Better late than never...
Marco,
Came late to the fly flinging at about age 61. Fished in one manner or another since I was about 7 though. Started out with handlines baited with minnows fishing a lake mainly for perch out of a small wooden rental boat at age 7. Graduated to bait casting for bass, pike and pickerel with spoons and plugs. Father-in-law introduced me to trout fishing with (gasp!) bait using a fly rod around age 20. He could read the water like most folks do a newspaper and tell you where just about every fish was located in the stream and then proceed to catch 'em too! Fished with him and my two brother-in-laws for about 40 years. Finally decided that even I could probably learn how to fish with a fly and didn't have any fly fishing friends; so, read everything I could about it and talked my one fishing buddy into giving it a try. First experience was hilarious as we went to a "rent a trout" stream on our fisrt outing. Had some gawd-awful supposed fly and flung it into the small stream to be greeted by a hit but lost the rainbow at my feet. Proceeded up the stream and kept getting hits galore but no more hook ups. After finally deciding to check my fly discovered that the first hit had broken off the hook to the bend and I had spent the last hour and a half fishing with a "teaser." Was so funny my partner heard me laughing way downstream. Took a fly fishing lesson with my brother-in-law and that day really got me addicted. Next was a fly tying class at the local fly shop after deciding I could never do that stuff. But, stumbled on and now haven't bought a fly in about 6-7 years. Learned a mite more along the way and joined the local TU chapter and FAOL wherein my fly flinging abilities increased a mite above idiot status with all that help at my disposal. Retired a few years ago and so most of my few outings are by me own self. Only fish within about an hour and a half drive from the home base. Have about 5-6 rods including one none too expensive boo rod. Probably have too much spent on fly tying stuff but as my wife says there's nothing a "fisherman" won't buy. Spend a considerable amount of time on the water taking photos with my waterproof digital. Have to admit I enjoy the solitude of being alone in a beautiful place but at this stage of the life cycle the wife much prefers that I don't go out alone. Cellphone now has to make the trip with me. fell a few years back and finished off the old football knee and took three months to walk again without aids. It was worth it!