I’m with @AJ on this one.

I’m 72 and stay in pretty good shape ( for my age) but the stamina, dexterity and stability is not what it used to be.

I usually fish a couple days a week ( retired) but usually with a day between to rest some.

Back to back days are tough for me anymore.

5 hours on the front deck is about all I want to do nowadays.

Past my prime, yeah probably physically, but my mind still says I can do it.

Good post @HawkeyeSmallie ! I hope that the post and all the replies keep everyone thinking. If your physical prime and your mental prime happened at the same time it would be great. That didn't happen for me and I'm guessing it doesn't happen like that for most anglers. I am better now than I have ever been at finding fish.

Physically I struggle. Everything wears me out. Everything is more difficult now that I'm 76. Tying on a hook or a lure is such a challenge. If they made lie ties the size of hula hoops it would be better! Worry about the fish seeing your line? Hell, I can't see it!!! Used to be able to knock the nuts off a gnat at 50 feet with a baitcaster. Now I can barely see that far!!!

But, you compensate. When your abilities go down, your attitude must go up.

It's a constant learning journey. Learning and enjoying the natural world around you is a blessing.

46 minutes ago, Lottabass said:

Physically I struggle. Everything wears me out. Everything is more difficult now that I'm 76. Tying on a hook or a lure is such a challenge. If they made lie ties the size of hula hoops it would be better! Worry about the fish seeing your line? Hell, I can't see it!!! Used to be able to knock the nuts off a gnat at 50 feet with a baitcaster. Now I can barely see that far!!!

But, you compensate. When your abilities go down, your attitude must go up.

It's a constant learning journey. Learning and enjoying the natural world around you is a blessing.

I nodded all though this, Al.

I feel pretty strong and stable when I launch, but paddling a wet canoe in the wind for a few hours sure ages me. My dock doesn't sit in the water. It sits on bog. So, when I'm done fishing, I have to climb up and onto it when I'm stiff, wet, and cold. Then I have to walk uphill through the woods. I feel like 60 years old walking to my canoe when I'm dry and warm and I feel like i'm 80 walking back to my car when I'm tired, wet, and cold.

This will soon improve a bit when it warms a bit, but I just checked the thermometer and it's 42 degrees right now at 7:28 a.m.

I think my prime is still to come. While my physical peak is behind me, we all know fishing success is about knowledge. I am definitely a better fisherman now than I was 5, 10, 15 years ago. And with learning technology better, I feel I am only going to improve. I feel my prime will be between the ages of 60-75 when I am retired and I can spend time learning lakes better and when I can fish any day I want to.

24 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

I nodded all though this, Al.

I feel pretty strong and stable when I launch, but paddling a wet canoe in the wind for a few hours sure ages me. My dock doesn't sit in the water. It sits on bog. So, when I'm done fishing, I have to climb up and onto it when I'm stiff, wet, and cold. Then I have to walk uphill through the woods. I feel like 60 years old walking to my canoe when I'm dry and warm and I feel like i'm 80 walking back to my car when I'm tired, wet, and cold.

This will soon improve a bit when it warms a bit, but I just checked the thermometer and it's 42 degrees right now at 7:28 a.m.

You got me nodding too, Katie! That is what I admire most about us cronies and codgers, we never give up!

I began fishing while sitting on Grandma's lap at the age of 2; Dad was away at the War. I acquired an addiction for the sport which, believe it or not, continues to grow. Life's realities oftentimes kept me from my fishin' pole both long term and short, but desire never left and visions of Smallmouth always danced in my head. I was a business owner, and retired at 69. Moved to the Ozarks, bought a new bass boat and a river boat for trout; my house overlooks the lake and I'm 10 minutes from the famous White River. At age 77 I upgraded to the biggest, baddest, and fully equipped bass boat (IMO) on the water; now at 83, I'm considering trading up to the newest model with additional electronics. I have many of the ailments which come with aging and my fishin' hours seldom exceed 5 hours, but I am shooting for 200 launches this year while my bait and tackle collections continue to grow. I religiously study and practice unfamiliar techniques, observe the pros, and seldom miss a post on Bass Resource. Not yet past my prime and I'm sure many more Forum Members are like me.

There's no doubt that the 30 year old version me would beat the daylights out of the 20 year old version and me. Likewise, the 30 year old version of me would absolutely beat the living daylights out of the 61 year old version of me. I've always maintained myself well through diet and activity, but Father time is undefeated.

Mentally, I don't know. I was never on any type of prescription med before the age of 59 1/2. Nothing. All of a sudden, I am, and a lot, so there're way more chemicals muddling up the works. I still seem to be able to find something in places where it's difficult to find anything due to rampant poaching pressure, but I know I'm simply not as automatically dialed in as I was say 5 years ago. Past a certain point, fishing's a headspace thing more than anything else. I'm just not as sharp as I was, but the will is still there. I can still grind it out, and I don't feel defeated by failure. It still drives me as much as it ever did, and I'm always plotting my next move. I'm still ate up by this thing.

17 minutes ago, Tackleholic said:

I am shooting for 200 launches this year

Hardcore. And you're 83!

16 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I'm just not as sharp as I was, but the will is still there. I can still grind it out, and I don't feel defeated by failure.

Also hardcore. And Phish is fishing the more demanding places.

Bass Resource is populated with some giants.

7 hours ago, scaleface said:

Not me, I'm in my prime.

First thing I thought of!

It's along the same line, but I was thinking of this one. 🤣

Over the years I have had numerous health issues. The number of joints in my body that don't ache are far fewer than the ones that do. I'm currently undergoing Chemotherapy treatments for cancer zapping some of my energy. I don't have eagle eyes, anymore, and I have to guess at most of what my wife is trying to tell me. The only time I don't have to turn the car around go back to the house and grab something I forgot in the morning is when the item I forgot is the car keys. I constantly forget names, faces, and where I left my hat.

Even with age and health related difficulties, when a bass takes a swipe at my popper, I feel like I'm a teenager all over again, and when the Grim Reaper comes for me, I'm going to tell him to wait, I have to make one last cast.

I'm in my fishing knowledge prime and I go often, recent surgery notwithstanding. I know seasonal patterns, what worked for the last 12 or so years and what likely won't. But I'm not in my physical prime. I was well on my way, but health issues arose and I'm thin and weak again. Chemo is almost over and I plan to get back in shape so I can do the things I love like fish 5 hours from a paddle kayak. I probably won't be able to reach the same muscle mass, but I can be fit.

My best bassin days are behind me. My muskie fishing prime still lies ahead.

I hope bass fishing doesnt cause cancer . Theres a whole bunch of us stricken with it.

8 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I hope bass fishing doesnt cause cancer . Theres a whole bunch of us stricken with it.

It does seem to be increasing.

35 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

I'm in my fishing knowledge prime and I go often, recent surgery notwithstanding. I know seasonal patterns, what worked for the last 12 or so years and what likely won't. But I'm not in my physical prime. I was well on my way, but health issues arose and I'm thin and weak again. Chemo is almost over and I plan to get back in shape so I can do the things I love like fish 5 hours from a paddle kayak. I probably won't be able to reach the same muscle mass, but I can be fit.

Like I wrote earlier, there are giants who populate Bass Resource and you're one of them.

I lived for 30 years in Wisconsin, so there were a lot of Harley riders and when they arrive, all roaring, with their leather and chains, they can look tough, but one time I was driving to Green Bay in January and saw someone far tougher. She was pedaling across the prairie. The wind was howling and buffeting my car and her. It was well below zero and might have been 30 below with that wind. She was wearing her homespun dress and bonnet, reminding me that looking tough and being tough are often different things. You old guys fighting cancer and still fishing are the latter.

43 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

Like I wrote earlier, there are giants who populate Bass Resource and you're one of them.

I lived for 30 years in Wisconsin, so there were a lot of Harley riders and when they arrive, all roaring, with their leather and chains, they can look tough, but one time I was driving to Green Bay in January and saw someone far tougher. She was pedaling across the prairie. The wind was howling and buffeting my car and her. It was well below zero and might have been 30 below with that wind. She was wearing her homespun dress and bonnet, reminding me that looking tough and being tough are often different things. You old guys fighting cancer and still fishing are the latter.

You just do what you gotta do. You would do the same. When I first got the news, but had to wait for the prognosis, one of the things I wondered was how many fishing trips I had left in me. Of course, that's lower on the list than seeing my daughter graduate college, get her masters, marry, and...have grandbabies!!! But fishing is my #1 escape.

I'd like to think. I've still got alot of years ahead of me. I'll be turning 50 this year. I fished alot as a kid but then 20 years in the military kinda kept me busy and I didn't get to fish nowhere near as much as I wanted. Now I eat sleep and breathe fishing and my wife is my biggest fan. If I mention a lake I want to try and fish she does her best to make it happen. If I mention that I need some kind of gear or tackle she does her best to get it for me. I am a lucky man in that department. My biggest hurdle is 20 years of military service and government contracting has pretty much broken my body and I am fighting a never ending battle with the physical limitations side of it.

I hope that mine is yet to come. My prime as of my life so far was high school. Much more free time, and many more spots around my hometown. I would say specifically my prime was when I first started kayak fishing. Hopefully I can keep my kayak with me next year and have more spots available, but this year(school year) I have not got to do much bass fishing. I feel that in Blacksburg there are a very limited number of spots, especially fishing from the bank. River fishing is also a whole different game than reservoirs I am used to. I have three more years here so hopefully I can find some success.

I’m 70 years old and past my prime but in relatively good shape.

Being retired I go fishing when I want, if I wanna go for four hours, I go for four hours, if I feel like going for more hours I go!

I no longer plan on fishing in the rain. Even though I now own better rain gear than I have ever owned….HUK

Even though I’m 70 I think I am enjoying my fishing more these days.

Thanks everyone for responding, I was hoping it would lead to good conversation.

It's REALLY nice to hear from those in their later years that are still grinding hard.

I'm planning on retiring at 55, or at least partially retired. At least that's the plan. I've been delaying gratification my whole life. Fingers crossed.

Retired + boat should be MY prime.

I feel that I'm just getting into my prime. I am just beginning to understand bass, and with that, I can normally catch them or understand why I am not catching them. I getting to where I make good decisions more on the water, such as changing lures or spots.

All I need is a big truck, a boat, and money live on, and I'll start fishing opens.

Living in Illinois, until I started fishing rivers, there just weren’t a lot of places to fish close to home. Most of the fishing I did in the last 40 years involved quite a lot of travel. I’m 71 now and driving 6-7 hours each way to fish has very little appeal anymore. With back issues that limit how many hours I can sit in a boat or even wade, I can easily say that my prime fishing days are behind me. If I lived on a lake and could go out for an hour or two or three at a time, I’d still be fishing, but for me, packing up and driving for hours just to fish for a short time just isn’t worth it.

I turn 60 this year. I feel great, have no health issues, and still work a full time physical job. I am pretty good at a lot of things but I don't think fishing is one of them. So, while my health is in decline, I feel that I have not hit my fishing zenith yet. Hoping I get there before the big sleep.

8 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

Hardcore. And you're 83!

Also hardcore. And Phish is fishing the more demanding places.

Bass Resource is populated with some giants.

Bass Resource's population appears to have only one Ms. ; a trophy catch for any addicted bass fisherman.