Last Updated on April 27, 2025 by Colby Droscher
From cigar-puffing mobsters on deck to kids learning to cast at a quiet lake, vintage fishing photos reel us straight back to simpler summers. If this gallery leaves you craving more throwback snapshots, browse our Wild West icon portraits for frontier grit, flip through 13 rare ferry images that celebrate river life, or dive into 25 real photos that capture London’s charm across the decades. Ready? Grab a seat by the tackle box—these 17 pictures hook every era, from the 1910s canoe spearfishers to the neon-shorted dads of the 1980s.
1. This kid’s clearly destined for some fishing greatness.
That cooler means serious business,
2. Nothing quite like teaching your kid how to fish.
Mom is having one of those special days that parents never forget.
3. Love a man who can pull off some fishing in a suit.
No kidding, a wildly impressive feat indeed.
4. This strapping man looks awfully familiar.
Feel like this guy might be cut out for the movies.
5. A few close buds taking care of some fishing back in the day.
This batch of fishes looks extra fresh.
6. This kid’s fit is on point with the glasses.
Seriously though, those shades are meant for greatness.
7. Ava Gardner out enjoying her fishing in waders.
Ava Gardner was all business when it came to her fishing outings.
8. This dad knew how to fish back in the 80s.
No kidding, dad wasn’t playing games.
9. A grandfather after a successful fishing trip.
“Successful” seems like its own kind of vast understatement.
10. These girls are having a great time on their first fishing trip, indeed.
Looks like an unforgettable outing with, dad.
11. Someone’s grandfather fishing out in Alaska back in the 1940s.
What a stud.
12. Young cowgirl Esther Allen trout fishing in String Lake
Looks like a perfect day for fishing right here.
13. These lads are ready to hit a lake.
14. Al Capone fishing in the 1920s.
Al Capone certainly loved his fishing times.
15. John Denver, fly fishing trip, 1977
John Denver is out there looking like a certifiable stud with his dog.
16. Ava Gardner gone fishing (1942)
That’s a nostalgic aesthetic.
17. Ojibwa Tribesman fishing, Minnesota, 1910s
Now we’re talking about back in the day right here.
