Who/What got you started fly fishing?

[flyfishingpastor]

As I finished up my earlier post, wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving next week, I was thinking about all the things I'm thankful for. One of these things is our great sport of fly fishing and this thought led to how we all got started fly fishing? Was it a family member that introduced us or what got you started?

My beginnings began many, many years before I actually began fly fishing myself. A dear friend of my family and a guy that I grouse hunted with for several years by the name of John Karlin actually introduced me to the sport. John was a classy man who was the epitomy of a sporting gentleman. I can't remember a time he ever fished, always fly fishing, or grouse hunted that he never wore a tie. His gear was first class and well taken care of. Anyway, John tried to teach me to fly fish in the 80's but I never seemed to have the time but I was captivated by the grace and beauty of his casting. Sadly, he passed away before I ever got to fish with him but, after his death, his daughter gave me some of his sporting books and some of his hand-tied flies - which I treasure.

Though Trent and I actually started fishing together (thanks, buddy), John actually got me started - years before I ever wet a line. So, who or what got you started?

Pat

[radioflyer]

I owe it all to Santa Claus!

I was a serious bass fisher and tournament fisher and Santa happened to work with a gentleman who flyfished and tied beautifully. Santa was taken with the flies and acquire a half dozen and put them in my stocking. On Christmas morning I arose to discover the flies and thus began my journey down that long sordid road to the dark side.

Santa has lived to regret that gift many times over!

Ho Ho Ho!

rf

Driving up to Cabelas this weekend. Anyone need anything?

[rstaight]

I can remember as a kid going into the local Western Auto (really dated myself there) looking at the bamboo fly rods and figuring out how many lawns I would have to cut to buy one. I never did but one then but I had an interest.

Then in the early 80s the DNR started stocking rainbow trout in the tailwaters at Brookville. I went to the local Kmart and bought a fiberglass rod. But with no one in the area to show me how to cast, it only got used for one season. I still have that rod and it gets out every now and then.

Then in 98 or 99 a couple of guys at work started talking about this fly shop call Wildcat Creek and that they had purchased starter sets and learned to flyfish. I said that sounds like fun and that I had a rod and waders and told them the story.

Well the rest is history, to many rods, all kinds of tying materials. At least its easier to make a Christmas list now. (I need this and that dead varmint or fowl)

[barryl]

When I was young I had a friend that lived up the street. His father was quite a sportsman, he built flint locks,rods and tied.
One day he took us to a farm pond gave us quick instructions and a hand full of rubber crickets. We lost everyone of them in less than an hour. I didn't touch a fly rod again for 28 years.
I always remembered that day and had told my wife about it. At about the same time Chad had put his first ad in the yellow pages. She walked in the shop bought a starter kit, gave it to me for Christmas and I stood on the ice on lake Freeman teaching myself to cast.
I'm almost positive she thinks she made a mistake as the sport consumes a room, a good portion of the garage and at least a day or two of every vacation. But then I know she loves me as she quietly resolves to let me pursue my passion and smiles when I show her my latest fly creation that she has no interest in.

[reelteacher]

I owe almost every bit of knowledge and excitement that I have about this sport to my wonderful dad. He instilled in me a passion to fish at an early age. My father gave me an old fiberglass rod when I was about 7, I suppose. I could barely hold the thing, but I used two hands to make the line go back and forth. He let me use some of his poppers and I caught sunfish and chubs in the creek in front of our house. I still enjoy catching chubs from small creeks. I guess you always remember those first fish you catch. My father would take me fishing with him every chance he had. I was primarily a spin fisherman, until I reached about 15. Then, I began to believe that fly-fishing was far superior to anything else. I began to tie primative flies using a work vise with 2" jaws. It was awkward, but I managed to make several of the ugliest flies you ever saw. And they worked! I have an Uncle Bill, from Bloomington, who also fly-fishes almost entirely. When I graduated from high school, he gave me his old Orvis 9 ft, 9wt graphite rod and a Battenkill reel. I didn't put that thing down all summer.
About 3 years later, I met a good friend of mine from Syracuse, NY who had the opportunity to fish in Colorado an entire summer. He introduced me to nymphing and the double haul. From there, my passion for fly-fishing continued to grow and develop. We started targeting huge carp in the White river, which flows through Muncie, near Ball State's campus. We had some success in fly fishing for carp before anyone (that we'd ever heard of) even knew it was possible to catch carp on nymphs.
So I would say without a doubt, my dad, my uncle Bill and my friend Dave, had the most impact on me as a fly fisherman. I still enjoy fishing with each of them every chance I get. Especially, my dad, who never ceases to teach me a new trick about how to entice the fish to bite.

[krebsie]

My Dad is an avid fisherman and one of my best friends! He would take us kids to Raccoon lake each spring and fish for crappies. We used live bait and a closed face Zebco reel. Whenever someone would catch a fish Dad would giggle, and usually say something like,"get in there and get another one." He's the reason I have such a great love for the sport of fishing! He's one of my best friends and I thank him for teaching me how to love and enjoy this great sport.
22 years ago, my wife and I brought our newest addition, to our family, home, Michelle. A good friend of ours came out to see the new baby. He brought along a fly rod, neither of us knew how to use the thing, but there was something intriguing about the mechanics of the cast. He left it there for me to play with. Went fishing at a local pond with it a few days later and managed to catch several large bluegill. That was the start of the addiction! Still don't know exactly what it is about fishing with a fly rod that is so appealing to the soul, but maybe that's not supposed to be defined, just enjoyed!
Back then there was no internet, nor was there any stores, locally, that sold flies. So, I put a screw in a piece of wood, put that in a bench vice, borrowed my wife's sewing thread, went out to the chicken coop and stole some feathers, and began the learning process. I tied and fished for several years with little or no instruction, but managed to create a few decent flies, and catch lots of bluegill. One of the local guys, Ray Tabert, found out that I tied, and came to my house and purchased a boat load of flies from me. Talk about a confidence booster. Thanks again Ray! A short time after that, I kind of got lost in the, what to tie, what color, what size... So I boxed it all up and quit! A couple years later I met a guy on a job site, Barry Morris, who is a fly fishing fanatic. He invited me to come to Fl. and fly fish with him. He thought I was an experienced fly fisherman, Ha Ha Ha the joke was on him!! But thankfully he endured my lack of talent and began teaching me how to cast! That first Snook was the trigger that rebooted my love for this sport. Especially since I caught him on a fly I had tied!! Now the addiction is in full swing!
After reading through these posts I'm noticing something. Every one of us, has someone, who took the time to pass along this sport to us! That's why I enjoy this club so much, EVERYONE, in this club has something to contribute to the rest of us!!
Happy Thanksgiving
Krebsie

[Slartybardfast]

My father taught me how to spin fish many years ago near my grandparents house in upstate New York. I have many great memories of the two of us renting a canoe from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY and setting out on the Raquette river. We didn't know what we were doing but we did manage to catch a 30" pike one time. We did a lot of saltwater fishing by my childhood home on Long Island, NY. We would fish off the pier and catch flounder for dinner. One year we launched that grumman canoe into the salt and I caught an eel that was about three feet long. It was pretty cool until I tried to hold onto the thing to remove the hook. Man was that thing slick. After I moved to Indiana in 1991 I didn't fish at all until this year. All of my fishing up until 2009 was spin fishing. I had a trip planned this summer to visit my parents in upstate NY to help out with some projects on the house they inherited from my grandparents. I thought it would be really cool to rent a canoe and go fishing with my dad again. That's what started it all. I went to Bass Pro and bought two spinning rods and a tackle box full of lures but somewhere along the way the fly shop caught my eye. That was the beginning of the end. Now I own five fly rods and made friends with some great people through a local fly fishing club. I can't remember who the guy was but I saw another fly fisherman at Fairfield lakes who mentioned that there is a club in Lafayette. I'm glad I looked into it.

[barryl]

Pat
I'm so glad you started this thread I love reading the stories of how so many of us got started.
I really like the ones that start with my father taught me. When I was young I had a curious love for the outdoors, my father loved baseball. I spent many summer days and nights exploring the creeks and fields around numerous ball parks all over the mid-west. If my father wasn't playing ball, he was coaching. He had an amazing conception of the game I was unable to fathom. His mind had him playing out the final play before the bottom of the fifth inning.
As time went on my interest in the outdoors consumed more and more of my time,as baseball did for him. I think once when he was well into his seventies I saw him pick up a fishing pole at my sisters lake house for maybe five minuets, only to put it down go inside and find a game on TV.
My father passed away a little over a year ago. Those of you who got to fish with your fathers or still do count your blessings. I would give anything to watch one more ball game with mine.