What was the one or couple of nice fish that gave you the fishing bug? Mine was an 18lb white sea bass on the 3/4 day out of Malibu when I was 12 in 1979. It was almost as long as me. Caught on my grandfather's old 10ft surf rod and a Langley spinning reel. At 16 I caught the Searcher out of SD and started my tuna addiction.

Easy. My dad and uncle took me to Rancho Buena Vista. First day out, I caught a 198 marlin. I was 10 yrs old and weighed about 85 lbs. All of the pics that were taken had a grin about 3 ft wide. I have been hunting the pesce since!

i was about 5 or 6 , bought my first rod from a yard sale.
we lived near 4 island lake and cub lake.
caught my first catfish 13lb on a gold phoebe.
i was in the local papers the next day.

i guess the best part was, all the kids in school knew me and started to fish with me.
it was great havin new friends.lol

Became a trout bum about 7or 8 years old on the small New England streams, grew to becomeing a fly fisherman in college and have been a passionate trout chaser ever since.

My first blargemouth bass was from New Hampshire and I was the talk of the camp with three over 5 lbs. This was when I was in High School. Should have stayed with the bass as I would have been famous by now...

First salmon was in my 20's on the trinity river near shasta on an egg pattern.

First marlin out of cabo in the mid 80's.

First albacore in the late 90's on th enew Lo Ann out of Poinnt Loma.

First Big Eye on the First String out of H&M

First Yellow Fin Tuna over 100 was on Capt Veagas at Cape Pierce at the islands

Skeet Reese worked at my home town tackle shop when we were in our 20s. He used to drive to tournaments and sleep in his truck to compete. Nice guy. He now pulls down over 1 million a year. Funnest guy to BS with. He made it happen!

This one.

When I was 4 or 5 years old, my familily went to see relatives in Michigan. My Uncle Charley had a small gravel pit on his property, that according to my cousins... still holds fish.
Dad grabbed a couple of old Zebcos out of the garage and we were "going fishin"...

My Dad loved to tell this story...

We stopped by the poultry yard, dug up some worms and headed for the Pit. We caught a few blue gill and then I thought I had snagged, Dad said to keep winding, "you've got a big one!!"
Next thing I know, this giant catfish is laying on the beach... probably 3 lbs, but the biggest fish I had ever seen!
Dad said I held it up to him and said,"take it off Dad, I want to catch another one."
That was 45 years ago and I'm still, "trying to catch another one."

Take your kids fishing...everyone needs an obsession.

Love you Dad,

Rick