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Lost the mojo...

Probably the best thread I have read. Many very good points raised and ideas put forward.
I retired 7 years ago, and there are lots and lots of good things about retirement, but like fishing, you have to work at it to get the enjoyment.
Put the dog and walking boots in the car and go look at some waters where you are not currently a member. You will find lots of quiet waters where fishing is less easy, but the change of environment and challenge will be greatly appreciated.
Many happy returns Mojo.
 
I lost my mojo when I moved from London to Lincolnshire because I no longer had beautiful small rivers containing big barbel to fish. I tried the tidal Trent and stretches of the middle but just couldn't get excited about them. I almost stopped going, but managed to get my mojo back by exploring what was on offer on my doorstep. This led to me rediscovering my love of trotting and also taking up drop shotting on the little rivers around my home, none of which contain barbel. A few years ago I managed to gain membership of a fantastic Trent club and am now enjoying my barbel fishing as much as ever, but I'll never go back to fishing for one species again.

Nick C
 
Paul ,congratulations on retiring from the grind , well deserved I am sure . I recently finished [ made redundant] from a long term professional career of 34 years . I still work [ restoring cane rods ] but I have a lot more freedom to fish pretty much when I choose as I am now the boss . However since starting my more relaxed line of work I have not had the same need to fish at any spare moment . I think the reason for this is that before in my old manic and highly pressurised career , I grasped every precious spare bit of time to go fishing whatever the conditions and often spent time at work wishing I could be on the bank like those lucky beggars who had loads of spare time .Recently I have even felt guilty for not wanting to go fishing , how bonkers is that! Ultimately it's all about acclimatising body and mind to a new way of living and thinking , this takes time but I am sure we will both get there in the end ..
 
I'd echo the comments about trying for a Salmon, or game fish in general. Fly fishing is so different from coarse fishing and so varied in the different species to go at you'll never get bored. You're in a fantastic location to enjoy all sorts of different methods and species, fly fishing at night for sea Trout, spinning, worming or shrimp fishing for Salmon (if permitted), trotting, dry fly or Polish nymph fishing for Grayling. Target the Roach or Dace, try some sea fishing.
There's more to fishing than sitting behind a rod and winding in a Barbel when it hooks itself, work with what you've learned, make the most of your location and enjoy yourself.
 
Mike Hodgkiss said:
Paul ,congratulations on retiring from the grind , well deserved I am sure . I recently finished [ made redundant] from a long term professional career of 34 years . I still work [ restoring cane rods ] but I have a lot more freedom to fish pretty much when I choose as I am now the boss . However since starting my more relaxed line of work I have not had the same need to fish at any spare moment . I think the reason for this is that before in my old manic and highly pressurised career , I grasped every precious spare bit of time to go fishing whatever the conditions and often spent time at work wishing I could be on the bank like those lucky beggars who had loads of spare time .Recently I have even felt guilty for not wanting to go fishing , how bonkers is that! Ultimately it's all about acclimatising body and mind to a new way of living and thinking , this takes time but I am sure we will both get there in the end ..
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I have just read this thread and was going to post a comment but I feel that
Mike has summed up my feelings far better than I would have done , some very wise words there Mike , especially the bit about feeling guilty about not wanting to go :eek::eek:
 
Guys, as I expected some very wise advice through a great number of thoughtful responses, which are much appreciated. My 'issue' of course is trivial in the great scheme of things, including a recent post on here, but it still has been very helpful to read the comments. I also know how lucky I am in being in the position to choose where I could live.

As someone who had not fished the Wye before i suspect i got caught up in 'Wyebarbelmania'; who wouldn't... I think i have now probably got that out of my system and going forward less will be more. As for a challenge/goals, i spent nearly 40 years in a target/goal-focused environment where much of what one did was measured and was thoroughly tired of it by the end (hence taking redundancy). So this past year I just went fishing for the hell of it with no idea of what I wanted and perhaps having no goals has led to the rut and boredom. Although setting challenges based for example on size or numbers was/is not my raison d'etre for fishing I used to do this to a degree and perhaps need to return to such an approach. Variety is also important and I will try for different species going forward; as mentioned who knows what the potential of this river is especially as most only fish for barbel.

Interestingly, I had already approached two 'clubs' with offers to help, in one case to bailiff, and had no response from either – there does not appear to be a crying need for helpers which I find unbelievable having been a club committee man in the past and knowing how hard it was to get folk on the banks???

I think, as Mike H said, it is in part getting used to having time and using it wisely and not taking the easy route as this leads to becoming disillusioned in all that we do, not just the fishing. It is also interesting that a number of contributors have been in a similar situation and have come through it – I wonder how many did not and so do not fish anymore; I don’t see me being one of these? Cheers
 
It sounds to me Paul like you need to give yourself more time to acclimatise to retirement. Unpicking 40 years of the pressure you have endured through work is going to take time but I'm sure it will come. I certainly hope so for my own sake as I predict being in a similar situation in the next 10-15 years (earlier if I could). What work provides, even if we grow to detest it, is structure and purpose and when it disappears, overnight often, it must be very difficult and take time to adjust. I'm certainly anticipating a tough transition. I can imagine me channeling some of that work ethic and mentality into fishing once it is no longer the antidote to work.

I'm sure by giving yourself time and deliberately building variety into your fishing, things will balance out and the mojo will return.
 
IMO Howard has hit the nail on the head with that "purpose" being what we surely all crave and as such without it fear a otherwise aimless existence.
Just have to satisfy oneself with a new type of personalised purpose.

Getting a bit deep now !:eek:
 
Mark Thompson said:
Just have to satisfy oneself with a new type of personalised purpose.

Getting a bit deep now !:eek:
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Yes Mark,.... and according to my wife it should be endless decorating! :mad:

This has been a good thread hasn't it, ... it's also highlighted just how many old'ens there are on here!:D
 
If any of you lacking a sense of purpose want to take over my work so I can do more fishing then be my guest! :D

Spent a few years working mostly part time and took advantage of plenty of free fishing days, but last couple of years being back full time has hampered me to the point where I've kind of lost my mojo a bit. Though admittedly I'm definitely becoming more of a fair weather fisherman as I've hardly had the motivation to get out there in the cold.
Not even touched the barbel rods since August and looking forward to some spring fly fishing, maybe I've just lost my coarse mojo?
Anyway, can't understand why being retired would make anyone want to fish less, or indeed lose your sense of purpose! I'd happily retire tomorrow given the chance.
 
i'm retiring next year, well, just started thinking about it and actually getting quite nervous.. before this age ism thing it was easy, get to 65 and you had to retire.. simples..
now if you want to "retire" you have to give your notice in and to "me" that is not as simple as it sounds, i've been there a very long time and couldn't wish for a better set of work mates, the job though i could take it or leave it, or so i thought, it's hard to explain but it's going to be a huge change as i've worked for 50 years and never been out of work, i really want to retire and spend more time with the mrs and get a lot more fishing in but it's just making that break and the more i think about it the worse and more nervous i become... what's been said on here sums up a lot of it, just that purpose in life i suppose,, i dunno? oh well back to work tomorrow after a long weekend off but i dont want to go..jeez....
 
Yes Phil and I can imagine it is. One of the issues with retirement it seems to me, is it's rather abrupt nature. Generally speaking there seems to be little in the way of a phased transition unless you are lucky enough to reduce your days for a period before leaving all together. It will clearly affect people differently based on the role that work played in their lives-not just the work itself but the community you are part of. Just the domestic adjustment can be tricky I imagine if you are now spending more time with your better half.

I do think (and am hoping this is the case when it's my turn) that fishing might offer some sort of salvation and help create a new sense of purpose and allow for other friendships to develop where fishing is the common interest. I enjoy the solitude fishing can offer because of its contrast to working life. But fishing adventures with old and new pals, offer a new dynamic it seems to me. And with more time and flexibility, there might be more opportunity. It can also help with sharing some costs too.

It feels like a period of adjustment is necessary followed, hopefully, by new perspectives and opportunities which might just need a bit of planning and a recognition of that need to weave some variety and challenge into the mix.
 
Guess it's a generation thing, my dad was the same, didn't know what to do with himself when he retired where as I spend most of the day at work dreaming of what I could be doing instead.
 
Rhys Perry said:
Guess it's a generation thing, my dad was the same, didn't know what to do with himself when he retired where as I spend most of the day at work dreaming of what I could be doing instead.
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Whereas I spend a lot of time fishing and wishing I had better job prospects. Approaching mid-fifties, washed up, rejection after rejection - even the Mail didn't want me for Xmas - no prospects of getting a decent pension pot together, so if I ever do get a decent job that I can tolerate again I probably won't be able to retire at all...

(no self-pity, and my situation is largely of my own making - this is just a wistful post about how the grass is always greener/let's be thankful for our freedom).
 
Rhys Perry said:
Guess it's a generation thing, my dad was the same, didn't know what to do with himself when he retired where as I spend most of the day at work dreaming of what I could be doing instead.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure its purely a generation thing, I think its down to the part work has played in your life which is what makes the impact of retirement so varied. There is also the pension position of course and how that impacts on what you are actually able to do during retirement.
 
Graham Shaw said:
Whereas I spend a lot of time fishing and wishing I had better job prospects. Approaching mid-fifties, washed up, rejection after rejection - even the Mail didn't want me for Xmas - no prospects of getting a decent pension pot together, so if I ever do get a decent job that I can tolerate again I probably won't be able to retire at all...

(no self-pity, and my situation is largely of my own making - this is just a wistful post about how the grass is always greener/let's be thankful for our freedom).
Click to expand...

Top post Graham, and be thankful we don't live in North Korea, or Syria. Fishing was always the pursuit of the working man, well coarse anyway, and then the lad's didn't have the Wye at their disposal, all Salmon beats.

And now we have the run of the place it is odd that we should tire of it.

I have been in a similar position to you Graham, too old for any job out there, so I started my own small landscaping business, and I mean small, just me and the Mrs with some occasional help. It was a brilliant move, and what better working in an environment that was similar to being on the bank?

Never be rich, but millionaires in piece of mind.

Good luck, and be happy. :)
 
When I took the plunge and called an end to my career it was because I wanted a new life chapter. Although I had been longing to get out of the trade for years after hitting the psychological wall, it surprised me that for a year or so I was constantly drawn back to the place I had come to hate.
It seemed that I had become institutionalised.
That all changed when we moved away, new house, new friends new challenges but with less income,... that was the trade off but it's worked for both of us.
One of the driving factors for me was a kind of urgency to do some of the things I'd dreamt about before I was too knackered.
So far so good.;)
 
I had a fantastic interesting career travelling the World in luxury. Best Hotels and fine dining.

Then head hunted by American co.....that i stuck for 2 years, nearly suffering a nervous breakdown.

Then working for myself and building up a business that involved 80 hour weeks.

Then becoming a part timer, from designing decks, gardening, lawn treatments and a few more jobs.
Retired about 10 years ago at 55.
Not really enough money to manage until deciding to move to cheaper beautiful area.

Plenty of jobs to do, from part time or volunteering if you want to. Or remember. As a good pal, a non stop working multi millionaire found out. Too late.

You're a long time dead.
 
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