Your Fishing Heritage

[basscat123]

Wonderful topic..I had the great fortune of fishing with my dad in the early days of table rock. Spent many days and nights in the old richline and had the opportunity to dip lots of fish for him. I don't know if that made me a better fisherman but I got real good with the dip net. He taught me so much about fishing and how to love the outdoors. I so appreciate his time with me and today he and I still go some but can always catch a few no matter where we are. I have been able to take my son to the same spots that my dad and I fished when I was little and have been successful in doing that. I don't think that I have been able to teach my son as much on dip netting as my dad did me but it has been great. I am so fortunate to have had the chance to do what I have been blessed to do. Thanks Dad for taking me, teaching me and loving me.

[BiteMeBaits]

Growing up on a crystal clear creek (Swan), I learned to sight fish a lot and be patient and still. While my parents would go to work I would take off and fish all day walking up and down the banks of the creek during the summer time. I started when I was about 7 when dad showed me how to catch and rig live crawdads, then I moved onto small artificial baits. When I was 12-14 I lived with my grandpa so I could go to the right school and he is a pretty avid tournament fisherman so we would go fish night tournaments every week. The first tournament I ever fished was the take-a-kid fishing tournament when I was 12. I bought my first bass boat when I was 15. I'm 28 now and still remember what I was taught by my grandpa who still fishes religiously rain or shine and he is in his 70's and out fishes me all day long. Looking back, I think grandpa originally started taking me because he liked having someone to run the trolling motor and back the boat in. LOL

[dougdean]

This picture is of my family in 1964 on Eagle Lake in Canada. I am the youngest on the right with my brothers.Great memories.

[MeatintheFreezer]

Dad started me fishing before I could walk. He had an old Richline with a big home made storage box that fit between the benches. I would crawl in there and sleep when the fishing was slow. He taught me to love the outdoors and to enjoy just being there. It wasn't about how much you caught, it was about the experience.

I remember when I got the drive that ol tiller steer 20 hp Johnston, I thought we were the fastest boat on the lake. We logged countless hours it that boat on every lake in the ozarks. Some of my fondest memories are of when we would go to Taneycomo and trout fish with canned corn for bait. I would usually eat most of the corn while dad and grandpa weren't looking - or acting like there weren't anyway.

Now grandpa is long gone now, and dad is way up in years. His fishing days are over, and dementia is setting in. I carry with me everything he taught me over the years and now I am trying to instill those same values in my son.

Whew......is someone slicing onions? I need to give dad a call and tell him thanks

[Biglerma]

Mine originates at Table Rock Lake actually. My family has had a house there since before I was born. I have a picture of me when I was 3 years old holding a perch that I caught on our dock (I'm 31 now). That old wood dock with the well house has since been replaced with a newer version but that house and section of the lake at Shell Knob has always been a special place for me. Every year as a kid I would look forward to coming down to Table Rock in the spring to catch crappie. Even though T-Rock isn't nearly as good of a crappie lake as others, we always did very well and I've got countless pictures of stringers full of monster 2lb slabs. Now days my family lives in Mobile Alabama and even though I can go down there and fish the golf course ponds for 10lb+ bass, I still love fishing The Rock over everywhere else!

My great grandpa, my grandpa, my dad, myself, and my brothers have all had great memories from Shell Knob and Table Rock Lake!

[Sac River Jim]

yup this thread stirs up memories. ive been fishing as long as i can remember. moms got a picture of me holding a nice channel cat i caught at big indian public use area down by baxter. the picture says 1964 on the back of it so that would have made me 4 yrs old. 50 yrs ago and i can still remember the big green water pump us kids would fight over who got to go get water from it, grandpa luke had a really fancy 1959 arkansas traveler ski boat w/ a 45 evinrude on it. I thought that old boat was was the real deal!!!!!! I'd sneak out of camp and beat dad and grandpa to the boat every morning so I wouldnt get left behind. I spent many weekends there over the years with my family. Broke my heart when they closed it. I guess I really started to learn to fish with my dad down on the james at galena every spring. Started out with an old glass rod with a zebco 202 on it armed with a gigantic bobber and a wht maribou jig with a red head. dad bought me a pair of green rubber boots so i could wade out far enough on the shoal at Taylor hole to cast out into the current to get to those big ole sows. I dug river worms down on Spring River at Verona where i grew up and traded them to old Mr. Harris at the hardware store at Mount Vernon to buy my first spinning reel. It was a Garcia Abumatic 505 with the push button release on the spool instead of a bail. Caught alot of white bass with that old reel over the years. My dad and grandpa were my best fishing buddies and i think they are there everytime i'm on the water. Ive got close to 30 rods and reels with each having its one purpose (atleast in my own mind) five large tackle bags. binders,and folders out the keister and it all originated with an old zebco 202, a red and white bobber, an old pair of green rubber boots and two men that taught me that if you take a child to the water and woods you give him memories he will remember for a lifetime. tight lines!!!