My Fishing Days Are Over and A sad day for me.

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rusty.hook

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 4, 2010
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Location
REPUBLIC of TEXAS
My Fishing Days Are Over:
I want to thank Jim and all the tinboats network members for putting up with me and my dumb arse mouth sometimes. Hey I am on meds, so I have an excuse ok! LOL
I have met some great folks on here and have fished with a few, laughed and told some stories. Good fishing to all of yall and be safe and remember when it is time you will know when to hang up that ol rod for good.
My fishing days are finally over after 66 years of wonderful and not so wonderful time on the water. Started off by perch jerking with earth worms and crickets with mom and step dad in 1946 on Cotton Bayou. Then to the salt at the old ferry crossing for the trip to LaPorte on Hog Island in Baytown, called Pelly at that time. Sometimes on the other side of the world to me at that time by the ferry to Morgan’s Point in LaPorte. I Fished lakes and ponds until I got married in 1966 and my first father-in-law and I went fishing at Huntsville State Park. I believe in 1967 or so we made our first trip to Sam Rayburn crappie fishing but I wanted to bass fish. I borrowed his boat and caught some big bass, and I was hooked on bass fishing for good. We always camped at Cassells-Boykin Park on the west side of Rayburn by the big bridge and went north into the woods straight across from the boat ramp. The trees were still alive at that time. We would fish all the way to Hank’s Creek Marina by the way of the old tram roads and logging roads. One day when I was at Rayburn, I met a super nice guy who had had a heart attack and his doctor told him to take off for a couple of months and relax. He was camped on the point by the boat ramp and his name was Cecil Skinner from Kirbyville and he taught me how to bass fish.

My first wife and I divorced in 1974. I fished Rayburn Toledo Bend, Conroe, Livingston and Fayette Count, Houston County, Dam B and Lake Murval and a finally a little lake east of Nacogdoches called Lake Pinkston. I finally settled on buying some property on Sam Rayburn and in 1982 with my second wife and we built a small house on Caddell Creek, just south of Harvey Creek and north of Veech Basin and across the lake from the Black Forest. The house had a 30’ wide front porch and 8’ deep with two oak rocking chairs on each side of a little table there. We could sit and look at the lake from the porch and drink coffe on a rainy day. The three houses across the street were families from Baytown also. In 1995, I went through a very rough divorce and she got the lake house. I did not fish again until 1997 until my present and VERY BEST WIFE got the house back in 1997. I retired on June 14th in 1997 and we moved to the lake house on June 15th of 1997. I installed a new roof and had the house painted and a 30’ x 12’ wood working shop built out back. I built a covered back porch with a storage room for dryer and washing machine and the hot water heated.
In 1999 I had more heart problems and my present wife and I moved back to Baytown. I did not fish at all until and 2002 or 2003 when my uncle asked me to go to the salt. We fished together for a couple of years when all of a sudden he woke up one morning and decided to give his boat to his son. He did not tell me he had given his boat away. About 2 or 3 months later I asked when we going again, and he said he had given his boat to his son. We would go some places and I would say, hey lets go over to that side or someplace else, and his reply was, “no, it’s my boat and my gas and we will go wherever I want to go”. I figured at that time I had better get my on boat, because I had bought a lot of rods and reel and more tackle and no way to fish. So that is the way my salt started off big time with a 14’ aluminum flat bottom with a 25 electric start Yamaha tiller and a 45 lb. troll motor. He and had fished a couple of times when he said, “hey lets go over there”, and my chance popped up, and I said, “nope, its my boat and my gas and we will go where I want to go”. He never asked to go anywhere else again on the water!
I bought a few bigger boats and fished with and without him until last year until he could not fish anymore because of knee surgery. In February of this year, I bought a 15’ Boston Whaler and was working on it when I had 2 more heart attacks and a small stroke. That made 8 heart attacks and two strokes since 1989 when I had a heart attack and 5-way by-pass. I fished in it one time in April this year and it was my last. I could not get in or out with out a four foot ladder and some very weak legs. I was very very wobbly and sometimes had some dizzy spells so I knew it was time to RETIRE. My boat has set in my boat stall beside my house since that time. I would start it up about once a week just in case I could go, but I knew it was just wishful thinking. I decided to sell it about a month ago and it almost broke my heart knowing my fishing days were over. I have sold all my rods and reels and fishing tackle and feel I made the right decision for me and my wife and our “baby girl, my Cocker Spaniel named Daisy”
When you are scared to get in a boat thinking about the possibility of falling out or falling off the trailer at the boat ramp, its time to think about your future. I have almost falling about once a week since my last two heart attacks. I have had a good life so far and have enjoyed fishing. Someone asked me one time if I had caught any fish and I said no and they said then it was a wasted trip for me, and I told them, not trip is wasted as long as you have a good day on the water and relaxing.
I saw my cardiologist last week and I told him that I had finally quit fishing and he said thank God for that, because I was worried about you.

See pic of my lake house below on Lake Sam Rayburn I built in 1982.
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Sorry to hear about this Bubba.

... but I wouldn't give up on fishin' completely just yet. There's still bank and pier fishing, and it can be very relaxing to just throw a couple of lines out and sit and wait for a fish to come to you... and you can still have a "good day on the water" even if you don't catch anything.

Even little Bluegills can be fun to catch on ultra light tackle in freshwater, and people watching is half the fun of fishing on saltwater piers.

Don't give up just yet, there are still fish to be caught and fun to be had.
 
Never give up!!! I went through something similar and had to give it up for 10 years after not being able to stay in the boat. Back problems made me lose my sea legs. Fishing and boating was all I lived and worked for from age 8 until around 40. 51 y/o today and by the grace of God last Jan my legs started working well again. Find a partner to take you or fish off the bank if need be. Life has few pleasures so don't give up!!!!
 
So sorry to hear about your situation, but totally understand your decision. Maybe the day will come and you can do some still fishing...or maybe teach some lucky kid the enjoy fishing. I am sure you have lot's of great memories to replay and lots of invaluable perspective to share with the rest of us. So I will look forward to you continuing posts!!
 
Sorry to hear that you have had to stop fishing rusty, I understand the boat issue but would think you could still fish from the bank or pier. I wouldn't give up fishing entirely unless I couldn't go outside at all.

I have a boat and sometimes I still bank fish just cause it easier than putting the boat in the water, not to mention the water is so low here right now.
 
saddens me to hear that. but you still have those rockers with a view of the lake. just today i took my old tin out without poles or anything just to do some thinking. wish me and my wife had a house not surrounded by 400000 other people. i would save alot of gas that way.
 
Still have those paved piers down by copano bay. I've caught some massive trout and drum out there. All you need is one of those get around carts. The lights at night are the best!
 
Only YOU can make this decision. I hope you never have to regret it. God's blessings on you and your family.

I hope you do stick around though. We never like to see family leave.
 
Beautiful story and beautiful house. May you enjoy the many more good years to come and I hope you have another passion/hobby that can safely replace fishing.
 
vahunter said:
Beautiful story and beautiful house. May you enjoy the many more good years to come and I hope you have another passion/hobby that can safely replace fishing.

+100 find something to enjoy :beer:
 
Agreed!!!! Find something to enjoy regardless. When I first lost the ability to walk and gave up fishing, my wife kept threatening to buy me one of those Rascal scooters LOL (I could have used one at times) I said screw this and bought me a motorcycle!! Kept my sanity by doing so. I hope I never have to give up fishing again however.
 
Wow, I haven't logged on in a LOOOOOOONG time and I show up and read your story. You might say every man has to know his limitations and it sounds like your Sir know yours.
Even if you can't get on the water your knowledge of boating, Fishing and stories of life is still needed here .

Take care of yourself and your wife,

a fellow Texan.
 

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