I am 61 years old. I used to fish a lot. I fished a tournament almost every weekend and if not I was on Lake Fork with a buddy for all of the 90's. I loved everything about tournament fishing. The studying of the maps, weather, lake conditions. My schedule was mapped out a year ahead of time. I had goals, win a club tournament, make the Top Six team, catch a double digit fish, make the championship for every tournament trail I was fishing. I loved the competition. I loved working on the boat and getting it tournament ready.
Now it is quite a few years down the road and for a variety of reasons I no longer fish like I used to. I don't own a boat, weather gets to me a little more these days and I have things that believe it or not or more important to me.
BUT, and here is the confession. My first club tournament of the year is coming up in a couple of weeks. I am now completely healed from a surgery I had a couple of months ago. My fishing time is very limited to a club tournament once a month and a great friend Craig who always invites me out with him when he is practicing for a tournament or just wants to get out on a certain lake and asks me along. I feel lucky to have made so many great friends in fishing and I am already shaking with excitement just like my grandkids this past week when opening their presents for Christmas.
The great thing about bass fishing is that I always have a feeling in my stomach and an excitement for that first run of the morning on tournament day and even though I now enjoy the fellowship fishing with different boaters and don't put such importance on winning I still love the concentration and focus on deciding on what baits and technique's to use and that one on one competition not with the other anglers but with the old bass.
The best thing about being in this sport for so long and getting a little longer in the tooth is the amount of great memories that I can always reach back and grab but also knowing that I am fixing to start on another year of building that pile up with even more.
Let's go Bass Fishing!

Been there, done that Mr. Yates. I have no regrets; but it sure would be nice to have all those expenses back. You see I have fallen in love with Mexico fishing and could have went every month for a week on those funds all these years. There is only a short time frame left so I am planning every trip I can when I can find fisherman to go.

I am still just as mad at those "Old Bass"; but just don't have the desire to go to our lakes for the average 5 bites per day. I get really fired up and shaky just thinking about the 100 bites waiting South of here.

TBassYates,enjoyed reading your post. You sound a lot like me...I'm 59 yrs old and I used to fish a lot of tournaments and when not, was on Toledo Bend or Rayburn with a buddy. These days I pick and choose when I go fishing....weather or other obligations. I don't participate in tournaments anymore, just fish when I want for as long as I want. I will be retired after tomorrow and I am looking forward to the new year anticipating that early morning run in pursuit of that first strike! Hopefully I get to fish a lot more in retirement.

Well said

Retired two years ago! Can't beat it!

I smiled the whole time I was reading the original post. I'm happy to know you never outgrow that feeling and the smell of an outboard burning oil in a quiet cove before daylight or the countless times the night before the tournament you wake up to look at the clock just to "make sure my alarm didn't forget to go off" or the fun sitting in a miserably cold boat just waiting on the National Anthem to be played.

This is why we love it.

I'm 55 and retired this year just so I could still fish a few years more without the aches and pains and not having to rush home Friday afternoon to get to the motel that evening before midnight and then get up at 4 am. Now I can leave anytime I feel like it. I have noticed I enjoy fishing from the back of the boat more though, but I still feel the excitement on every cast hoping to hook the big bass of the tourney. I STILL can't get to sleep before 2 am though but now I can take naps the day before

I would never recommend retirement.Just think of all the decisions you have to make as to which lake to go to.Seriously greatest 8 yrs.of my life.

Great post and great thread. My 90 y/o friend says "It's A-G-E" and so true.

Priorities shift but the memories are grand. My guide buddy always asks me after every tournament.... "Did you have fun?" I can easily lose sight of that when I focus on the competition.

Good for you for getting back on the horse.

Good for you! Nice post. Go get em!!

Awesome post

Retired , caught over 8,000 bass from Ray Roberts.Now i enjoy hunting for those
big mommas over 10lbs, 44 so far looking for the lake record shooting for 15lbs.
Having fun !

Good post, wishing you luck in your re-born fishing adventures. I need to find some of them myself.

Great post! I will be 62 years old next month. Still get excited when fishing a tournament. When I fun fish, I love it but I find its not quite the same feeling as tournament fishing. If I catch a nice fish its great but not as exciting as catching a nice fish in a tournament. Same with missing a good fish. Fun fishing, no big deal. Tournament, very big deal! Nice to win money in tournaments but its so much more than that to me. Love to see how you compare to other fisherman. Have met so many awesome people through the years because of fishing. Great folks that I would have never met if not for tournament fishing. What a great sport!

I love it, Tommy. Team Sweeeeet blood in ya never leaves.....I'm fishing my first full season (every tournament in the schedule) since my kids got involved in time consuming activities, sports, etc. That's been 15yrs ago. I've always fished a few here and there but nothing like I used to from age 25 to 40. Gonna see if I still got it. So far haven't finished any better than 12th place. Gonna happen, though...
Good Luck to you and partner in getting out, wiping the dust, and competing. Do just like the Dallas Cowboys.......FINISHTHEFIGHT!! Haha.