Closing out the year: what did you learn?

[Poopdeck 0]

I’ve learned that as you get older you tie more flies. I guess it’s because all of life’s heavy lifting is done. With few exceptions I’ve fished every fly I ever tied. Recently I began cutting the not so good ones off the hook because I’m running out of hooks, don’t have enough fly boxes to store and need to hang more in trees. Perhaps this year I’ll build and place a take a fly leave a fly box for my local creek. 

[DarrellP 0]

Light and magnification.  That is what I need.  I learned that in 2021.

Last winter the power was off for 5 days.  Got a generator, water storage, and working on food storage.

Learning lake flies.  This year i plan to focus on lake fishing.

 

I have enjoyed all of the swaps i have participated in or hosted.

[chugbug27 0]

I learned (as I often learn, particularly around this time of year) that it is much, much easier for me to figure out a new fly I want to tie and use than to organize and remember the flies from the past that I've wanted to tie and use, and did tie and only partly use. 

[DFoster 0]

16 hours ago, chugbug27 said:

I learned (as I often learn, particularly around this time of year) that it is much, much easier for me to figure out a new fly I want to tie and use than to organize and remember the flies from the past that I've wanted to tie and use, and did tie and only partly use. 

Guilty as well your Honor-  😄

[Mark Knapp 0]

On 1/2/2022 at 2:48 AM, Poopdeck said:

I’ve learned that as you get older you tie more flies. I guess it’s because all of life’s heavy lifting is done. With few exceptions I’ve fished every fly I ever tied. Recently I began cutting the not so good ones off the hook because I’m running out of hooks, don’t have enough fly boxes to store and need to hang more in trees. Perhaps this year I’ll build and place a take a fly leave a fly box for my local creek. 

Those Take-a-fly boxes are pretty cool. I like it.

[SalarMan 0]

Let's just say I had a rather unexpected learning lesson at the end of 2021.

I have not fished in almost 3 years due to some issues with my lower legs causing bilateral foot drop. Over this time frame I have gone to getting around with 1 or 2 canes depending on the circumstance of the given time and location. After some basic tests recommended by my spine surgeon (his work had NOTHING to do with my situation) I was then referred to a neurologist for further examination and testing. His expressed the fear I may be in the beginning stages of ALS. However because of my age and the fact this problem had been stable for almost 3 years...further and much more extensive testing was done. The end result is I have LAD...leg amyotrophic diplegia. The neurologist told me I was 1 case in 100,000 and he had never seen this outside of a textbook. So this is what it is and I can live with it.

So what did I learn? Sure...I miss my time on the stream...but I really don't give a shit because I am here and will be for some time to come, or so I hope at 73 years old. I now fish vicariously through web sites like this one, my fly tying and of course the various and sundry magazines.

After 59 years with a fly rod in hand I can say it has been a good run. I've fished the tropics for bonefish and tarpon, the Rivers Test and Itchen in England, completed my bucket list on Atlantic Salmon a few years back, fished out west of course, got to know a lot of fine streams here in Pennsylvania and made some long time good friends locally as well as getting to know on various levels some of the legends in the sport.

A special shout out to Mark Knapp, Dean Foster and "Toothy". You guys are a prime example of what are the truly fine people who are part this great sport.

Cheers and Happy New Year to one and all.
George

PS - If you ever have to have an EMG test be prepared. You will feel like a guinea pig for capital punishment - LOL 🤪🤪

[WJG 0]

Sad health news to hear George.  3 years off the streams is indeed a long time. 

Never say never.   

Happy New Year to you also.

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

George

Sorry to hear the news. All of us 70+ are the walking wounded. A diagnosis is always better than speculation and worry. I look forward to seeing many more amazing flies posted from you. 
aTom

[chugbug27 0]

3 hours ago, SalarMan said:

but I really don't give a shit because I am here and will be for some time to come, or so I hope at 73 years old

👍  Any possibility of boat / lake fishing? 🤞

[SalarMan 0]

1 minute ago, chugbug27 said:

👍  Any possibility of boat / lake fishing? 🤞

Something I've given some thought to, and while it isn't my first choice on how I like to fish...I'd still be in the outdoors doing something I love.

We shall see👍

Thanks guys!!

[DFoster 0]

On 1/5/2022 at 11:48 AM, SalarMan said:

Let's just say I had a rather unexpected learning lesson at the end of 2021.

 

George I'm very sorry to learn that you are still struggling with the physical impairment.  As a man of faith I will pray that you overcome your circumstances and can one day get to a river bank again.  Thank you for your kind words, they are very humbling. 

[SalarMan 0]

4 minutes ago, DFoster said:

George I'm very sorry to learn that you are still struggling with the physical impairment.  As a man of faith I will pray that you overcome your circumstances and can one day get to a river bank again.  Thank you for your kind words, they are very humbling. 

Dean -

Unless modern medical science comes up with something new, this will be what it will be, and I can live with that. One reason is fellow human beings like you.

Cheers,
George

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I learned several things that I remember, and probably several more that I've probably already forgotten.  All of the things I can remember at present are tied to my Major Life Event of 2021, which was that we moved from the modest-sized city (50,000 or so souls) of Holland, MI to the comparatively tiny town (pop. 2000-ish) of Whitehall, an hour northeast on the map. 

I learned that, if I thought moving at 40 sucked, moving at 51 was just not doable--for me, at least--without hired help. Even with four strapping young movers doing the heavy lifting, it was exhausting. Bundled into that lesson were these: 

• I learned just how much "stuff" a person is capable of accumulating over 11 years when that person has a big basement and acquires a taste for woodworking. 
• I learned that saving every last discarded scrap of wood and rusty old screw "because it will be useful someday" was not at all "charming" when all that crap has to be packed up and lugged around. I am working hard now to re-fashion myself as, if not an actual "minimalist", at least not a quasi-hoarder. 

There were lots of positives to this experience, as well, though-- LOTS! Of note:

• I learned what an incredible difference it can make in one's general sense of well-being and happiness when you live in a place that is "right" for you. I went from a busy, noisy corner where I could not escape the general cacophony of humans and their vehicles to a house that sits a quarter-mile back in the woods on a dead-end road. Unless a contractor or delivery person comes by, I don't see another car or human all day if I don't want to. I have seen 4 species of Woodpeckers and half a dozen different kinds of songbirds just standing on my back porch. I opened the blinds on the doors in my bedroom that open onto a small deck one day, and a red fox was sitting there, sheltering from the rain under our eaves. As the old hymn goes, "it is well, it is well with my soul." 
• Speaking of my basement woodshop -- it is currently awaiting rebirth in my 1200 square-foot heated pole barn. I will finally have the space to build projects of any size, which fires my imagination and makes me intensely happy. 

And last but not least, I learned how many more flies I get tied when a) I don't have time to get my shop set up because of all the "honey-dos" and b) I have a tying space behind closed doors that the cat can't get into!

I hope all of you are finding yourselves well, inspired, and content in this new year. Even though I haven't shown myself in these forums much of late, I am still glad and grateful to be a part of this community. 

 

 

[DarrellP 0]

Salarman, I am sorry To hear of your health issues.  I am glad it was not ALS!  I hope you consider lake fishing.  I have really enjoyed it, as my wading is not quite as good as it was.

This year has been weird.  I learned that I have low grade prostate cancer.  I also learned my first grandchild is due in February.   I learned that I cannot get down and work on plumbing under the sink.  I can still work every day.  I learned that Covid sucks, even after vaccinations.   I would hate to have gotten it without some immunity. 

I learned that remodeling a house is not fun when you have to hire a lot of it done.

I also learned that we have way too much stuff.  You can't downsize without getting rid of stuff.

As pretty as Oregon is, people here litter worse than anywhere i have ever been.