The following are the thoughts of an elderly angler as he reflects on several decades of fly fishing and observing the angling scene.
Fly fishing is a great pastime, and unless you are feeding your family with proceeds that you glean from the sport as a manufacturer, shop owner, outfitter/guide or some similar occupation that’s all fly fishing is or should be ? just a great pastime and nothing more.
I am at the point in my life that I don’t know any “old geezers”.
Rick
I guess I’m now one of those “old geezers”. Haven’t bought a new piece of flyfishing equipment other than a new pair of boots to replace the ones I’ve worn out and occasionally a spool of tippet. I’m pretty much satisfied with the rods, reels, etc. that I have, they fish just fine for me and I don’t see any reason to update to the latest improved models.
If your boots dry out you are not fishing enough, unfortunately my boots dry out all too often,
John
Great essay.
I made it to geezer status this year and I regularly fish with a couple of older geezers - they have me by 20 years. They no longer fish with Bamboo - they managed to “tech up” to graphite but they still use some very old Hardy Perfects and they work just fine—and they tell me they can still get parts when needed. I’m jealous of their reels and I don;t think they feel the same about my reels.