Progession within angling

I started fishing when I was 12. For several years before that I was fascinated by anglers, my parents had to almost drag me away.

I caught nothing during my first 2 attempts.

I caught my first fish (perch, 2 ounces) after my uncle showed me the value of plumbing the depth.

Spent 4 years getting lots of pleasure from catching anything, whatever the size, going every weekend whatever the weather.

Saw a Carp caught from Roman Lakes at the age of 16. I was about 10 pounds but HUGE. Spent 2 years fishing exclusively for them during the seventies. I eventualy caught one of 11.5 one January morning. I didn't sleep for 2 days.

The 25 or so years since then have been a blur.

I suppose I'm an opportinist now. Read all the weather forecasts, fish for whatever that suggests.

I feel drawn to catch a Salmon.

How was it for you?

Ric interesting thread!
First fish was a stickleback on a bent pin and a match for a float aged 5-6. Nearly 50 years later it's been one hell of ride!!! It still is!
I dragged myself out today, not with much enthusiasm I?ll have to admit, end of river season blues I guess. Fished a Stillwater for the first time since last September, nothing serious, float and feeder rod for anything that happened along. Caught plenty of skimmers, small roach and a few rudd, not big ones though!
Really enjoyed myself with a bit of fun fishing.

Kind of sums up what fishing can do for the soul and the well-being of the individual.

Well just in case anyone wants to read it

My Father was a keen fisherman and my interest in angling came through him. He took me with him when I was about 5 or 6 and let me sit with a tiny solid glass fibre spinning rod and a small float. I really don?t remember if I caught anything that day but it was enough to get me hooked for life. I still have the rod but not the orange grayling bob!

We used to fish together on the Thames at Penton Hook and a few other places I can't remember. When I was old enough I started to go with my cousin as well. We would fish anywhere that we could reach by train, bus or bike.

In the early 70's we tried a little match fishing and I managed to get into the Angling Times with a 15.8 catch from the Wey Navigational canal. after one season we gave it up. I've never thought about trying it again.

In 1976 my Father and I joined Bromley & District A S and I've been a member ever since. This opened up some good lake fishing and we spent a few good years catching Tench, carp and Roach.

In the mid 80's I started fishing for Barbel. It wasn't easy living in London but whenever we could we went to the Royalty, Ringwood or Throop. I wouldn't say we were over successful in those days but they are very special to me.

I married in 89 and my wife has had to put up with my fishing habit ever since. She was good enough not to complain when we went on holidays with my parents and just happened to be near the Avon, the Stour, the Severn or the Theme!

Some time around the mid 90's I started fly fishing with my friend Neil. We fished whenever we could in those days and learned as much as possible. After a year I started tying flies and gave up buying them completely.

Neil is pretty much like me in as much as he has fished from childhood. We both felt that we needed to take our course fishing to the next level and that we wouldn't progress without access to better waters. We decided to push ourselves a little harder in search of better fishing and fish.

In 1999 we met Bob James and things really started to look up. Bob has a different way of looking at almost everything. In the last six years nearly all of our old personal bests have been broken but more important than that we have learned so much more just by fishing with someone of Bob's vast experience.

Well that's it. Forty years of fishing.

Now I'm looking forward to what the future holds.

My only regret is that I can no longer fish with the man who introduced me to angling. I am however very lucky that we always shared a common interest and that we spent so many happy days by the water.

I first started when i was about 5, didn't have anyone to teach me, didn't know anyone who fished, so my poor mothter spent years sorting out my tangles while i caught nowt.

eventually it had to happen and i hooked an absolutely humungous perch of about 2oz.

then on into my teens and spent the whole summer holidays sat by various lakes catching small roach, perch and skimmers while completely failing to catch any of the tench that i was after.

by the time i was 21 i'd decided i would never beat my biggest roach, i'd had taken up winter piking with a degree of success spent summers on the trent after carp.

by mid 20's moved to oxfordshire started to target larger fish again with a degree of success woked out how to catch large perch. taught my dad to fish.

next mid 30's and about to start my apprenticeship on the waters of the north west, we'll see how i get on.

Jason, I like the 'taught my dad to fish' bit!

It's often the other way around

i wish peter!