I`m glad there is thread here that is not filled with political b.s.. To me fishing isn`t about how many fish we are allowed to catch, or were we are allowed to catch them.It`s about the times you have and the memories you make, while your out on the water with your buddies or you family. I`m pretty sure that my first fish was a small pink out of Kelsey Bay while fishing with my grandpa when i was about 5. Not a huge fish but it was enouugh to instill a life long passion of fishing and the ocean. My most memorable fish was a few years later also with my grandpa in Kelsey Bay. We had fished all day for sockeye, catching our limit in sockeye and pinks we were on our troll back towards the bay to call it a day. As we passed the point entering the bay from the north(don`t remember the name of the point) the rod goes off. I remember seeing the rod pulling off of the down-rigger and reaching for the rod, only to have my grandpa reach over top of me to pluck the rod and screeming reel out of the rop holder. ``This is no pink!`` I remember him shout, in his ukrainian accent, as he started playing the fish. After what seemed like an hour(probably no more than 20-25 minutes) the fish tired and started coming towards the boat. So as any good 7 yr old deckhand would do, I grab the net, only to have my grandpa pluck it out of my hand and net the 38lb tyee out of the chuck. At that moment my grandpa was the BIGGEST man in my world, playing and landing this beast by himself. My grandpa passed away a couple years after that summer. I still think of all those memories me and him made out on that boat together. I am now 23 and still a very avid fisherman, I think its fair to say I`m addicted. I now own my grandpa`s old 15` lifetimer. One day i want to purchase a bigger boat for more adventerous fishing trips, but i still get a special feeling everytime i land a nice fish in that old tinny.
Your First Fish and Your most exciting fish
- Thread starter Hook'Em Hard
- Start date
stones93
Well-Known Member
Fishmyster
Well-Known Member
What a nice peacefull thread this is!
I can remember back to many firsts and memorable fish. The bullhead derby at the PA salmon fest was where I first got started angling. My mother ragged me many times for pursing my catch in my pockets.lol It took a few years to graduate from bullhead to steelhead though. My fishing career evolved over the years. My father used to take me to Saskatchwan for visits with my grandparents. Grandpa would take me fishing at Round lake to catch Pickeral and Jacks. He taught me how to fillet the bones out of a fish at a young age. Those sure are some great memories. RIP Grandpa Ken.
Another first and more memorable fish was a lost salmon. For a few years my father would take me fishing to Barclay sound on weekends. Most of my time would be spent sick and sleeping in the bow of the 18ft Renell. My dad wasn't a verry lucky angler but he was extreamly determine so we trolled for hours at a time. My favorite time was when he would anchor up for a nap. This was my time to fish for whatever could be lurking under our anchored vessel. One day while we were anchored behind Kirby point somewhere was when one of my most memorable fish encounters happened. Dad was asleep and I was catching shiners on an oversized stingzelda. The water was only about 8ft deep so I could see the bottom. I was watching the perch swim up to examine my lure then I would yank up to snag them with the treble hook that hanged below. Without warning a large salmon, 25lbs or so, came and grabbed my lure! It felt like soft bottom when I yanked up on it. Well then the **** happened! As I was only about 8 or 9 at the time i didn't have much experience fighting big salmon. The large spring started a big run. My old peetze knuckle buster must have hit 2000rpm! Being a novice I grabbed the spool. what a mistake that was. My little fingers ended up getting jammed under the reels wire line guide stopping the reel dead. My lasting memory is of the rod rod slamming down against the gunnel as the spring ran, jumped and broke me off while doing about twenty miles an hour away from me! My father woke up to a screaming kid. He had to use a screwdriver to pry my pinched finger out of the line guide. Anyways, I have been hooked ever since.
I can remember back to many firsts and memorable fish. The bullhead derby at the PA salmon fest was where I first got started angling. My mother ragged me many times for pursing my catch in my pockets.lol It took a few years to graduate from bullhead to steelhead though. My fishing career evolved over the years. My father used to take me to Saskatchwan for visits with my grandparents. Grandpa would take me fishing at Round lake to catch Pickeral and Jacks. He taught me how to fillet the bones out of a fish at a young age. Those sure are some great memories. RIP Grandpa Ken.
Another first and more memorable fish was a lost salmon. For a few years my father would take me fishing to Barclay sound on weekends. Most of my time would be spent sick and sleeping in the bow of the 18ft Renell. My dad wasn't a verry lucky angler but he was extreamly determine so we trolled for hours at a time. My favorite time was when he would anchor up for a nap. This was my time to fish for whatever could be lurking under our anchored vessel. One day while we were anchored behind Kirby point somewhere was when one of my most memorable fish encounters happened. Dad was asleep and I was catching shiners on an oversized stingzelda. The water was only about 8ft deep so I could see the bottom. I was watching the perch swim up to examine my lure then I would yank up to snag them with the treble hook that hanged below. Without warning a large salmon, 25lbs or so, came and grabbed my lure! It felt like soft bottom when I yanked up on it. Well then the **** happened! As I was only about 8 or 9 at the time i didn't have much experience fighting big salmon. The large spring started a big run. My old peetze knuckle buster must have hit 2000rpm! Being a novice I grabbed the spool. what a mistake that was. My little fingers ended up getting jammed under the reels wire line guide stopping the reel dead. My lasting memory is of the rod rod slamming down against the gunnel as the spring ran, jumped and broke me off while doing about twenty miles an hour away from me! My father woke up to a screaming kid. He had to use a screwdriver to pry my pinched finger out of the line guide. Anyways, I have been hooked ever since.
Pippen
Well-Known Member
Suprisingly enough.....I do remember my first, although not totally clear I do recall it. My Dad grew up in the little town of Chapleau, Ontario and although living in Winnipeg where I grew up we would make the 18 hour drive every summer and spend a few weeks at the family "camp" with my grandparents etc.
My Grandfather was the Game Warden of the Chapleau Game Preserve which many people don't know is the largest game preserve in the world. Anyhow, he knew the "hot spot" to catch his eager grandson his first fish....not that northern pike were a tough fish to catch. I remember we were in an area where you could see the old fuselage of a plane that had crashed many years earlier. I was using a tiny old levelwind type reel (as seen) with some kind of a braided type line on it and what I think was my grandpa's first generation rapala type lure. I remember the lure because I lost it the next day when we hooked my second fish which was a BIG pike and it broke the line.
I fought this fish all by myself and still remember how proud I was as we took the boat back to the camp and I got to walk up and show my parents and say "look what I caught!!!" 
As for most exciting......pretty much any time there is a springer on the line and it's making runs and stripping off line; that's my most exciting. I absolutely love it.....end of story.
My Grandfather was the Game Warden of the Chapleau Game Preserve which many people don't know is the largest game preserve in the world. Anyhow, he knew the "hot spot" to catch his eager grandson his first fish....not that northern pike were a tough fish to catch. I remember we were in an area where you could see the old fuselage of a plane that had crashed many years earlier. I was using a tiny old levelwind type reel (as seen) with some kind of a braided type line on it and what I think was my grandpa's first generation rapala type lure. I remember the lure because I lost it the next day when we hooked my second fish which was a BIG pike and it broke the line.
I fought this fish all by myself and still remember how proud I was as we took the boat back to the camp and I got to walk up and show my parents and say "look what I caught!!!"
As for most exciting......pretty much any time there is a springer on the line and it's making runs and stripping off line; that's my most exciting. I absolutely love it.....end of story.
Last edited by a moderator:
Hook'Em Hard
Member
Great picture Pippen thanks for sharing and taking the time to post up that old picture.
I agree with you any spring is a good spring. Last summer I took my boat out of esquimalt one evening for my first solo fishing trip ever. I mainly wanted to see how easy it was to launch and retrieve the boat on my own.
While I was out trolling around brotchie I hooked a spring. I had one line down on the bottom (160ft plus) and this fish hit the shallow rod. So with no hope of bringing in the other line I had to fight the fish, steer the boat and make sure the fish stayed off to the one side and didn't tangle. I also had to get the net ready and make a plan as I had not netted my own fish before. At first I didn't think the fish was that big but after a few solid runs I was starting to wonder what I had hooked into. Turns out it was only about 12 pounds but it was a great thrill and a good scrap. I prefer to fish with somebody but hooking them by yourself presents some unique challenges you don't experience with a friend there to help you.
I agree with you any spring is a good spring. Last summer I took my boat out of esquimalt one evening for my first solo fishing trip ever. I mainly wanted to see how easy it was to launch and retrieve the boat on my own.
While I was out trolling around brotchie I hooked a spring. I had one line down on the bottom (160ft plus) and this fish hit the shallow rod. So with no hope of bringing in the other line I had to fight the fish, steer the boat and make sure the fish stayed off to the one side and didn't tangle. I also had to get the net ready and make a plan as I had not netted my own fish before. At first I didn't think the fish was that big but after a few solid runs I was starting to wonder what I had hooked into. Turns out it was only about 12 pounds but it was a great thrill and a good scrap. I prefer to fish with somebody but hooking them by yourself presents some unique challenges you don't experience with a friend there to help you.
Kristo
Active Member
Growing up in urban Toronto in the 50s there was not an abundance of angling opportunities...however High Park's Grenadier pond was a reasonable hike for the local kids and was stocked with bass ...there was also perch,sunfish and carp to be had as well.
In those days the Toronto Daily Star had a bass tournament on the pond which is before salmon were introduced to the Great Lakes. My pals and I would catch crappies, sunfish and perch there during summer vacation.
First "real" fish was a 6 lb pickeral on Sturgeon Lake in the Kawartha region when I was 8.
Was out with gramps and dad in our Peterborough "Zephyr" cedarstrip one evening and they were targeting muskies, casting plugs and set me up with a june bug spinner and worm....still fishing.
After I gave them numerous false alarms about getting a bite they were getting a little agititated as I was interrupting their angling and didn't believe me when I hooked my pickeral.
Carrying it up to the rented cottage was one of the proudest moments of my early life.
Fast forward to 1999.....I am visiting my son in Yellowknife where I lived from 74 to 90 and we flew out to Fort Reliance on Great Slave Lake for a few days fishing with friends.
Typical gear is spinning gear with 10 to 15 lb test, trolling spoons.
The lakers were biting but nothing of any size.
The last evening my son and I borrowed a couple of frozen herring from another guest at the lodge and we headed out for the evening bite.
Rigged up a banana weight and cutplug and started trolling very slowly and soon had a double header.
We landed my son's fish and 35 minutes later we landed mine....took a couple of pics and let it swim away.
Very exciting on light tackle and happy memories.
In those days the Toronto Daily Star had a bass tournament on the pond which is before salmon were introduced to the Great Lakes. My pals and I would catch crappies, sunfish and perch there during summer vacation.
First "real" fish was a 6 lb pickeral on Sturgeon Lake in the Kawartha region when I was 8.
Was out with gramps and dad in our Peterborough "Zephyr" cedarstrip one evening and they were targeting muskies, casting plugs and set me up with a june bug spinner and worm....still fishing.
After I gave them numerous false alarms about getting a bite they were getting a little agititated as I was interrupting their angling and didn't believe me when I hooked my pickeral.
Carrying it up to the rented cottage was one of the proudest moments of my early life.
Fast forward to 1999.....I am visiting my son in Yellowknife where I lived from 74 to 90 and we flew out to Fort Reliance on Great Slave Lake for a few days fishing with friends.
Typical gear is spinning gear with 10 to 15 lb test, trolling spoons.
The lakers were biting but nothing of any size.
The last evening my son and I borrowed a couple of frozen herring from another guest at the lodge and we headed out for the evening bite.
Rigged up a banana weight and cutplug and started trolling very slowly and soon had a double header.
We landed my son's fish and 35 minutes later we landed mine....took a couple of pics and let it swim away.
Very exciting on light tackle and happy memories.
Last edited by a moderator:
I was born 66 years ago and have spent more than 60 of those years as an absolute fishing fanatic. A very good friend of mine has heard a few and I stress the word "few" stories and he has repeatedly told me i should write a book. I still work but plan to finally retire at the end of 2013 and am seriously considering taking his advice then.
I will give you a couple of ideas of what he may be referring to. Born in Revelstoke but moved to Halfmoon Bay at the age of 4. Father and Grandfather on my mother`s side bought a 48 ft troller called The Vagabond. Left to my own devices i got said grandfather to build me a box lined with screen and nail it on the floating section of the wharf. I then would use a penny line and bread to catch shiners which i put in that wooden box where they swam around until a cod fisherman would take them out to fish fior cod down off the end of the wharf. My mother had made a sign asking whoever used the shiners to please put a nickel for each one in the supplied tobacco tin. I made a fair amount for a 5 year old by 1951 standards.
I remember jigging for crabs off that troller. Yup jigging . No traps needed. Just lower a line down with almost any meat product as bait, "watch" a crab take hold of it, pull him gently to the surface and then jerk him onto the back of the boat. They are slow to let go of something they intend to eat ,lol ! a big pot of water boiling on the back deck and in they went.
Another memory is of travelling up somewhere north of there in a smaller boat to a shallow bay, my dad and grandfather jumping into 3 feet of water at low tide and scooping sack fuls of oysters up, taking them home a seeding
I will give you a couple of ideas of what he may be referring to. Born in Revelstoke but moved to Halfmoon Bay at the age of 4. Father and Grandfather on my mother`s side bought a 48 ft troller called The Vagabond. Left to my own devices i got said grandfather to build me a box lined with screen and nail it on the floating section of the wharf. I then would use a penny line and bread to catch shiners which i put in that wooden box where they swam around until a cod fisherman would take them out to fish fior cod down off the end of the wharf. My mother had made a sign asking whoever used the shiners to please put a nickel for each one in the supplied tobacco tin. I made a fair amount for a 5 year old by 1951 standards.
I remember jigging for crabs off that troller. Yup jigging . No traps needed. Just lower a line down with almost any meat product as bait, "watch" a crab take hold of it, pull him gently to the surface and then jerk him onto the back of the boat. They are slow to let go of something they intend to eat ,lol ! a big pot of water boiling on the back deck and in they went.
Another memory is of travelling up somewhere north of there in a smaller boat to a shallow bay, my dad and grandfather jumping into 3 feet of water at low tide and scooping sack fuls of oysters up, taking them home a seeding
I was born 66 years ago and have spent more than 60 of those years as an absolute fishing fanatic. A very good friend of mine has heard a few and I stress the word "few" stories and he has repeatedly told me i should write a book. I still work but plan to finally retire at the end of 2013 and am seriously considering taking his advice then.
I will give you a couple of ideas of what he may be referring to. Born in Revelstoke but moved to Halfmoon Bay at the age of 4. Father and Grandfather on my mother`s side bought a 48 ft troller called The Vagabond. Left to my own devices i got said grandfather to build me a box lined with screen and nail it on the floating section of the wharf. I then would use a penny line and bread to catch shiners which i put in that wooden box where they swam around until a cod fisherman would take them out to fish fior cod down off the end of the wharf. My mother had made a sign asking whoever used the shiners to please put a nickel for each one in the supplied tobacco tin. I made a fair amount for a 5 year old by 1951 standards. People were very honest back then.
I remember jigging for crabs off that troller. Yup jigging . No traps needed. Just lower a line down with almost any meat product as bait, "watch" a crab take hold of it, pull him gently to the surface and then jerk him onto the back of the boat. They are slow to let go of something they intend to eat ,lol ! a big pot of water boiling on the back deck and in they went.
Don`t want to take over thread so will continue if requested.Some that know me might say "Don`t get him started,lol"
I will give you a couple of ideas of what he may be referring to. Born in Revelstoke but moved to Halfmoon Bay at the age of 4. Father and Grandfather on my mother`s side bought a 48 ft troller called The Vagabond. Left to my own devices i got said grandfather to build me a box lined with screen and nail it on the floating section of the wharf. I then would use a penny line and bread to catch shiners which i put in that wooden box where they swam around until a cod fisherman would take them out to fish fior cod down off the end of the wharf. My mother had made a sign asking whoever used the shiners to please put a nickel for each one in the supplied tobacco tin. I made a fair amount for a 5 year old by 1951 standards. People were very honest back then.
I remember jigging for crabs off that troller. Yup jigging . No traps needed. Just lower a line down with almost any meat product as bait, "watch" a crab take hold of it, pull him gently to the surface and then jerk him onto the back of the boat. They are slow to let go of something they intend to eat ,lol ! a big pot of water boiling on the back deck and in they went.
Don`t want to take over thread so will continue if requested.Some that know me might say "Don`t get him started,lol"
gonefishin
Member
my first fish was at wells gray on my 4th birthday and it was a huge (at the time) 1lb rainbow
most exciting fish was a 35 lb halibut caught out of a kayak from quatsino sound last august. It managed to straighten out the hook but hey, there's a story to last a lifetime
most exciting fish was a 35 lb halibut caught out of a kayak from quatsino sound last august. It managed to straighten out the hook but hey, there's a story to last a lifetime
My brother's still rib me about one of my first steelhead. We were camping at shawnigan lake for summer holidays, swimming ,fishing for bullheads ,crayfish the lake was to warm to catch trout. My dad wanted to check out the kinsol trestle and off we went him with 3 young boys. Back then (70's) the rail line was somewhat active and when we were half way across the trestle a small maintence train went across. We managed to get down to the river and it was full of trout up to about 12 ", my brother got ahead of me on the next pool and was yelling about the size of the fish. I finally was next to him and saw this huge trout behind his spoon. Being the oldest at 12 my brothers 9 and 6 and the 2 of them not playing fair and casting in a pool before me, who was the better fishing kid and was up on the rules about fishing with brothers i did the proper thing and schooled them. I pushed them both down on the beach and took my cast ( i should of been first) and hooked and landed a summerrun steelhead about 6 or 7 lbs on a zebco spincast reel. It was an epic battle and the story still comes up when we brothers go steelhead fishing and one of us tries to but in front of the other.Thats the rules.
tubber
Well-Known Member
I spent parts of every summer in Chemainus as a kid. We got a tip from a local that there were cohoes and the odd spring to be had bucktailing off the kelp on the Valdes side of Porlier Pass. We drove to Cowichan Bay to buy some bucktails. The next morning we went out and gave them a try. I put on a green and white one with a big silver spinner and let it out about 40 yards. Thought I snagged some kelp as we rounded the shoreline. Then it jumped. 32lb spring on a big yellow fibreglass rod with a spinning reel. 1977.
Last edited by a moderator:
Deewar25
Well-Known Member
my first was a 4lb carp in the canals in England when I was 6...I remember being so hyped about it and my neighbour gave me a twix bar as a reward. Used to have a picture, but no idea where it is.
My boys first was an 18" in Langford Lake. All I did was keep the rod tip up high and he did the rest. He was on top of the world that day!
My boys first was an 18" in Langford Lake. All I did was keep the rod tip up high and he did the rest. He was on top of the world that day!
staying alive
Active Member
first fish
Lived in BC all my life and never went salmon fishing till the brother in-law bought a boat.This was 25 years ago. He was stoked to get some fish , so we went to Port Hardy for 3 days, had my ten year old son and he had his 2 boys 10 and 11. Bro inlaw was fanatical everything had to be done right or you got the scowl. I drove the whole time 2.5 mph if I went 3 I got yelled at, thats cool its his boat he's the fisherman I,m just learning. After driving for 2 1/2 days he says jeez I'm sorry you have been driving this whole time, here you watch the rods I will take the wheel... Big mistake Bro-in-law after 5 min. of watching rods the biggest Ziiinngg I ever heard, I grabbed the rod and said mine!! The thing peeled line like crazy ---went down, came up broke the surface was giving the angry head shake and staring at us ---a bunch of boats where watching and pulled gear up for the show -----the fish went staight for them he wrapped around some guys downrigger the guy pulled it up and dropped the line in the water ----now it was wrapped around some guys leg he lifted it up and dropped the line in the water-- I took up the slack and the fish said game on again. He went staight down again then back up and was swimming on the surface 200 yards straight out with that big fin sticking up ---bro-inlaw was pumped getting gear in--- manouvering boat--- swearing ---yelling ,, kids where scarred shitless. Then just when we think we got it under control a siene boat cuts through the whole fleet out at Duval Point and right by us with the Bro-inlaw going mental case swearing and throwing stuff at him---awesome -----my arms are singing by now having never caught a salmon before , but we fought for another 15 min. then finally landed him --bent the brand new net --47 Lbs unbelievable ----all the other boats that where watching were honking horns and yelling congrats.I was king of Port Hardy for the day, people at the dock all new about it and were giving the thumbs up. A bunch of Jap tourists wanted their pic taken with me and the fish----cool. Been hooked on fishing ever since--- on my 3rd boat now and spent oodlles of money going after fish--- I love being out on the salt water.
So anyway got the fish mounted ( more big $$$$ ) and never tire of telling the story.
So my son goes back to school and has to write an essay on what he did for his summer vacation-- he writes about going the PNE and going on the roller coaster ----- I was pissed --I said what about the fish story ---he had no answer---- he is all grown -up now with kids of his own and i remind him about that essay every now and then
Lived in BC all my life and never went salmon fishing till the brother in-law bought a boat.This was 25 years ago. He was stoked to get some fish , so we went to Port Hardy for 3 days, had my ten year old son and he had his 2 boys 10 and 11. Bro inlaw was fanatical everything had to be done right or you got the scowl. I drove the whole time 2.5 mph if I went 3 I got yelled at, thats cool its his boat he's the fisherman I,m just learning. After driving for 2 1/2 days he says jeez I'm sorry you have been driving this whole time, here you watch the rods I will take the wheel... Big mistake Bro-in-law after 5 min. of watching rods the biggest Ziiinngg I ever heard, I grabbed the rod and said mine!! The thing peeled line like crazy ---went down, came up broke the surface was giving the angry head shake and staring at us ---a bunch of boats where watching and pulled gear up for the show -----the fish went staight for them he wrapped around some guys downrigger the guy pulled it up and dropped the line in the water ----now it was wrapped around some guys leg he lifted it up and dropped the line in the water-- I took up the slack and the fish said game on again. He went staight down again then back up and was swimming on the surface 200 yards straight out with that big fin sticking up ---bro-inlaw was pumped getting gear in--- manouvering boat--- swearing ---yelling ,, kids where scarred shitless. Then just when we think we got it under control a siene boat cuts through the whole fleet out at Duval Point and right by us with the Bro-inlaw going mental case swearing and throwing stuff at him---awesome -----my arms are singing by now having never caught a salmon before , but we fought for another 15 min. then finally landed him --bent the brand new net --47 Lbs unbelievable ----all the other boats that where watching were honking horns and yelling congrats.I was king of Port Hardy for the day, people at the dock all new about it and were giving the thumbs up. A bunch of Jap tourists wanted their pic taken with me and the fish----cool. Been hooked on fishing ever since--- on my 3rd boat now and spent oodlles of money going after fish--- I love being out on the salt water.
So anyway got the fish mounted ( more big $$$$ ) and never tire of telling the story.
So my son goes back to school and has to write an essay on what he did for his summer vacation-- he writes about going the PNE and going on the roller coaster ----- I was pissed --I said what about the fish story ---he had no answer---- he is all grown -up now with kids of his own and i remind him about that essay every now and then
