A bit of a dilemma.....

[fishing4luckies]

So here's the thing.

My two young-uns (daughter of 9 and son of 12) have decided that now the better weather is here they want to come fishing with me - all good.

Whilst trying to find a suitable date that didn't coincide with the multitude of other activities that they all seem to need these days, the missus suggested Good Friday, and then went on to suggest making it a family day out.

"I've seen the sort of stuff you catch, and obviously loads of people find it very enjoyable. I think I should come and give it a go. You never know, I may enjoy it" she says.

To say I was a bit taken aback would be an understatement.

Now I've always advocated that it's good to share interests, do stuff together as a family and all that, and on the one hand I quite like the idea.

On the other hand what if she really gets into it? She may end up getting to know the guys at the local tackle shop - then I'm in real trouble (she'll probably suffocate me in my sleep once she finds out how much this lark can cost, if you get my drift).

What do you guys think - fish with your better half and enjoy the activity together or should it remain as your own hobby - time away from all the other stuff?

I'm aware that there is plenty of room between these two extremes - just wondered what people think.

 

[103841]

My thoughts and concerns would be the same as yours! I like a bit of "me only " time too. Start her off riddling maggots and chopping worm, if that hasn't put her off start looking for a divorce lawyer.

 

[greenie62]

.... - just wondered what people think.

I think your missus doesn't trust you - and wonders what you are really upto getting excited about going out in those rubber waders! mg:

The current SWMBO doesn't fish, or eat fish - she is allergic to them! - and shows no interest in fishing/going fishing - unless there is a retail park adjacent to the fishery!

The previous one was quite happy to do a few hours on the bank - either reading a book or fishing the margins - could sometimes outfish me on the fly 'cos she couldn't cast any distance! - shouldn't have let her escape!mg:

 

[mikench]

Just pray for snow, freezing winds, no fish and no easter eggs on Good friday and you are laughing

I do have some useless tackle you can have from years back with which you catch nothing going cheap ie 50p and I will send you a receipt

As i have said to my executors, do not let my wife sell my airguns, my fishing tackle, my cars, my cameras, in fact everything I own, for what i said I had paid for them

 

[rich4930]

Haha yeah I know that feeling, although as I recently discovered returning from a Carp Expo with arms and buckets full of new tackle and bait it's not the cost that bothers my better half, but the QUANTITY o f "fishing ****" slowly but surely spreading through and taking over our flat, balcony and cellar

I'd be happy for her to come along and get into it though. Firstly I presumably wouldn't get so much grief for hijacking all the kitchen equipment for cooking up bait, secondly and more to the point maybe we'd finally have something to talk about again

 

[Tee-Cee]

I think you may need to start praying, and hope it was 'flash in the pan' sort of statement which many women come up with every now and then!
Nothing wrong at all with taking the kids occasionally (providing you don't try to fish yourself at the same time, from experience!!) and I look back with pleasure at the times I took my son, day and night.

HOWEVER, taking the wife more than on the odd occasion is, in my book, a step too far - way too far! I suppose it depends on the individual, but I see fishing as my escape from the home, not because I want to get away from the wife (far from it!) but because I NEED to have personal down time away from day to day life, and 'not together' 24/7, but in the nicest possible way.
A while ago I suggested to my wife that I might call in at one of her keep fit classes, really to get a grip of what pilates etc. actually means. Let me just say I got a ' not a good idea' in reply, complete with a stare to match!!

Point taken!!

No, we stick to our own 'side of the tracks' and are all the better for it...............unless of course, some form of muscular chappie at the Sport Centre has taken fancy..................Mmmmmmm

 

[rayner]

The odd day with your wife and kids could be quite enjoyable. It wouldn't be a day fishing but a day making memories. Buy a whip each and a pint of caster because they will be easier for them to handle, take a camera a picnic and have some fun.

 

[flightliner]

Tried it , not good, first time on the sincil drain that runs beside the Witham.
waist high nettles that I laid low, groundsheet down , brolly up as it was really hot n sunny, placed every conceivable accoutriment handy nearby, sunglesses, magazines, radio, knitting, (yes) cool drinks, sarnies and cake, all before I set up myself. Constant interuptions ( waaa waaa waaa waaaa wa) that took ages for me to wet a line.
I was into fish straight away tho to my surprise and delight but after two or three she was restless and wanted me to pack up so we could have a walk round the shops in Lincoln (it was sunday for goodness sake).
Second time I took her all the way to kings lynn to fish the relief channel at saddlebow, just set up n it starts to p- - - it down so she sat in the car but after half n hour she was blowing the hooter for us to go back to Sheffield (grrrrrr).
Third time I took her to the Welland as I was in a big open match, I was drawn in the 220 pegs known as the "red barn" area ( it was green by the way--- flatlanders hey, dont you just love em lol) .
Match starts and I,m into bream and doing ok when suddenly a little voice says a tinkle is needed - it went on and on but modesty req'd me to leave things and drive to a pub in Spalding while the well known match angler beside me took advantage and piled his bait in and drew the shoal of bream away from me ( double grrrr).
It didnt end there--- picnik out and I,m getting bothered to go and ask the guy next to me if he would like a sarny and a drink 'cos "he hasnt had anything", my god, he's nicked my fish now she wants to give him my grub FGSake !!!!!
I tried to explian he wouldnt be bothered, he would get some after the match but the flea in my ear wouldnt go away so I relented and asked the guy --- It was the reply I expected, two words we all know !!!.
I missed the section by ounces which was the last straw.
its been forty seven years since I took her last.
Take care, dont do it!!!. Give her some cash and tell her to take the kids to town for a treat!!! mg:

 

[steve2]

I still remember the first time I took my wife pike fishing 40 years ago. I tackled her up put the bait on and left her cast out and started to set my self up. I looked up and said where did the float go. She said it hit the water and went under, that was the start of 5 pike on the bank before I set up.
She said “This fishing lark is too easy and don’t know why I have a problem catching”.
We have had many enjoyable fishing days together with our son when he was younger and hopefully will have a few more.

 

[theartist]

Reading some of the accounts on here i'd say I was pretty lucky that my missus just sits in the background reading when we go together on holiday. The downside is that you can feel a bit restricted if you want to go for a wander 2 miles downriver or if you're fishing somewhere that may feel a bit dodgy.
The good side is you can get some good action shots when youre fishing for your album and of course the lunch she brings usually equates to a smorgasbord of unhealthy delights and not the bland stuff you usually have.

 

[thameside]

Be prepared to be constantly baiting up . Although the wife got me into sea fishing as that was what her family mainly done . As well as 30 minute walks cross country to go eel fishing . Even now after nearly 30 years of sea fishing , she can spot a bite before me . On the plus side when you need new tackle , my wife always says to buy it as life is to short . Good Luck .
Steve

 

[john step]

My sandwich maker says she cannot understand why anyone goes fishing. She is one of the majority of the population that thinks that way. Thank goodness.
If everyone suddenly realised the meaning of life, the banks would be too crowded

 

[no-one in particular]

In the end it was a compromise with mine, 6 hours one of end of the high street and back 5 times looking for a scarf and me about to jump under a lorry. Then we settled for her going shopping and dropping me of fishing and she would pick me up on the way back. At least she felt she had spent the day out with me. Never never get into that shopping thing, chain yourself to the garden fence or something, feign a heart attack, do a runner; anything. Trust me.

 

[S-Kippy]

All I would say is that whereas we can nip off into the bushes or behind a tree when nature calls ladies [ generally] cannot. I've played that card twice [ Mrs S/Beloved daughter] and it worked both times.

No further questions, m'lud.

 

[theartist]

All I would say is that whereas we can nip off into the bushes or behind a tree when nature calls ladies [ generally] cannot. I've played that card twice [ Mrs S/Beloved daughter] and it worked both times.

No further questions, m'lud.

Therein lies the crux of the matter. A proper country girl will have no probs going in to the bushes when answering the call of nature. Do women farmers have portaloos in each field just in case?? I'd like to see more women on the bank, don't see any harm in that, trouble is many clubs and fisheries feel that they have to put toilets in as women can't go otherwise. Well they can.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Mine's a pretty proficient angler and has out fished me on a couple of occasions (not that that is any great accolade:wh) As I've said before, she can't be doing silvers but likes Carp, Tench and Crucians. She'll do boat trips for mackerel and the odd deep sea trip and guts her own fish (last time out she was showing some young lads how to top, tail and gut fish, much to their Mothers distaste} She won't fish in the cold, rain, wind or where there are no decent toilet facilities so tends to limit herself to a few sessions between Easter and the end of August when we're down the flat, preferably on the carp pool at Holgans Farm. It only goes pear shaped if she's not catching.

 

[S-Kippy]

Therein lies the crux of the matter. A proper country girl will have no probs going in to the bushes when answering the call of nature. Do women farmers have portaloos in each field just in case?? I'd like to see more women on the bank, don't see any harm in that, trouble is many clubs and fisheries feel that they have to put toilets in as women can't go otherwise. Well they can.

My two would die in a ditch before peeing in public. Country girls they most certainly are not !

 

[theartist]

My two would die in a ditch before peeing in public. Country girls they most certainly are not !

I remember a huge tailback on the motorway once, the sort where people were sitting in deckchairs and walking dogs in the central reservation. All the hardy sorts were going up the bank to answer the call, but some weren't. The queue at the first petrol station was phoenominal never seen anything like it, how anyone can hold on that long is anyone's guess.

I think there's less women on the bank due to the hunter/gatherer differences between the two sexes rather than the toilet issue anyway. Perhaps those who wish to deter their better halves from going should explain that taking up fishing means no more different coloured shoes and handbags and that everything has to be greenish and serve a purpose, unless it's required for the man cave which should now include the front room.

 

[Clodhopper]

We don't seem to have had the view of any female posters yet..........

Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

 

[flightliner]

My two would die in a ditch before peeing in public. Country girls they most certainly are not !

I remember back in the sixties on an eastern counties winter league match on the middle level where one team had a lady team member.
One of our team drew next to her.
Back on the coach afterwards he was moaning about being unable to answer the calls of nature but on the final whistle ending the match our heroine stands up , drops her cecks and has a pee in front of all nearby while saying " thank god for the whistle, I, ve waited hours for that"