Your first catch

[NorthWest]

I thought that I would start a thread where we could recount our first catch either fishing or specifically kayak fishing.

I remember fishing off the dock at my uncle's house and I caught a little mud fish. It was so small, but I was so excited!

Here is a story from a pro fisher about his first catch:

Drew Haerer, a Malibu Kayaks, Carolina Custom Rods and Columbia Sportswear pro staffer and host of blog MAN POWERED FISHING.

–I had plenty of canoe catches as a kid, but I don't remember the first, so I will go with my first kayak catch. I believe it was in the fall of 2009. I had just moved to NC and bought a kayak on Craigslist. It was a tandem yak, made for touring more than anything, but it did the trick. I launched solo in the electric only section of Jordan Lake, NC, which was about five feet above normal at the time. I caught my first fish, a largemouth bass, on a chartreuse spinnerbait way up in some flooded bushes and went on to catch quite a few more that day. I was hooked from the start.

What's your story?

[DeepWaters]

I have yet to step into a kayak and fish in it but I have caught smaller fish from boats and docks.

[markusbest]

in a kayak or in general?

in general my first catch was also a rock fish off the pacific.

in a kayak it was a bass

[mangonboat]

I started so young that I cant remember if it was a yellow perch, a carp or a bullhead catfish, but it was from Lake Erie or one of its feeder tributaries in northwest Ohio. Havent fished my Christmas kayak, yet, but my first and favorite catch from a canoe was two feisty, hand-sized shellcrackers on a double-rigged ant/popper combo on a 5 wt fly rod. I like big ole fish that simply try to drag you, your tackle and if necessary your boat to Davey Jones' Locker, but LOVE a scrappy fish that is protecting its territory.

[DeepWaters]

Originally Posted by markusbest

in a kayak or in general?

in general my first catch was also a rock fish off the pacific.

in a kayak it was a bass

Seems like he means in a Kayak but i think it's still good to mention in general.

[markusbest]

Originally Posted by mangonboat

I started so young that I cant remember if it was a yellow perch, a carp or a bullhead catfish, but it was from Lake Erie or one of its feeder tributaries in northwest Ohio. Havent fished my Christmas kayak, yet, but my first and favorite catch from a canoe was two feisty, hand-sized shellcrackers on a double-rigged ant/popper combo on a 5 wt fly rod. I like big ole fish that simply try to drag you, your tackle and if necessary your boat to Davey Jones' Locker, but LOVE a scrappy fish that is protecting its territory.

im sure my dad took me out to fish when i was so young i couldnt remember

but from memory my first fish was when i was around 10. i caught a little bass of some lake i dont remember. also with my dad. for some reason i just remember it...

[DeepWaters]

Not surprised you remember it, being that young it was probably one of the most interesting experiences you had, away from the city and all.

I remember when i first went camping and canoeing in grade 6!

[markusbest]

yea the moments stick with you

[DeepWaters]

Originally Posted by markusbest

yea the moments stick with you

They do, im sure kayaking is no different, everyone should be able to remember their first experience on the water.

[Patk]

Only 3 trips on the kayak so far, every time out i have managed to get a couple of bluegill or redear. Summer has hit here and the small bodied of water are full of algae and weeds. Not so pleasant as in the spring.

My first ever catch was a small bass. That was 55 years ago. I think probably every year since then I've been at or on the water.
Most notable catch recently was a few years ago on the Arkansas River in Little Rock, hooked a golden carp between 15 and 178 lbs and brought it in on ultralight tackle with 4 lb. line. I was wade fishing and it hit a small jig on my first cast. Why I didn't take it to the bait store and get it weighed and a photo taken I don't know. May have been a state record on ultralight. Since then I've gotten some catfish up to maybe 10 lbs on 4 lb line. To me THAT is SPORT, at least where I live.

When I get more familiar with the whole kayak thing I expect to bring some good ones to the boat. I generally catch and release unless the fish is going to die of fatigue or a deep hookup.