Lost interest, what did you do?

tin79

I have been fishing very regularly for about 30 years now. Started out when I was 5 on the local canal with my father and moved on to trout, fly fishing, pike, perch, tench, pole, lures, jerkbaits, sea fishing, boat fishing, tope, carp, catfish, salmon, bass etc etc.

I have probably fished 30-40 times per year on average over that period. Sometimes more often, sometimes less so. Well over a 1000 sessions I would guess (for a 15 year period I counted every one and recorded it in a log, stopped recording at 600). I couldn't guess how many thousands of fish of all types.

At times in my late teens, early 20s I was out day in day out almost year round. I would put in any effort for a big fish.

Lately I have been losing the passion. I knew I couldn't maintain the rate from my teens/20s but over the last few years I just haven't had the interest or motivation to get out and do it.

When I go get out I still love it, in a more mellowed way, and I think I will always be an angler but it will be stepped back. I have gotten more into boating too lately which has left less time.

The last time I counted I had over 60 rods and 50 reels. Fly rods, lure rods, match rods, poles, surf rods, jerkbaiters, whips, beachcasters, salmon fly rods, fly reels, baitrunners, centre pins, spinning reels, seat boxes, bags, rod pods, alarms.... you get the idea no doubt.

I get the feeling most wont see the light of day anymore. Definitely not the poles or seat boxes and probably never the salmon gear. I could only guess the next person that would use it might be my son but he is only 1 and by the time he is old enough will it be obsolete or just rusted? It would be shame to see it all just rot.

So for anyone else who has been in this position what should I do? Box it up for the future, sell it off, give it charity?

What did you do, did you regret it?



TLDR: loosing motivation to go fishing, what should I do with a lifetime of clutter?

vibes23

If you think your not gona get back into it either sell them on adverts.ie or ebay. I wouldnt advise selling all the gear you will be able to bring your son out in few yrs and the rods, reels should be ok.
Why not try new type fishing. Pike on fly, or using 1 of the inflatable chairs. havnt tried it but hear its great craic mite get you going again.


PS of your given gear away il take it

.red.

If your not gonna use them yourself id wash down the better gear and put it away for yourself and your son to use later on.
As for the rest of it, either sell it on adverts.ie or contact a local club to see if its of any use to younger members or lads who cant afford to buy gear. They will appreciate it more than you can imagine.
As for getting the passion back, check if you have any very light rods or buy a cheap lrf rod and go after the mini species. A tronix pro ul or l is about €40 and you probably have a reel already to pair it with. Its great craic and even tho the fish are small it will put a smile on your face.
My lad is only 4 but ie had him out for the last year targeting small wrasse, whiting, gobys and pollack in safe harbours and he loves it. My smile is as big as his when he catches. A life jacket for him is a must tho but you might be able to swap something for one.

SeaFields

If you decide to give it to charity, Andip who used mod the angling section, was involved in an initive which brough very sick children out fishing through the Barretstown charity. Just an idea for you tin79, you could drop him a PM and see if hes still involved.

Otherwise, good luck with whatever you decide, your son isn't far off being of age to go for a cast. I'd hang on maybe and once he starts going (and lets face it, he will probably get addicted like the rest of us ) you may surprise yourself as to how much the bug bites again.

breghall

enjoy your boating, and scale down on the gear but keep some of the good gear. There'll be days when you'll want to pike, or go coarse fishing, trout fishing etc. It's best to look at it and not for it, and if you won't use at least the option is there for your little lad to have some gear to hand in case he too takes it up.
You'll make some extra cash selling off the gear you don't want to hold onto , and especially this time of year it'll prob make somebody happy on christmas day. If i had this terrible choice, i'd donate some,sell some, and hold onto the rest.

tin79

breghall wrote: »

If i had this terrible choice, i'd donate some,sell some, and hold onto the rest.

I think this is what I will probably do alright. I fished a lot with my father so we have doubles of most things (hence the high number 2 beachcasters each etc adds up quickly).

For the stuff in long term storage what would be the best way to store? A good wash down for the rods, I was told household wood polish is a good way to help protect them..is there another type of wax that's useful? Leaving the cork dry I assume do it wont wet rot.

For reels I guess a good clean and oil should do. And then store the lot in a dry attic?

I guess nets can be given away as they will be the first to rot. I cant see me ever using a keepnet again really. Likewise beachcasters and probably pole fishing gear too.

Stick rods for the river will stay as that's my favourite at the moment. Light sea stuff too as suggested above.

I did try pike on the fly a while back but have never done much float tubing. Maybe some day I will try that.

On the charity side I am thinking Dublin Angling initiative as I used to work with them in the summers during college and I know they do good work with a limited budget. But your suggestion Seafields is a very good one too thanks.

Some good suggestions all thank you.

dodderangler

I was at that stage ( only 24) and was fishing all the time. Wasn't happy unless I was fishing in local river or waiting on a bus for over an hour to bring me t blessington and waiting hour then at night t get home. Always had to be beside the water with a rod but eventually I was getting bit out of interest with it.
So I just stopped going as much and enjoyed it more then. Say once or twice as much in winter and maybe once a week for few hours in summer.
Try go out less and you'll enjoy it more. I do look forward to going alot more now.

tin79

dodderangler wrote: »

I was at that stage ( only 24) and was fishing all the time. Wasn't happy unless I was fishing in local river or waiting on a bus for over an hour to bring me t blessington and waiting hour then at night t get home. Always had to be beside the water with a rod but eventually I was getting bit out of interest with it.
So I just stopped going as much and enjoyed it more then. Say once or twice as much in winter and maybe once a week for few hours in summer.
Try go out less and you'll enjoy it more. I do look forward to going alot more now.

I have only been out 3 times in 12 months. If I go any less I wouldn't go at all

But I know what you mean. My days of huge prebaiting campaigns or hard winter nights are gone.

Bizzum

Sometimes life just gets in the way and we have other priorities. I could have written a similar tale. Life and kids change things, but I know as my lads are getting older I'm getting out with them now and it's a great feeling, passing on to them stuff that was passed on to me.

I'm sure as your lad ages you'll get a gra on ya again to expose him to a sport that can stay with him for life!

Flysfisher

Take a break for a while and if it's in your blood, which it seems to be, you will come back to it in time.
As for all the tackle why 60 rods? Maybe you should thin down a bit and focus on one type of fishing you like the most, have less gear and be less complicated In your approach.

tin79

Flysfisher wrote: »

Take a break for a while and if it's in your blood, which it seems to be, you will come back to it in time.
As for all the tackle why 60 rods? Maybe you should thin down a bit and focus on one type of fishing you like the most, have less gear and be less complicated In your approach.

Cheers yeah I think that's pretty much what I intend to do I think.

The number of rods. Well as I said I fish with my father a lot so we needed a rod each, or set of rods each. I also have a few older ones that are obsolete now and have a few old cane rods too and so on. When do you as many types of fishing as I did you need a lot of rods for the various types.

There are a few types I would have had enough of alright, pole/whip fishing for sure, probably fly fishing, jerkbaiting and beachcasting too. They will all probably go.


The rods breaks down as roughly:

4 old inherited cane rods

4 old glass spinning rods

2 old fly rods

3 old kids rods

2 old glass match rods

3 poles (8m, 11m, 14m)

2 whips

4 match rods

2 stick/trotting rods

2 feeder rods

6 pike/bass/salmon lure rods (2 9 footers, 2 ten footers, 2 light 8 footers)

2 jerkbait rods

4 pike/carp deadbait rods

3 heavy boat rods (tope/skate)

4 river fly rods

2 lake fly rods

2 2 handed salmon fly rods

2 travel rods

+2 or 3 lidl specials (they can go too!)

Zzippy

Just a suggestion if you're charitably minded - the Dublin Angling Initiative is a brilliant project which has been going for nearly 20 years. It introduces kids from all over Dublin to angling, particularly disadvantaged kids in deprived areas. I know for a fact its kept a lot of kids out of trouble over the years and brought much joy and purpose to many. They are always in need of more tackle to run fishing courses for more and more kids and donating a few bits and pieces to them would be hugely appreciated.

.red.

tin79 wrote: »

2 travel rods

what kind of travel rods have you? im on the lookout for something for a holiday next year:D

tin79

Zzippy wrote: »

Just a suggestion if you're charitably minded - the Dublin Angling Initiative is a brilliant project which has been going for nearly 20 years. It introduces kids from all over Dublin to angling, particularly disadvantaged kids in deprived areas. I know for a fact its kept a lot of kids out of trouble over the years and brought much joy and purpose to many. They are always in need of more tackle to run fishing courses for more and more kids and donating a few bits and pieces to them would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks yes I mentioned them above. I worked with them for 3 years (summers) when back in college. They do great work alright, they would be high on my list. I try to donate to them whenever possible.

tin79

.red. wrote: »

what kind of travel rods have you? im on the lookout for something for a holiday next year:D

They are two little daiwa travel rod sets. Combo fly and light spin rods with reversible butt sections. Odd little things.

dazza161989

Do you have any old style fly reels?? As in a old hardy perfect style, brand doesent matter i just prefer the look?? If u do i would b interested