Balance

[WRB]

Balance the ability to stand under moving conditions like standing in the front deck operating  the TM without falling over board  was my issue in selling my boat.

Today when I get the opportunity to fish everyone treats my like the old man I am. 

I wouldn’t fall fall overboard but who believes this? Very discouraging  to be treated as an old man and hope you all never experience this. But when you do be grateful!!

Tom

[Susky River Rat]

My dad has foot issues. They will go numb at times. I never treat him like a frail old man but, I do keep an eye on him when he moves around in my boat. He had no interest in running the foot pedal he is very content with just sitting on his butt seat at the back of the boat. 

[Catt]

Hear ya! 

 

I had incredible balance often working as high as 150' in the air. Now I can't stand on a step stool without feeling off balance. 

 

I use to walk down the dock, jump on the deck of the boat. Now I walk down the dock, sit on the dock, put my feet on the deck then stand up. 

 

Back in March I was running my buddy's trolling motor on his Caracal. It was so sensitive that everytime the boat rocked the trolling motor moved with me. 

 

Quite humbling 😒

[Mobasser]

I'm 66, and for the most part my balance is pretty good. I can still stand up in the boat and cast ok. But it's easier if I sit down and fish. My daughter's already treat me like I'm an " old man".  Everything I do, they're saying be careful dad!               My wife says I should be grateful my daughters are looking out for me, and I am.

[GRiver]

Because of my balance or the “not so as it used to balance” is why I wear an auto inflatable life jacket. 

[PABASS]

Being a tall guy my balance has sucked all my life and so I tend to sit on my boat to fish when there is lots of wind and or boat traffic.  I have almost fell out twice in the last month just by walking around...

[Dwight Hottle]

I'm 76 and never have had a balance issue for which I'm grateful. I have several buddies that do and it is a serious problem when fishing. I do notice how others think I'm weak & frail based on my age &  overall appearance. People hold doors open for me when I'm  out in public & defer to me being first when getting in line or going thru an opening. I just smile to myself & enjoy the treatment that old age has bestowed on me. 

[scaleface]

I can stand up in my Bass Hunter with a hand control  motor but if I'm running a foot control  , I have to at least lean on something.  

[MN Fisher]

64 years old and I can stand and work the foot-control for my TM without issue. Just that the poor circulation in my legs requires me to sit for about 1/2 the time I'm on the water...reason I replaced the butt-seat in front with a standard seat.

[DaubsNU1]

Balance...

 

I'm pretty good still at 56 years old.

 

My Dad is 83, epilepsy since the early 1980's, CPAP machine for a long, long time. Meds impact his balance...in the past 5 years he has fallen 5 or 6 different times, most needing hospitalization. Year ago he walked up the 6 steps from living room to kitchen, lost his balance, then fell back down the stairs. He was ticked off.

 

Gathered himself and the stuff he was carrying...walked to kitchen, got squared away, then up 13 more steps to bedroom...in to his sleepy britches...and in to bed. Few hours later he woke up to pee...and couldn't get out of bed...called me. Turns out he broke 5 ribs and his BACK on that fall...yet still climbed stairs and put himself to bed. Squad ride and 5 days in hospital. He's a tough son of a...

 

Brother and I take him fishing as often as we can. Has a hard time climbing in the boat, always sits when he fishes.

 

Fishing with Dad is a great reminder to stay active, work on my balance, and enjoy every minute on the water. I'm sitting more when fishing, mainly due to leg fatigue.

[Bankc]

I'm often surprised at how much work maintaining balance is.  I'll sometimes go fishing in my kayak on a windy day and by the time I'm done, I'm completely worn out.  Not from paddling, because I have a trolling motor.  But from fighting the wind and waves and keeping myself balanced through all of that.  It's those tiny, stabilizer muscles all throughout my hips and core that we don't normally use much in daily life that really get a workout. 

[Functional]

With the wake boats today and less than courteous boating behavior I worry about anyone who stands anywhere on my boat.

 

I'm only 37 and I will still have plenty of times I get on my knees when some wakes come by. 

 

Hell! Look at Kristine Fisher's latest blooper. One wrong foot placement pulling up her TM sent her over. If you've seen any of her videos she nearly dances on parts of her kayak that would send nearly everyone head first into the water. 

 

People trip over flat ground, we are on 3 dimensionally moving platforms all while trying to fish and run a TM. Even the most acrobatic of us can go over at any given time. 

 

You've put in your dues in life, enjoy the respect that comes with it and let people worry about you. 

[Catt]

That's what ruined my back which in turn ruined my balance.

 

[king fisher]

My problem is I can't remember if I have good balance or not.

[A-Jay]

IMO and especially as we age, balance & strength go hand and hand.

I can't expect to be able to maintain good balance,

without the overall body strength to support it.

I work at it every other day all year long.

At 64 years old, Keeping my body weight in proportion to my frame is also a big deal.

All done with my diet & life style.

As my strength, bone density, joint, ligament & connective tissue all whither with age,

My balance goes with it. 

However, the lighter I am, the less this becomes an immediate issue.

If I'm carrying an extra 40-50 lbs or more, I'm an accident looking for a place to happen. 

I've had my share of serious injuries & set backs.

I'm right in the middle of at least two right now. 

But I refuse to let that be an excuse to just give up. 

It's a commitment to a life style that I chose a long time ago.

And my efforts will never effect the quality of my life more than right now

and moving forward. 

Take it slow and Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

[Zcoker]

Don't think I could stand up all day working a trolling motor, is why I like kayak fishing. I never need to stand up anyway, even punching heavy mats, so balance is not really an issue. Only time I might get off balance is when I get whirled around by these crazy everglades bass lol 

[Catt]

40 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

But I refuse to let that be an excuse to just give up. 

 

Ain't gonna give up...ever

 

[fishhugger]

i'm 68. for me, building strength is good, but more important is flexibility, maintaining a good diet, and getting a good night's sleep. maintaining all those helps with my balance.

but i also need to  be careful.  don't leave stuff lying around to trip on. yes, be careful going up and down stairs.  at night - turn a light on, so you don't stumble in the dark...

last year i had various health issues, and balance was definitely an issue. now it's a lot better - but i still try to be reasonably careful.  people my age falling can suffer busted bones, etc....  not good.

[FryDog62]

My balance and legs still feel as good, strong and agile as they have ever been.  I did have a bad reaction to statin cholesterol medicine 15 years ago that wreaked havoc on my legs. I workout/stretch daily and do the exercise bike to combat this. I can still outrun most guys I know half my age. But I can't stand in one place for any length of time. If I do, my legs throb like an Excedrin headache on steroids.

 

So converting from bass boat boat to kayak where you sit most of the time has actually been good for me, even though it was a very tough decision to sell my Lund.

 

Everyone is dealing with something as you get over a certain age. Tom, I hope you find the right "balance" to keep you on the water.  Keep at it !

[2tall79]

At 75 I feel your pain.....literally.  My favorite lake has a lot of boat traffic and just staying in the boat is a challenge.   My calf muscles have all but disappeared and as hard as I work to bring some of that back, it's not working.

Sitting down while bass fishing is not how I want to spend my time on the water.  I have experimented with different lean/sitting devices and may have found a compromise that will work for now.   My back pain is also an issue that compounds the problem.

That being said....I'm going to keep on going out 'til my kids confiscate my keys.

[Alex from GA]

I'm small 5'5" and light @ 135 and also old, 83 but still have never fallen.  I need to sit while fishing most of the time and kayak fishing is getting harder to get in and out.  I have to turn the boat to face wakes head on.

[GreenPig]

4 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

I'm 76 and never have had a balance issue for which I'm grateful. I have several buddies that do and it is a serious problem when fishing. I do notice how others think I'm weak & frail based on my age &  overall appearance. People hold doors open for me when I'm  out in public & defer to me being first when getting in line or going thru an opening. I just smile to myself & enjoy the treatment that old age has bestowed on me. 

I'm sure most folks don't see you as weak & frail. Alot of us simply respect and look out for our elders.

[GreenPig]

My balance is great until my back starts hurting and tightening up and that's dictated by the conditions(wind & waves). After my spinal fusion it took me 8 - 10 months of training to feel safe on my boat. Most of that time per my Nuerologist was my damaged nerves healing. 

I don't fear falling too much at my age(49), I do fear damaging my rods if I apply 250 lbs on them.

[steve carpenter]

77 and sold my bass boat with decks for that very reason. Now fish out of a boat I can stand in or sit. I mainly fish smaller bodies of water many on private property now. Still have good strength and work out out 5 times a week. Overboard on the trolling motor in winter by myself taught me a lesson. Have been blessed to live to old age in relative good healthNot all bad

[MassBass]

You can train balance, it's not something that must inevitably worsen. Surfers are big into it, stuff like wobble boards, bosu balls, balance training. Even work on standing on one leg. I could say this to someone, but it is up to the individual to be curious and have a drive to get better, and not just be resigned to their current age or physical condition.