How Old Are You?

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karstopo
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How Old Are You?

Post by karstopo »

And let's have your organ recital! JK, saw on the other active thread that NativeSon stated he is turning 63 this year. Got me to wondering just how old everyone, all 5 of us, are these days. Your are only as young as you act, right? Or is it feel? I can't remember as much these days with the 56 year old brain. Lol.

It's funny when I was young and felt great physically I couldn't imagine not feeling that way the rest of my life. Now that I'm not so young, I get that good health is a treasure not to be thrown away if possible, not that there's anything that could have been done about some of the things that happen to us.

Anyhow, I'm still excited to fish, more than ever, and have more ideas about it than I can put into practice with the time limitations and all. 56 is good and if I can dodge any of the usual health issues that creep in for folks my age going forward it will be even better.

How about you? Is your age all that it's cracked up to be?
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Ron Mc
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by Ron Mc »

I like to say 62, but that's not until August - I'm trying to make it past where Hemingway quit.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by JW FunGuy »

Funny you should post this. I received a text today from a friend since jr high. We both started kayaking together way back. He still lives in CO and still boats a lot, he said the Rio Grande was going to get some water this year and asked how my skills were and if Inwanted to meet up with him and do the gorge below Toas. I told him my brain says my skills are great! But my back, hips and shoulders are not so much in agreement. :? I still have one whitewater boat left but it has a small cockpit and I am not sure if I can even get in it let alone OUT of it!
So! The reality of turning 65 in a couple of months smacked me right up side the head. But as long as I am still able to paddle my Tarpon 120 around the marsh and still cast a rod I am happy!
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Kirk B.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by Kirk B. »

55, 56 in July. I've been fishing since I could hold both ends out of the water.


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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by Mddauby »

32 over here. I still feel pretty damn young, even though when I was a kid my assumption was that 32 was ancient.

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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by Ron Mc »

My bike riding and paddling buddy Lou is 72, and we show up the kids at both. TexasJim is close, and he put up a great paddle last weekend.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by rayb »

65 66 in Sept. Since I don't know much I don't post much but I sure enjoy y'alls posts
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by CAS »

Hey everyone,

I am fairly new to this forum and kayak fishing in general but I just wanted to say although not many people write or comment on every post there are lots of us that scroll through and read almost every post! We may not comment on everything but for me, it's because I am just not well enough informed to add any value to these converstaions :lol:

Being new to kayaking I still have a lot to learn and always come here with any questions and search through years and years of forums for advice and tips. So I just wanted to say thanks to those of y'all that have been on here for a while and contributed your opinions on different things! There's a lot of us that really do need the help LOL

For the age thing I am 24 but hope to still be fishing when I am older like everyone here!!
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

The funny thing is when I joined I chose my screen name because I thought I was an old fart but new to saltwater and I would be the old man looking for young advice. Turned out I'm younger than most on here at 56. I never would have dreamed guys were kayaking in their mid to late 60's let alone 70's. I thought I probably only had a few years left to enjoy the newly acquired sport but alas I see I can have many years to go. I've definitely been well informed and extremely inspired by the many "seniors" on here. Keep it up guys and many, many THANKS TO ALL!

Oh and didn't mean dis the young guys, you've been great too!

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Re: How Old Are You?

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I like the mix, the young and the not so young. For those that think they know very little, it’s A okay to share experiences and observations. That’s all we have really that’s ours. Even epic fails are good to share. If you show me yours, I’ll show you mine.

Since this is the fly fishing sub forum, I think it’s safe to say fly fishing in all its forms isn’t exactly super easy, as if any fishing is automatic.

So here’s a fail. The scenario is from the this afternoon watching multiple swirls, bass coming out of the water, at about a clip of 1 event every three seconds. Had issues with leaders, tippets, flies. Flies in trees, flies hung on submerged logs, flies hung on a dock, Had to tie on a couple tippets. Cut the tippet instead of the tag end, had to tie an extra blood knot. Lost two flies that I remember. A couple of favorites. All the above for one 1.5# pound bass.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by Ron Mc »

Fly fishing might be akin to the skills of an accomplished musician. It's possible to do it with total consciousness and yet without thought, where buck fever doesn't enter into it. I carry a knife for cutting branches to retrieve flies, but can't remember the last time I used it. But do remember the last time I hooked a tree, too much back-cast on a high bank in the dark - but gave myself slack for that one. :mrgreen:
Maybe there's a stage like in Bull Durham, where if you put on a garter, it helps to take your mind off the pitch.
Honestly, baitcasting requires more self-tuning and elimination of bad habits. Fly casting is more forgiving once it's part of your muscle memory, especially in use of your line hand for cast control, and especially when one gets past the perceived need for long, brave casts in fishing.
Long fly casts have their place, but that's usually very specific fish or circumstances, like white bass, and tuning your equipment is the most important part there.
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karstopo
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by karstopo »

My yard is a forest. The previous owners had a thing for trees. I too like trees so I do little to ameliorate the said trees. The challenge is to find the extremely narrow casting lanes and make it happen. The happening doesn’t always happen. I like a challenge.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by texnomad »

The calendar says I am 72.5. My body says I am 97. Been paddling one thing or another since I was about 12. Had to give up biking, mountain trail hiking and jetty scrambling last year. The body showed me who is boss. Hoping to get back on a SOT this summer. SINKs and my knees are totally incompatible these days.
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Re: How Old Are You?

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texnomad wrote:The calendar says I am 72.5. My body says I am 97. Been paddling one thing or another since I was about 12. Had to give up biking, mountain trail hiking and jetty scrambling last year. The body showed me who is boss. Hoping to get back on a SOT this summer. SINKs and my knees are totally incompatible these days.
I hear you. My joints have been the biggest surprise for me as I’ve aged. About this time last year, I had my right hip replaced. I saw the X-rays, the hip joint looked awful and the doctor pointed out all the things like bone cysts that were wrong with it. He said I would feel better than I had in years the second I woke up in post op and it was and continues to be a true statement. Grateful to be in a place and situation where at least some of these things can be addressed.

But the pedal drive kayaks, the mirage drive, just kills my knees. I can still bike, but something about pedaling the mirage drive is agonizing. I was always super active from the git go and had physical jobs, played tennis, biked, jogged, swam. Maybe I just wore my joints out. My shoulders have been overall stronger, but even those are showing signs of trouble. I had terrible pain casting from the right side so much so that I couldn’t so I learned to cast left handed. Resting the right side and casting from the left hand has allowed the right side to heal enough to cast with, although, I still have to be careful how much I cast right handed.

Anyway, hope you get out on the SOT this year. I love kayaks and kayaking and plan on not going down without a fight if my body starts to balk on using kayaks. I really prefer the kayak to a power boat, but I might have to look into some kind of power boat someday if the body says no to a kayak.
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Re: How Old Are You?

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Up until two years ago I was kayaking, fishing, camping, and spending a great deal of time on the water. Then at age 77 I contracted a painful "old man's disease" called PMR. Very painful muscle/nerve thing with which the extreme discomfort is treated with the accursed drug prednisone. For almost two years I was a drugged out victim of malaise...,a lazy bum, if you will. I lost a great deal of muscle.

That debilitating experience behind me, I again have the attitude toward life of a 16 year old. The 81 year old body attached to the 16 year old brain stem isn't always fully cooperative, but I am thankful for the mobility that allows me to lead a fairly active and productive life....,for an old fart.

Kayaking is behind me, but I still get around pretty well. Doing most of the work myself, I have restored a low milage 04 350 Z standard shift convertible to like new condition. It is very difficult to paddle, but I do enjoy driving it around the city.

My love for fishing is consummated by fly fishing with guides and from the banks of ponds and streams. Thanks to the exponential growth of kayaking and kayak fishing, I still have many opportunities, thanks to You Tube, to continue enjoying the joy of kayaking vicariously.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by ben_beyer »

I'm 36 but with a 15 month old I feel a little bit older just due to the lack of sleep at times.

I have some football injuries that sometimes slow me down including a bad back. I thought that was why I was so uncomfortable 8 years ago when I first went fishing in a kayak. It was an Ocean Trident Prowler 15 I believe with a very poorly designed seat. I recently discovered some of the pain is just due to lack of leg movement and the twisting of the body when paddling. I have spent all day out in my Coosa HD with very little pain so I'm thinking about getting a second kayak for the salt that's a bit faster. Kiddo #2 is on the way so it'll probably be sometime next year before I do that.

I enjoy both conventional tackle and fly fishing. I mostly fish for bass because of where I live but make it to the coast when I can and I also enjoy crappie and white bass if I can get out when they're biting. My favorite freshwater species is bluegill especially on a fly rod.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by karstopo »

Kayak seats are so much better than they used to be. I can’t sit for long in a kayak seat these days.

I had my daughter at 37 and my son at 40. That’s a little old to have kids, lol. Now they like to fish and kayak. My daughter has caught a bigger Largemouth bass than me, amen to that. She can fish all day and enjoy every minute.
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Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

ben_beyer wrote:I recently discovered some of the pain is just due to lack of leg movement and the twisting of the body when paddling.
I believe this is the cause of most of my discomfort as well. I think the next kayak I buy will be a more stable platform that I can occasionally stand in to alleviate some of the leg numbness and hip pain. After a few hours of sitting in the kayak, I can barely stand when I finally try to get out.
I have some lower back pain too but the stadium seat I put in mine has made that less of an issue having the sturdier seat back for support.

I spent the first 25 years of my working life in the hardwood flooring business. I really abused my body and I'm paying for it now. From my knees to my back and even my hearing, from running power saws with no hearing protection, I really created a lot of problems that a little care and safe practices could have prevented or at least made less severe. If only the wisdom we gain in age could somehow be instilled in those who are still young. No matter how hard my father tried, he couldn't get me to learn from his mistakes and I'm afraid my children will insist on learning these things on their own as well...... Maybe its just a right of passage.





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Re: How Old Are You?

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ben_beyer wrote:I'm 36 but with a 15 month old I feel a little bit older just due to the lack of sleep at times.

I have some football injuries that sometimes slow me down including a bad back. I thought that was why I was so uncomfortable 8 years ago when I first went fishing in a kayak. It was an Ocean Trident Prowler 15 I believe with a very poorly designed seat. I recently discovered some of the pain is just due to lack of leg movement and the twisting of the body when paddling. I have spent all day out in my Coosa HD with very little pain so I'm thinking about getting a second kayak for the salt that's a bit faster. Kiddo #2 is on the way so it'll probably be sometime next year before I do that.

I enjoy both conventional tackle and fly fishing. I mostly fish for bass because of where I live but make it to the coast when I can and I also enjoy crappie and white bass if I can get out when they're biting. My favorite freshwater species is bluegill especially on a fly rod.

Bass are a great fish to pursue. I think they are interesting and have a lot of surprising behaviors. Today, the bass were at it again. Leaping clear of the water and obviously chasing something. An Osprey dived down 50 feet from me and snagged what looked like a very nice sized Shad. Just for kicks, I tried a couple of Shad shaped plugs with a baitcasting set up. Nada. I tried a dead head minnow with the fly rod and missed a couple of fish. Put on the Chartreuse and Black Balanced leech and got about a five or six pound channel cat. It’s gut looked completely distended from feeding on something.

The more I get to know about Largemouth bass, the more I realize I don’t know much about them and the more I appreciate them. We all have our favorite fish. Largemouth are now my favorite freshwater fish.

Bluegills haven’t really recovered just yet from the previous tilapia onslaught in the lake. How many lakes or ponds of any size in Texas are sunfish in all their forms rare? Redears seem to be the ones I see the most. I think the bass and catfish work over the various remaining sunfish. Every lake, pond or river, big or small I’ve ever fished has a different feel about it. This lake has always been better at producing bass and catfish than sunfish or Crappie.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by kickingback »

58 this year. Feel like 45 with active kayaking. 65 if the weather sucks and I have to stay at home!
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by Tombo »

67 and counting. On first name basis with my Dr's. There is good reasoning why Medicare is available at 65 and Social Security at 62.
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Re: How Old Are You?

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karstopo wrote: Bass are a great fish to pursue. I think they are interesting and have a lot of surprising behaviors. Today, the bass were at it again. Leaping clear of the water and obviously chasing something. An Osprey dived down 50 feet from me and snagged what looked like a very nice sized Shad. Just for kicks, I tried a couple of Shad shaped plugs with a baitcasting set up. Nada. I tried a dead head minnow with the fly rod and missed a couple of fish. Put on the Chartreuse and Black Balanced leech and got about a five or six pound channel cat. It’s gut looked completely distended from feeding on something.

The more I get to know about Largemouth bass, the more I realize I don’t know much about them and the more I appreciate them. We all have our favorite fish. Largemouth are now my favorite freshwater fish.

Bluegills haven’t really recovered just yet from the previous tilapia onslaught in the lake. How many lakes or ponds of any size in Texas are sunfish in all their forms rare? Redears seem to be the ones I see the most. I think the bass and catfish work over the various remaining sunfish. Every lake, pond or river, big or small I’ve ever fished has a different feel about it. This lake has always been better at producing bass and catfish than sunfish or Crappie.
Oh don't get me wrong, I have a LOT of bass fishing gear and some of it is about to be 20 years old (mostly rods and hardbaits). It's very technical and that to me is sometimes the downside when fishing out of a kayak. I can only take so much gear but my Coosa HD has places to keep a good bit of it. I can have 2 3700 boxes under the seat, 2 3600 boxes in pouches in the seat, and there's 2 more slots with bungees next to the seat that hold 3600 boxes. Between that, my blackpak and putting a few bigger boxes in the hatch, I can take a LOT of lures but I can't take it all. So I just have to be careful about what I decide to take. I have a lot of soft plastics so I have them sorted by type in ziploc bags and put the ones I want to take in my blackpak.

My parents used to live in Galvesto and my grandparents used to have a beach house there too so we would vacation a lot there growing up because we didn't need to get a hotel. I just like to fish for reds and trout because there is some technical aspect to it and I need to pack less gear than bass fishing.

Now that I have a Cabelas CGR, I plan to try doing some river fly fishing for bass. I don't live too far from the Colorado and my in-laws are in Elgin so not too far from Bastrop. I grew up in Hillsboro and my parents are still there so there's the Brazos below Whitney to fish as well.
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My friend Rick’s brother used to live in Bastrop. They would get some great bass along the Colorado in that area, before all the big floods. I’ve done the stretch below Wharton to above Bay City during the drought. It wasn’t at all what I expected. I thought it would be sluggish and muddy. Instead it was clear and gravel bottomed in many places with a good flow.
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

ben_beyer wrote:
karstopo wrote: Bass are a great fish to pursue. I think they are interesting and have a lot of surprising behaviors. Today, the bass were at it again. Leaping clear of the water and obviously chasing something. An Osprey dived down 50 feet from me and snagged what looked like a very nice sized Shad. Just for kicks, I tried a couple of Shad shaped plugs with a baitcasting set up. Nada. I tried a dead head minnow with the fly rod and missed a couple of fish. Put on the Chartreuse and Black Balanced leech and got about a five or six pound channel cat. It’s gut looked completely distended from feeding on something.

The more I get to know about Largemouth bass, the more I realize I don’t know much about them and the more I appreciate them. We all have our favorite fish. Largemouth are now my favorite freshwater fish.

Bluegills haven’t really recovered just yet from the previous tilapia onslaught in the lake. How many lakes or ponds of any size in Texas are sunfish in all their forms rare? Redears seem to be the ones I see the most. I think the bass and catfish work over the various remaining sunfish. Every lake, pond or river, big or small I’ve ever fished has a different feel about it. This lake has always been better at producing bass and catfish than sunfish or Crappie.
Oh don't get me wrong, I have a LOT of bass fishing gear and some of it is about to be 20 years old (mostly rods and hardbaits). It's very technical and that to me is sometimes the downside when fishing out of a kayak. I can only take so much gear but my Coosa HD has places to keep a good bit of it. I can have 2 3700 boxes under the seat, 2 3600 boxes in pouches in the seat, and there's 2 more slots with bungees next to the seat that hold 3600 boxes. Between that, my blackpak and putting a few bigger boxes in the hatch, I can take a LOT of lures but I can't take it all. So I just have to be careful about what I decide to take. I have a lot of soft plastics so I have them sorted by type in ziploc bags and put the ones I want to take in my blackpak.

My parents used to live in Galvesto and my grandparents used to have a beach house there too so we would vacation a lot there growing up because we didn't need to get a hotel. I just like to fish for reds and trout because there is some technical aspect to it and I need to pack less gear than bass fishing.

Now that I have a Cabelas CGR, I plan to try doing some river fly fishing for bass. I don't live too far from the Colorado and my in-laws are in Elgin so not too far from Bastrop. I grew up in Hillsboro and my parents are still there so there's the Brazos below Whitney to fish as well.
First fish I ever caught was in my grandfathers farm pond in Elgin when I was 5. I spent every summer there til I was in my late teens. Loved hunting and fishing on both of my grandparents places there. My mom still has about 50 acres of the place there but the pond was on the aunts half that was sold. Last time I fished that pond was about 15 years ago and it still had some good bass in it....................... I miss my youth
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Re: How Old Are You?

Post by NativeSon »

I think 62 going on 63 just might quality me for old fart-dom. But, I try to stay active. In addition to fishing, I garden, bird and nature watch, beachcomb, keep aquariums, bike; we have 2 dogs, a bird, a bunch of land turtles, and 2 snakes. No wonder I don’t have more time for fishing! I try and eat well, no donuts although the pressure around the office is great. Don’t smoke. Love craft beer (more Malt leaning than Hops). Drink some wine, and have the occasional nip of the hard stuff.
Had my first surgery ever last year, carpal tunnel. Mentally, I feel like I’m in my 20s, but I guess the body at times complains a bit…
Anyway, I feel I have come to know some of you fine folks a bit through your posts. It would be great if someday we could meet and maybe paddle around Christmas Bay, or hit the Surf on one of the few days when Old Man Gulf lets the conditions align. I know, easier said than done… Until that day ever comes, I wish you all green tides and no tailing loops. Perhaps one day we will bump into each other on the water.
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