Haven't done much fishin' since I had my hip replaced, but I can enjoy a good fishin' story.

Here is my first fishing pole. My dad's Eagle Claw split bamboo convertible fly casting/spinning rod, with South Bend Oren-O-Matic automatic fly reel. The cork handle has attachments at both ends & accepts either the fly rod, or when turned around it accepts the spinning rod. Both the rod(s) and the reel date from the late 40's early 50's, I still have the box for the reel. Caught my first fish on that rod, (a little six inch trout, pan size...yum!). This adorns the wall above my couch, right over my head, so it is always there to remind me that a bad day fishing is better than a good day doing most anything else, (except collecting knives of course).

I fish quite often and have a boat and a cottage on 2000 acre lake here in MI.  I collect old fishing reels going back to the 1880's.  Think this is a good idea :-)

Fishing is one of my favorite past times even though I don't get to do as much as I would like. Hopefully I can do more once I retire in a few years. Here's a picture of The Fishin Fools, we try to do at least one trip a year this is from our 2012 trip out of Destin FL on the Backdown II.

My hubby and I love to fish, we just don't get to do it as often as we would like. I have been fishing since I was able to hold a pole. My grandparents would take us fishing and camping to Pine Crest in Calif. I learned to troll for Rainbow Trout mainly and some catfish, bait, unhook, clean and cook them. My dad would take us girls fishing at Santa Cruz a lot. He took me on my first deep sea fishing for my 16th birthday and I loved it and wanted to go all the time. I did not get sea sick once, even after eating a greasy breakfast. After I was married, one time instead of going out on a party boat, my dad, hubby and I rented a small boat and went out. We were using 4 hooks at a time catching King fish. I was reeling up my line and the pole was bent way down then all of a sudden it let loose and a fish was coming up right at me as I was looking over the side. It jumped out of the water and all I saw was some sharp teeth coming at me, turned out to be a barracuda. I am hoping to get to do some fishing in the next few weeks on the Free Fishing weekend here in Michigan with my grandson.

Well I have been fishing longer than I have been collecting knives by a long shot so I am thrilled to see this group.I will try to post a few photos of a few old fish knives and maybe a fish or two........I hope John McCain isnt reading this post. He'll give me heck if I dont get photos posted! LOL Thanks for starting this group Tobias!

I too love to fish so I will get some pics up soon.  I am glad to see you all here.  Lori I want pictures of you and Charles fishing! 

I will have to go into the family albums and pull some of the pictures of my family when I was young, Had dad and grandad tickling them big ol cats out of the rivers in west texas, All those fish fry, they used to bait trout lines with trebble hooks and sponge, baited those lines with home made stink bait, should be some pictures of old wash tubes full of catfish

Looks like this is going to be a fun group. Thanks for setting it up Tobias.

I've got 64 years of wetting hooks under my belt and all the lies that can go with them. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

If I could figure out how to forge and fish at the same time, the only thing left would be sleeping. Unfortunately anvils don't balance well on a sit-on-top kayak.

I'll try to rig up and cut bait fast enough to keep up.

A hearty welcome to everyone who has joined so far!  The secret to a groups success is membership and participation.  So if you know someone who likes  has a passion for knives and likes to fish, or a person who has a passion for fishing and finds a use for a knife when he out on the water, why not ask them to join us here!   

BTW, this isn't just a group for the rod 'n' reel crowd.  If you bow or spear fish, go noodling we also want to hear from you!   

Or maybe this is your idea of fishing:

All types of anglers are welcome!

While in Dowgiac, Michigan last year I dropped by the Dowagiac Historical Museum. While there I across a display of fishing lures.    I'm guessing more than a few folks have heard of Heddon but until I visited that Museum and I had no idea that I had been fishing in hallowed waters.

Heddon is often credited as offering the first commercially available artificial wooden bait back in 1902.  In many ways, this also marked the beginning of recreational fishing in America.  It was also around this time that many of America's Knife industry became firmly established with companies like Case, Schatt & Morgan,  New York Knife, Camillus, Schrade all coming to age in the late 19th Century or early 20th century.  In many ways Recreational Fishing in America and the American knife industry  both came of age at the same time.

Thus for me it make perfect sense to have a fishing group within a knife group. Hopefully this group can share the joys of fishing with knife collectors of all ages and get a few more people out on the water.   And at the same time, we might be able to catch a few anglers who are looking for information on a decent knife for the tackle box!

Heddon River Runt.

John Kellogg-- Too late-- I saw your post-- Just hope for this groups' sake you are quicker at posting fishing photos than you are knife pics---ROFL

Thought I would share this- My Mitchell Outback ultra-light spinning combo that I received as an award for 20 yrs. service  with Walgreens- The whole thing breaks down  to just under 17 inches in the case-- Makes a great backpacking/ always in the truck combo- Loaded with 4lb. test line, so even panfish can turn into a battle- BTW, the knife in the lid is my Queen QSteel # 73- Winterbottom bone- circa 1950's

That looks like a fine rig, John.  Have you used it much?  PS that Queen looks really nice!

Tobias--Back when I first took this photo I had yet to use it- Now since I have retired and this is the view from my front door, the line gets wet a lot more often-LOL

we have all been bitten by the multitool bug. it is a knife, hook straighter , hook sharpener, pliers and scaler .  it may do it all but not as good as a specialist tool. we all have one in our tackle boxes hidden down in the bottom some where

Well Mark, your experience with multitools must be quite different than mine.

I was bitten, then cured of the multitool bug actually. I've had so many useless multitools I lost count, (ended up giving most of them away). After fooling around with them for awhile, and having them fall short of satisfactory on most occasions, I finally decided that I needed REAL tools when fishing. When I go fishing I have a good pair of small needle nose pliers w/ a cutter jaw, a good pair of mini scissors, a good mini multi-bit screwdriver, small forceps, and nail cutter; (as well as fire starter & mini first aid kit), all in my vest. I also will have a full toolbox nearby if possible, if on a boat that goes for sure, especially on  the ocean. If I even have a Leatherman left it's in a junk drawer someplace, not with my fishing gear. Most multitools simply aren't tools that can be relied on IMHO, it's better to have real tool than a wannabe tool that can let you down in a pinch.

I know a lot of folks collect them, and that's cool. I'm not bagging on them as a collectible, I just find them of little use practically.

Hey Tobias, I have a box full of runts and chuggars - all wood.

Best setup I have is an all Shakespear rig that was my Dad's favorite.

Shakespear Steel Wonderrod, Shakespear Braided Countdown line (4 color), Shakespear Marchoff Reel, and a Shakespear Slim Jim lure (looks like a Devil Horse, but weighted at the tail so that it sinks real slow heliocoptering the whole way down). I've actually caught a few bass on it.....quite an experience when you're used to newer style baitcaster......direct drive with no anti-reverse can be tough on the knuckles.

Right after the 4th of July we are going to pick up the grandbabies and go on an adventure!!  We will be off to Cherokee to see bears and Indians but the biggest part???  Trout fishing!!

Sounds like a lot of fun Jan!

That sounds great Jan , bears and Indians sound very exotic to me !