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.