Thread: WHO MENTORED YOU? PLEASE RESPOND. Thank you.

From what Ive always been told I must have inherited it from my grandfather that I never knew. Stories of big fish in the bathtub, wash tubs full of fish, etc., etc. I grew up in a neighborhood with a creek (and backed up waters)that had catfish, bass, carp, and bream in it so us kids ALWAYS were at the creek. My Dad didnt fish but every year for my birthday I always got a rod and reel for the present. Every chance I got I went with the neighborhood boys to different farm ponds to fish. After I married I moved to another neighborhood and met an older guy that could really catch your catfish and I got interested. I tried on my own for a long time (doing fair at best) and I finally got an invite from this guy and he sorta took me under his wing and taught me alot. We winded up getting very close and hunted and fished together like brothers for many many years before he died. I'm glad I grew up with that "predator instinct" and to this day still love the outdoors or elsewise I dont know what I'd be doing now......probably stamp collecting, yard selling, or something?!? :D

J/K....nothing wrong with that either if that's your bag!

I got it from both sides of the family even though my Grandpa Glen passed away when I was 5. I used to look through his tackle boxes and pictures from FL. His wife Grandma Lucy was a fisherwomen and would take me to the local golf course or reservior when I was little. My grandpa Sherwood (Pa) used to take me fishing at Barkley when it still had standing timber and you could pull up to about any top and haul out the slabs. Pa then bought an old fiberglass game fisher to use on the farm ponds in the area. He would pick me up every Sat morn and take me to a pond where we fished for bass and crappie mostly. That old boat had more weight in fiberglass from repairs than the boat originally weighed. I got pretty good with the farm pond bass and had several fish in the 5 and 6 lb range. One day a buddy and I put that old boat in the neighbors pond on a 95 degree summer afternoon. By the time we quit the temp had dropped 20 degrees and we had 14 bass in the boat 2 were right at 2 lbs, 4 over 4, 4 over 5, a 6-8, a 7-6, a 7-13, and my personal best of a 8-3. Dad's eyes about popped out when he saw that string and even more so when he saw me let the 6+Lb fish go in the pond behind the house. He told me GPa Glen (his dad) would be proud.

My new chapter is teaching my Grandkids the same values and the love for fishing.

I would have to say my 2 older brothers, Mike and Jim. Dad didn't fish much but my brothers started taken me to the local farm pond when I was around 6 yrs old and I haven't quit since.
Tim

my grandfather (Lee Emer Stanton)shared many of day fishing, everything from perch to crappie to bass and of course noodling cat's, we did it all together---fuzzy

Matt,

God does NOT make mistakes. All of our steps are already ordered, including our love for fishing. We have got to trust Him , acknowledge Him, and let Him lead and use you. You have been through a lot, but there are many blessings in store for you.

Thanks to all who are contriobuting to this thread. Individuals have got to know that we all have someone we look up to. Keep the replies coming.

old ship

My Father mentored me, we fished together until his death, and had a trip planned when he died. He started me fishing at a young age and it continued through life.
The next person that kept me going was Bill Dance. I still have all of the respect in the world for him.

With out a question, MY DAD!!! He was taking me fishin before I could walk. I can remember when I was young my dad showing me why and how of fishin, froging and hunting. I miss him too. He has the best. Thanks DAD

My big brother Eddy. He's the one I remember most taking me fishing when I was little. He died when I was 10 on Christmas day in Viet Nam. Then after that my Uncle Howard took me fishing alot in his wooden 16'
boat, boy did we catch lots of trout back then. He was the one who taught me the most about fishing for sport. My dad taught me how to fish comercially for money. Didn't follow in his footsteps, never stepped aboard another commercial boat after his death when I was 15.
I guess I learned about crappie and bluegill from Outdoor Life and Field and Stream, got into float tubes and jigs and the rest is history. I've really learned the most about crappie fishing from the fine folks who frequent these pages online.