A serious, introspective querry.....

[LigonierA1]

When does fly fishing become "too much"?
When does the passion become a problem?

I'm struggling with this currently. I'll spare you the nitty gritty details, but it's the last think I'm thinking of at night, the first thing I'm thinking of in the morning, and my work and wife are suffering a bit as a result.

Granted, I'm having a ball, but I feel the weight of the obsession at times.....when is it too much?

[D. Micus]

the first step to full time fishing is denying you have a problem!

[nowindknots]

I can't offer diagnostic advice, but I can relate my own experience. In the very recent past, I was totally consumed by this hobby. I would give flyfishing ALL my non-dedicated time, effort, and thought. I tied flies, I built rods, I read everything I could get my hands on. I fished literally every day, year round. So I was close to the point you are now. Almost uni-dimensional. I don't THINK I let it affect my job. But can an addict really tell?

Then I retired and moved. In my new location since March, I have fished very little. There are cramped quarters, so I have tied very little. For the same reason, I have built no rods.

I have a brand new beautiful and marvelous bamboo rod that I've cast once, but not yet fished. My mind is clearing, and I can now honor other aspects of my life. I'm reading novels, I'm planning some wood working and gardening projects for the new house. I'm spending evenings with my wife watching the sun set.

I know flyfishing is still going to be a major part of my life. That's one of the primary reasons for relocating to the west. But this unintended break is genuinely welcomed, and has put it into a more reasonable perspective.

Jim

[OkieBass133]

When you have to ask yourself whether or not it's too much, chances are that good that it is.

[AnW]

Funny that you mention this (and that we're both from the same state - in fact when I visit my in-laws I often fish the Loyalhanna in Ligonier). I too feel this way, and find myself thinking about fishing, tying flies, etc. for a good portion of every day and dreaming about it at night - yet I don't do the actual fishing nearly as often as I'd like. Primarily because I have 2 young children who I devote the largest portion of my free time to. The way I see it though, in a year or two maybe I can get one or both of them addicted/obsessed as well. In fact this weekend, when I have them at a local pond chucking worms for panfish I may have them try my 7' 3wt with a fly (or maybe even a worm attached).

[fcch]

Lig,

Hard to say, ... The best advise would be to look hard at yourself.

Then again, you have to remember that there some board members how have:

• Sold their blood to buy stuff[/*:m:f343a]
• Participated as subject in medical experiment and used the money to buy a rod[/*:m:f343a]
• Moved to be closer to a river[/*:m:f343a]
• changed jobs to have a more flexible schedule (to fish)[/*:m:f343a]

Those who are laughing know these guys, ... those who are quiet knows it's them

p.s.: best way to settle the wife part of the equation,... bring her fishing.

------------------
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:f343a]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:f343a]




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 27 May 2005).]

It's too much when the house forecloses becase you couldn't make the payments on the second you took out to pay for a drift boat and a trip to Alaska.

The "thinking about it night and day" is pretty normal. All that work and home stuff etc. you just have to put up with in-between thinking about fishing.

Cheers,

-John

[Rich Ward]

Asking this bunch for help is like going to a bar for advice on how much is to much to drink.

Rich

[Gardenfish]

in your gut you know how much it too much.

[brad kansas]

LigonierA1, It's clear you have only two inter-related options. Quit your job to fish full time and get rid of your wife!