Newborn Baby = Cramp In Fishing

[DRock]

so with an expected newborn on the way this November, im totally excited but i feel that i wont get that much time to put into fishing the river. as last year i fished almost once or twice a week even during winter

 

So how did you guys convince the ball in chain that you deserve time to go fishing rather than changing some diapers?

[Muffin]

Congrats.

 

I personally don't have any kids but I know with my buddy who does it is challenging but he manages to find the time. Just about compromise he says. Make sure she gets some time away and then she will be willing to do the same.

[Hawgstoppah]

Simple! Start up a small one man guiding service, and then tell her you need to be on the water at all times so you know what to expect when taking clients out!!

[DRock]

Simple! Start up a small one man guiding service, and then tell her you need to be on the water at all times so you know what to expect when taking clients out!!

GOLD! just sent her the text now

[RedBeard]

I had a great idea for parenthood while fishing.. Sadly I don't think my wife will let me do it.

 

[ÜberFly]

Well for starters... If you are referrring to your wife as the "ball and chain" you may want to change that approach and be less derogitory, might help your cause!!

[Hawgstoppah]

Calling her the "funbuster" as a much better approach. Take it from me! (ducks under flying pot, dodges 5 plates, slips out back door while 4 knives stick into it - see ya later this evening sweet pea!)

[Jayhad]

condoms

[mcleod52]

Enjoy being a father and take every moment with your child when he/she comes. Fishing will be, and should be, secondary once that little bundle of joy comes about.

[DRock]

Enjoy being a father and take every moment with your child when he/she comes. Fishing will be, and should be, secondary once that little bundle of joy comes about.

i totally agree

[bigalcal]

You're setting yourself for some abuse ....My opinion, especially watching my friends with their young families ,is that you will have a change in priorities...enjoy.

[aaa]

From my own experience, this is how things went for me. For the few months, they sleep, a lot. So you might get out a few times more than what you might think during that first 6 months. Then, they seem to come alive, start to see you, find their hands, take a few steps and believe me your not going to want to go fishing much with all that magic going on.

 

After they are a year old, the afternoon naps are probably gone, and things get busier. Your going to wish they sure would start to talk more. (You may regret this wish in the years to come)

 

You may get out fishing less, but your life will be full. Enjoy these times, the years will pass as a blur and before you know it they will be 10. Then, your worst fears could be realised later when they are teens...they may/will come to conclusion that their Dad is in fact not the coolest guy on earth. This, will hurt a bit. It will be true though, so prepare yourself.

 

My advice, for the early years, keep fly tying, practice your casting, get out when you can. Take lots of pictures of your little one out with you. Get your wife out of the house. Learn everything she does in the house and do it well. (forget the breast feeding part)

 

You will find time to go, and if you can't go, try to find gold in just staying home.

[RedBeard]

^ ^ You're a good man!

[alan2]

Tell her you didn't realize it was a keeper, and that you're mostly a catch and release type guy.

[hydroman]

Show and teach them fishing. I taught my when he turned 11 and he was my #1 flyfishing and camping partner for many years. We have both learned from each other. I taught him how to fish and he taught me how to tie flies. Folks like Mr. Botangles and others on FFC saw him learning the how to catch his first cuttie from what is now known to some as the "pool of shame" in the RHC. Though his priorities have changed with a steady GF, we still fish and camp together. His GF known to some as "Olivia" at the Cutty Hut now camps and fishes with us.

Though your new baby will slow your fishing down for the short-term. However, if you are lucky like me you will get have lots of time to enjoy and share your fishing with him/her for many years as I am experiencing now. It has allow us to have a very strong relationship as we both fish with each others friends.

 

[MMAX]

so with an expected newborn on the way this November, im totally excited but i feel that i wont get that much time to put into fishing the river. as last year i fished almost once or twice a week even during winter

 

So how did you guys convince the ball in chain that you deserve time to go fishing rather than changing some diapers?

Good luck, I hate to tell you this but your fishing is going to be put on the back burner for quite a while. When my 2 kids were born I was lucky to get out once or twice a whole season. Your priorities need to be set and unfortunatly fishing is not one of them right now.

[PeteZahut]

I am lucky enough to have a wife that also fly fishes so there is more understanding from both sides. Right from the start with our little one we tried not to let things change. For the first two years we took turns with the kid in the backpack just like the picture above. Gets tiring but totally worth it to get out with the family. Our daughter is now 5 and walks (and complains about it) and participates in the fishing. Introduce them early and they will love it. On her fifth birthday last fall she asked me to take her fishing, that was her wish for the day. Brought a tear to my eye.

[bigalcal]

Show and teach them fishing. I taught my when he turned 11 and he was my #1 flyfishing and camping partner for many years. We have both learned from each other. I taught him how to fish and he taught me how to tie flies. Folks like Mr. Botangles and others on FFC saw him learning the how to catch his first cuttie from what is now known to some as the "pool of shame" in the RHC. Though his priorities have changed with a steady GF, we still fish and camp together. His GF known to some as "Olivia" at the Cutty Hut now camps and fishes with us. Though your new baby will slow your fishing down for the short-term. However, if you are lucky like me you will get have lots of time to enjoy and share your fishing with him/her for many years as I am experiencing now. It has allow us to have a very strong relationship as we both fish with each others friends.

I have had the pleasure of watching Hydromans son grow up fly fishing over the years at RHC and it is a pleasure to know both of them and his younger son. "Olivia" is pretty cool too. I'm looking forward to another season and the morning coffee's!!

[Fishslayer74]

I just had a little ball of joy a few months back now and it's been amazing and she does come before fly fishing. However my wife and I have our one day a week we do are own things to keep us who we still are. So once a week I meet up with buddies and get out fishing. And there is the odd weekend in between that I get a day of fishing somewhere and then a couple of weekend trips a year.

 

It's all about compromise and yes I don't get out near as much as I did last summer but at least I still get to go out and do it.

 

And once she's big enough to put into one of those backpack carriers I'm going to try and take her out. I'd love it if one day she appreciates fly fishing like I do. However that may never happen and that's ok as well.

 

All I can say is just find the balance and let your wife have her time as well.

 

Cheers.

[darrinhurst]

All I have to say is Congratulations. Having a newborn in your life will change it in more ways than just fishing time.

[DRock]

thanks for all the tips guys. totally looking forward to the new one coming!

[Blackant]

For me, I hardly got out... Besides working full time, had to let my wife have her down time in the evenings... funny never thought work would be a getaway lol .... Weekends were always a write off... I did go out a couple of times to a few stocked lakes for picnics with the family.... Then 3 years latter another bundle of joy came along... a year later... Went camping with the family at a nice place in K-Country, spent an amazing bonding moment with my son as I watched him catch his first 4 fish on the fly rod! Moments like this are burned forever in your child’s mind and yours; my son now 5 1/2 has his own rod setup, and is forever bugging me to go fishing. Now whenever I want to go fishing I just say it is a boys time out.

During this time waiting for your little one to get hooked, be patient, it is hard work, but rewarding. They grow up fast, appreciate every day your bundle of joy, and take lots of pictures every day.

 

Congrats.

 

Black Ant

[fishfreak]

With baby #1 three and a half years ago, I've had to limit my fishing quite a bit. I can't do the long days on the Highwood or Livingston as often as I want, but I changed tactics in the summer. Rather than doing mornings or weekends, I am a lot more opportunistic. I live in Inglewood, and now every time I cross a bridge or am near the water, I take a look at the water in the evenings. If I see a riser, I suit up, catch it, and maybe one or two more, then drive off. Suddenly, I'm able to fish a few times a week, though only an hour or so at a time, but those short bursts are quite intense as I'm quietly trying to entice a riser. I've gotten to learn the inner city stretch quite well doing that.

 

With #2 born 7 weeks ago, I'll still be able to do the same. I put the 3 year old to bed, and go out for an hour or so... hopefully. We'll see how that pans out post-runoff.

 

In the mean time, I pretend to go camping and fishing with my 3 year old daughter quite often... she loves it, haha.

[danhunt]

I have a two and a half year old and a 10 month old and there is no way around it, the fishing takes a hit. My advice is to roll up the sleeves and offer to change Jr more often than not (it doesn't get really nasty until they start eating solids), if she suppliments with a bottle or straight bottle feeds do a couple of late night feedings. If you do that during the week, you're more likely to get her blessing to head out to the river all day on the weekend. Plus, even though it's not glamorous, you are bonding with the little gaffer, and thats worth it on its own.

 

BTW, this is all probably really cliche, but here are some simple things that I either didn't hear or didn't fully appreciate before we had our first - You might be in that time period where she's past the morning sickness and she's pretty happy about this whole thing. If so, you get a few months of this, enjoy it! I can't stress this enough - sleep as much as you can, while you can - just going to bed and waking up on your own terms becomes somehow magical. No judgement, but if you are developing a "birth plan" be forewarned that unless you are in the vast minority very little is going to go the way you expect it to, all you can do is go with it. Have some formula and bottles on hand, even if the plan is to nurse 100% - it takes time for the supply to keep up with the demand and a couple of strategic bottles of formula here and there can buy you a few key hours of sleep. A few days after you get home she is likely going to have a hormone crash, and it could be ugly. What ever makes her happy when she is upset, pick up some and keep it tucked away (e.g. my wife likes ice cream). One more - put the new diaper under them before you take the old one off.

 

Congratulations, and best wishes to you and your family!

[Blackant]

Danhunt hit the nail on the head! Get as much sleep as you can and enjoy it. The first week is usually the toughest and very emotionally stressfull for both of you.

If you can give your wife about 4 hours of uninterupted sleep as much as possible this will make your life much easier; If that is possible for you both you to achieve. The best adivce I got was "Just remember, you and your wife will adapt to being a parent, and you will survive. "

Oh and the occassional date helps a lot grandparents are a great help for this

 

All the best.

 

Black Ant