Fishing
While fishing can be a commercial endeavor or practiced to feed a community, it is also a "sport" for millions of people - these are their photos.
Read more ☞
Fish have been around for over 450 million years - much longer than humans - and they have been a source of food for modern humans for at least the past 200,000 years. At first, and even now at times, fishing was just a means of survival. But it has also become a popular sport, often involving "catch and release", the practice of catching the fish without harming it and then releasing it back into the water. There are even television shows covering competitive fishing.
Fishing can also be a form of relaxation since, whether on a lake, a river, or the sea, the calming nature of waiting for the fish to bite forces one to unwind and patiently sit, surrounded by nature. So it could accurately be called an antidote to today's stressful world!
Consider these fun facts about the world of fishing:
- April 21, 1959: Alfred Dean of Irymple, Victoria caught a 2,664-pound great white shark off the coast of Australia.
- June 12, 1999: Tiney Mitchell of Port Isabel, Texas constructed the world’s largest fly fishing rod and reel. The rod was 71 feet, 4.5 inches long. The reel measured 4 feet in diameter and 10 inches in width.
- Scientists determined that a 32-inch-long rougheye rockfish caught in Alaska was 205 years old!
- Absolute luxury in fishing! A 12-inch marlin trolling lure was crafted with just over 3 pounds of gold and platinum and encrusted with 100 carats of diamonds and rubies. Cost? $1 million.
- Fly fishing is the most popular style of fishing and is the most ancient of all the other styles too. It was invented around 200 A.D.
- Fly fishing lines were often made of braided horsehair in the past.
- The 4th most popular sport in the U.S. is fishing. About 40 million people are sports fisherman (or fisherwomen) - outnumbering all the country’s golf and tennis players combined. The most popular game fish is the large-mouth bass.
- Scientists determined that a 32-inch-long rougheye rockfish caught in Alaska was 205 years old!
- Illinois was the first state to recognize competitive bass fishing as a sanctioned high school sport - in 2009. In the first year, more than 800 students competed to represent 217 high schools at a statewide competition.
Enjoy these photos of people fishing over the past couple of centuries.
☜ Read less
A photo of Mary Goldschnikl Toth, 1279390, MN 1952
People in this photo:
Oct 29, 1880 - May 4, 1961
Added
Sep 28, 2014 by: Joye Chizek
Joye Chizek
38 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Albert E Ledbetter
People in this photo:
Jan 3, 1922 - May 24, 1997
Added
Apr 26, 2014 by: Linda Lehman
Linda Lehman
11 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Senator Shortridge of California, fishing.
People in this photo:
1861 - 1952
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Miles Poindexter, Senator from the state of Washington, fishing.
People in this photo:
1868 - 1946
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
Added
Jan 11, 2012 by: Ancient Faces
Ancient Faces
322 favorites
Topics:
This is a photo of Albert Stickle added by Miki Stickle on July 29, 2020.
People in this photo:
Aug 9, 1918 - February 1984
Added
Jul 29 by: Miki Stickle
Miki Stickle
5 favorites
Topics:
This is a photo of Glenn Vann Trexler and Zebulon Baxter Trexler added by Melissa Trexler Kirchner on July 1, 2020.
Added
Jul 1 by: Melissa Trexler Kirchner
Melissa Trexler Kirchner
160 favorites
Topics:
This is a photo of Fred Eberly added by Nicole Eberly on May 29, 2020.
People in this photo:
Oct 2, 1914 - Sep 10, 1993
Added
May 29 by: Nicole Eberly
Nicole Eberly
2 favorites
Topics:
A photo of William A Olah fishing
People in this photo:
Sep 25, 1916 - May 23, 1997
Added
May 18, 2019 by: Julie Parsons
Julie Parsons
12 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Bernard Clark Gill at the age of five poses with two fish hanging from a tree. He wears matching linen shorts and shirt and a straw hat is on the ground at his side.
Missouri -- Dent County - Good Fishing
Date c1911
People in this photo:
1906 - Unknown
Added
Mar 21, 2019 by: Gaye Thomas
Gaye Thomas
341 favorites
Topics:
A photo of June Carol Kenyon
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Mar 11, 2019 by: June Bridenbeck
June Bridenbeck
72 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Arthur Willkings Newkirk Sr
People in this photo:
Mar 10, 1894 - Nov 19, 1954
A photo of Arthur Willkings Newkirk Sr
People in this photo:
Mar 10, 1894 - Nov 19, 1954
A photo of Arthur Willkings Newkirk Sr
People in this photo:
Mar 10, 1894 - Nov 19, 1954
A photo of Graeme John Huxley (1941 - 2003) in his twenties enjoying a spot of fishing.
People in this photo:
February 1941 - May 2003
Added
Feb 3, 2019 by: Julie-Anne Huxley
Julie-Anne Huxley
24 favorites
Topics:
This photograph depicts a man and his son weighing fish at the Cherokee Lake Boat Dock in Hamblen County, Tennessee, 1946.
Added
Feb 2, 2019 by: Gaye Thomas
Gaye Thomas
341 favorites
Topics:
A photo of George Winston Rymer
People in this photo:
May 8, 1895 - Dec 29, 1946
Added
Aug 28, 2018 by: Rheia Marino
Rheia Marino
26 favorites
Topics:
Added
Jul 4, 2018 by: Jessica Photos
Jessica Photos
31 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Darrell Wayne (Johnson ) Nelson
People in this photo:
Feb 12 - Unknown
Added
Jul 1, 2018 by: Rhonda Nelsonparsneau
Rhonda Nelsonparsneau
39 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Norvil Bernard Abelson
People in this photo:
May 25, 1915 - Nov 26, 2002
Added
Mar 13, 2018 by: Patricia Walling
Patricia Walling
425 favorites
Topics:
A woman, her rod, and a poor fish: Mrs E. N. Dickerson of NYC with a 363 lb Black Sea Bass, 1901
Added
Dec 13, 2017 by: Kathy Pinna
Kathy Pinna
23.0k+ favorites
Topics:
A photo of Lowell E Barnes
People in this photo:
Jun 1, 1924 - May 23, 1995
Added
Jan 12, 2017 by: Lowell Barnes Jr
Lowell Barnes Jr
45 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Lowell E Barnes
People in this photo:
Jun 1, 1924 - May 23, 1995
Added
Jan 12, 2017 by: Lowell Barnes Jr
Lowell Barnes Jr
45 favorites
Topics:
A photo of C. Lowell Barnes
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Jan 12, 2017 by: Lowell Barnes Jr
Lowell Barnes Jr
45 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Gene Jordan and his catch at Avalon, Catalina Island
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Apr 16, 2016 by: Mike Hunter
Mike Hunter
3 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Lucias Ellan Lucas (far right) and his fishing buddies. By the look of it they had a good day of fishing in Oregon ca. 1920.
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Jan 19, 2016 by: Kirsten Bullins
Kirsten Bullins
50 favorites
Topics:
A photo of John Henry Martin, my grandfather. Worked as a fishing guide in Northern Michigan.
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Dec 4, 2015 by: Carolyn Jackson
Carolyn Jackson
22 favorites
Topics:
Eulalia fishing in Boones Mill, VA (1969).
People in this photo:
Nov 19, 1899 - Aug 11, 1997
A photo of Oles Jewel Haven. Oles is on the right, holding a Giant Fish. Oles loved to fish. Picture was taken in Cromwell, KY approx. 1935
People in this photo:
Jan 15, 1913 - Apr 10, 2015
Added
Sep 24, 2015 by: Connie Tooley
Connie Tooley
65 favorites
Topics:
Roy Tindall and Edna Swyers-Tindall
Added
Sep 19, 2015 by: Kristi Beal
Kristi Beal
6.40k+ favorites
Topics:
A photo of friends on a fishing trip: l-r unknown, Lynn Harrison, Olive Landrum, Robert Landrum, George Brancacio
Added
Jul 2, 2015 by: Virginia Comstock
Virginia Comstock
83 favorites
Topics:
My dad, Leonard John Chapman, was a first rate, Fly Fisherman! Here he has a few fish, while visiting his sister in Idaho.
People in this photo:
May 22, 1909 - Jul 13, 2005
Added
May 28, 2015 by: Leonard Chapman
Leonard Chapman
27 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Hedley James Dalton (1907 - 1982)
People in this photo:
Jul 15, 1907 - Dec 13, 1982
Added
Apr 1, 2015 by: Sandra Dalton
Sandra Dalton
16 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Loubert S Steed & J B Cochran "Catch of the Day" Loubert & JB in parking lot of Simmons Mattress Co. 353 Jones Ave Atlanta GA with catfish caught in Dog River,
Added
Mar 2, 2015 by: Zoobin Zales
Zoobin Zales
265 favorites
Topics:
Added
Feb 19, 2015 by: Sue Fellenzer
Sue Fellenzer
9 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Charles D Jr Crispin
People in this photo:
Aug 6, 1923 - Nov 20, 1991
Added
Feb 5, 2015 by: Linda Senear
Linda Senear
16 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Elmer C Thomas (1928 - 1998) and family
People in this photo:
Jun 9, 1928 - Mar 6, 1998
Added
Jan 13, 2015 by: Scott Thomas
Scott Thomas
11 favorites
Topics:
A photo of Clarence Brinkman
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Dec 11, 2014 by: Sarah Mills
Sarah Mills
17 favorites
Topics:
Added
Nov 9, 2014 by: Gina Believes
Gina Believes
18 favorites
Topics:
A photo of my Great grandfather: Otto .Smith, He was born in Des Moise Iowa. Gone fishing
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Sep 6, 2014 by: Ronda Hewett
Ronda Hewett
94 favorites
Topics:
Gene Jordan's marlin caught near Catalina
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Somethin Fishy: The woman on the viewers right...next to the boy holding a fishing rod is Alice (Klawinski) Konieczka...who married Leonard Konieczka.. looking closely at the 1942 license plate on vehicle in photo..people back then barely noted any photo, so the only clues are what items in photo could possibly be dated..background, car lic plates..etc.
People in this photo:
Unknown - Unknown
Added
Apr 7, 2014 by: Grace Bergloff
Grace Bergloff
39 favorites
Topics:
