I’ve been fly fishing for 50 years I recently I noticed that my casting isn’t quite as strong and I can’t hike 10 mile to a stream anymore. Has anyone else noticed a deterioration in fly fishermen over time?
I figure it has been 51 years for me. What I want to know is who suddenly put all those rocks in the streams I fish and who moved the parking lots so far from my favorite holes. They also made those size 18 hooks a lot smaller than they used to be. And the eyes on those hooks. They never used to be that size. I don’t know who done it but I suspect Obamacare is responsible.
David
48 years for me. And why do my feet get colder than they use to? And why have the waders I’ve purchased over time gotten bigger? Not to mention the rocks and hook sizes that djo has mentioned nor that the tippet seems to shake a bit more when trying to thread it thru the hook eye. And speaking of tippet have you noticed that 6x is getting smaller and seems at times impossible to thread?
Ain’t it grand?? I wouldn’t trade it for he world!
60 years for me… [Good Lord!] Made it up to 10,000 feet last summer with the 42 year old “kid” to fish for Brookies in the Beartooths. I took longer to get up there, but by golly I’ll keep doing it even if I have to crawl. I figure if I don’t keep using it I’ll lose it and IF I kick off on the way I’ll just be that much closer to the Pearly Gates… [The inspiring part of this thread is that all you guys are complaining but still going…!]
One of my favorite sayings is “Do it so you can.” At 70 plus, I’m still doing it so I can. If it gets old, I might get old.
John
Fly Fishers are like a fine wine. They age well with time until they turn to vinegar.
Larry —sagefisher—
Wow! You folks are champs!
I’ve probably been fishing for 40 years, but have only REALLY been flyfishing for 6!
Still…I’ve noticed tying flies and attaching flies to tippet has indeed gotten more difficult. I’ll keep going as long as I can!
I’ve been fly fishing for only about 45 years now. The biggest change I’ve noticed in the last couple of years is that I have a hard time keeping the same enthusiasm level for as long as I used to. I still go out eager in the morning, but am usually ready to call it a day before it gets dark now. That, and I am finding aches that I never used to have after a day of fishing. It’s still as enjoyable while I am fishing, and I look forward to it just as much or more than I used to, but I seem to pay more for it too.
Ted
Keep on training, guys! Push-ups, abs, stretching, little running, etc. Wading rivers and hiking is better with an athletic base. I’m 56 and jump from boulder to boulder like a hopper;)…(and sometimes swim like a Rocketfish.:eek:)
Well yes they do, as do we all, but fly fishermen seem to age more gracefully somehow.
Sorry, that was too funny to let pass by…
The good lord has given us patience to replace all that youthful eyesight and tactile abilities… right? 
Pretty obvious from this thread that we deteriorate mentally first…
Buddy
“Old fishermen never die… they just smell that way”.
Chuck
I’ve only been fly fishing, wade fishing freestone streams and rivers, for ten years, but started at age 60 after a good number of years of regular mostly outdoors physical activity like hiking, both on and off trail in the mountains and deserts, and road biking.
One of my favorite saying is [i]“Do it so you can.”
[/i]So I keep doing stuff so I can keep doing it. Not to say that there isn’t a higher price these days than even five years ago, but the cost of not doing it is a lot higher than the cost of doing it.
John
That’s right. Why run down the hill for one, when we could walk and have them all, if you know what I mean. I hear all you guys. I am much slower and easily out of breath but, I’ve been smoking since I was 12. I don’t get anywhere fast. My minds gone and barely think about sex. I must be getting old. It sure isn’t for wimps
JohnScott I like it, your saying that is…
(One of my favorite saying is “Do it so you can.”)
I will be turning 50 on the 20th of this month… I do find that going slower lets me see and learn more…
I have the hat that says exactly what Chuck441 said!! Old fishermen never die, they just smell that way!! 
If I buy another new fly line, I know it will outlast me 
Start likin’ it cause it ain’t gonna get no better. A man’s got to know his limitations