Just when will you decide to give up fishing?

[Gavin]

Have watched several decline in their physical abilities. Still take them out but make it easy for them. Gear provided, food too. Set up their tent cot etc. They taught you so payback is no BFD.

[lee G.]

  I was lucky  to be able to take Dad and Mom on their last trip to the river. Dad was dyeing from cancer, and had no appetite, would hardly eat.

A boat ride and the smell  of franks and beans cooked over a oak campfire brought his appetite back, made the trip to the river one of my fondest memories.

[Al Agnew]

I don't really remember the exact last time I took my dad fishing, because I didn't expect it to be the last time.  Sometime not long afterward, whenever that was, he was fishing by himself and fell overboard, breaking his hip in the process and nearly drowning, saved by a couple other anglers who saw his plight.  He never fully recovered, and never went fishing again.  So although I cherish the memories of the last couple years that we fished together, it ended all too soon.  Funny how in the end, it was me taking him fishing on the river, while he'd taken me so many times to the lake when I was a kid, and had taken me on my first float trip as well.  In the middle, there was a long period when we were truly fishing partners, sometimes going on the river in the canoe and later my jetboat, other times fishing the annual tournament at Pomme de Terre Lake in his boat.  And just as importantly, we were always calling each other when one of us had a good trip, or even a not so good fishing trip, to tell our experiences.

I have a few nephews that I've instilled a bit of love for fishing, and several wonderful fishing buddies.  But I wonder what will happen if it comes down to me not being able to go by myself and float the rivers, but still able to fish with some help from others.  I'm not sure, but I think at that point I may just give it up.  Fishing, for me, is often an intensely personal experience, and maybe if I can't do it the way I've always done it, I won't really care to do it at all, just live with the many memories.  I'm at the age where you really start to think about such things, even though, much like my dad, I will not give in and admit I can't do it until it's proven that I can't.

[joeD]

Quit fishing now, while you have a memory and teeth in your head. Go out on top. Undefeated , untied.

[Old plug]

I am starting to deal with that end struggle. My body and my mentality is telling me its time ,but my will and my heart argues with with  my mind and body. It goes something like this.  By the time you reach your mid to late 70s your mind and body side tells you that your sick and tired of what fishing has become. The commercialism, competitiveness,  and rudeness you see on the water today. You will have noticed such things as the failing mentality like your memory, Judgement , Balance, Eyesight ,Hearing. And of course you will be in denial about the whole thing. Because of these things you got to ,and will evenually  wonder if these thing could present a danger to yourself or others. Then you have to think about stopping. Believe me it is not a good place to be after nearly 75 yrs of loving it

[snagged in outlet 3]

When my dad declined I would drive him to Bennett and he would fish between the spillway and the bridge with no waders. 

The last trip with him was to the Conclave.  He asked me to drive him down and he had the first of many strokes in my truck on the way down. I think it was 08 or 09.  He died a couple years later and then in 2011 they voted him into the first legends of fly fishing Hall of Fame at the Southern Council Conclave.  I won the distance casting event that year.

[Mitch f]

6 hours ago, Old plug said:

I am starting to deal with that end struggle. My body and my mentality is telling me its time ,but my will and my heart argues with with  my mind and body. It goes something like this.  By the time you reach your mid to late 70s your mind and body side tells you that your sick and tired of what fishing has become. The commercialism, competitiveness,  and rudeness you see on the water today. You will have noticed such things as the failing mentality like your memory, Judgement , Balance, Eyesight ,Hearing. And of course you will be in denial about the whole thing. Because of these things you got to ,and will evenually  wonder if these thing could present a danger to yourself or others. Then you have to think about stopping. Believe me it is not a good place to be after nearly 75 yrs of loving it

You're one of the best guys I know! And one of the toughest. Hang in there my friend!

[JestersHK]

Man very sobering thread here... Although my dad is still in his 60's his failing eyesight is to the point now he is almost blind.  I still get him out here and there, but he's no longer able to pound the water with me... no longer able to hunt either.  I'll strap him into a boat chair though and last year had him out on Taney.   

The worst is watching his frustration he feels about his dependency on others to change baits or lures, or handle his fish.  I'll keep making him go though as I still get a smile out of him when he gets that tug on the end of the line.

[Smalliebigs]

On ‎10‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 7:31 AM, lee G. said:

  I was lucky  to be able to take Dad and Mom on their last trip to the river. Dad was dyeing from cancer, and had no appetite, would hardly eat.

A boat ride and the smell  of franks and beans cooked over a oak campfire brought his appetite back, made the trip to the river one of my fondest memories.

awesome Lee

[Old plug]

I have some friends here at the lake. They  are in the entertainment bussiness and are very busy. In spite of that they include their parents in everything they do out here. They are some very fine people. they have shown me  the american family should be like. Of course there is making a living. I do not see my son but 2-3 time a year out here. His wife is president of her families small plumbing bussiness and he is a property manger and over sees the upkept and maintainance of office buildings and other commerial type buildings. So with two young kids they are pretty pressed for time.