I'm too old a bird to be caught by chaff.

The speaker claims that experience has made them hard to deceive. Like a wary bird that ignores poor bait, they recognize an unconvincing attempt to draw them in.

The proverb can also be a pointed refusal: what might fool someone less practiced will not work on the speaker. Its emphasis is on the speaker’s judgment, not on age alone.

Use this when a speaker dismisses an obvious trick, weak inducement, or attempt at manipulation. The first-person wording suits a direct reply and can sound self-assured or wry.