Coming to the conclusion...

[Cannonx4 0]

That wading rivers is killing me. Much as I hate to admit it, I am getting old fast. There's nothing I love more than wading rivers and trout fishing but I have to pay the price after a day on the water. It takes me two days to get over a day on the river. My back and down my legs kill me after standing and wading all day or even a half day. Anyone else have these problems and what do you do to try and help the problem, besides stay home.

[vicrider 0]

Hang in there and enjoy it all you can Ronnie because the time will come when it is no longer an option like I have reached. It's drift boats or park next to where you're going to fish for me now to trout fish. Otherwise, for you now, if you don't have any contraindications toward them, 2 or 3 Ibuprofen before you hit the river, then a couple of them when you're down can really help, along with ice packs first then heat later. I would gladly go with that routine to fish if my lungs would let me.

[mikechell 0]

Float tube and a trip downstream, rather than a wading walk upstream. Stop at the upstream ends of pools and swing presentations, rather than dragless drifting. I would imagine, in streams where there's a lot of dragless drifting ... swinging something through there might just be the difference that triggers strikes.

[shoebop 0]

I am fast coming to the same conclusion. I just bought a treadmill and hope to get in better shape so I can continue fishing in my favorite rivers for years to come. I have a bad back and there is nothing I can do about that but maybe I can postpone the inevitable.

[utyer 0]

Yes, it affects me as well. There was a time when I could walk up stream for a couple of hours, start fishing and stop at lunch time and be 4 miles from the car, turn around and fish my way back down stream until dark. Then do it all again the next day.

 

These days, I fish from a kayak most of the time. Once or twice a year, I head out west and there I find that wading and fishing for more than 6 hours is getting pretty tough. The back pain isn't unbearable, but it shortens my day. Most of the time when wading I fish a 4 hour shift in the morning, and stop for a couple of hours, and then fish a few hours in the evening. Fortunately, my destinations usually allow these breaks. My younger brother can't fish for this long, but then he has RA.

 

When I am on an extended trip, I usually rest every third or forth day, and do other things. The up side is that when I make a trip out west, I can lose 5 to 10 # in two weeks. The walking I do in the "off" season does help.

[kentuckytroutbum 0]

Could be the wading boots that you are wearing, not giving you enough support. Might want to wear a back brace belt.

 

Also, have you talked to your doctor about suggestions on what to do?

 

Bill

[mikechell 0]

You need to watch the movie, "Elysium". Maybe the mechanical support isn't just science fiction.

 

Not sure the trade off would be worth it, but hey, it's just a suggestion.

[Kudu 0]

Back brace and bourbon!

[FlaFly 0]

ibuprofen can help.. I take a few before I go bowling, or my left hip give me fits. I don't know about kayak fishing in wadeable streams... sounds treacherous.

[phg 0]

At 69, I can still fish all day, but I ain't worth squat the day after. That's OK, though, since I'm retired and can take a nap whenever I want. The fishing is still worth it.

[utyer 0]

When I said I fish from a kayak, I should have specified that I am now in Florida, and fish the moving lakes they call rivers, and the salt water lagoons, and the lakes, with a kayak. I don't think I would want to be wading any of those places or fishing from an inflatable.

[mikechell 0]

LOL If you're talking about the gators, they won't bother you, Utyer. Haven't had one bother me, and I've been wading fresh water lakes and ponds since '92.

If you're talking about the bottom, I somewhat agree. The St. Johns has too many deep holes and deep muck bottoms for safe wading.

Many of the lakes and ponds, though, have good, sandy bottoms.

[DavidR 0]

Mike you ever find gators "attracted" towards you when flyfishing ? Several times I've had them head in my direction when casting, even when no fly attached - just practicing adjusting my cast .... Seems there are times my fly line hitting the water draws them in. Usually just move on, really have no desire to discover what they are coming for.

[mikechell 0]

I don't remember attracting any gators while fly fishing, except to top water poppers and hoppers, and then only little ones.

I've had plenty of larger gators follow top water lures on conventional gear. I've had gators get to within 10 feet while following a Zara Spook. When they finally realize I am there, they make a big splash as they turn and swim off.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Take a magnezium tablet or 2 every morning & when you get back from fishing, take the best back pain relief medacine in the world = beer!