Who says your too old to fish?

[Tightlines667]

My dad.

Last summer, after spending a rough couple days on a center console trip to the Bahamas decided to sell his boat, and hang it up.... claiming. " I am getting too old for this S...".

Well, last week a friend offered up a 19' center conole, and a condo on the water in the keys for rent.  He respooled the reels, packed up his gear, and headed down there with a friend for 7 days of offshore trolling.  

I recieved my first report today...

Day 1 - 2 Dolphinfish, 1 Black-fin Tuna
Day 2 - 1 Bonita, winds picked up over 20 and they only fished a 1/2 day

Day3&4 -Cancelled due to high winds.  They were spent driving around looking at boats.  I got a series of pictures of a beautiful 2004 Parker 2520 with inboard diesel, and a question...

"You don't mind if I spend a bit of your inheritance?... Do You?"

Day 5 (today) - Caught a 200lb Blue (Marlin).  90min fight on a 9/0.  He had the spool down to less then 1/3 and the reel was 'hot'*.  When we got him to the boat, I turned her downwind, and when I left the controls to grab the leader, the fish surged under the stern, line touched the swim platform, and broke.  Didn't get the tag in him.

I, for one am impressed, by the fact that a couple of guys  (1 a blue water 'Greenhorn') well into their 70s, are capable of 'getting it done', or nearly so, out on the deep blue.

Just a little disappointed, I havn't been able to spend the time offshore fishing with my dad, that we both envisioned during his retirement.

Now I wonder what tomorrow might bring.

Who says your too old to fish?

*Maybe now he will let me service/upgrade his bone stock 80s era Senators

[David Hall]

That's awesome, and if I might give you my .02 about fishing with your dad?  find the time! Go fish with him.  The time will not just fall into place, waiting for the right time may never happen, Life is far to short and once he's gone you will give anything to spend just one day on the water with him.  Sounds like he's still pretty active and you should be able to enjoy many trips with him don't live to regret not doing it.

[Cor]

Great story. 
Trouble is I was drawn to it by the heading as I am beginning to feel that way and it is really bothering me.   

We all age differently and although I am still young at 65, the fishing here is extremely robust, and very hard for my body to keep at it.   Shore fishing involves climbing around mountainous shore lines and boat fishing in small boats in generally rough conditions, bouncing and thumping around.    Some of my mates are well over 70 and still manage much easier then I do but that is life.

I need to make the lifestyle changes required and fish less and at easier spots.     In fact on the positive side I already started that a number of years ago and now build quite a few rods and service reels as an extension of my hobby to keep myself out of mischief.

Some years ago an old guy who I remember well from my youth came down one of the mountainous spots when he was 83 years old and he still managed to catch his last fish.   Someone carried his fish up for him and he took nearly 2 hours to get back to his car that afternoon, a walk that a young fit guy does in 12 minutes, but I'm sure it must have been his most rewarding trip in his lifetime.

Keep going as long as you can!

PS as a matter of interest, he is the guy who was allegedly involved in the development of the Penn 49a reel.

[ChileRelleno]

Sounds like your Pops still has it going on.

Have to agree with David, MAKE the time to fish with your Dad.
Never got to do much with my Dad, which is why I try to do so much with Nathaniel.
Hopefully the lil'knucklehead will remember and take me hunting/fishing when I'm an old man. 

[anglingarchitect]

Lots of great memories of fishing with my Dad, those memories are imortal, though I lost him 11 years ago.

mark

[David Hall]

as with all of us, one day it will not be possible to fish with your dad.  I no longer have the opportunity, so instead I fish with my son and my grandkids, and I do it as often as possible. 

[Keta]

My goal in life is to die fishing.   

[Aiala]

Old?? Phooey! I just got back from the gym, managed to decline bench 100 lbs x 5 reps, then 180 lbs x 12 on the leg press. 

If those tuna think they're gonna beat me up, by gosh I'll make 'em work for it! 

~A~

[Keta]

I have ben going to the YMCA for a month, lost 15 pounds of lard and replaced 5 pounds of it with meat.

[sdlehr]

My goal in life is to die fishing.   

Mine is similar, but it happens on the day I run out of money...

Sid

[Tightlines667]

My goal in life is to die fishing.  

Lee,

I may have to have you talk a little sense into my dad.  I'm always afraid that he's starting to talk about the good 'ol days too much.  He has been complaining that he "has no energy"and that fishing is becoming "too much like work".  "It's a young man's game" and the like.

He does have a few good excuses...

2 strokes, triple bypass, and aortic reconstructive surgery in the last year.  

I think catching that Blue Marlin may have breathed a little life back into him though.

[Alto Mare]

My goal in life is to die fishing.   

Mine is similar, but it happens on the day I run out of money...

Sid

Yup! usually it happens simultaneously

[David Hall]

The perfect plan is spend everything you have on one last fishing trip?
I'm going to have to start fishing all these reels I'm building, it would take me a couple months fishing a new one everyday!

[Keta]

My goal in life is to die fishing.  

Lee,

I may have to have you talk a little sense into my dad.  I'm always afraid that he's starting to talk about the good 'ol days too much.  He has been complaining that he "has no energy"and that fishing is becoming "too much like work".  "It's a young man's game" and the like.

He does have a few good excuses...

2 strokes, triple bypass, and aortic reconstructive surgery in the last year.  

I think catching that Blue Marlin may have breathed a little life back into him though.

Ouch, I should feel lucky I only had cancer, my legs crushed and have high blood pressure.