Who introduced you to fishing?

[Capt Sal]

My dad in 1956.My grandfather was there also.Imiss the pld days!

[Fisherman120]

Sorry to bump but I missed this thread in December. Was working insanely back in the winter and fall.

I started fishing when I was super young, I was no older then 3 years old, born in 95. My dad has been fishing since he was 13 and he would take me down to the beach with him. We lived in Brooklyn then, but fished in Staten Island. We would later move to SI when I was 4 and have been here since.

Anyways, yes he would take me down every time with him. I at the time was of course more interested in the beach and swimming then fishing with a rod and reel, but he would let me reel in fish whenever he had the opportunity. I distinctly remember catching an 8 lb or so bluefish that he helped me out with of course when I was 3. Reeled in short fluke and searobins all the time, fishing was definitley better back then out here. My brother was born in 87 and he fished too with us, but as he entered puberty and became a teenager he lost interest and stop altogether by the time I was 7... I kept fishing on. Went on a party boat for the first time when I was 5, the Atlantis Princess ran a free trip for a parent and their child..... Caught my first fish ever by myself, a 20 inch keeper fluke, the first of many. Kept fishing on religiously throughout the years and finally got my license in 2013, now I'm going down twice a week about not including the surf... Can't wait till I get into my career and can afford running a boat, then the addiction is really going to be crazy. Nothing I love more then fishing.

[flyersnfluke]

For me it was two people, my dad to an extent, but growing up he worked so much that it was hard to get out often. My neighbor where I grew up, who was a friend of my older sisters, loved to fish, although mostly fresh water. I'd wake him up at the crack of dawn on saturdays to go to the local lakes to fish, little did I know at that young age he was either very hung over or just home from an all night drunk. He was, and still is, a good guy and I still keep in touch, although we live far from each other now.

Happy Independence Day!!!

[crewchief2]

My Dad too, started me and my brothers off around 4-5 yrs old catching sunnies in the D & R Canal, some saltwater here and there. Greatest part is we still fish together to this day, Pop is 78, i'm 57. Pic is off Pop and me and two brothers Salmon and Steelhead at Lake Ontario

[jlrotary]

Grew up living next to freshwater creek. My uncle introduced me to fishing at a young age. I was hooked but lost interest in my teenage years. After a bad motorcycle accident I got back into the addiction full blast since 2007. Have been taking my daughter fishing from shore since 4 yrs old. Next weekend she turns 7 and hoping for her 1st saltwater boat fishing experience.

[Inishmore3]

My father never had much interest in doing anything with me. Let alone fishing. Took me once or twice to the pond only because my Mom told him to.

I learned freshwater fishing at the North Branch of the Raritan River by learning from the old guys. I know they are all gone now but I thank them.

We used to spend two weeks in Beach Haven most summers when I was a kid. I'd go to Morrison's with my fishing pole and some squid. The old baymen that hung out there would teach me. And I would catch some fish. They tought me how to crab. My Mom took me to Fisherman's Headquarters and bought me my first crab trap and we picked up some bunker. Went back to the dock and it made my day. Catching crabs and short fluke or oyster crackers. The baymen told me about oyster crackers and what to do with them. Most of the baymen are gone. I thank them.

As far as party boats go the folks on the CA III and Whitestar in Barnegat Light is where I started. I learned from them as a child.

Once I started working and driving a car I would just fish the rivers for trout. Did not saltwater fish for a number of years. Then in the early 2000's started to bluefish on the MBL in Barnegat Light. Then switched to fluke on the CAIII in Barnegat Light. Then they told me how much fun sea bass fishing is. I was hooked. Then I would stop until the next spring. Until the fine folks on the CAIII told me about these little creatures called Blackfish........ That was it. They taught me how to blackfish and the rest is history.

Then I found this site and learned that the Atlantic Highlands past was indeed its past. Some pretty tough customers would hang out there. So I only when once when I was younger. After reading the captains and Gerry on his site I gave Atlantic Highlands a try. Glad I did. I learned from the most experienced fluke fisherman. I went from the lucky keeper to being on the board almost every trip.

The bottom line is unlike most of you learning from family. I learned from people like you. And I thank you for that.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Inishmore3

My father never had much interest in doing anything with me. Let alone fishing. Took me once or twice to the pond only because my Mom told him to.

I learned freshwater fishing at the North Branch of the Raritan River by learning from the old guys. I know they are all gone now but I thank them.

We used to spend two weeks in Beach Haven most summers when I was a kid. I'd go to Morrison's with my fishing pole and some squid. The old baymen that hung out there would teach me. And I would catch some fish. They tought me how to crab. My Mom took me to Fisherman's Headquarters and bought me my first crab trap and we picked up some bunker. Went back to the dock and it made my day. Catching crabs and short fluke or oyster crackers. The baymen told me about oyster crackers and what to do with them. Most of the baymen are gone. I thank them.

As far as party boats go the folks on the CA III and Whitestar in Barnegat Light is where I started. I learned from them as a child.

Once I started working and driving a car I would just fish the rivers for trout. Did not saltwater fish for a number of years. Then in the early 2000's started to bluefish on the MBL in Barnegat Light. Then switched to fluke on the CAIII in Barnegat Light. Then they told me how much fun sea bass fishing is. I was hooked. Then I would stop until the next spring. Until the fine folks on the CAIII told me about these little creatures called Blackfish........ That was it. They taught me how to blackfish and the rest is history.

Then I found this site and learned that the Atlantic Highlands past was indeed its past. Some pretty tough customers would hang out there. So I only when once when I was younger. After reading the captains and Gerry on his site I gave Atlantic Highlands a try. Glad I did. I learned from the most experienced fluke fisherman. I went from the lucky keeper to being on the board almost every trip.

The bottom line is unlike most of you learning from family. I learned from people like you. And I thank you for that.

Inish - great story. Mine is very similar... Dad worked a lot but luckily I had an Uncle and the Grandfather of a childhood friend who would take us. Made my first trip on a party boat in my late teens. A night Bluefish trip on the Cock Robin and I was hooked. Got my first boat in my early 30s and learned a lot from the old salts down at the dock.

This reminds me that people like you and I need to do our part to pass on the love of this great sport to kids. This sport of ours is something that stays with you for life.. It helps put smiles on faces, takes your mind off of the daily grind and affords us all an opportunity to catch up with old friends and make some new ones too.

Love my time out on the water and would not trade it for anything. It's threapy for me and certainly beats spending money laying on a couch talking to a Shrink.

I also met a lot of great people here, in fact some life long friends. I learned a lot too and that my friend is what this site was intended for.

It's posts like this that make me proud to be associated with the great community of people we have here. NJ's finest!

[makosnax]

My old man got me started very young. It started with trout fishing and progressed to fluking as I got older, but with time my father had lost interest in fishing. I never stopped fishing, whether it was catching shiners on little #12 hooks or catfishing in the little mudhole down the street, if there was water I was fishing. Eventually hooked up with some friends that shared the same passion and these guys are still my fishing buddies 25 years later. Although I did lose interest in freshwater fishing, my saltwater obsession could be classified as a sickness. lol The same story holds true for my passion of bowhunting, including the same group of friends.
This past fathers day I had the opportunity to take the old man fishing but this time I was the mentor, showing him what I have learned over the years. Even though the weather that day was not ideal and the fishing was slow, it was a very special day seeing that the old man was impressed with my knowledge of the salt and fishing technique. Hopefully my son and daughter will share the passion and teach me a few things when the time comes.

[Mags2013]

My Dad, back when you could still access the jetty at Atlantic Highlands. There used to be a long railroad tie or plank of wood that jutted out from the jetty. We used to fill up buckets with snappers and caught my very first fluke there in the early 80s. Gotta say my Dad is the best fluke fishermen I know. Have to admit I lost interest in fishing when i reached my teens and twenties, but i re-discovered the passion and love for the sport in my late thirties...as it turns out, it is still in my blood. Dad's a little older now and he can't get out as much as he'd like, but he's still the first call I make after each trip to give him the full report...and every call I make to him, I'm 7-8 years old again, just as excited to show/tell my Dad about my catch as I was back then. The best part, though, is when his face lights up hearing about my catch, just like it did on that jetty more than thirty years ago. Thanks Dad...

[bigdc]

My dad.