[fish gunner]

started by hand lining makerel & cod when I was abought 3-4 out of a motor dory with my dad & uncle.been fish mad ever since, got a paper route when I was twelve in order to get a fly rod.got a few tips from a friends dad and have never looked back.a life time of relaxation, good friends, great memories.

[deepfried]

I learned most things from my father ... Didnt really get into fly fishing though before he past away in 2005 when I was 26 , would have loved to learn alot more from him. But have kind of self taught and learnt a bit from my moms cousin on fly fishing !

[gilbertslake]

I started fishing again after 25 year break. I fished with my dad and now that I am one, I wanted to get my kids into fishing. I took up fly fishing, got some spin cast gear, and some ice fishing gear this year. In the last year we have been to Long Lake, beaumont pond, NSR, Pembina river, shunda Lake, pigeon, chikakoo, nakamun and ashland dam. I am stumbling around trying to figure everything out on my own.

This year I am going to focus on a couple of things. First me and my daughter will get some fly fishing lessons and am doing some research on that right now. Then I want to focus on one river and one lake to learn as much as I can. I figure you get one place figured out, it helps to apply that to other water bodies. I still want to get to some other places but I want to stick to getting to know one lake/river really well. I haven't got a set plan yet so am open to suggestions for good places to improve the skill set around Edmonton. I was thinking of focusing on the Pembina river and Long lake with a few trips out to Nordegg area.

That is my background but I am curious on how others have learned to fish?

How about learning to tie flies? I am going to try going to pike on the fly this year and am thinking about learning to tie.

Started fishing off the pier at my home town in Scotland at age 7 or 8. We used hand lines and would throw the baited line out about 80-100 ft and sit and wait for the fish to bite. At age 9, I got my first rod and reel and continued to fish in the harbour. At age 10 I was introduced to river fishing using a spin cast. The next year when I was 11, I graduated to fly-fishing for sea-trout and 'slob-trout'. The slob trout were browns that lived in brackish water, I remember them as having really yellow fins compared to browns caught up-river.
I caught my first Atlantic Salmon when I was 12. We fished from Feb 11th until Oct 31st each year and we would bike to the river every day after school. In the spring we caught salmon and sea-trout kelts (black salmon) some days releasing over 20. We started hitting the fresh salmon by mid-April and I managed to get about 10-12 or so fresh salmon every year, until I was 18. After that, I was lucky to be able to have access to better salmon fishing and was averaging about 20 fresh salmon a year and many kelts.( As well, there were big catches of smaller sea-trout especially in the springtime).These were mainly larger salmon 10-20lbs. When I was 19, I landed a 25lb salmon, which remained my biggest salmon until I was 27 then I got one just shy of 30lbs which is the biggest one I have had.
When I moved to Newfoundland, I had a couple years hiatus when I didn't fish for salmon. Then in 1980, I started salmon fishing again. These were the pre-tags days and I must admit I tried to limit out every day, keeping my limit of 2 per day and releasing more besides. That year I kept over 70 salmon, mainly grilse and released as many. I am glad to say, these days I am very much into catch and release and maybe only keep one or two salmon a year. I haven't had a chance to fish for Atlantic salmon in the last three years, but this summer I hope to head back east for a week or so salmon fishing.

[Willowtrail]

I used to fish with my uncle in his canoe. Dad never fished, always siad " When the fish comes in the boat, I jumpo in the lake". I grew up water skiing. Was in a boat my whole life, Started skiing at 4 years old but never got to take a rod with me.

I fished from shore alot as a teen and with friends. Skipped alot of high school classes to go to the NSR. Oh well, I still got a diploma right?

Finally got my first boat and now I eat, breeze and dream fishing.

Heck it's even broken up my marriage but I love fishing more so that's where I will go. Now I have loads of gear and only need more. Can't wait to hit the ice this weekend.

It's a Great Day for Fishing

[icefever]

We where at Waterhen Lake Sask I was 5 years old, Dad gave me a rod told me to go fish off the boat dock, said I couldn't go out in the boat with the guys I was too small. He said if I caught a pike off the dock he would take me out in the boat. Well I caught a pike off the dock, been fishing every since. When I was young did a lot of small creek fishing as it was the only place my parents would let me go by my self

[Geezle]

I fell in and started moving my arms........ Oh fishing man to old to remember just seems like I always had a rod in my hand ....... shut up chubb..lol

If chubb doesn't say it, can I? :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[tara_13]

Living in NY. Downtown, we never fished, infact I thought it was kinda gross and couldnt be bothered.

Now, living here in AB, 11 yrs later, ( Too late ) I finally went fishing with my husband, he taught me how to fish. Now I look forward fishing every chance I can, It may be on the edge of the lake while were camping or on the pond near my house. I learn something new all the time

This year Im going to read and learn on new ( to me ) types of lures bait and what type of fish and what they look like and where they swim.
Only been fishing 1 season... going to learn lotts !!! :)

[Speckle55]

My Mom ... then Dad ..next level the old Master Anglers in my Town..reading/learning/doing..then Patience Persistance Perserverancce:sHa_shakeshout:

[horsetrader]

If chubb doesn't say it, can I? :sHa_sarcasticlol:

hahahahahahah... someones bound to

[KegRiver]

I didn't have to learn, it's in my DNA.

I simply picked up a willow branch and tied a shoelace onto it. To that I added a safety pin and a dab of squirrel meat from a squirrel I had just shot with my sling shot, and started catching fish. I was about four years old as I recall.

But memory's fade and I'm not as sharp, pun intended, as I used to be.
So it could be that I learned by watching my dad and I might have been a little older. Perhaps as old as 7. I'm really not sure anymore.

I do recall dad rigging up a Willow pole for me back around that time.
No one we knew had a store bought rig back then. We did have store bought fish hooks though. Dad's favourite was a Diana Spinner.
I think I started with a bare hook baited with some sort of meat. But honestly, I don't know for sure when where why or how I started fishing.
I vaguely remember going fishing with dad and a bunch of my siblings when I was very young, perhaps 5 or 6.
But I don't remember catching my first fish, I don't even remember if that was my first fishing trip or not.

[Saltmania]

I'm self taught for the most part except for a few outings growing up as a child with parents of my friends.

This forum and the internet in general have been my primary sources as well as a couple of books. So my thanks to you all; you guys and gals who are members who share your knowledge are fantastic instructors and are why I catch as many fish as I catch.

[densa44]

I can't remember when I started, very young, my uncle did most of the teaching. I'm hoping to take him out on the flats next month for more lessons!

[edmonton floater]

Hey Guys and Gals,
I can remember my dad taking me fishing when I was about 2 or 3 out at Twin Lakes up near Manning,Ab with just a cheap rod and reel from the Mcleods in town.
I kinda gave up on it for about 5 or 6 years during my teens till an ex had bought me a fish cat deluxe float tube.
Ever since there has not been a summer that has gone by where I have not been out on a lake every weekend.

[westwardflyfisher33]

I was taught by my father when I was just a kid. I initially used spinning tackle and we would always hit up prairie creek, the clearwater river, peppers lake and other areas out by abraham lake. However when I was a teenager I picked up a fly rod for my first time and I have never looked back. I have fly fished several areas of the Red Deer River, prairie creek, swan creek(years ago), the bighorn river above crescent falls and a few others. When my son was born I left the fly rod alone for 5 years and just got back into fly fishing last summer. I still have my first fly rod which is a mitchell 8ft 5 wt. I actually just repaired a snake guide on it not long ago and I plan on letting my son use it when he is old enough to handle it. I also have a 9ft 5 wt redington cross water which I picked up last summer. Really looking forward to this spring and summer and getting out to these locations again but wanting to try some new areas too. Wouldn't mind meeting some new friends off this forum as well and perhaps getting out with them as my girlfriend does not fish and I hate going by myself. :sign0161:

[#4fisherman]

Started fishing in northern Sask. when I was 7, taught by my dad who learned from my grandfather. Moved to the big city and didn't fish much for 20 years, going to school, raising kids and all. Got back into fishing the last 10 years, bought a couple of boats, and have gotten back in to ice-fishing the last 5 years.

I have one son who enjoys fishing, one grandson who is eager to start, and since my dad has moved back to Alta., been taking him out whenever I can. Should have 4 generations of us fishing together within the next year or two.

Learned by watching others, reading books, watching WFN, and reading the posts here -- coupled with experimenting out on the lakes. It's all good!!