Solo fishing

Congrats on your retirement! How are you feeling about it? I am a bit ahead of you. My last day is May 4th. I have been part time the last few years so that means 4 work days left! Very strange feeling when you start deleting thousands of project files off your computer 😳 . Good luck with the transition!

I too mostly fish solo. Lots of good info on safety so I won't add to that.
 
First thing on my list if I were in your position (and didn't already have them) would be getting my hands on a rig that I could drive everyplace that I wanted to go in pursuit of fishing and could comfortably camp in the back of for a few days at a time and be comfortable in cold/wet weather. The second thing would be boat/watercraft that I could use on stillwater and rivers.

I will 2nd JayB's comments. I have been working on this rig for the last 4 years and have been using it as I go - 38 nights in it so far with most of that being fishing trips. It is sooooo nice to be able to do an overnight trip to a spot that is just a bit too far for a day trip. Many more to come!

The surge in "vanlife" created by COVID has fizzled. You can find used ones at reasonable prices again.

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I will 2nd JayB's comments. I have been working on this rig for the last 4 years and have been using it as I go - 38 nights in it so far with most of that being fishing trips. It is sooooo nice to be able to do an overnight trip to a spot that is just a bit too far for a day trip. Many more to come!

The surge in "vanlife" created by COVID has fizzled. You can find used ones at reasonable prices again.

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Nice rig!

I’ve pulled a 20 ft camp trailer for about 12 years. I love having a nice place to crash….get out of the weather, etc. someday, if I ever go away from the trailer, I’d probably go van
 
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I will 2nd JayB's comments. I have been working on this rig for the last 4 years and have been using it as I go - 38 nights in it so far with most of that being fishing trips. It is sooooo nice to be able to do an overnight trip to a spot that is just a bit too far for a day trip. Many more to come!

The surge in "vanlife" created by COVID has fizzled. You can find used ones at reasonable prices again.

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That is nice...unfortunately my wife would never let me build one...so I bought a Defender that I can sleep in...and it fits in the garage...

Is that four wheel drive?
 
Sorry if already posted, but definitely a tick tool. This year is exceptionally bad for them. I've already brought 3 home, and Peg brought one in from the garden. After a partially successful removal of one, followed by 14 days of antibiotics, I'm not signing up for another.

Top: American Dog Tick, male
Bottom: Black Legged Tick, female
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Sorry if already posted, but definitely a tick tool. This year is exceptionally bad for them. I've already brought 3 home, and Peg brought one in from the garden. After a partially successful removal of one, followed by 14 days of antibiotics, I'm not signing up for another.

Top: American Dog Tick, male
Bottom: Black Legged Tick, female
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I hate those frickin' things!
 
Weather permitting, tomorrow is a hike in day, three miles, solo. The lake I fish has a pair of otters that I do see swimming from time to time and if I saw them swimming and I was tubing: I'd get the hell out of their way in a hurry. Now @Tim L and his ticks (gross, man!) the beaver attack, bears, cougars, tweakers, meth heads, .357, 9 mm (where's Dirty Harry?) ..... . No one's brought up:

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for water filtration I prefer a Katadyn BeFree filter that screws into almost any sized soft flask. Scoop and drink and packs small when not in use. Also fits perfectly in the water bottle pocket on most backpacks.
 
Sorry if already posted, but definitely a tick tool. This year is exceptionally bad for them. I've already brought 3 home, and Peg brought one in from the garden. After a partially successful removal of one, followed by 14 days of antibiotics, I'm not signing up for another.

Top: American Dog Tick, male
Bottom: Black Legged Tick, female
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Wait a minute, there's a tool for pulling out ticks? And all this time I've been using my thumb and index finger like a neanderthal. I'll have to check out this tick tool you speak of.
 
That is nice...unfortunately my wife would never let me build one...so I bought a Defender that I can sleep in...and it fits in the garage...

Is that four wheel drive?
AWD and it fits in the garage - built a house 10 years ago and planned ahead! The van has been part of the retirement plan for a long time.

At one time I planned to put the canoe on top. I built some contraptions to get it up there, but I couldn't figures out how to get it down by myself. One advantage of the van over pulling a camper is I can pull a boat. I bought a used motorcycle trailer and made a canoe rack for it. Probably would have ended up trailering the canoe even if I could get it down by myself. Getting it on a roof rack in the wind would not have been safe.
 
I've always enjoyed the freedom of fishing alone with only internal expectations and commitments. I've done that the vast majority of my life but since moving I feel trapped to include others. Indeed, I now often find myself inventing excuses to forgo fishing at the expense of offending my neighbor and primary fishing buddy who lives across the street from me and is a "mayor of the street" type. I can't walk out of my house without him noticing. He's a great guy and fun fishing partner, but he's not a fly guy. It seems good neighbors don't necessarily make good fishing buddies.
 
Sorry if already posted, but definitely a tick tool. This year is exceptionally bad for them. I've already brought 3 home, and Peg brought one in from the garden. After a partially successful removal of one, followed by 14 days of antibiotics, I'm not signing up for another.

Top: American Dog Tick, male
Bottom: Black Legged Tick, female
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Nope. No thank you.
 
Congrats on your retirement! How are you feeling about it? I am a bit ahead of you. My last day is May 4th. I have been part time the last few years so that means 4 work days left! Very strange feeling when you start deleting thousands of project files off your computer 😳 . Good luck with the transition!

I too mostly fish solo. Lots of good info on safety so I won't add to that.
Yes thanks! I've had a great career working the same job for the last 41 years. Mixed feelings on retirement though. I like what I do, like going to work but I'm not getting any younger. I've wanted to fish for a long time and never felt I had the time.
Funny I'm a financial guy and have counseled my clients on retirement for years, but now that I'm the one retiring it is a little scary in a way, although I know we are prepared. Wife says I need to keep the same hours (leave at 7am, home at 4pm) haha.
 
I've fished solo most of my fly fishing career, excluding all of the floating of the Sky and OP rivers, plus the Yakima of course. I carry the 10 essentials, plus cigars and whiskey, with at least 2 cigar lighters! A pdf is always with me now, and a small first aid kit in the car, that i will carry with me when I get a bigger waterproof sling pack!

I do now, at 59, prefer to fish with at least one other person when timing works out. I have balance issues and some health issues that make it preferable. When I am alone, i don't wade aggressively, usually keep it no higher than my knees and always have a wading staff with me. I may get an Inreach device so that if i do go off grid I can reach someone. I use an android phone, so am not sure about the satellite capabilities of it compared to the iPhone. Might be a reason to switch, but I prefer not too at this point as I'm sure it will be available in the not to distant future, if it isn't already...
 
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I fished solo for most of my walk and wade fishing for well over 30 years now., never had any issues, never carried and usually left my phone in the truck.
The current fixation on having to carry and have a sat phone as necessities to go fishing puzzles me, but to each his own.
Jerry "Rud" Rudford Sr used to pack decent sized Heat with him. Used to always have some Heavy Protection in the car!! Just in case things started getting rowdy and goin all haywarr down at the spots. Then RUDFORD would intimidate!!! DESCALATE THE SITUATION!!!
 
Solo fishing? He is a charismatic long distance hauler, heavy blaster pistol for protection, definitely single Han rod, rumor has it he has limited out at the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs with his Wookie buddy at the oars.
Vader fishing on the other hand is mainly downriggers after he turned to the dark side, basically a dirtbagger who wants to rule the galaxy.

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PS: No AI nor droids were used for this post silly images, just poor old fashion picture collage and shameles poaching pictures online, it can still be done!
 
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