That is precisely where I am at right now. Will there be a time in the future when I can fly fish again? Probably. However I may not want to. So now my gear is heading for eBay and the local kids through their schools. I need the money with medical bills piling up.
I have not only lost my ability to fly fish I have lost almost all interest in it. I need to concentrate on things less physically demanding things until I can get my surgeries done but it’s not just that. The thrill of this sport is gone for me. I have changed as has the sport perhaps neither for the better. This used to be a simple, uncomplicated, relaxing sport for me at one time. Now I feel that fly fishing, like most of our sports, has been over commercialized.
Time to put the long rods, the tying gear, into the hands of the younger ones so I can concentrate on some more relaxing, healing activities. Breaking out the cameras and picking my Appalachain Mountain Dulcimer back up.
Before i go ask yourself What would you do when you can no longer fly fish? What will you do if you ever loose the passion for the sport?
Nighthawk,For me,it has nothing to do with fishing.It is my way of getting lost,an excuse to be there.A moment of escape.As a Vet,I need that from time to time.What ever you do,whether a camera or Ducimer,find it and feel it.Ray
I’d like to hear you play the hammered dulcimer some time. I have no other suggestions except to say that you shouldn’t sink so low as to spend your time watching “reality” T.V.
I didn’t start fly fishing until I was past 55. So, I am the opposite as my interest in fly fishing is still new. I know one day I’ll not be able to wade strong current or in to back country streams. I just hope sitting on the bank or in a canoe will get me close enough to wet a line. I recently had surgery and I am in physical therapy for a bad ankle and knee. My new brace arrived yesterday. I may move slower but, I still move. I hope you rekindle your passion. Perhaps sharing and teaching others is your way to enjoy the sport now…
This isn’t to sound flip. I have so many hobbies and interests the thought of what to do if interest in one wanes has never crossed my mind. Church and doing a lot of music and teaching there consumes a lot of time. Gardening, sailing, hunting, shooting for fun, pleasure and competition, reloading and casting bullets, restoring bamboo fly rods, tying flys. I sitll enjoy downhill and XC skiing but at almost 60 those 10 mile ski trips are a thing of the past, dinking around with my vintage sports cars and reading and studying about all the above.
I am in the same spot as you. Loss of interest, medical problems, etc. Don’t tie any more cause it hurts too much - gave all my tying gear and supplies to one of my last living fishing buddies who still ties. Gave him two nice double guns too. My son-in-laws don’t hunt or fish. I have a grandson who is 6 and just about ready to start so that will occupy some of my time. Started with a serious car accident 10 years ago then all my fishing buddies either died or quit fishing. I am not even 70 and I am too young to be in this spot but I am, none-the-less.
But I can still read. And I can still write. And when it hurts when I wake up in the morning, I know I am still on the green side.
One of the reason God gave us memories is that, someday, those are what we will cherrish. You can still close your eyes and go fishing wherever you want. And you can still tell stories around a campfire or the fireplace to who ever will listen. All is not lost and we here would certainly like to hear your stories. So don’t loose touch. We can still live vicarously through our friends who fish. And good luck with your medical and financial problems. They will work themselves out. May God bless and keep you. And when you want to talk, you know we are your friends.
The type and severity of the disease and illness I am in would eliminate literally everything you just mentioned except tying flies. Church and my faith are the two things I can do that I will hang on to. On the other side of that coin I do not know the suffering of Christ nor do I pretend to. However, Christ has used these sufferings of mine to teach me how to really, truly appreciate a good day.
If you can get up and look out the door, it’s a start on a good day.
If you can dress yourself, feed yourself, it’s a good day.
If you can walk 50 feet to your car without dragging your feet, stand erect, get into the car, without tears of pain, retching your guts out, it’s looking like it might be a great day.
If you can drive to work, sit at the computer, type info in for the proper shipping of freight to the troops, put the freight labels on the freight, send it to the proper shipping area, drive home, help take care of your son who is still recovering from cancer treatment and now the loss of his thyroid by golly it turned out to be great day.
Of course you are going to take multiple doses of very strong pain medications throughout the day. You are barley able to eat a sandwich, drink some iced tea, take more med before you collapse on the couch.
forget about restful sleep because it ain’t going to happen. Between the pain, the pain meds and the PTSD it just will not happen until the day I am dead.
I am not complaining because I am still alive. There are others that are in wore shape than I that need our prayers and thoughts. Just wanted to relate to everyone why I have lost interest in fly fishing amongst other things.
Bob,
You and I have a lot in common. You said things so well there. I am praying for you too brother.
I too am a Vet. and second what Rayhill said. For me, it is a time for me to get away from the normal stressors of life, a chance to clear my head. I have trouble focusing on one thing because of my PTSD and this allows me too. To stalk the Bluelines in search of a hole that will produce is theraputic. I understand that you may not be able to continue with this and I feel for you but, you can focus on something you can do, do it well and allow it to seep inside you. Wishing my prayers your way for a Merry Christmas.
I am still able to get out and wet lines, but I am older and the cold bothers me more each year. Losing the circulation in my feet cause some pain now no matter how many pairs of socks I wear. I prefer to fish for winter steelhead which is a young man’s game. I know I have a few more years that I can fish for steelhead but even now the days are cut short. I no longer fish the river from sun up to sun down. It is only a matter of time before I will no longer be able to stand to the cold of a January morning fishing in the snow and wading waters with temps in the upper thirties. It will be then I pick up the camera full time. Even now I spend much of my fishing time documenting the sport of fly fishing for steelhead with images. I love fly fishing so much that I will continue to be involved in some form or another. I wish I could help in someway. If I were closer I would pick you up in the morning, tell you to grab your camera and lenses, we are going to shoot images of fly fishermen and the places they fish. It is the beauty of those places that trout live that give me a reason.
I have been an on-again / off-again fly fisherman since I was 14, over 45 years now. When it seems like something I don’t want to do, I set it aside and have come back to it many times. As you might imagine, I am in one of those on-again stages at the moment. When I was younger, I did not fish for several years because I was fanatically interested in climbing mountains. As age caught up with me, my body told me that fishing was more enjoyable overall compared to 16 hour days going as hard as I could go. About 10 years ago, I herniated a disk in my neck. That put an end to the climbing and even the fishing for about a year. I have several hobbies, including fly tying, rod building and woodworking. There are times when each one seems like THE thing that I want to do, and other times when I am happy to set them aside for long stretches. I always seem to come back at some point.
So, put your rods aside for some time. Sell or give some away, but don’t divest yourself of all of them. I think there is a very good chance you will feel the urge again. I always seem to.
Nighthawk, I understand the time is coming when I probably won’t be able to participate in but one or two of the pass times mentioned. That is one of the reasons I hoped it didn’t come off as sounding “flip”. I am truly blessed that I can still do about what I want…just not at the same level as before. And, I know it could all change or end on the way to town this afternoon or when I go to the woods later to haul in a load of firewood I cut last weekend. No man knows the hour or the day.
My heart is warmed by what you said about your faith and Jesus. I am glad you have that, too many do not. I don’t know what I would do without it. God bless you brother.
ted, I understand exactly what you’re talking about. Sometimes it seems I flit from one thing to another, but I love them all.
As we age sometimes our disability’ catches up to us.Hopefully the memories stay with us.That is why I enjoy this site so much.I can continue to experience the travels thru the members.I am pretty sure I won’t be fishing Patagonia but I can drift away occasionally here.
My father took up birding when he no longer was physically capable of flyfishing. It can be done anywhere, any time (well, mostly in daylight), at any level you desire, from just looking out the window to travel and listing and organized events. I figure it gave him a couple more years than he would have lasted without something interesting and changing for him to do.
Oh no it didn’t sound flip at all. It did remind me that you and I don’t know each other therefore there is no way you along with all the others here can know what my day is like unless I lay it out start to finish. It is my sincere hope that out of my pain will come the realization for all here on the board sooner or later we all face the day when we will no longer be able to do most of the things we love doing. Please don’t let it blindside you like it did me. You are all very intelligent folks and intelligent minds need to be kept busy through physical activities. Plan for the future by finding some more sedentary hobbies that engage the mind. Please don’t anybody procrastinate no matter how much you don’t want to think about it. Of an here is an example of the Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer:
Yep goes hand in hand with the photography. It is so hard for me to walk now so the long periods of sitting still suit birding quite well. I could sit on my front proch this summer and watch the bald eagles flying through the Susquehanna River valley doing their form of fishing.
Kerry how I would love to do the photography things with you! It has become such a passion of mine that, just like fly fishing used to be, I thoroughly enjoy meeting other photographers. I did not buy my hunting license this year, first time in decades, because I cannot walk or stand while feeling that I am safe to be around with the firearm. I will continue to buy my fishing license and purchase a hinting license next year because that funding goes into a lot of good programs. Since I can no longer drag a deer out of the woods I think my firearm of choice will be my DSLR with a nice, fast lens on it.
When I was younger, I did not fish for several years because I was fanatically interested in climbing mountains. As age caught up with me, my body told me that fishing was more enjoyable overall compared to 16 hour days going as hard as I could go. About 10 years ago, I herniated a disk in my neck. That put an end to the climbing and even the fishing for about a year. I have several hobbies, including fly tying, rod building and woodworking. There are times when each one seems like THE thing that I want to do, and other times when I am happy to set them aside for long stretches. I always seem to come back at some point.