This gent began his piece by listing a series of sure-fire ways to know whether you indeed have reached that point in your life when you really have no other choice but be willing to identify with that crowd otherwise known as "elderly." Heading that list...yessir, right there in the No. 1 spot, no less...was this entry: "Not being able to pee from the deck of a boat without getting some on the boat...or maybe your foot."
Well, I'm here to tell you that, ever since I started fishing with Wayne out of his Ranger, I always have carried a "pee bottle" in my bag every trip. I also keep one in my ol' Skeeter...not so much because I'm concerned about gettin' a little pee on her, but because of something that happened a good while back, during a solo trip.
After lookin' around and not seein' or hearin' anyone coming, I had "eased"...and I do mean just that...up on the bow to relieve myself, when all of a sudden I heard a boat coming toward me from dead ahead. After the usual delay I had gone through, waiting for what most young guys take for granted will start instantaneously, I wasn't about to stop the process in mid-stream. I instead decided to take my chances. And don't you know, it turned out to be a pleasure boat, with some females aboard. You can imagine the response I got as they passed. Anyway, that's why there's a pee bottle in my ol' Skeeter.
However, I digress. To get back on track, let me mention a couple of the forum posts that piqued my attention. One was this note from a younger fella, who had made a bank-fishing trip to a small lake near his house when he noticed an older man standing on the bank, holding his rod close to his face.
"I approached him and asked if he needed help. Seems he had gotten a backlash and was having trouble getting it out because he had left his glasses in the car," said the younger fella. "When I offered to get his glasses for him, he gave me his keys. He was very grateful for the help and was casting again in a short time."
The younger fella noted that the older man had explained that he used to own a bass boat but had had to sell it. He couldn't handle it by himself any longer. Added that he had fished a few tournaments years ago but that his fishing buddies were all gone now, and he was left "walkin' the banks alone."
"He obviously was an avid fisherman," said the younger fella, moving down the bank with him. "When it was almost dark, he hollered 'thanks again,' and I said 'you're welcome.'"
The younger fella summed up this experience by urging "young guns" everywhere to always respect the older anglers they meet. "Give them a kind word, and help them out if they need it," he said. "One day, you, too, may be 'walkin' the banks alone' and need a hand."
There also was this note from a 60-plus-year-old gent who was fishing his first BFL tournament (as a non-boater) after recovering from spinal-fusion surgery. He had drawn a boater with a brand new Bullet bass boat. At a meeting the night before, this boater had asked if the older gent would like to have a rear seat.
"Yes! I almost screamed," said the older gent, knowing that the Bullet has a very high gunwale. He even was more than a little apprehensive about just stepping aboard the boat from a floating dock. Come tournament day, someone had told the boater and another fella about the older gent's fears. As a result, they grabbed the older gent under the arms and placed him in the boat.
Said the older gent afterward, "I don't think my boater got over 50 mph all day, and he kept offering to land my fish without letting me bend over to net his. To this day, whenever I see these two 'youngsters', I give 'em a hug!"
And finally, there was this philosophical note from an old-timer who said, "The funny thing about getting old is that your mind doesn't figure it out...or won't allow you to accept it...until your body already is there. Most of us are young in mind, but the body doesn't cooperate.
"I will be 65 soon," he continued, "have had one shoulder surgery, as well as a knee replacement, and need a replacement of the other knee, too. As a young fella, I remember fishing with my dad for pike and being able to jump in and out of a boat with the greatest of ease. Today, though, I have to stop, analyze, and finally ask myself, 'Do I really want to do this?'
"No older angler wants to be a burden to other boaters and anglers, but aging is something none of us can avoid. I implore you to enjoy each day while you can, 'cause the day may come when the only fishing we will be able to do is in our memories and dreams."
At 78 and counting, I don't mind sharing that I've personally been dealing with these kinds of matters, too...for a good while now.
Back only a few months ago, while having repeated bouts with vertigo, I don't mind telling you that I was petrified having to walk down a catwalk and/or step aboard a boat. With everything around me swirling at what seemed like 100 mph, I constantly was looking for an outstretched hand to guide me to safety. Since the vertigo attacks have subsided, I'm once again getting my assurance back while walking a catwalk and/or boarding a boat.
I've also had some dealings with gimpy-leg issues, which have created anxious moments for me while on the water. Again, I was welcoming any and all outstretched hands.
There further was last year's tournament I fished with Mark Ingram, when he literally had to pull me to my feet after every run, simply because I didn't have the strength to do it by myself. Being the nice guy that he is, he never acted the least bit annoyed, but the situation certainly bothered me. Don't know that I've ever felt more foolish.
These matters, combined with the fact I have taken a couple spills aboard my boat, have made it abundantly clear to me that I must exercise extreme caution, especially when I'm flying solo.
As someone who, early on, refused to accept helping-hand offers from others because I considered it a sign of weakness and a bother, I don't mind telling everyone that I accept all such offers today...I don't really have a choice. Just know that I sincerely appreciate your every demonstration of caring.
As noted by author John Ashley-Cooper, "One thing becomes clearer as one gets older and one's fishing experience increases, and that is the paramount importance of one's fishing companions."
This saying, like many others about fishing, centers around one point: that it's not just about catching fish. According to author, photographer, hiker, fly fisherman, and wildlife watcher Paul Schullery, "Fishing is so much more than just a hobby. It's a form of meditation, a passion, even a lifestyle. So many people dedicate their lives to the sport of angling. A love of fishing is shared around the world. There's no other activity that can provide food for the table at the same time as sustaining your soul."
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