.... without being able to wade? I know I can fish from my canoe sitting down. However the back is so bad that I cannot use the canoe any more so that is a moot point. Also means I cannot stand up long enough to wade or to do a lot of casting on the move. All of the reflexes in my legs are gone along with the reflexes in my arms being greatly diminished. I absolutely cannot lift any more than 25 pounds and that hurts like heck too.

Recently had a major change for the worse with my back. The disc between the L5 (lumbar) and S1 (small) of back vertebrae has totally collapsed on one side causing the vertebrae to tilt out of position. I can barely lift my feet higher than a few inches, walking is extremely painful, ability to balance is gone. I cannot walk or stand without the aide of a cane or my sturdy walking stick so I believe wading will just be too dangerous. The docs are injecting a silicon type material into the discs in an attempt to keep me working but that too is coming to an end. I am getting to the point where I will have to have the surgery that I cannot afford to have even with insurance but that is another issue.

Since I am now going to be basically a bank fisherman do you think switching over to longer rods, say 8' and up, is something I should do? I mean I can do some standing to cast but only for a few moments so I must also be able to cast from a chair or perched on top of a 5 gallon bucket with a seat lid on it. Will the longer rods help me cast farther and easier from a sitting position or is that just a myth?

I hate having to give up stream fishing and it looks like my spinning gear will be getting more work. However, I do not want to totally pack in the fly fishing. No way, no how so any advice you all can give will be most appreciated.

I am no longer able to hunt and that is bad enough. Not going to give up on the fly fishing.