How Did You Get Into Fishing?

[redbraid]

When I was about 7, my grandfather and four friends built a boat in his backyard. I was always underfoot. Once done the "Surf Queen" was docked in Liberty Harbor in Waretown. I started fishing in the bay. And have never stopped. Thank you Grandpa Dickson for giving me such a great gift.

[jakesdad]

My family had a house in Belmar, started fishing the jetty's when I was 5 with an older brother, than started fishing with an uncle in his 16 foot Winner w/a 35 johnson, boy could he catch fluke. His only problem was he didn't like eating fish, problem solved he took the fish home put them on his front lawn and all the neighbors enjoyed, but they would all bring him Fresh Italian from their kitchens.
During the summer of 1961 neighbors invited me to go 1/2 day fluking on the Sea Sawn from Belmar, I have been hooked ever since. The captain and his brothers continue to fish with me 40+ years later on my boat. I did spend the next 9 summers mating on the party and charter boats from Belmar.
Sea Swan, Capt. Bill Van, Ranger, Bluefin, Ol'Salty II (Bob Pisano), Shy Poke, Gertrude H, and then bought my first boat, now 8 boats later I continue to enjoy the sports. Both the boating and fishing,
When I finished college, I had a decision get my ticket and fish for a living or go into the family business, and relax and enjoy my hobby. To this day I'm happy with my decision.

[crabcake]

My dad and grandfather were into surf fishing for blackfish, stripers, and porgies from a LI Sound Beach close to family's summer home. As a very young child they used to take me and my brothers with them and when the bite was slow they taught us how to fish and we loved it. The first fish I caught "all by myself" was a frisky sand shark in that was quite a battle at age 5. Since that day in 1979 I've been hooked and will be for my entire life. The thrill was instantaneous as from that day foward, fishing was a passion. I even forced my mom and grandmother to take me fishing when dad and grandpa had to work. Even my parents' friends took me fishing, especially "Uncle Artie". Thank you Dad, Papou, Yaiya, Mom, Artie and everyone else who took me fishing when I was a child. Moral of this post is simple, TAKE A KID FISHING!!!

[Life's A Beach]

Started fishing for sunnys at Beachwood Swim Club (lake) in Boonton; age 4. We used hotdog skins and caterpillers.

My father took me fishing on Lake Hopatcong renting wooden rowboats from Art Bush @ Woodport. We troll CP Swings for bass and pickerel, set up shiners for same then end up for perch and catfish on worms to finish the day. Taylor ham sandwiches and chocolate milk for lunch and stopping to eat always got us a bite. Dad bought a 3hp motor and we were all over the lake. When he graduated to a 14' Larson with a 40hp, we hit spots we'd never made it to before. age 5-13

My Grandfather lived in Neptune so we fished alot in Shark River and on the jettys. Caught some fluke, many blowfish and a TON of flounder; age 5-13 Dad spent endless nights surf fishing for stripers back then and catching a 15#er was his best. MANY nights on the Coast Guard Jetty by Avon or on IBSP working bucktails or sandworms with no fish. Biggest bass he saw was a 40# that he gaffed for a guy who had foul hooked it on a fluke rig!

In Boy Scouts (Troop 78 Pine Brook), we went camping (another word for fishing) every month and fished all over the state: Sandy Hook, Camp Allamuchy, Bear Pond. age 14-17

Moved to Lake Hopatcong and fished almost every day. Snagging perch during their spawn run to lunker catfish "jug fishing" at night. Spent many days and nights camping on Pete's Island, staying up all night fishing. age 13-18

Gotta get back up there and try for some hybrids and walleye......non-existant when we lived up north in the lake.

Started my kids fishing on Lakes Mohawk and Hopatcong. Took my son to Gouin Reservoir on fly-in walleye/pike trips for a couple years when he was 12-14. Outpost cabin in pic!

[technologist]

Originally Posted by jakesdad

My family had a house in Belmar, started fishing the jetty's when I was 5 with an older brother, than started fishing with an uncle in his 16 foot Winner w/a 35 johnson, boy could he catch fluke. His only problem was he didn't like eating fish, problem solved he took the fish home put them on his front lawn and all the neighbors enjoyed, but they would all bring him Fresh Italian from their kitchens.
During the summer of 1961 neighbors invited me to go 1/2 day fluking on the Sea Sawn from Belmar, I have been hooked ever since. The captain and his brothers continue to fish with me 40+ years later on my boat. I did spend the next 9 summers mating on the party and charter boats from Belmar.
Sea Swan, Capt. Bill Van, Ranger, Bluefin, Ol'Salty II (Bob Pisano), Shy Poke, Gertrude H, and then bought my first boat, now 8 boats later I continue to enjoy the sports. Both the boating and fishing,
When I finished college, I had a decision get my ticket and fish for a living or go into the family business, and relax and enjoy my hobby. To this day I'm happy with my decision.

Did you know that capt. bill van weatering(sp) who owned the"Bill Van" was the bellboy in the Philip Morris Commercials? He would walk around the lobby of the hotel saying "Call for Philip Morris" You have to be an old fart to remember that!

[beach21]

At a young age my parents left me on a deserted island, with only a bottle of water and a fishing pole!! It was fish or die!!! Well I'm still here and still eating fish!!!!

[regulator 29]

my grandpa got me into fishing when i was about a year and half old. i have pictures of me standing on the beach with an 8 foot surf caster resting in the sand and my hands barely around the thing. i have no idea when my first time on a boat was probably around the same time. ill never forget the things and memories of me and my grandpa on the water. he sparked the fishing fire in me that will never go out. he had a stroke a few years ago and he hasnt been able to fish with me since im hoping i can get him out this season even if its in the bay i just want to fish with him one more time. even at 17 i have seen and learned things people dont see or learn in a life time.

[HBKFishing]

My father is not a big outdoors fan. When I was about 5 or 6 I wanted to go fishing becase the other neighborhood kids did. So, my mom made my dad get a rod and reel from Efingers and take me fishing. We went a couple of times. But I continued on my own. Pretty much teaching myself and getting tips from the old timers who fished the North Branch. I'm sure they are all gone now, but they showed me how to fish and tie knotts. Once I was a little older my mom bought me my first waders for trout fishing. When i worked for AT&T we had two personal days that we could split up into two hour increments. So, every Wednesday during trout season I would leave work at 2pm and get ready to fish the North Branch. I'd do to the South Branch on Tuesday. The Musconetcong on Sunday. Love the Musconetcong. Haven't fished in freshwater in about 4 years.

Saltwater is a different story. The old timers at Morrison's in Beach Haven used to teach me. As before, I am sure all of them are gone as is Morrison's. We would rent in Haven Beach on the bayside. I would fish and crab from the bulkhead on Colorado Avenue. I would go to M&M's Steambar and get fish heads for free. And get squid from Fisherman's Headquarters. All of my saltwater stuff is from there. Except for a couple of things. Fished on the White Star as kid. Its also gone. Most of my time back then as it is now has been on the Carolyn Ann. When I was a kid, we would have crabs with dinner every night. I had a big yellow basket and my dad would go to the beach and get sea weed to line it. We aslo had tongs to get the crabs out of the traps. It was so funny, my mom would be so amazed that we had all these crabs. Some of the larger snapper blues would be kept. The oyster crackers would be used for bait in the traps. My parents loved it there in Haven Beach. The bay and that bulk head were the baby sitters. My sisters and myself would spend all day there. When I was 21 I blew my knee out. Out of work for 4 months. My mom brought me to LBI and I went back to my youth. Morrison's. Cought some small blues and hooked a sea gull. Luckily some of the old times were around and helped me out. I was on crutches and could not do a thing about.

My Mom's Aunt Mae lived in Point Beach on the Bay Head border. So, we would spend some time there. Of course there was the treck to the wall to drop me off to go fishing. Small fluke. Nothing ever really to write home about. But I loved it.

With the job I have now, I work 3-11 and a lot of overtime. Sunday is normally the only day i do not work. And Monday in the summer. So, I go to Point Beach for the Sunday afternoon fluke trip. Then I discovered the Highlands again and I fished there on Monday's. Shorter driving trip for me. And this year I discovered the offshore sea bass trip. I am so hooked. Can't wait to do it again in December, January, February and March. I'll work the overtime to fund it but I want to go again.

I was on the very first Mi Jo trip back in 1987 or 1988. He was new and the mailroom crew chartered it and we had a blast.

I'm 42 and i have only won 3 pools in my life. One on the old Miss LBI. A fluke that was maybe 4 pounds. I won a wopping 26 bucks. Won a blue fish pool on the Miss Barnegat Light. There were 10 people and we were waiting for some folks from PA to show, they called the boat and said to the crew there were coming. Well, they showed up at about 830am and it was 27 Quakers. They do not gamble. The pool was 20. Two bluefish caught on the boat that day. One of the Quakers had a small blue and I caught a 8 pound blue to take all the loot. My third pool was on the Miss Norma K. It was a Monday fluke trip. I was on the Sunday trip and the pool was like over 120 or something. The guy who won did not leave Amanda one red cent. This was in 2006. The next day was Monday. I had a coupon so the trip only cost me like 10. And we all were talking about the guy who did not leave a tips and won that huge pool. I told Amanda that if I ever won a pool I would just want my Money back and give the rest to the mates. Well, I won the pool that day, it was like 60 or 70. Amanda said to me, remember waht you said............... I said, yea, can I have my 10 dollars please. I gave the rest to the mates plus the money I normally bring for a tip. The bottom line is I really could care less about the pool. I just love being on the ocean and meeting new people and hope to have a few fish in the box. But, you'd think with all the tons and tons of miles I have logged, I would have had more than 3 pools in my entire life......... HAHAHA

My favorite type of fishing is the inshore sea bass. I live for that. But now, the offshore bug has bitten me.

Except for the times at my Aunt's place we were on Long Beach Island. Vacations and long weekends. I'd go with my mom and she'd be at the beach and I'd go fishing. Been going to LBI all my life. Long Beach Island is God's country to me. I used to travel a lot for AT&T and I've seen a lot of this country. When asked what my favorite place is, my answer has been the same all my life. Long Beach Island, NJ. So many great fishing memories from there.

As i said, I havw been al over this great country of ours and met a lot of folks. I ahve to say this witha lot of pride. Some of the best people in the world I have met are on the boats. Either other patrons or the captains, the crews and so on. And of course the folks on this board. If you have a question or something is new to you, someone on the boat will assist you. The same goes for this board. I can speak first hand, the folks on here will go out of their way to give advise or assistance when someone is trying a different kind of fishing for the first time. That means a lot and shows a lot of charactor.

Been all over the map here but its after work for me and its very late. Thanks for reading.

[Sharkyispy]

HBK- you're lucky I guess. I'm 44 now and 20 some years of fishing on the ocean now I've won 1 pool and it was last year on a winter flounder trip!

[Kup]

I started fishing when I was 2. Uncle Frank (Pop's best friend at the time). Had a 15 hp outboard. They would rent a row boat from Sunset Beach in Cape May. I vaguely remember the crane on the beach pulling the row boats up and the cement ship. There was much more too it then.

From there it was fresh water in Royce's Brook in Hillsborough that ran through our property. Catfish, sunnys, crayfish, polywogs and even a decent size bass once. An occational trip on the Miss Jamaca.

My older brother got hold of a old 16' ply-wood boat with a 40 horse Scott-at-Water on it. He moved to Cape May and we would fish the Delaware Bay for tons of weak fish.

Other storries include renting row boats and fishing Sandy Hook Bay. Rowing out and standing a paddle up for a tow back to the dock.