Reality hits home

a70suprbrd

Community Supporter
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
Mt. Hood/Parkdale,Oregon, / Cheboygan,Michigan
Boat
1996 Stratos 201 XL Pro DC/2009 Evinrude 225 HO
#1
After having turned the big 60 this year, the following article from Ultimate Bass hits home just a little closer this year.


As an aging bass angler, a story in a segment of crime stoppers on the local news about an elderly person whose house had been burglarized caught my attention. They went on to describe this “elderly” person as a seventy-year-old man. Holy cow, this is my age. I have never thought of myself as “elderly”. I think I am old but never considered describing myself as elderly. For some reason this really has hit home for me. Up until this moment, I never really thought of myself as being old, aging perhaps but certainly not old.

Now I have to put together this puzzle to try and find out when I got elderly. As I started thinking about this, I have been able to understand that the familiar sayings may just be true. What comes to mind is the old saying “If I thought I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself”. While this saying has been attributed to several people, I now am starting to understand just how true a statement it has become. Let’s see if I can develop a list of indications of the aging scenario:.

  • Remembering when you could pee off the deck of a boat without hitting the boat
  • Going to bed right after the tonight show was over
  • Eating spicy food without retribution
  • A new boat cost more than your first two houses
  • Young people worked after school jobs
  • Music did not all sound like noise
  • The face in the mirror looked pretty good
  • Sleeping all night without having to go to the bathroom
  • The jobs around the house could be done in a few hours instead of a few days
  • Going fishing rain, shine, hot, cold, wet or dry
  • Placing an online order with the pharmacy without having to scroll down for 5 minutes to find the year of your birth
  • Reading the fine print
  • Your grandchildren are in college or getting married
  • You become more in demand in the neighborhood because you can still drive at night
  • Haircuts seem to become less frequent
  • You are older than your doctor
  • What you hear isn’t what was said
  • The candles on your birthday cake set off the smoke detectors
Don’t Be An Aging Bass Angler
If any of these things are all too familiar, then perhaps you may be getting elderly. For me it seems it all happened this year when I turned seventy. Up until that point, I did not have any aches or pains or ongoing medical issues. Now it seems I have all these things. The doctor just keeps reminding me I have reached that age.

As and aging bass angler, one thing is for sure, I still love to go fishing. I might be a little slower at the ramp while launching or recovering the boat, please bear with me. I seldom go very fast on the water, when you are blasting down the lake at 70 mph please watch out for us old folk.

I do remember a time when it was believed you don’t have to get old if you just exercise mind over matter. That has turned out to be a bit of bovine excrement. I still don’t think of myself as old but now I am starting to accept the realities of my age. My plans still include getting the most out of life as possible, especially when it comes to fishing. I suppose one day the ability to take the boat out will be a memory but hopefully it’s not for a while. I still think fishing will be possible even if it is just going to the pier for a little saltwater action. Heck, I already have a plan for my someday pier fishing. I will load my stuff into the truck and head over to the pier, being sure to have my left turn signal on all the way there. I will have a nice comfy chair, a snack to eat, and drinks to keep me hydrated. I will set up the rods and just sit and watch the ocean roll by. I guess there is nothing wrong with that even though it won’t be in my bass boat, it will suffice.

For all of folks out there also hitting the elderly ranks, hang in there. Sure you ache a bit and your physical condition may not be all that good but just keep on going as best you can. After all, as they say “best is best” and you can’t do any better than that. At least you are still in the great outdoors even if it is only for a few hours. As has been said by others, “getting old ain’t for sissies” but don’t let it bring you down. This is the time to enjoy the day the best you can and remember what once was. Just think, if they ever invent a time machine, we can all go back and do it all over again.

FISH ON
Bud Kennedy


Steve