How many of you grew up in a fly fishing family?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

My family was not a fly fishing family but we loved the outdoors, clamming, conventional fishing, hunting and crabbing.
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My old friend Tom Moore grew up in a fly fishing family back East somewhere.

I think his grandfather and father belonged to an old fly fishing club on a trout stream so he started very young.

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My friend Fred Gordon's father was a great fly fisher and started Fred Jr out very young.

Today, Fred is a famous Nor Cal fly fishing guide out of Dunsmuir, CA.

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Growing up in Paradise, CA, Nor Cal guide Jon Baiocchi was son of a famous Outdoorsman, Bob Baiocchi.

Jon’s Dad, Bob Baiocchi, FFF Hall of Famer 1999 ~ (3/26/31 – 9/8/2013) was well known by most of us FFing Baby Boomers.

Good story about Bob Baiocchi : http://www.baiocchistroutfitters.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CaFF-Bob-Baiocchi-article.pdf

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Was your father or uncle or grandfather a fly fisher when you were born?

[yubaman]

My Dad was. He is a Kiwi ( New Zealander), so we fished from when we were little. We fly fished some, but probably threw more spinners than anything. I will never forget his reaction, or the look on his face, when I caught my first "big one" . . . an 18" brown at Yosemite when I was about 9 years old.

We have some old pictures when he was a kid. There are a bunch of pictures of he and his brother back in New Zealand. The would go out and spend the day fishing, retire to their fort and cook up lunch with their catch. They looked like Huck Finn in the pictures. One day their fort caught fire and had the Fire Brigade and neighbors out in force.

We fished all over the Sierra's back when we grew up. Great times.

[John Sv]

I did. My Dad loves to fly fish and as far as I know has since he was a kid. He had me tying flies at age 10 or so and fly fishing around then as well. We were not/are not fly fishing purists though... best tool for the job. Not sure where he picked it up. My grandmother loved fishing but didn't fish with a fly.

There was also a retired guy a couple doors down from us that would take me fishing. I would help him load his aluminum jon boat on the roof of his old sedan and we would go fly fishing for bream and pickerel. He would fish everything from a Royal Coachman to nightcrawlers and live crickets from a fly rod. His interest in fly fishing was more from an efficiency standpoint. No need to reel up and re-cast when fishing far away. I remember then grumbling about fishing with Mr. Scarborough because he had me do chores and he chain smoked Marlboros in the car, but in hindsight I was pretty darn lucky.

[John H]

No fly fishing in my family I know of. The best family fishing anecdote I know is during the depression in Iowa my grandfather getting a big carp in the ditch with a pitchfork to put food on the table.

[arbolado]

I learned how to trout fish from my dad with velveeta cheese and salmon eggs, moved on to Rooster Tale spinners and bought my first fly rod and reel when I was ten at the Thrifty’s in Mt. Shasta when we were camping on the upper McCloud river at Fowler Campground. My dad wasn’t a serious fly fisherman but he dabbled in it.

My dad grew up surf fishing in SoCal and when he was a teenager the family made a trip to the Mt. Shasta area and tried their hand at fishing the upper Sacramento river with their surf fishing outfits. Pyramid sinkers, swivels etc. they had no clue what they doing until a local set them straight on how to fish for trout. My dad was always thankful for that locals advice and he often brought it up when we were on a stream or a lake.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Wonderful stories.......thanks to all.


I guess we all have one common thread here......we love the outdoors.

Today, I just love being around water......mostly in a boat now.

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I have also snorkeled my entire life, fresh water and salt water, starting at 10 in Santa Cruz in the surf with a small Hawaiian Sling spear gun my dad made me.

When ever I went to the tropics on fly fishing flats trips I snorkeled after fishing almost daily. Just looking at fish......

Never did the scuba but can't tell you why?

[Jcolin]

My dad would take my brother and I fly fishing a few times a year growing up, mostly on the Truckee river. Got obsessed with it about 9 years ago after moving back to the west coast after college. Wish he was into steelhead as I could have been fishing the Russian river close to home, would have kept me out of trouble as a kid!

He was introduced to flyfishing by a friend of his named Jan Butler in the Santa Rosa area. I've wanted to post here and ask if anyone knew Jan. He was a rod builder and accomplished tier in addition to being a very passionate angler, believe he fished many of the north coast rivers in their heyday. Think he also spent a lot of time on the Fall river in his pram. He passed away but would have liked to thank him for introducing my dad to it, and indirectly me.

[Sonoman]

Great topic, Bill.

My dad didn't fish. I was given some old cane rods and a vise when I was 11 so I took a fly fishing class at the parks and rec, joined the local club, and schlepped rides to fish until I could drive. My four sons grew up fly fishing with me and now in their 20's, I feel blessed there is nothing they would rather do than spend a weekend fly fishing with Dad. They all understand fishing is not about the fish.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

"Four sons who love to fly fishing with dad"........that is wonderful.

[JasonB]

My Dad was a very avid fisherman in his youth and early adulthood, fished often with his dad for Pike, Musky, Walleye and Catfish in the Midwest. They were not fly fishing, and both thought fly fishing was kind of elitist way of wasting quality outdoor time; waving some expensive stick around scaring every fish within a mile, when they could be catching some on proper gear. He kind of lost interest in fishing after returning home from Vietnam, for a variety of reasons.

I recall one visit with my Grandparents (must have been 7 or 8 at the time), where it somehow slipped in conversation that I had never been fishing yet. My Grandfather, one of the most calm and stoic men I’ve ever known, was visibly and audibly stunned! He gave my father such a look, and the tone of his voice reached a new level I’d never heard. “You mean to say you have NEVER taken your son fishing? Ever?!!!” For all I could tell, my Grandfather had just found out his son was beating his grandson, and was stepping in to put an immediate end to the injustice.

We made arrangements to fish at 6am the following day at a local lake. We caught several planter rainbows on worms under a bobber, which honestly wasn’t all that exciting for me. Spending some quality time just the three of us out in the mountains was very special though. I think my favorite part of the day was snickering with my Grandfather as my Dad threw a particularly choice cursing fit over a giants birdsnest in his reel. I also couldn’t help but notice that the conversations with my Grandfather that day had a markedly different tone; we talked of much more “real” and meaningful topics, and I realized that this day meant a lot more than just pulling some fish in. My Grandmother made a fine fried fish dinner that night, and we laughed and joked about fish, birdsnests, and who caught the biggest one. It sparked an interest in fishing for me, and it rekindled my Dads interest in fishing too; soon we both had spinning rods and were exploring countless lakes and streams near home as well as on distant road trips we took every summer. Fishing with spinners was infinitely more interesting to me, but I was also very curious about the idea of catching trout on the surface with a fly rod...

I got introduced to fly fishing through a 20 minute casting class as part of an electives day in 8th grade, though my Dad was most decidedly not supportive or encouraging of my interest. I was so interested in it though, I bought my own cheapo fly rod kit with some money I’d saved from my job of waging war on the backyard blackberry vines (although the pay was low, there was never any lack of work available).

I think my favorite part of the whole story is that despite my Dad’s stubborn resistance to the silliness of fly fishing, I did convince him to borrow my fly rod one afternoon and he did manage to catch a couple of small trout on an attractor dry fly. It was maybe a month later that he had his own, much nicer, fly rod and reel. I can’t remember exactly how long, but it seemed that within a year or so he had a small “quiver” of fly rods...a trend that continued. We are lucky to get to fish together once or twice a year for a week or so now (usually for salmon and steelhead) and many of my happiest memories are of times we have spent camping, fishing, or just watching the river go by together. I wish my Grandfather could have had a chance to see just what a dramatic role he played in my life’s trajectory that day, or the substantial impact it made on my relationship with my Dad. On the one hand, I think that he could not have known just how profound that single day would have on my life; but on the other hand, I know that he was quite deliberate about sharing the experience with me the same way he had shared so many happy times with my Dad. Who knows, I might have even convinced him to try waving my “silly fly pole” around if his health had held up just a few more years? Either way, I’m so glad he scolded my Dad for not taking me fishing that day ...

[Ed Wahl]

I grew up in a fishing family. My dad fished and trapped in Illinois when I was young. I got the bug early when my family moved south to Chattanooga Tn. I was in the 4th grade then. We were pretty poor so we ate a lot of fish dinners. When we moved back to Illinois I learned the ropes there. Started fishing artificials and ultra light gear. While I read about fly fishing in the hook and bullet mags I never experienced it until I moved to Sacramento in 1982. A guy at the El Manto access was showing anyone who cared the basics of fly casting one evening. I was totally hooked. I still fish and hunt with that same guy to this day.

[BS]

While I didn't grow up in a "fly fishing family", my Dad always seemed to have some kind of craft to be on the water.

From ski boats, to patio boats, and 12 foot aluminum boats, we always managed to fish from those craft.
I remember spending considerable time in the bow(s) of the 12 footers in my younger days, trolling "Ford Fenders" at Bucks, Almanor, Antelope, and Oroville.
Spent lots of time in the bow fishing minnows and jigs under a bobber tied up in the trees at Black Butte too.

Most of our "catches" were put in milk cartons, in the garage freezer,..........only to be thrown out during the next years home "spring cleaning". :(:(

I remember Dad setting me up with a "Fly Rod" at the Hamilton Branch.......Lake Amanor.......when I was about 10 years old.
I was instructed to "follow me and do what I do".

It took me quite a while to convert Dad to "Catch and Release".

Some good memories of back then........................................





Bob

[tcorfey]

I was introduced to fishing by my Dad and big brother at the early age of 4, at around age 7, I was gifted my first row boat it was a heavy barge of a boat but it got me out on the water. I was introduced to fly fishing at around age 10 by my friends Dad, he taught us how to cast, build fly and spin rods, make lures (spoons, spinners & hand carved plugs/poppers), tie flies, make leaders etc. The Herters catalog was our bible (we could find everything there). Because we lived on a small lake we did try everything and because the lake had an outlet stream we also learned to fish the stream. It was a wonderful way to grow up. Each kid in the neighborhood had a row boat and we would meet out on the lake, kind of like some kids rode their bikes we had rowboats (and bikes too). In the winter we would ice fish with tip-ups and jigging rods (made from a broken rod attached to a piece of wood with two screws about 6" apart acting as our line holder). We would haul our gear on to the lake with a wicker basket tied to our sled. Wonderful memories.

[BobVP]

I almost passed this thread by mostly because neither my father or mother had much interest in the outdoors, which is ironic because we lived in on of the most beautiful semi-wild places in the US....now it is all a National Park.

My grandfather (father's father) did like to fish but he was a grumbly old fellow (78 when I was born) and had very little to do with his grandchildren...except for one or two times we visited his cabin on Clear Lake (four hour drive then). The only photos I have of him are from there and he is around or in his old rowboat. The only time I knew him to be "friendly".

But my blessing came in two parts: Where I grew up: Beautiful bay; Several small creeks in the fir forests; One larger "creek" that fed the bay; The open meadows and hills to the east.

The second part was having older brothers that forged their way around and through the forests and waterways and dragged me along. One loved building boats and getting out on the water (built his first one, all by himself, at 12 or 13 and retired two years ago from his lifelong career....building boats), so we would go places (often not telling our mother....seemed to be easier that way) and sleep on beaches, stay out way too late and fish. That was the start, fishing the bay. then I fished the river that fed the bay then moved the the solitude of the small creek and the little brown trout there. (First "rig": Butcher string from my mother's store tied to a small bay limb with a safety pin for a hook....yep, really...a safety pin...and a worm)

The biggest part of being blessed with these adventurous brothers was my oldest brother Fred. Elven years older, he saw I was very interested in fishing so before he left the house he encouraged me as much as possible and when I was 10 he gave me an old bamboo rod with a reel filled with some pretty battered fly line. No instructions and I never knew (and at 79 he does not remember) where he got it, but I went out and started thrashing the water.

Thankfully he left his old copies of Field & Stream around and I started hitchhiking 25 miles to the Western Sport Shop where I found the best people in the world to help me along. What do you mean by "leader"??? By 11 or 12 I had my own small tying kit and a fiberglass rod with a newer reel and knew how to tie my own leaders.

So, no, not really a "fly fishing family" so much as a bunch of brothers that were not afraid to throw me into the deep water (Yes one really did do this...and he pulled me back after I went down the second time) and let me tag along while they traipsed all over the country we were lucky enough to inhabit.

One other part: Because I lived in a place where steelhead and salmon thrived I was always encouraged by the people that came there to chase them. Though I did not know it at the time I was meeting legends and I do not think I ever told then enough, "Thank You". One fellow in particular came back every year and I always looked for him when wandering around in my used hip waders, carrying my $16 fly rod and he always took a few moments to point me to a fish. Fact is he pointed me right to my first steelhead on a fly! He also loved that particular place so much he ended up living there, on and off, for decades and spend his last years "in town" until his death last year. I did get to see him and remind him of his kindness to "the local kid" six decades earlier.

[cmcdhuibh]

Definitely a outdoor and fish family. Heck my mom said she and my dad rented fishing gear on their honeymoon. They were both military at the time.
Fly fishing wasn’t extensive when I was younger, but mainly used a fly rod on the rivers for the “reach” around the willows even with bait. I still have a 60’s Wright and McGill spin and fly backpacking rod, auto retrieve fly reel, a pflueger medalist, and the closed face spin reel. It was the thing in the 60s.
It wasn’t till the early 70s high school days I stopped using a bamboo fly rod and bought a graphite rod.
I still to this day use old pflueger reels, even on my Spey rods

[Ed Wahl]

I probably should add. I watched a lot of films in school growing up in Illinois. I would dream of fishing the places, the mountain ranges depicted in the text books. To this day every time I'm walking a trail in Sierras I can't but wonder how this had come about. I saw this in a film in elementary school and here I am. I hope some urban bound future back country fisher sees this and takes hope. I was as urban bound as it could get and I overcame. It can be done.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I was introduced to fishing by my Dad and big brother at the early age of 4, at around age 7, I was gifted my first row boat it was a heavy barge of a boat but it got me out on the water. I was introduced to fly fishing at around age 10 by my friends Dad, he taught us how to cast, build fly and spin rods, make lures (spoons, spinners & hand carved plugs/poppers), tie flies, make leaders etc. The Herters catalog was our bible (we could find everything there). Because we lived on a small lake we did try everything and because the lake had an outlet stream we also learned to fish the stream. It was a wonderful way to grow up. Each kid in the neighborhood had a row boat and we would meet out on the lake, kind of like some kids rode their bikes we had rowboats (and bikes too). In the winter we would ice fish with tip-ups and jigging rods (made from a broken rod attached to a piece of wood with two screws about 6" apart acting as our line holder). We would haul our gear on to the lake with a wicker basket tied to our sled. Wonderful memories.

That is an amazing story.......thanks.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I probably should add. I watched a lot of films in school growing up in Illinois. I would dream of fishing the places, the mountain ranges depicted in the text books. To this day every time I'm walking a trail in Sierras I can't but wonder how this had come about. I saw this in a film in elementary school and here I am. I hope some urban bound future back country fisher sees this and takes hope. I was as urban bound as it could get and I overcame. It can be done.

Wonderful Ed......

I read everything I could find on fishing as a kid. Fishermen's Bible, all the outdoor hunting & fishing magazines, watch old movies at local sport shows. As I drive in the car and I see some water I wonder what is in there?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I almost passed this thread by mostly because neither my father or mother had much interest in the outdoors, which is ironic because we lived in on of the most beautiful semi-wild places in the US....now it is all a National Park.

My grandfather (father's father) did like to fish but he was a grumbly old fellow (78 when I was born) and had very little to do with his grandchildren...except for one or two times we visited his cabin on Clear Lake (four hour drive then). The only photos I have of him are from there and he is around or in his old rowboat. The only time I knew him to be "friendly".

But my blessing came in two parts: Where I grew up: Beautiful bay; Several small creeks in the fir forests; One larger "creek" that fed the bay; The open meadows and hills to the east.

The second part was having older brothers that forged their way around and through the forests and waterways and dragged me along. One loved building boats and getting out on the water (built his first one, all by himself, at 12 or 13 and retired two years ago from his lifelong career....building boats), so we would go places (often not telling our mother....seemed to be easier that way) and sleep on beaches, stay out way too late and fish. That was the start, fishing the bay. then I fished the river that fed the bay then moved the the solitude of the small creek and the little brown trout there. (First "rig": Butcher string from my mother's store tied to a small bay limb with a safety pin for a hook....yep, really...a safety pin...and a worm)

The biggest part of being blessed with these adventurous brothers was my oldest brother Fred. Elven years older, he saw I was very interested in fishing so before he left the house he encouraged me as much as possible and when I was 10 he gave me an old bamboo rod with a reel filled with some pretty battered fly line. No instructions and I never knew (and at 79 he does not remember) where he got it, but I went out and started thrashing the water.

Thankfully he left his old copies of Field & Stream around and I started hitchhiking 25 miles to the Western Sport Shop where I found the best people in the world to help me along. What do you mean by "leader"??? By 11 or 12 I had my own small tying kit and a fiberglass rod with a newer reel and knew how to tie my own leaders.

So, no, not really a "fly fishing family" so much as a bunch of brothers that were not afraid to throw me into the deep water (Yes one really did do this...and he pulled me back after I went down the second time) and let me tag along while they traipsed all over the country we were lucky enough to inhabit.

One other part: Because I lived in a place where steelhead and salmon thrived I was always encouraged by the people that came there to chase them. Though I did not know it at the time I was meeting legends and I do not think I ever told then enough, "Thank You". One fellow in particular came back every year and I always looked for him when wandering around in my used hip waders, carrying my $16 fly rod and he always took a few moments to point me to a fish. Fact is he pointed me right to my first steelhead on a fly! He also loved that particular place so much he ended up living there, on and off, for decades and spend his last years "in town" until his death last year. I did get to see him and remind him of his kindness to "the local kid" six decades earlier.

Excellent Bob......now I realize I should have titled it differently....maybe "Did you grow up in an outdoors kind of family?"

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Definitely a outdoor and fish family. Heck my mom said she and my dad rented fishing gear on their honeymoon. They were both military at the time.
Fly fishing wasn’t extensive when I was younger, but mainly used a fly rod on the rivers for the “reach” around the willows even with bait. I still have a 60’s Wright and McGill spin and fly backpacking rod, auto retrieve fly reel, a pflueger medalist, and the closed face spin reel. It was the thing in the 60s.
It wasn’t till the early 70s high school days I stopped using a bamboo fly rod and bought a graphite rod.
I still to this day use old pflueger reels, even on my Spey rods

Thanks ......your parents sound very interesting....I still use the old Pflugers too.