Good post and good replies.  I hope young anglers are reading this.  Maybe it will make them realize they ain't invincible.

I have a cute story:  

My hair turned white at a young age.  I placed an order at a fast food joint many years ago and the old lady behind the counter asked if I wanted "the discount".  I said, "what discount"?  She said the "senior citizen" discount.  I said, "Christ, lady I'm only 35 years old, but I'll take it"!!!!  😠

5 minutes ago, Lottabass said:

Good post and good replies.  I hope young anglers are reading this.  Maybe it will make them realize they ain't invincible.

I have a cute story:  

My hair turned white at a young age.  I placed an order at a fast food joint many years ago and the old lady behind the counter asked if I wanted "the discount".  I said, "what discount"?  She said the "senior citizen" discount.  I said, "Christ, lady I'm only 35 years old, but I'll take it"!!!!  😠

 

Early snow on the roof is another thing we have in common, Al. I had my first white hairs in high school and I've long been snowy white. 

 

I urge all of you still young and strong enough to reach yonder while you still can. For me, yonder was northwestern Ontario. Your yonder is likely different. I can no longer reach my yonder, but in aggregate, I spent about a year of my life in the wilderness, with the longest solo stretch being five weeks. It's stuck with me. 

65 and like a Tasmanian Devil.

My motto:

You gotta red line until you flat line.

 

I can't think of a better way to spend the 4th quarter of life then on a boat just enjoy the sights and sounds.

Age is just a number..... until it's not.

 

I still could still run circles around most guys my age - until I started taking cholesterol medicine. Ruins the legs, joints, etc. and I still ended up with a stent. 
 

Don’t do it unless you have to and then still maybe then don’t do it - - 

43 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

Early snow on the roof is another thing we have in common, Al. I had my first white hairs in high school and I've long been snowy white.

No snow on the roof, just at the eaves. The roof does have a lot of shingles missing tho 😅

Even when I'm Old ,tired, broken down, and broke. As long as I am breathing, I will find a way to fish.    

4 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Even when I'm Old ,tired, broken down, and broke. As long as I am breathing, I will find a way to fish.    

 

I believe you, King. You have the fire and red hot coals burn through the long night.

A common thread between those that have had a NDE (near death experience) is that they become very comfortable with their mortality.  I am in that club. Coupled with the a driving desire to leave my name and memory that will last in perpetuity, which I also achieved, I am at a very high level of satisfaction with whatever my remaining time on this earth is. I think the band the Eagles said it best.  “I’ve got a peaceful easy feeling”. 

Time to cry:

 

 

Until I had 2 aortic aneurisms in 2024 I fished several times a week on my boat and the weekends in rivers with the kayak.  Had/have other physical problems that don't bother me as much and still fishing at least twice a week but no kayak, balance problem.  Can't fish very long at a time and sometimes I just sit in the seat when I tire out.  Right now I'm preparing my new boat for our winter  in Florida.  

On 10/9/2023 at 9:16 AM, Captain Phil said:

 

I am 76 and in decent health for my age.  I had significant back surgery about three years ago, which slowed me down a bunch.  Physically I can still fish. Mentally, it's getting hard to get motivated.  It's not fishing that is the problem for me, it's launching and loading the boat.   Backing a trailer down the ramp is challenging.  It works much better with two people. I think I could fish well into my 80s even if I have to hire someone to go with me.  Applications accepted. 😂

You might want to practice backing the boat in a big parking lot or somewhere you're not going to hit anything. If you do it right you can take the tie up rope and tie it to the trailer, then unhook everything back up into the water and let the boat float off the trailer.  Then you just pull the boat over to the dock and tie it up, pull your truck out and park end of unloading.

I still like to go fishing, but sometimes the thought of stuff that needs to be done at home and the time and work loading up and unloading when I return can shut me down. I believe that has to do with getting older.

6 minutes ago, rboat said:

I still like to go fishing, but sometimes the thought of stuff that needs to be done at home and the time and work loading up and unloading when I return can shut me down. I believe that has to do with getting older.

There is so much truth to that. Great post

58 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

There is so much truth to that. Great post

 

Agree. In 2025, I found myself ending my fishing trips sooner because work awaited me at home. The two prior years, I stayed out until the last possible minute...and sometimes more.

On 12/9/2025 at 2:42 PM, Alex from GA said:

Until I had 2 aortic aneurisms in 2024 I fished several times a week on my boat and the weekends in rivers with the kayak.  Had/have other physical problems that don't bother me as much and still fishing at least twice a week but no kayak, balance problem.  Can't fish very long at a time and sometimes I just sit in the seat when I tire out.  Right now I'm preparing my new boat for our winter  in Florida.  

Alex you are the senior citizen of BR inspirational and still going strong👍.

I am a few years behind you at 82 now, no boat to keep peace with my wife and haven’t lost the passion to bass fish. I wait for an invite or hire guide to get out on the water now.

BFS has become my new bass fishing technique and enjoy it.

Tom

 

 

I'm 51 and while I'm in very good shape for my age, I definitely cannot do what I used to.  I used to fish a full day from daylight, come home and have a nice dinner, have a few drinks, and hang out with my wife when the kids went to sleep but not anymore.  Nowadays, I factor in taking a nap after fishing all day or else I'm falling asleep before 9 PM.   And when I take multi-day fishing trips, especially tournaments, I make sure to get plenty of sleep and to not burn myself out early in a trip.  A couple years ago, I went to a club tournament 4 days early and completely burned myself out mentally and physically by fishing 10 hour days on the first couple days of the trip.  I was exhausted by Sunday and definitely didn't have my A game.

 

A major reason I work out and stay lean is to enjoy fishing and my other outdoor activities during my retirement.  I'm retiring in 9 years and I want to have a stellar life in my 60s and 70s.  I was jealous when my dad retired and spent his 60s fishing and hunting BUT when he got to his 70s, COPD, a terrible diet, being overweight, and working in construction took a huge toll.  He couldn't really fish the last 5 years of his life besides sitting in the back of my boat.  He couldn't hike in the woods and had to have younger guys take care of his last few deer.  That is exactly what I don't want to happen to me.  I don't smoke, my diet is acceptable, my body fat and VO2 max are excellent, and my body is in good physical shape so I'm hoping I can do everything I want, within reason, well into my 80s.     

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

Agree. In 2025, I found myself ending my fishing trips sooner because work awaited me at home. The two prior years, I stayed out until the last possible minute...and sometimes more.

My situation is a little different, bog buddy. My parents have a house and a rental home a block away from my home in Maine. They are in the mid-80s and are in declining health. The thought of bringing my gear down to the beach and rowing out to the mooring - fish - back to the mooring - dinghy dragged to the dunes - gear back to the house is a chore. I’ve got caught a couple of time where they came up for the weekend and I rushed back to the house to get them situated. I don’t get my gear until after dinner time. Honesty, by that time I’m really tired . 
 

But I’m fortunate enough that they’re still around.

I love fishing!! 

 

I LIKE jogging.  I run daily.  I met up with a 1 on 1 yoga lady and she will help me work on getting "flexy".  I am going hard until I cant. 

 

I have worked out the finances best I can.   so I should be able to AFFORD fishing.  maybe even buy a boat for salt water.  

 

stay in shape, stay financially able, keep a happy attitude, and quit worrying about what everyone else is doing...just go.

I guess I'm old. I'm in my seventies. But fishing is fishing , young or old. As for tired, well, I've fished when I was tired for years. Then I left work and became retired, but I still fish.😀

For many years, the majority of my fishing were on trips anywhere from 100 to 2,500 miles from home. After a while, besides long trips, I’d fish the smaller rivers near my home. I no longer live near the smaller rivers and I no longer wish to drive (or fly) to all the remote waters I used to. 

15 minutes ago, Scott F said:

For many years, the majority of my fishing were on trips anywhere from 100 to 2,500 miles from home. After a while, besides long trips, I’d fish the smaller rivers near my home. I no longer live near the smaller rivers and I no longer wish to drive (or fly) to all the remote waters I used to. 

 

How old are you, Scott? I'm 69 and driving long distances is something I don't want to do too.

13 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

How old are you, Scott? I'm 69 and driving long distances is something I don't want to do too.

I’m 70. I used to drive almost anywhere. From the Chicago area, I’d take annual driving trips to Florida, Canada, Minnesota, Wisconsin plus other side trips to Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan etc. I’d drive all night, or 15-16 hours at a time, all no big deal. Now, if I have to drive an hour, I’d rather stay home. I can’t imagine spending 12 hours behind the wheel ever again. 

On 12/9/2025 at 8:18 AM, FryDog62 said:

I still could still run circles around most guys my age - until I started taking cholesterol medicine. Ruins the legs, joints, etc. and I still ended up with a stent. 
 

Don’t do it unless you have to and then still maybe then don’t do it - - 

Thanks for the advice. You're not the first I've heard that from. They can keep that crap. 

On 12/9/2025 at 8:08 AM, Bird said:

65 and like a Tasmanian Devil.

My motto:

You gotta red line until you flat line.

 

I can't think of a better way to spend the 4th quarter of life then on a boat just enjoy the sights and sounds.

Age is just a number..... until it's not.

 

I like the way you roll. 

17 minutes ago, Scott F said:

I can’t imagine spending 12 hours behind the wheel ever again. 

 

Me too. I had to do it this past summer for a death in the family, but I hated it. Like you, I'd drive up to 17 hours straight for work. No more. My pond is five minutes from my driveway and my pal's pond is 12 minutes away. Those are perfect distances. 

 

1 minute ago, T-Billy said:

Thanks for the advice. You're not the first I've heard that from. They can keep that crap. 

 

I also avoid meds. They all have side effects.

10 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

I also avoid meds. They all have side effects.

I sit and shake my head at the drug commercials. The side effects of many are worse than the problem they were made to treat.