"Wifes first time out" or "Am I nuts?"

[crash]

Well after much hesitation and worrying, Sunday morning I handed the keys to my boat to my wife , gave her a kiss and told her to have fun.

For three long and sometimes fustrating years She's been learning and studying. Last week she got enough nerve to ask me for the keys, that she was going fishing with a girlfriend that was moving away soon. WOW, talk about mixed emotions, You got to remeMber it wasn't long ago that I was posting for help to get my wife to understand why I go fishing, Now its her heading to the lake :-).

We spent the days preceeding, going over lake maps, my old notes, Drawing maps, Diagrams, how to ID your catch, Laws, Fish Handeling. You name it , she got a "crash" course in it.
So I took the kids for the day, I never relized how long a day can go. I see why she's so frazzeled sometimes when I get back late from the lake.
I was a little worried when they called asking "whitch boat is it agian?" And then quickly hung up muttering something about there goes my rod!!?. The hours just kept going slower and slower. Visions of stumps sticking out nicely between the seats, busted rods, and stripped gears kept dancing in my head.

10:30 at night I hear the car pull in and I am all ready for the "Well you'll get them next time hon", "this is what you did wrong", "Don't worry, it won't be too expensive to fix" talk.

Well I had to go and unload the cooler , BECAUSE IS WAS TOO HEAVY WITH FISH FOR THEM TO LIFT IT OUT OF THE CAR!!!

Walleyes, Crappies, and Perch all found their way onto their lines and into the cooler.
All caught on yellow twister tails.

I was up untill midnight cleaning fish :-).

So be careful what you wish for, She's already planning her next trip, Hope she takes me!!
WOO HOO!! I MARRIED A FISHN BABE AFTER ALL!!

[Juls_WI]

Excellent Post!!

Thanks for sharing that story...hope it's an inspiration to other gals out there who want to fish..
That's cool..;-)

Juls

[Gunga Din]

LOL! I just helped my wife for the last time back the trailer into the water. Next time I'm dropping her off at the dock. Maybe in a few years she'll be asking for the keys to the boat! Makes me wonder how many more years before she starts fileting her own catch?

[Walleye Warrior]

GREAT STORY Love this site!

[Ness]

I think I'm doing something wrong here... I've been cleaning my own catch for years!!!!!!! Go fishing without him, bring home a cooler of fish,
and he'll clean them?????? What fairy tale did
this guy star in??????? You catch them, hon, you
clean them!!!!!!!!!!!
And the keys to the boat are easy to get, it's
the keys to the towing vehicle that he won't give
up!!!!!!! He doesn't worry about me handling the
boat in the water, it's me getting it to the water that scares him :-)

[jumbojim]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-05-00 AT 12:44PM (CST)[p]I met a girl 3 years ago. She liked to fish a bit she said . So our first date was on the Peshtigo River fishing for the day with tube jigs. I showed her how to plop them along the shores and near trees and we cleaned up on huge Small mouth .Almost every weekend after that we fished together and she got good enough to help me with guiding.Three years later she has her 3rd boat and is fishing the MWC. She has earned where she is by going and learning and prefishing by her self. She is like the rest of us sleeps in her truck when she needs too. She drove two weekends by herself 900 miles away at Big Stone to prefish the tourney there and searched the lake alone with the advice people had given her from the bait shop and a few other places. All that worked paid off she and her partner who came up on caught 4 fish. While it might not be first place it showed one woman could find fish,fishing an area three weekends by herself in her spots and put her and her teamate on fish. I have had mixed feelings at times having her go at it alone but I am proud and admire the effort she pushes herself to be a true contender. I have fished with many pros and many good fisherman. I have to say she is one of few people that has many natural and learned abuilities to be the angler she has become. I go to her for her opinions on fishing.
Just thought I'd like to share that.
Her name is Jenn and goes by Jenn_Wi. Can't wait to see her on the PWT she has the ability and is the real deal.
jumbo

[jumbojim]

did not mean to embarass you jen

[Glen Bunnell]

I know the feeling. My regular partner could not make the tournament this weekend so I asked my wife to fill in. On Saturday we had lots of fish, but Sunday proved to be brutle. We had fun though and what a way to spend your anniversary....fishing with your lifelong partner....

[Den]

not embarassing jim, just plain ol facts, good going Jenn. also good going to the teacher too.
Den

[jumbojim]

thanks den

[GregK]

No you're not nuts. Women can do just as well or better than their male counterparts. Ladies who are not fishing are missing out big time:

1. Great sport and a good time out foxing fish in their own eliment.

2. Missing some wonderful one on one special time with their spouse.

[dmeyers]

Just got married on May 27 wife picked a fly in fishing tripin norhtern Ont. for honeymoon was a great time fishing (and not fishing) I would soon let her take my (our)boat. But I think I would be cleaning the fish.

[crash]

Now for the big shocker: My wife used to be a full time member of PETA!! Yes, its been a long hard road to get her to this...

But because of the GREAT PEOPLE envovled in this sport and just the basic good time that we always had, she's been able to see the truth behind all of PETA lies.

Don't congradulate me, it was YOU guys that turned her around. To all my thanks.

[Fish Finder]

1996, Wifes 1st time out solo, did great!
2nd time, she choked trying to dock it, smacked the dock and put a 2' hole in the bow and tore the corner of the dock out $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Sleep tight!

[.........]

hmmmm ...............that is truly caring of you to rip on your wife like you just did here....poor wife... thank goodness there are guys like some of the ones here that have posted or others that are out there that actually do care and help women learn how to fish and handle and run a boat properly.... i'm sure there are tons of stories like the one you wrote here...but that happened to men....so quit making women look bad by writing something like that and trying to make it seem like women can't handle it...that is completely inappropriate....
who cares if it is a man or a woman fishing, there are some ##### good women anglers out there, as there are men anglers....but it is people like you with what you say that shut them down and make them not want to try at times....

[IaCraig]

My wife is a very good fishing partner, and quite a trooper even when the fishing is slow or the weather sucks. Being a farm gal she can back the trailer great (even though I cringe when she backs the empty trailer with the tailgate down.) If she had a fishing girlfriend I could imagine her doing the same thing your wife did. Good story, especially the part where they called you to feed your parinoid tendancies.

IaCraig

[TP180]

Crash, I had to call my wife into the room to read your story! Like your wife, my always wants to help...back the boat in...drive the boat on to the trailer, etc. But the part that really struck a nerve was the part about the yellow twister tails. My wife's tackle box is filled with only two items, orange jigs and yellow twister tails. She catches crappies, walleye, catfish, you name it. That is the only lure she will use, even for ice fishing. Worst part is, she usually outfishes me. We were in Minnesota last winter and she outfished 5 other people with those darned orange jig and yellow twister tails!

[JimmyJ]

Took my wife and daughters(7&11)out Friday evening my 7yr old catches about a 4# Northern,11yr. old catches her first walleye 24 1/2" long(released after pictures)and my wife catches the biggist fish she has ever caught a 10# walleye that is going on the wall. She felt guilty about keeping it but was bleeding very badly. It got late the kids wanted to go home, wife told them we had to stay and fish just a little longer. That was a shock, She told me the next day it was the most exciting time ever fishing. Oh yea, I got skunked. She can't wait to go again. Maybe some day she will ask for the keys!!

[mlc]

You are a fortunate man. There is a downside, however! You may well have to shop for loan rates on a new boat, motor and tow vehicle. Oh, yes, almost forgot having to readjust your budget to allow for the new fishing tackle, rods, reels, etc.

Still, you are a most fortunate man.

mlc

[Kevin B]

Good Story.
My wife is the one who encouraged me to buy a boat. That was in 1988. She has since learned how to back the trailer, put the boat on the trailer in three foot waves, etc. When she was frustrated, I refused to "help" her (read- do it for her). I just yelled "whoa" and "try it again" when things might get costly. If I get back into the tournament thing, she will definitely be my partner. She's as good with a jig and minnow as anybody I've ever fished with.- Kevin B

[Ladywalleye]

WOW! It does my heart good to read your story and the ones that followed. I have been teaching fishing classes for women for about 5 years now, mostly from shore. I get great feedback from the ones that are really interested, have even taken a few out in my boat for extended classes. Have had one lady, from the very first class, buy her first boat last year. She and gentleman friend are fishing regularly. It does my heart good to hear these testimonials. Makes me want to continue, teaching and fishing! Thanks!!

[Gumby]

Of all the people I've ever fished with, my wife is by far the greatest partner I ever had. Quite frankly, it was her dad that got me re-interested in the sport- hunting too- and she has let me go totally nuts with it ever since, even passed up new living room furniture and carpet to buy a boat. Doesn't mind how much I spend at Cabelas. Gotta love a woman like that. Nice catch, Crash!!!

[Unky Mer]

Like so many of you my wife is my regular fishing partner too, and as our children get older we are getting into more tournaments. I am lucky that we share this love of fishing. As one post earlier put it, it is more expensive that way. I'm not splitting costs of tourney fees, or equipment with anyone. Plus I have to buy twice as much of everything. But I can tell you every penny is well spent.

[night_eyes]

I have been dating a great gal for 3 months now. Took her out opening weekend of the MN walleye season. We caught 15 walleyes and she had the 3 biggest!! Plus she caught a bonus 4 lb northern. And she told me she didnt even know how to cast...hehehe...yeah right dear :-)