Looking For A Hero

[shipahoy41]

PLEASE respond in this thread who you look up to and encouraged you with fishing. Who was your fishing mentor?



Everybody has a hero or a mentor they look up to when it comes to fishing. Other than my dad, my biggest heroes are Steve MacCadams. and Wally Marshall, and Jerry McKinnis. Steve takes the time and encourages me through responding to emails, Jerry McKinnis always closed his show saying "Dedicated to me dad who always had time to take me fishing, and Mr. Crappie always has a wealth of knowledge he shares with others through his website.

I work with seven autistic and non verbal high school special ed minority students. I am asking members of Crappie.com to PLEASE send them something to encourage them. It could be a previously owned tournament or T-shirt, an autographed picture, a lure, a letter, whatever. Let the Lord lead you and use you. Any shirts should be size large or extra large.

Please send it to
Students in room 15
c/o Michael Carter
Midfield High School
1600 High School Road
Midfield, AL


Thanks,

old ship

[David Waters]

both my dad and my grandfather always had time to take me fishing. While it wasn't crappie fishing, it was fishing of somekind. Also, we hunted as well. I can't remember at any time my grandfather (papa) ever saying he couldn't go. I called him usually when my father had to work weekends or whatever.

They instilled in me an absolute love for the outsdoors. I think about it so much, it is almost a charecter flaw!

I am a band director and we have student interns all the time from a local university. I always tell them if they don't have a hobby, they need to get one. I usually take them fishing at least once during the semester. We have one now named Matt and I have taken him twice so far. He has the bug bigtime. He said when he gets a job, one of the first things on his list to do is look for a decent boat to crappie fish in.

[shipahoy41]

That is great Dave. I was a school principal before I retired and I know the positive effect fishing has on youth. My hooked on fishing program was PYP Positive Young People. I am in the Fairfield AL area right down the road a bit. Take care.



old ship

[GRIZZ]

I was a self motivated fisherman as a child. I just loved it from the get go, but my parents did get me started by taking the whole family fishing a few times a year. My dad liked to fish and he took me if I asked him once in a while, but what he did was love the outdoors in general, and though he didn't really include me in that on purpose it really rubbed of on me, and I appreciate that.

My mom loved to fish and still does. She used to get bad headaches when I was a child (I was the youngest of 5) , and she would ask me to take her out in the rowboat to fish for a while and the headache would go right away. I was also an active participant in the crappiethon tournys when they were around, and except for one year she was always my partner and I wish she was the year that she wasn't. One year out of over 200 people she won the big fish pot, and we always placed in the money. We were the only Mother/son team and she always got quite a lot of recognition for that and also being the oldest lady in the tournys. People from the tournys still ask me how she is 15 yrs later. She a great lady.

The other person who influenced my love for fishing is my neighbor and good friend Denny Brown. I still remember the first day I met him when I was 5 yrs old. He was building his house and was up straddled on the ridge pole of the roof with a hammer in his hand waving at our family as we were taking a walk down the road. Denny always found time to take me on a special fishing trip 2 or 3 times a year. He taught me fly fishing and we built rods and tied flies together, though the fly fishing thing never really rubbed of on me in the long haul. We still fish together several times a year and I count him among my most valued friends. Every kid need a friend like him while they grow up. He was always glad to see me. Hes a great man and a great friend. Take a kid fishing even if they aren't your own!

[birddog]

For the first 25 years of my life it was my step-dad. He not only had time to take me hunting and fishing but whenever he would introduce me to a friend of his he would say: and this is my SON. I was never his step-son. Not only did he teach me how to hunt and fish, he taught me how to be a man and most importantly a DAD... After he passed away I was lost without him for about 4 years. Since that time I have had so many positive influences I can't begin to name them all but there has been only one hero. God has truely blessed me.

A hero is not made by what he says but by what he does. It appears that you are making a great hero. I admire folks that can give of themselves the way you do. My hats off to you shipahoy41!

[shipahoy41]

These are touching stories that need to be told and shared with the next generation. Keep the stories coming. I can remember wanting to be BBD the Black Bill Dance and have my own tv show on Crappies. I called myself "The Crappie Sheriff" Now I see Ish Monroe out doing it up in a big way. Everyone needs a hero and someone to say "Thank you" to for instilling a love of our sport.

old ship

[shipahoy41]

Are there any other fishing mentor stories out there? I am sure others would like to read them as well as my students. Please respond to this thread.

Thanks,

old ship