I hear you, Salmon Addict. I try to keep the maintenance up on my boat. The price to keep it in good shape is well worth it to me. I have heard from many guys that the two best days in their lives was the day they bought their boat and the day they sold it. Not me, I love my boat! I'll be chasing sockeyes for five weeks this summer on the Kenai in Alaska. Can't wait.

I have been fishing for at least 55 years. I lived on a lake for 10 years. I'm pretty sure I fished 100+ days a year then. After moving to Wyoming there was 3 or 4 years, I fished very little. Too busy hunting for elk. Now I don't hunt but very little. No big game, do a little goose and pheasant. I discovered that electric trolling motor is easier to run than climbing mountains. Plus, about 10 years ago I went to Alaska and got hooked on salmon fishing. Will there 5 weeks this year. I fish 75+ days now. I would that will go up when I fully retire. Will spend more time in Alaska. My best guess is for an average is 50 days a year over 55 years.
Great topic.

That was a great idea. For my daughter's wedding I made her a deacons' bench and everyone signed it.

Great post and great examples, Ben.
Why we fish?
I think we all fish for different reasons. All the reasons are good. There are many niches in fishing. All good.
I know why I love fishing. It is fooling them to bite and then the battle to land them. The tug is the drug! That is why I love fishing for smallmouth and salmon.
There are also the side benefits of fishing. The camaraderie of my salmon fishing buddies. The time spent with my grandkids. Fishing with them and teaching them to fish. The solitude when I fish alone.
I thank God for the ability and opportunity to be able to fish!

Ben, what you said is right on target. My experience with spinning and baitcasters has been pretty much the same as yours. Also, when buying a rod and reel. Buy the best you can afford.
I started out fishing for largemouth in the midwest. The baitcaster was king for them. Now I live in the west and my home lake has smallmouth and walleye. Spinning gear is the best. Mostly fish for the smallmouth. I just love how strong they fight. Plus, my favorite bait is a jig.

One of my favorite memory's was when I was about 11 years old. One evening I got my bike all loaded up with my 202 Zebco and rod and a small Sears metal tackle box. Tied the rod to my handlebars. Can't remember how I got the tackle box tied on but I did somehow. I think I had even packed something to eat. I can still see that stingray bike with the banana seat all loaded up with my gear.
Got up before dawn and headed off to Gunn Park. It was about a mile from my house. There was a small lake there with sunfish and catfish in it. I had decided to fish for catfish. Baited up my hook with a fat nightcrawler and casted it out as far as I could. Wasn't long I had a bite. Set the hook but nothing. This went on for about 15 minutes. Bite after bite but nothing. I was getting pretty upset over this. Why could I not hook them? Finally, I casted out and just stuck my rod handle between a couple of rocks and walked away. I got about 25 yards down the bank and looked back and my rod was bending back and forth like crazy. I ran back and started reeling it in. In my 11-year-old mind it was an epic fight. Drug it out on the bank and looked down at it. It looked like a bullhead. Only it was about 10 times bigger than any bullhead I had ever seen before.
Fished the rest of the morning and headed home with that bullhead hanging from my handlebars. Got a lot of stares on my way home. I was so proud. When my Dad saw it he said it was the biggest he had ever seen. Later on I had a great uncle who catfished a lot and told him about it. He had caught a few big bullheads like that and he called them a "Michigan Bullhead".
Can remember that day like it was yesterday even though it was over 50 years ago.

I don't have one. I see a lot of them when I fish South Dakota. They seem to love them.

Ben, a friend of mine went into a nursing home a year ago. His wife gave me a bunch of old rods and reels. I pulled out the couple of the collectable reels. They were not usable anyway and the rest luckily were kid friendly. I offered them to a friend that is connected to the local Boy Scouts. He could not wait to get them.

Prayers for your Mother and you also.

Yes, Spirit let's talk. I usually fly into Anchorage and rent a car. This year I may fly from Anchorage to Kenai. Not sure yet. Rental cars are through the roof. Thinking about buying a car. For sure one way or the other we could hook up.

Very good plum. Many times, I should have followed that advice.

Most of the time I fish by myself. Many reasons I do fish alone. In my circle of friends not many of them fish and the one or two that do. Will only fish for walleye. My favorite to fish for at home is the smallmouth. I love taking my grandkids and my three daughters. By the way the daughters can fish with the best of any fisherman. The problem with them is they don't live close. We do get to fish together when we can.
Don't get me wrong. I love fishing with other people. I just don't mind and enjoy fishing alone. I can do what I want. When I want and as long or as short as I want. I fish some lakes that are a seven-hour drive from home. Unless my wife goes with me, I go alone. Have invited others but nobody has had the time. I fly to Alaska by myself and salmon fish. I have made many friends there in the past nine years and seldom fish alone. But if no one is around I fish alone. I will only travel to Alaska alone also as do most of my friends there do. We have even talked about it. If you come alone, you get to do whatever you want.
I do like fishing with other people and to prove it you are all invited!

I'm guilty also. If I'm not fishing I'm thinking and planning about fishing. I think it is a healthy obsession. The tug is the drug.

Great story and description of your fishing adventure. I know how you feel. I've hooked some kings while fishing for sockeyes. Have not landed one yet. Still an exciting time. "The Tug is the Drug"

Had a great year in Alaska. This is one of the many sockeyes I caught. Can't wait until till 2022. FISH ON!!!