Pickleball? Basketball? CrossFit?—Unlikely Paths to Lifelong Fly Fishing

Not only do I want to fly fish for the rest of my life, I want that life to be a long one—and toward the end, I want to still be able to fly fish of my own accord, without feebleness or crutch.

A Formula for Life Long Fly Fishing

I don't remember who told me this, but it has stuck with me for my whole life. “How you take care of yourself in your twenties will determine the quality of your life in your thirties. How you take care of yourself in your thirties will determine your forties. How you take care of yourself…” and on it goes until the end. It made a lot of sense then; it makes more sense now.

Fly fishing writer Ken Baldwin crossing a river. — When I'm up into my later years, I may not cross the river, but I want to be able to if I choose. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

The Zen of Fly Fishing

I find it humorous when I hear non-anglers describe fly fishing as “so relaxing” or “so zen.” Yes, sometimes it has those moments. Sometimes. But most of the time, I’m fighting a swift current in a river, getting pounded by surf, balancing on a small platform when trying to bang out a 60-foot cast, scrambling down or up a riverbank, or standing for hours on uneven rocks. My relaxing-zen moment is when I crawl into bed and knock out at the end of the day.

An Alaskan fly fishing guide laying on a dock next to two boats. — Having a Zen moment after having my butt handed to me by the river. | Photo by Luke Valentino

Fly Fishing is an Athletic Movement

Fly fishing is an athletic pursuit that should be treated like one. The better shape you’re in, the better you will be able to perform, and the more opportunities you will be able to fish.

A fly angler running down the shore to keep up with a big fish he has hooked. — Running down the shore before the salmon strips his reel. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

It's On Me

If weather keeps me off the water, I'm OK with that, but if my own body is what holds me back, then that’s on me—and I'm not OK with that.

Three fly anglers scouting a valley before they climb down to a creek. — Do you really want to be limited to the water you can fish because you are out of shape? Some of the best water takes work to get to. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Building a Better Fly Angler

To meet the physical demands of fly fishing—and sometimes extreme fly fishing—I have to stay in a halfway decent shape. That doesn’t mean grinding away at weights or jogging; in fact, I hate jogging. I know myself, and I know those are workouts I would never stick with. Instead, I trick myself by playing games that I enjoy and where exercise is an inherent part of the sport itself. That's a fancy way of saying I play pick-up basketball and pickleball.

A fly angler crossing a fallen tree bridge to get across a creek. — Strong balance is essential for the challenges of our sport | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Showing Up is 90% of the Battle

My gym has open court every day at 6 a.m., noon, and 4 p.m. I usually get in three days a week, which adds up to 4–6 hours of intense exercise. That’s the trick—if it feels like play instead of work, it's a lot easier to show up and put in the time. And you don't have to be good at it. Nobody is headed to the NBA. Most of the games I run in are a bunch of middle-aged guys trying to keep the weight off, as I am, while keeping an edge.

What Does This Have To Do With Fly Fishing?

Whether it’s basketball, pickleball, tennis, crossfit, jiu jitsu, or yoga, it translates to fly fishing: better balance, eye coordination, stamina, circulation, speed, strength, dexterity, and flexibility. You lower your heart rate, strengthen joints and ligaments, and relieve stress. I could keep going on. If you improve in those areas, you will improve your fly fishing.

A fly angler jumping across a creek. — Good movement takes work to maintain especially as you get older. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Worth the Trade Off

I love fly fishing. It’s what I do, and I want to do it for a very long time. Getting on a court, in a gym, or on a mat a few days each week increases my odds of fly fishing well into my old age. It also improves overall health and quality of life. Not a bad trade-off for showing up at a pickleball court three days a week.

A fly angler balanced on a platform casting to fish. — Balance and shoulder strength are needed when fishing from a platform and making long cast. | Photo by Thomas Barzilay Freund

One more thing, there's a reason pickleball has become so popular. Anyone can play; it will challenge you at whatever level of athleticism you bring to the game, and more importantly, it's a blast to play. KB - Follow me on my Fly Fishing on SI's Facebook page.

"Slow down...listen to the hoppers...be patient with yer wife...eat sardines with hot sauce... catch “Gagger” trout!!!" – Flip Pallot