Who introduced you to fishing?

[Denlon]

My Dad- We lived in Little Silver between the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers...About 5 miles from the shore.

He had me out in the back yard with a fly rod in my hand when I was only about 5 years old. Then practice at Garvey's Pond in Navesink, and Mohawk Pond in Red Bank. Then on to the Gorge for some hands-on trout fly fishing the next Spring.

That was followed by Fluke fishing off the old Long Branch Pier about 1948. My first flatfish was an exceptionally large Sundial that was jigged from the L-Shaped corner of the pier using a strip of Sea Robin tail as bait. I couldn't reach over the top rail so I had to poke the Calcutta Bamboo pole between the middle and top rails to fish.

Then on to Weakfish & Croakers off the beach in Sandy Hook (This was in the late 40's & early 50's so both of these fish could be routinely caught in the Jersey surf.) My favorite was fishing for Blackfish off the old Takanassee Jetty using "sand Bugs" (mole Crabs) as bait.

When I was about 10, I graduated to plugging Stripers off the Sea Bright & Long Branch surf in the Fall.

Those were the days!

Denny

[Take a kid fishing]

My dad and it started on the streams of North Jersey for trout. When we stated fishing in the ocean it was Fluking on a the Happy out of AH. Loved him for everything he did and everything he taught me that I have passed down.

[bytheshore8]

Pops...took me out fluke fishing on the Big Marie S
RIP Dad

[aduma1107]

My Father on the Zypher...pier 1 out of Sheepshead Bay and off of the old wooden pier on Coney Island beach way before it burned down.

[JayO]

My Father also took me on a party boat at the age of 7. It was the Satellite, in Atlantic Highlands, back in the late 70's. He won the pool that day for fluke, but put my name in the paper.

He's gone now, but never forgotten... I bring my two kids out fishing whenever I can...

[shrimpman steve]

Would love to say my dad, but he is not a fisherman. He was a private pilot so I grew up flying not fishing.

It may surprise some to know that the first time I went salt water fishing was about 20 years ago. Went on a charter out of Montauk with some co workers and loved it. The same group of guys still go every year first Saturday in June. We have not missed a year and still use the same captain and boat! So I went once a year for the first two or three years and decided I love the sport and must do more of it. I started going solo on the head boats out of the highlands and the rest is history. I made up for a lot of lost time over the last 15 years or so. I figure at this point I have fished more then people who have been fishing their whole lives and I don't plan on slowing down.

I am glad that I have had the chance to introduce my children to the sport. They all love it!

[Bluefish]

I was not yet 5 years old, my father and grandfather tied me and a rental rod to the rail , fished oyster bay and caught flounders. I was hooked for life before I ever went on the boat.

[lunkertaker]

DAD....

Dad to Son or Daughter is a given....and thank you for passing the passion!

My Grand children will likely say MOM as I have instilled some of the best fishing skills, ethics, and motivation that hopefully my daughters are able to be carried forward to generations to come. I got two ole salts now at 11 and 13 (girls) that CAN FISH and CATCH

Know who taught em?

[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...