Fishing in tie & waistcoat in the 1960’s…

After posting the report yesterday – “Fishing has no age limit” – about so many old fishos coming out of retirement and returning to the Tongariro for 2017, then who rolls up for a few days fishing but two more “over 80 years young” inmates. 

Rob and Peter feature in the short TRM video above.  That is Rob on right hooked up in the Reed Pool on their last visit to TRM.  We had never shown this video before as the Manager decided the sound – video taken with an old iPhone – was too weak?. 

But we know you will understand that when you get to 80 you don’t care as you don’t listen as can’t hear anyway. 

That is Rob from Foxton on right and with Peter from Palmy below in the Reed Pool on their last visit to TRM.

Terry Sutton – an older image on right – who we are told is the unnofficial Mayor of Gisborne  and well known by many TRM inmates, followed them in.  Terry calls TRM his second home.  He arrived alone without his usual fishing team of suspects, seen on right, as he claims they mislead him.  This time he hopes to focus on just the fishing and not worry about how he will survive their pace.  And that is not just referring to the fishing either.

Since then we heard another fishy tale about an old digger in his 80’s who was driven down the end of Grace Road and right onto the beach – where the Bends Pool used to be above De Latours Pool.  As he was unable to walk far his two fishing buddies helped him onto the beach at the tail of the pool and sat him in a folding chair armed with an ancient old wet line rig so he didn’t even need to get his feet wet.  They then took off up river to Jones and Reed Pool where all the nymphing action was. 
 
Some time later they returned empty handed to find the ol’ boy asleep in the chair with two fresh landed Rainbow trout beside him….

Then we received the following email – SWMBO thinks it is priceless.

Hi Ross,
After reading today’s report I thought you might be amused/interested by an event along time ago.
 
My mother used to take her elderly father and his similarly infirm/aged friend to the Tongariro around Easter every year (the spawning runs were a little earlier then I believe). They stayed at Bridge Lodge, so it wasn’t far to the Bridge pool.
 
So there is my grandfather, Charles Jones, fishing the Bridge pool in his 80’s and he lands a fish. As happened there was a photographer on site and he took some shots of my grandfather holding his fish and one of these photos was  subsequently published in the Weekly News (aka The Auckland Weekly).
 
So you are thinking what is so interesting about that? Well there he was holding his fish, wearing thigh waders, dressed immaculately complete with waistcoat and tie. We are talking around 1960!
 
Thought you might find that interesting?
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 
Do not be fooled by SWMBO buttering-up this select market age group of never-say-die crusty oldies.  Apart from almost qualifying too, She realises they have special potential value. 
 
We have warned you before about Her managment style.  She is completely commercial and mercenary in Her approach to motel management.  She recognises these geriatrics are TRM’s future “growth industry”. 
 
That is why She baits them with water-strider rafts, wading poles, free bikes, rod racks, free river maps, 50 TV channels, free wifi, etc. to keep them fishing. 
 
(She is now considering ‘investing’ in walking frames and e-bikes as well, or was that for me?.)
 
These other images of successful fishy inmates on right are all in their sprightly young 80’s.  They know the importance of fly fishing to keep them young at heart keeping on… 
 
We could include a few others who complain they feel like they are in their 80’s after struggling to wade over the Tongariro stoney riverbed, nursing their various replacement parts etc. but will not embarrass them.
 
The population demographics are staggering as, did you know, despite falling Taupo fishing  licence sales, the number of anglers 65 and over has doubled in 37 years since 1980. 
 
But that is nothing.  It will double again in less than 20 years. 
 
Presently one in eight anglers are senior citizens. 
 
By 2061 it will be one in four – all of them with more time on their hands and being paid by Government Super plus Kiwisaver to go fishing… 
 
What a great country…