I admit it,

[JGB]

I am getting old. Once spry enough to play QB in college, I now can only dream of days gone by.

Reading glasses, grey hair, Advil, naps,...all part of my life now, plus too many more concessions to list. Oh the changes one goes thru, luckily for me most of my life changes have been for the better, so I have no desire to go back to any earlier age...knock on wood, because I have a ways to go I hope!

Along with my life changes, I have experienced fishing changes too. These fishing changes have also been for the better - I catch more, and bigger fish.

The following are some concessions or adaptions I have made for aging when I fish; my intent is to motivate some of you to chip in with comments and additions, all in the spirit of making it easier for UOF's to fish!

-I fish slower and more deliberate. (And learning a whole bunch more.)

-Since I fish smaller streams and prefer to wade closer rather than cast farther, I sit down alot while presenting to fish. (Literally boulder hop on my rear-end sometimes, saves energy.)

-I use spikes. (Eventually will use a staff).

-When tying anything I use/cut more line/leader than I ultimately need. (Don't want to hassle with tiny knotting.)

-I sometimes take naps or play golf mid-day.(Rather than nymph a micro-may on 7x in the summer heat for 8 inchers.)

-I go for a swim all the time. (Usually to cool off, but sometimes to baptize myself to help rid of the skunk.)

-I stopped using bobicators of any sort. ( No slight intended to anyone.)

-I pick up trash as I go. (For the Fish Gods, or for Karma, whichever you prefer.)

-I avoid other fisherman less. (A social "Hi" to a singleton I might run into, rather than give a wide birth to him.)

Hope I've spurred some ideas...can you share them?

JGB

[bonneville54]

I like your attitude...an acceptance of age and of limits, it seems to me. But, perhaps, one can only accept these changes if one truly matures - with the wisdom that comes from the same.

I turned 58 last week (or rather became 58 ) and I too, find I fish slower and more deliberately, allowing myself to see the river a little better, a little wiser.

- Small flies are hard to tie on and hard to see on the water.
- My casts maybe shorter, but they are prettier (to me).
- Naps are, in fact, a gracious gift.

I'm curious about your avoiding other fisherman less...I fear I am becoming a more misanthropic fisherman as I age and think you may have it right.

Tomorrow I leave for Campeche, which is really great...but my fishing companion will be my 88 year old father-in-law, who told me again last week, "...Everything else has gone to hell except my cast, so I'm going to keep doing it!"

Thanks for the post...

[craigfalk]

I love your attitude and can identify with everything you write. It's an incredibly blessing to have a passion like fly fishing. I make many adaptations, but also find I'm always learning and am definitely catching more and bigger fish. I just can't move up and down the river as fast and that's probably a good thing!

[El Rey]

I'm with you on this, JB. But I am already old (70). Slowing down, being more cautious, resting more often, but my passion for flyfishing is not diminished. If anything, it's more important to me now than when I was young. I just have to make concessions.

My wife gets upset and worries if I go places where there are no other fishermen. So I try to fish with a friend, or else go to places where I know there will be others, e.g., the Yuba, the Truckee, etc. I seldom venture off to the wilderness alone.

I always use a wading staff and don't wade as aggressively as before. I find I don't really need to wade far or deep.

Though I catch more fish on #20 flies with 6X tippet, I can seldom tie them on except in bright sunlight and with flip-down magnifying glasses.

I sit and study the water more now--resting and waiting for surface action so I can fish dries.

Nevertheless, I still enjoy flyfishing as much as ever. Hopefully, I've learned a few things in my 60 years with a fly rod in spite of accumulated bad casting habits, but I find I'm still learning. That gives me pleasure.

So, to all the other geezers out there, keep at it, but be careful. Know yourself.

Cheers,
Harlan

[Larry S]

JGB,
I'm more worried about that "wide birth!" That sounds painful. LOL Learn and know
your limitations. I'm in my mid 70's and am still climbing the trail up from Black's
Beach/Glider Port (San Diego) twice a week or so. Do use a wading staff for the
streams and have learned that there are probably as many fish on my side of the stream
as the opposite side. Go with the flow, my friend and savor those experiences.
Best to all the Kiene krowd,
Larry S

[JasonB]

I love this, for a "young-un" that just started my 4th decade I can begin to relate a tad. I can only hope to continue to learn and grow as those of you who have chimed in have. I certainly still hope to be out there, in whatever context possible, enjoying the magical soothing of the flowing waters WELL into my golden years...

Come to think of it, I find it hard to imagine a life without...
JB

[Ed Wahl]

Good post JGB.

While I was never spry enough to play QB football I have been fishing my entire life. I hit my 5th decade last February and just fished my favorite canyon last Saturday.
I too have made some adjustments. I wear shin guards now, mostly due to wearing shorts and tennies for many many years while fishing. Lost most of my shin skin doing that. I also wear long sleeves and long pants once I figured out that they took care of both mosquitoes and poison oak.
I still fish the deep canyons though. I figure I'll be old when I can't do that solo anymore.

I'm dropping weight and conditioning my legs but hey, I'm 50 and them canyons aint easy.

My hat's off to you guys still boony crashing decades older than I am.

Can I get a discount at Denny's yet?

Ed

[Sammy]

outta my way old guys! It's 102 degrees out. I'm not wearing sun screen and I've got these new indicators to try out

[JGB]

BV54 - Used to avoid fisherman too, but figured what the heck... Maybe I wanted privacy as well as to protect the privacy of others, maybe I was too embarrassed to discuss the lack of fish I was catching, maybe I was in a rush to beat that fisherman to the next(better?) spot, maybe I cared too much about catching fish rather than enjoying the day for what it is... I've learned that the vast majority of singletons are more than happy to chit-chat on the stream, as well as share info. Improves fish counts too!

Good luck with your F-i-L! Good for him, and good for you, never too many brownie pts with the bride!

CF - Definitely catching more and bigger. PATIENCE and OBSERVATION! Used to crash down banks with no clue on how to get back out, would cross the river at any point regardless of depth or current. Canyon, or steep trail? Here I come! Ahhh...those were the days!

ER - I'm still brave(?) enough to fish by myself, although if I a see a car nearby it does give me a sense of relief/security that I wasn't aware of before. I also have a Spot( http://findmespot.com/en/ ) that I use and my wife loves it. Gives me a sense of security too.

I have found that one does not need to wade as aggressively as one used to? That patience and observation thing...!

LS - LOL! Wide birth does not lend itself well to a pleasant visual, I must admit. Sorry, bad choice of words. Agree about just as many fish being on my side of the stream as there are on the other side. Another thing I have learned that is a parallel to your point...the "grass" is not always greener in another place!

JB - I DON'T imagine life without it. Raised a Catholic(and still recovering ), but have always had problems with man made structures to pay ones respect to He-Who-Must-Be-Listened-To, I pay my respects to HWMBLT by worshipping in and respecting the stuff HE has built(Not to get too deep here...!). Streamside I get my soul replenished.

EW - Starting my 5th too, and you are on the right track - conditioning is more and more a factor of my fishing success. Golf success too! Still wet wade tho, and still losing shin skin!

Family has terrible reactions to PO, if my son even looks at it he breaks out all over the place. Me on the other hand nada, never have had it despite years of bush whacking thru the stuff wadered and not - NEVER! Might be from years of medication to control psoriasis? Now giardia...another story! You said you wanted to lose weight? Leave your water bottle at the vehicle...in a few days you will be losing weight by the cupful!

Denny's discount? LOL! Guys keep telling me I need to get a fake ID so I can get greens fees discounts!

SMY - What's that saying? "Youth is wasted on the..." Never mind! Good luck, invested in aloe?

Tight lines too all.

JGB

[Sammy]

HAHAHAA

What IS that saying?