I am often accosted by friends and family when telling them how beat up I feel after a long day fishing with quips like "Sitting in a boat drinking beer sure must be tiring!".  Anyone with a passion for fishing, beyond the occasional sitting on the bank with a cup of worms, can tell you that fishing can be tough.  As an avid fly fisherman I am well aware of the aches and pains one feels after spending many hours on the river wading against the current and casting over and over.  Its not just fly fisherman that understand my sentiments.  I often talk to anglers using conventional tackle, whether it be freshwater or in the salt, that have similar complaints.  What it boils down to is no matter how you pursue fish, prolonged casting is tough.

I recently spent three days fishing for large mouth bass in Florida on conventional tackle.  On the second day after six straight hours of casting my back began to hurt.  I don't fish this style much anymore since starting to fly fish five years ago so my muscles weren't used to it.  I knew that if I didn't do something about this, the third day of fishing might not come to pass.  So I began to perform a few simple stretches and exercises, right there on the water that kept me going for the rest of that day, on into the evening and let me get back out on the water the next day (I even managed a few decent fish on a day so windy we had no business even attempting to fish).

Below I have explained a few easy things every angler should know to help keep them on the water a few extra hours.  I would hate to hear about the trip you had to cut early with trout still rising.  Click on the area of the body you are interested in to see the recommended exercises.   If you have any questions feel free to email me or call the office.

See you on the water!

Dr. Jason Peyser

Neck/Upper Back/Mid Back

Shoulder

Low Back