My question is, "How the hell do you get out of the house to fish for a day without getting your balls chopped off?" I lay down the law, but damn, I have to fight for it!!!

Give me tried and true methods!!!

For all of you reading this who are not in a relationship, I will assume your methods FAILED.

i have my GF come with me, she stays in the car, or when its sunny out, sits on the bank and does her nursing homework for college... shes met many people this year, and seen many fish caught, and actually enjoys it... if she could stop casting into the trees every single cast, she could fish as well lol....

Assume she will not go with you. Especially this time of year!! Cold hands, hungry, bored... I've heard them all!

It has to start BEFORE the relationship evolves into being serious. Either you'll understand that or you won't.

well, first off, you have to chose wisely...my last GF was a complete bitch, i didnt get to do much of anything let alone fish, did i still fish? of course, but i had to deal with it... then i got sick of it... the one im with now, just so happens to have a cabin in Campbell River BC, and was born into fishing and being on the water... her Grandfather was good friends with Rodderick Haig-Brown, and other serious BC anglers and just grew up in it... lucky? possibly, but regardless, if you take something from me that i enjoy, expect the same to happen to you... usually when thats brought up, they think twice about what they are doing... if they cant deal with it, theres a chick out there that will... but, i have no kids, so its a little different, first and foremost, MAKE HER HAPPY, then she has no reason to bitch, if you do, and she still does, make her some crazy good recipe with fish, and that should change...i dont get that option tho, my GF is a veg-head...

Been married for 30+ happy years and fish plenty. The key to all good relationships (from the guy's perspective) - SET LOW EXPECTATIONS at the beginning. If they don't tolerate you fishing at the beginning, there's no hope later.

+1

and I married a girl from forks, was nothing new to her...

I try to balance everything, but when they want to spend every second of your free time with you, then it gets tough! Start having to plan fishing weeks in advance. Maybe I should take the ring back

Quit being so damn nice for one. If she doesn't enjoy having you around, it will be a lot easier to leave! Only half serious there.

I have it pretty good in that my wife understands how much having my own time and adventures outside of "us" means to me, and she fully supports that. As others have said, expectation management is key. Her expectations for our time together have been low from the start in knowing that I am gone for 2-4 week chunks of time throughout the year both for work and fun. That is a part of me, who I am, and who I will always be. She chose to accept that. Making sure she gets her opportunities to do what she wants and generally feels fulfilled goes a long way as well.

In your case, she obviously has a preferred way for you to spend your time other than doing what you would most like to be doing. What is that? Hanging with her? Honey-do-list? Working? What is she not getting that she wants? It is always a give and take game. Ideally you are both giving and taking about the same, but most of us wouldn't probably say there is some imbalance in our given relationships...true or not.

Hey I did the same!

Is her name Mark?

The big (D) Pears sent.

Lol. Complete opposite.

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

Celebrating 13 years next Friday. Wife fishes (and hunts). When she goes with me, especially this time of year, I take her to places with fishing shacks and we plunk. To get out on my own, I make sure I have done enough "Honey Do's" so there's no reason for her to say no. I also try to schedule my trips around her work schedule (if she's at work I might as well be fishin'). Probably the most important, when I say I'm goin' fishin', I GO fishin' (not to a bar or buddy's house). And try to be home when you say you will (unless the fish are biting and they she understands). Good luck.

Thats why I switched my schedule to 4 10's. Wednesdays off Those damn "Honey dos". Just gotta suck it up!

sounds like you got a very bad scenario of your balls in her purse.

you should have asked this looooooooooong before now. frankly your screwed and not in the happy way. my 1st wife split cause i fished to often. next girl i found was raised in a DB.

You are doomed, Closer.
Someone changed the rules.....or perceived rules. But one thing is for sure....you didn't let her know of your love for fishing in a way that she understood, or you didn't know how much you enjoyed it until after you two got together, but either way, yer screwed.
You will likely spend a lot of time trying to prove me wrong......and I hope you do......but.......it ain't looking good.

Guess I got lucky, 35+ years and she understands. She never complains when I want to go hunting or fishing, sometimes she goes along, other times she encourages me to go without her.

Sorry, I just can't identify with your situation.

ClearCreek

I just take her with me

Closer,

If she wants to spend every second of free time with you, that's called being "needy." Find out why that is. She needs interests apart from you. What are you around the house? A TV couch potato or someone who gets sh!t done. If you've got an endless list of honey-do s because you never get around to doing anything, well, that's on you. Hold up your end of the partnership so that she has no reasonable complaint for your fishing interest.

My wife and I like to spend time together, but we each have interests that we do separately as well. She likes to fish, but not as much as I do, and she is a fair weather angler only.

Sg