Where and how did you gain your knowledge?

With all the young guns on this forum, and those young at heart or fishing I thought I would start a thread were some with experience could give us some feedback into how they have achieved the success they have. Not so much the specifics of the day but how they learned what, where, when and why they try what they try.

Sometimes knowing how to learn is overlooked in the pursuit of the subject. Teaching my kids how to study at school and create reports is just as important as the report itself. My boss doesn't care about penguins but he does care about the accuracy of the reports I create.

I will list a few areas that I think are obvious and if others could add thier own two cents (or nickels as pennies are obsolete) I am sure it would be appreciated.

Time on the water - I have been keeping a log with date, weather, temp, water temp, and then results and how. Also include who I may have seen and thier suggestions and what is my perception of thier experience.

Internet - tons of articles to read and if you are not a reader then http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/ radio is available. I have not found as many articles related to our specific climate, Vancouver Island specifically, as I would like but lots of good material

Fellow Fisherman - either guys you meet on the water or on sites like this, ask and most often you shall recieve. You really need to put in the effort to listen and clarify why, remembering that catching fish is opinion based. That's why it's called fishing, if there was specific science then it would be catching. Too many variables and eliminating them helps but does not guarentee. This is how 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish.

Books - Usually the best efforts of fisherman with a lifetime of knowledge who are trying to include us in their experiences. Trying to teach us what they percieve as important.

So with that said as a starting point I am looking for what do guys see as important details that have helped them achieve their version of success. Anything from looking for swallows to lunar cycles, fishing deep in summer to fishing deep in winter or both? Got a set of Top Ten Rules? Example is a fellow I know who never ever goes out when the barometer is falling. 20 years of experience has taught him that he will never catch fish on those days and his grandfather told him!!

We appreciate the guidance and I look forward to the day I can give more back myself.
James
 
i learned how to fresh water and salt water fish when i was atleast 3 years old and im 17 now, i have my own boat for fresh n salt. i first learnt how to fish around my home town witch is ladysmith by going out in my 10ft aluminum skiff and went out jigging on a close by reef for fun. i love fishing and i go out almost every weekend either prawning or trolling for trout/salmon because i enjoy fighting and bringing a fish to the boat and the excitement it is. also i just love the feeling of getting out on the water and fishing for what ever. my dream is to have my own fishing charters when im done high school because i know ide be good at it and that i will suceed i hope. im born to fish i like to say because i could go out fishing in any weather conditions because thats how much i love the sport.
 
My dad showed me the ropes... Slowly progressing into more challenging types of fishing and always trying to make sure it was as fun as possible. I'm forever grateful he shared his passion for fishing with me.

I learned a lot from working at a lodge too.. you learn so much because there's usually a wealth of knowledge being passed around. The Internet and books are definitely a good help. However, you never know the credibility of Internet info and most books are out of date in my opinion. I think the people who share knowledge with the less experienced or new angler are invaluable to the sport.... Very important.
 
Fellow fishermen have been the best help to me.
A lot of knowledge is area specific.
Finding a local to show you the ropes is invaluable.
 
all of the above, but focussing on one local area and one fishing method at a time is the best way to learn. If you jump around and try too many different variations in location or fishing method, it is hard to notice the little differences. Work one area, taking note of weather and tidal differences, and fish holding patterns, then accumulate that knowledge over the seasons, supplement that with other research and wise old angler tips for that specific area and season, and then try some crazy ideas of your own or things that have worked in other areas. Nothing beats time on the water for learning.
 
My Grandfather started me creek fishing in 1969!
A telescopic steel rod and a reel that just basically held the catgut line. Royal Coachman flies
Still have the rod and reel.
Also have his 2 splitcane rods.
 
I have lake and stream fished all my life. My wife and a friend and his wife decided we should go to Victoria shopping. I found a brochure on salmon fishing and my friend chartered Wayne Longren for half a day. Anything but shop. We caught a 10# winter spring and I was hooked. I fished with Wayne, Rollie, Savey, and WG through the years asking about brining and roll and depth trying to learn how to catch a salmon myself. All were helpful. The 2 best pieces of advice I got were from Rollie who I asked how to know if the roll looked right and he said "It needs to look real" simple but true and Wayne told me set the roll and do not change the speed of the boat even if the tide is taking you backwards. The rest I learned by screwing up and reading this forum. I am not a pimple on most of your butts as far as catch rate but I catch a few and enjoy the challenge.
 
My lessons started off as few and far between. The earliest I can recall being on the water fishing, I had to be about 6 or 7. It was salt. I finally yelped enough to get my parents to buy me a rod and a Zebco 202, later a 404.

No one taught me anything, but anytime I could get to the water, I would. Growing upon the shores of the south Atlantic, there are many salt/brackish/fresh rivers as well as the salt flats, marsh fills and lakes.

Though I never caught anything until I was in my mid-teens, I wasn't about to give up. Many summers I lived on the beach and surf fished. Always chasing whiting, salt trout, flounder and fish like that. Also pulled many a seine net, too. Got lots of crab, fish, shrimp and a few sharks... man I'd love to relive those days. Everytime I go back for a visit with family, you'll find me on the beach.

Fresh water is vastly different, though. My fishing sucess is not nearly as colorful as salt. It seems to me that every region has different techniques and I am always learning/willing to learn. Different lures, different actions, different "twitching".... the list goes on and on.

While salt is pretty straight forward, fresh is not.

Where did I learn fresh? I cannot honestly say I have. To say so would imply I have vast knowledge of it and that would be false.For that reason alone, it is good to see a thread like this. I am still learning, maybe even always will. It is interesting to know how others got their fresh expiriences.
 
Invaluable is correct. Ive learn't alot of things to try from other anglers. No matter what you do there will always be little things that only you do that make the difference only for you!

-KK
 
I caught the fishing bug on West Lake Nelson Island with my gramps
I´m always happy to share my knowledge....
 
I caught the fishing bug watch fisherman pull yellow eye rock fish in.

Knowledge I have learned from books, scouring every local website about lures,spots,knots..making notes on everything. Asking questions on here trying not to sounds like a dumbass. Took the Power Squadron. I find it very hard to get people to talk with me and ive only ever got one invite (thanks Rockfish!) Im a girl and I think guys dont like talking fishing with girls..? and dont like girls on there boat. I want to learn about everything! so if anyone ever want to share there knowledge and bs about fishing pm me! I know quite a bit now actually! Now just the confidence to run boat with my friends who know nothing about boating or fishing. Slowly but surely.
 
I was a lucky one who was born into a family of generations of fishermen and my first real memory that I can say got me 'hooked' was bobber fishing the mouth of the cruickshank with my dad and uncle. It was a nice sized trout and I think I was three or four at the time, but I was on the boat fishing and camping since birth, long before I can remember. Caught my first tyee at 9 at cougar creek in the smallest boat on the water (12 foot open aluminum) and was in pure joy when all the large boats around us reeled in, and circled around to watch me play this fish. Some took pictures as the youngest guy out.. in the smallest boat.. landed a nice 35 pound spring. I guess that was the moment when there was no turning back, I was a full on junky :p Picked up flyfishing at about 12 and ive been having fun with that on the freshwater in between our saltwater trips ever since. Unfortunately responsibility hit as im now 19 and working, and I cant get out as much as i'd like too.. which is 8 days a week. One or two works alright though.. We sure have it tough here on the coast dont we? :cool:
 
My apologies for the hijack but memories of the big azz cutties off the the mouth of the Cruickshank........those were the days. Ever hear stories about old man Roses and his secret plug??? If there was one golden fish in that lake he would be the one to catch it.
 
Cool Idea for a thread! For me it was my dad intorducing me to the sport at 6. Then I watched and learned from other fisherman who I thought had something to offer. (turns out everyone has something to offer if you just listen) I became a guide out of high school and was always surounded by wicked fisherman who had some cool trick to learn. As a contract guide who does all my fishing for lodges, bouncing around filling a season,I have had a cool privlege of fishing with some very talented guides from Barclay to Kyuquot, and have been able to take some knowledge from each of them. Knowing the area where you fish year after year is key. knowing What the fish do, when and why, during all times of the season in all diferent conditions through varying ocean conditions.....etc, time on the water!
 
No never heard of old man Roses, but I have heard many stories of old duffers and their favorite plugs. Most recently I met an older guy who trolls 6 inch tomics, but im yet to get his secret one yet. He fishes the same one every time and he's shown me some pictures of some real beauties. Hopefully with these new regs in place the lake will pick back up again within a few years and the big ones will be around again thick like there were back in the day.
 
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