First Fish

[steeliebob]

Whenever I am fishing on a pier and hook a salmon or trout if there is a youngster nearby, I ask them to take the pole and fight the fish. I do the coaching and the youngster catches the fish and I let them keep it. It may be the first big fish that the youngster has ever caught. I may never know the kids name and they may never know mine but they will cherish the moment. Over the fall and winter try it out and post the results with pictures and keep the thread going. I hope to see some pictures soon.

[mattmishler]

No better feeling in the world to see kids catch their first fish, i see it often on the charter and its a feeling you have to experience to know what it is.

[steeliebob]

Yes, I got to hand off the pole this morning. About 5:30 am I had the opportunity to meet a young man who had just returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq. We were casting cleos for salmon off from a breakwall. I missed a couple then I hooked one, after getting the hook set good I handed him the pole and the fight on. He got to play and land a nice hen king about 20 pounds. We got the fish out of the net and unhooked so I could go back to casting. Well I made two more casts and hooked another one. This one was a real jumper I thought it might be a steelhead. I gave him the pole again and he landed a chunky 8 pound king that really put up a fight. I gave him the salmon, his first and second salmon. I also shook his hand and thanked him for his service to our country. We all take our opportunities to freely hunt and fish for granted sometimes. If it was not for our men and women who serve in our military we may not have that opportunity. I know this guy enjoyed catching those salmon but not nearly as much as I did watching him catch them. Truely one that will go down my book of fishing memories.

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

The world could use a lot more guys with your message and attitude Robert, job well done, and well said.

[fishmagnetmike]

thanks for what your doin i dont know u but your one hell of a guy good luck fishin and better luck helping others hats off to u

[Blaze]

Bob, I just your short story about my work partners first two (2) salmon. I can attest to your story as I was there. You truly did make his day, and mine, since I took him up there to catch some salmon. He still talks about the experience. I also bought him his first fishing rod and reel for Christmas. You can bet we will both be up there this summer and show him how it's done from the boat. Yes he has completed two tours in Iraq as a battalion commander. Chris is a captain in the Army National Guard.

After fishing,I cleaned his fish, and took him to the truck stop for breakfast. I think/ know that he had a good day.

Thanks again Bob!

[sherman51]

great thread guys, there is nothing like watching a new person catch a wild fish. you truly are someone to aspire to. i dont do any pier fishing, but do alot of walleye fishing on the central basin of erie. i have the pleasure of taking my sons and one daughter n law and 2 blood grandsons and one young boy we have chosen to be our grandson. when he was a baby we took him and his mom in for awhile. they had no place to go. she was my youngest sons ex girlfriends sister, and we just couldnt turn them away. he had alot of respertory problems, and we just got so attached to him, we call him ours.

but anyway they are all fairly new to big water fishing. and there great about waiting there turn on the walleye. but anytime we hook into a nice steely somebody new gets the rod. i never reel in a steelhead anymore. i would much rather see my youngest son or daughter n law or one of the grandkids fight those fish. i have caught hundreds of salmon fishing over the years on the big water and fishing manistee lake for many years. and have caught many steelhead. so now i have my fun just watching the faces of those young people catching those wild high flying fish.

and by the way that young grandson of ours and his mother now lives with his dad. but thats all another story.

sherman

[steeliebob]

Tomorrow is your turn on the hardwater. We will be setting tip ups for some steelhead. Bring your track shoes and don't say I did not warn you about track shoes. Chasing flags in 20 pounds of boots can wear your legs out in a hurry. It will be fun.