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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | I'm 48, and in recent years have noticed a change in how long I can fish. It used to be I could fish anywhere, anytime, and all day. Now I tend to pick my spots. I get sore much more quickly. I'm not close to quitting the sport, but I am somewhat limited compared to years past.
Physically, at what age did you start to wear down a bit? Some guys are older than me and can still spend all day and night on the water. I'm toast after about 8 hours. You? |
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Posts: 1083
| I'm younger than you and I'm "in the same boat."
I was not kind to my body in my younger days...teens and all through my 20s with the BMX/Freestyle biking and the downhill skiing here in the Midwest as well as out West with lots of moguls and mogul competitions.
I just turned that magical 40. And my body....is:shot.
Both knees are shot, both hips are shot, lower back is shot (lower discs and sciatic nerve issues), back muscle issues and both rotator cuffs are shot.
Mentally...I'm still in the game and wanting to fish all day and all night. As I've gotten older, the extreme heat gets to me and burns me out much faster. Can't be on my feet casting as long as I'd like to be....knees and back can't take it. Sucks to admit it. But...gotta call a Spade a Spade. My eye sight just drastically changed too here within the past 6-8 months. What the _____?! All those old cliched sayings are ringing to be true! Ha!
I'm not giving it up though. I gotta forge through. Being married with two kids and living so far away from the lakes, that when I DO get the chance to fish...It's like wringing out a wet towel to get every last drop out of it....I have to force myself to stay out there as long as I possibly can, because I may not know when I'll get back out there again.
I don't fish as much nowadays due to the family life moreso than the physical ailments holding me back. I find if I fish by myself...I'm way to lax and have lack of motivation to hang in there. If I have someone else to fish with...then I can feed off of their energy too, to keep me going...as long as they're fired up and mentally into it as well....
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | I have a few on you. I had a bad snowmobile accident back in 1990 . The only time i have problems is throwing pounder's all day. Pop a few Advil and I'm good to go |
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Posts: 455
| BMX racing, Track and field, Rock Climbing, 20 years plus construction, 20 years plus Muskie fishing. To quote Indiana Jones is not the years it`s the miles. Around 40 I blew out a disc for the third time and that kinda was the point I knew I would never be quite the same. To me more trolling and casting small baits solves the problem. That's why I just never got the casting double 10`s and tossing magnum rubber rage. Too much work. Give me one those super winch style reels with a Rizzo Wizz and now I have something I can throw all day. To me Double Tens are for trolling or young guys. |
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Posts: 427
Location: Planet Meltdown | I'm 34 and already starting to feel it. I beat the hell out of my body so far, sports - track & field, hockey, wrestling in high school...... but the most damage was done during those weekend pick up football games......tackle in younger days no pads and then "flag" football in the Service which usually turned into a blood bath against other branches of service. Blew out my left knee twice once snowboarding the other time slipping on ice at work. Working random outdoor jobs growing up and now 7 years in with a utility company. Throw in the 20+ years I've been fishing and now I've got one bad shoulder, lower back issues, and just started having issues with my casting hand and wrist - beginning stages of carpal tunnel. I have a feeling I am going to be doing more and more trolling as the years go on but I'm not giving up casting just yet. To me it's all about using ergonomics to your advantage at this stage. I just ordered a couple of pistol grips for my rods, I really hope these are the ticket. I'm with Andy on the pounders - yeah they might catch fish but they are for the younger guys. I know one thing is for sure - getting old sucks.
Edited by brianT 6/2/2014 8:21 PM
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Location: Contrarian Island | I'm 41 and haven't hit the wall yet... despite torn labrums in both shoulders and one needing surgery this winter I can still go all day/nite when it's go time... imo it's all about staying active all year, lifting, cardio, eating right... I'm lighter than I have been the last few yrs so that will help this season... still pop a couple aleves per day to help the inflammation in my shoulders on long trips etc...
Edited by BNelson 6/2/2014 8:45 PM
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Posts: 140
Location: Scandia MN | I'm 63 and more broken parts then I can count - as in 9 surgeries and counting. I have a large comfy seat mounted on a pedestal that gets more use every year. I stand awhile - sit awhile and repeat. I'm to dumb or stubborn to quit so I'm happy to do what I can and call it good. It's supposed to be fun and I try to keep it that way. |
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Posts: 399
Location: WI | Ibuprofen, ice, & Leinies!!!! At 55 I fish as hard now as I did at 20. But now it hurts. 2 repaired knees, tendonitis in a shoulder, thumb, wrist, and ankle, partial ligament tear in 1 ankle, back, wrist, & neck injuries from years past. Last Friday, the Dr. advised elbow surgery. Not to sound rude, but just suck it up. I'm planning on hitting those pearly gates with no useable parts left & a big silly grin. |
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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | I am 63 and Used to be just a regular Muskie guy you know daylight till darker. When I got sore I hit the Ibuprofen and Aleve. I am now in stage 4 Renal failure and am doing Dialysis Mon, Wed, Friday for 4 hours a day. I had other contributing factors but my kidney doctor says I would still be able to pee if I had left the N saids alone. Just a word to the wise be careful with the painkillers......
Edited by muskyone 6/2/2014 9:29 PM
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Posts: 20229
Location: oswego, il | I can still go. With that said I have learned to strike when the iron is hot. I wont muskie fish for the sake of doing it any more. I am going to the right places at the right times. When its not right I will fish for something else, again using the same scenario mentioned. |
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Posts: 299
Location: Nowheresville, MN | Ditto MACK, except for the family part. And I'm only 33. Tough to stay motivated fishing alone which I do most of the time. I've been fortunate to live in a couple Muskie hotspots and been spoiled with great bites in solitude by today's standards. I find myself bailing when the bite is tough. The heat is what kills me the most. Did roofing through high school and college. Almost always shorts no shirt. I wonder if I got a little of what Maina has to a much lesser extent. |
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Posts: 210
| I'm the Energizer Bunny - I keep going, and going, and going...
Going means lots of different things. Sometimes it means swinging until time's up. Or trying something totally different and learning how to make it work. Fish a spot "inside out" or backwards. Or just motoring slowly studying the depthfinder, looking for that small and special spot. Sometimes it means going in, especially for one of tfoot's whiskey sours! |
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Posts: 51
| I carry left- and right-handed set-ups and switch every hour, or so. This prolongs my day. I also gave up on pounders. I'm 56, 3 knee ops, need the left one replaced, 1 shoulder op, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow in the left arm and ADD. And I feel great on the water! Just something about it. And, by the way, I never have ADD while fishing, in a deer stand or in the marsh for ducks. Maybe I am just bored the rest of the time? |
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| I am 42, having had back surgery in my 20's and plagued with back and shoulder issues, I am actually is better shape now than when I was a 3 sport athlete in high school. I took the time to learn what was causing the issues and strengthened and stabilized my weak areas through Pilates and other exercises. With repetitive type of activities it is important to make sure you are using the right muscles. BR |
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Posts: 357
Location: Duluth, MN | 33 here and havent lost it yet. I can still grind it out all day, but I can for sure tell I am no longer 20! Especially after those long days followed by a 12 pack. Wow does a hangover last a longtime compared to my 20's haha!
I am due to have hip, knee and shoulder problems due to injuries from sports and just being a ram rod, but so far so good. Althoug I know its coming. Spend 4-5 days a week in the gym before work in the morning to try and delay any ill affect that may be on thier way from the abuse I've put myself through!
Have to start saying no to the capatain morgan more often as well 
Youre only as old as you feel!
Edited by bdog 6/3/2014 7:50 AM
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Posts: 1220
| I recall an article in last year's (November/December) issue of MUSKIE that was titled The Bionic Angler. The brilliantly penned piece dealt precisely with the perils of the older musky angler. Most anglers believed the author to be far too younger looking to have expertise in this area, but I liked the article. |
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Posts: 1202
Location: Money, PA | I'm 46 and still can't get enough of IT! |
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Posts: 7049
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | BNelson - 6/2/2014 8:19 PM
I'm 41 and haven't hit the wall yet... despite torn labrums in both shoulders and one needing surgery this winter I can still go all day/nite when it's go time... imo it's all about staying active all year, lifting, cardio, eating right... I'm lighter than I have been the last few yrs so that will help this season... still pop a couple aleves per day to help the inflammation in my shoulders on long trips etc...
I'm w/ BN on this one: don't think you can be out of shape overall then jump in a boat, stand all day, and throw heavy or hard pulling baits like you did when you were younger and in better shape. I can say this because when I got fat and out of shape, everything hurt and I got tired fast while casting. Now back in shape, back issues fixed...fishing is a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable.
Not to be a total D*CK to those on this thread or on the board or just general muskie fisherman in general but...I've been to a lot of shows over the years and SUCH a high population of muskie guys are a brat away from a grabber. Big guts, out of shape, etc. etc...we ALL need to get our @sses in better shape for no other reason than you'll live longer and enjoy fishing more. So stop reading this crap and go jump on the treadmill!!!  |
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Posts: 1168
| I used to push it much more than now but as a result of fishing "smarter not harder" the return on investment has gone way up. Number of hours in between fish caught went down dramatically. Each year I still do two or three outings where I'll fish non-stop for 24 to 28 hours. Opening day I fished from midnight until around 2pm. It takes a little bit out of you but if you are mentally prepared to do that going in then it's not as bad.
The key (I think) is not sitting on your butt in the winter. I cast with my right arm and reel with my left. In the winter I bowl. Once I started doing that the early season fatigue was a thing of the past and that fatigue would lead to other issues because when you compensate for sore or stiff muscles you put strain on others and it can throw everything out of whack and you never catch up in a season. |
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Posts: 1037
| I'm still carrying holiday weight from 2004.
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Posts: 159
| Also 48---but a slave to working out--and eating right---do have some bad days with my knees but not that big of a deal....
Interesting post---for me when I started Musky fishing in my teens and got more serious into the late 20s I fished a lot more---started at my parents cabin in Minocqua--usually every early morning, cloudy/rainy days--every night-usually never less than 6 hours a day....
But now at 48 with a cabin on Vermilion I find that I just don't have that competitive, drive, passion, persistence, of youth...usually just the evening session into after dark....
I still fish a couple hours every day.....but seldom do the long day anymore......
I don't know for me------just spending time at the cabin, especially on a nice day,,,getting some sun, a little music, BBQ, a drink, just relaxing....is way more enjoyable than fishing during the day....Getting up early after a late night is more like working than vacation....
Frankly I just don't care anymore how many fish I catch---it used to be I fished because I didn't want to tell people I wan't catching anything---now I could care less about numbers...
Just fish for fun now--and when it becomes like a job---I go in and have some fun LOL
But time waits for no man---and there is definitely a change in how the body feels from 28 to -48----I imagine at 68 it will be much worse.....
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Posts: 1083
| I don't fit the stereotype of being the overweight individual being a brat away from a grabber. Although...I did like the analogy! LOL!
Being 5' 8" at 185lbs...reading that in black and white text, one would "think" I'm over weight for my height. Nope. More muscle mass/density than fat content.
My big issue is that while I was once very athletic and very active, I've....for whatever reason...unbeknownst to me...chosen a career that is high stress and has me chained to a desk, staring at a computer all day long every day, pushing a "mouse" around. THAT doesn't do me any good. Wasting away in the desk chair and stress has it's effects on both the mind and the body. All the more reason to be in the gym working out and lifting such as what B Nelson eluded to. Boy do I miss those days of being in the gym and working out. I could benefit from it to stay loose, but I do feel the years of being in the gym lifting weights through high school and college...also didn't do my joints any favors in the long-run. Seems not everyone is built the same and having hereditary bone/joint issues is a fault of no one. It's just something that has to be dealt with.
I'm in far better shape than most my age...according to Slamr's observations during those Musky shows! LOL! Have had my health check ups...cholesterol checked, even had a heart scan, all due to family tree history and genetics to make sure all is well.
Again...my mind is as young at heart as a teenager. I may grow old...but I ain't growin' up! LOL! The mind is a powerful, powerful thing...and I let my mental game push me through the physical pains. When it's go time....as Mr. Mandelbom would say on Seinfield: It's GO TIME!
Get me on one of my favorite lakes that I rarely get to fish and everyone is hard pressed to get me out of the boat. Pay for the aches and pains later the next week.
I also don't like pumping my body full of painkillers as I saw first hand what that did to my uncle's kidneys after years of painkillers to try and mask the pain from him over doing in the gym with the weights for too many years. He's already had a kidney transplant.
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Posts: 156
| Just turned 40. Like some others who have posted, I'm chained to a desk in a fairly high stress job. I'm 5-8, 230. That being said, I would say I noticed "it" about 2-3 years ago. Still, I may sit a spot or two out, but then I'm back up casting away. I've come to the conclusion that there's no point of casting to the point of fatigue...and possibly missing a big fish. I'd rather my boat mates get a chance at it. So, I'll sit down and relax a spot or two. There is no shame in that. I'll recharge my batteries and get back at it. Recently, I have found coconut water to be a life savor. Not sure what it is, but when i drink some, i can feel my muscles getting loose and relaxing. Prettty amazing, better than anythign like gatorade, etc.
My biggest problem is a 16 year old groin muscle tear that decides to act up now and again. Then i walk "funny", and my back gets out of whack. After re-popping the groin last week and having the back go out, plus turning 40...I'm buying an ellyptical soon, and am gonna get back under 200. Not beause it will help me fishing, but because I don't want to retire and be dead 5 years later... |
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Posts: 2024
| I have repeatedly noticed the referenced brat over the years... |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | I turned 71 this year and usually confine my casting to the last 2.5 hours of daylight rather than the 12 to 14 hours I would put in 20 years ago. I always fished slop with a suick or short arm spinnerbait which is not as hard on the body as double 10's or big rubber. I still put in a 10 hour day but do much more trolling especially since I am spending more time on the Larry and less inland. Living 5 minutes from the launch ( inland) I can fish everyday at magic hour and do fewer all day trips.
Retirement is good I can fish when others can't
Edited by horsehunter 6/3/2014 12:44 PM
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Posts: 117
| just getting into my prime at 24 |
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Posts: 410
Location: one foot over the line | Neck surgery at 35, and 6 years later i'll still grind it out. I will switch to easier lures as the body tells me no more db10's. At 6'1" tall and 170# and a plumber by trade, i'll hold my own. Especially with Guinness, Busch Lite, or Captain! YEE HAW MOTHER TRUCKERS! |
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Posts: 183
Location: Grand Forks ND | You younger people take note of why you need to take care of yourself. Thinking you're indestructible or thinking it's cool to be tough of your body is not the way to go....you will pay for it in later years. All the money in the world will not make up for the fact you have bad health. I see people every day that would trade everything they have for their health and mobility back. |
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Posts: 39
| 54 years old, and I noticed it in my late 40's. Used to hike the trout streams for 9 hours a day. Now, 5 or so is enough. I agree with the person who talked about fishing smarter. I have a good stock of spots, know the seasons, and catch as many fish in less time. |
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Posts: 19
Location: Tomahawk,Wi | I've only gone out a few nights since opener,saw a few small ones.still very limited weeds.tough.probably won't get out again til next week. I'll stay in touch. Send pictures. |
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