Sorry if this has been asked before. But I have my first child due March 22nd but she thinks it may be sooner. I'm sure once I meet my little bundle of joy fishing will be completely off my mind but just asking for some input from you guys who have been through this already. But when is too soon to get back out on the water? I don't plan on immediately but just looking to make sure my minds on the right track. I'm all about family first and would work 3 jobs if I had too to keep us afloat. I'm sure yall see where I'm going with this so any input is appreciated. Thanks!

What boat do you have and what bells and whistles?

After you put the last child through college.

Honestly, family first means family first. Your wife, especially if she has a job, will need your help big time until at least the baby gets on a good sleep schedule. Once the baby starts sleeping all night, things will get easier but all day/all weekend trips will probably need to be postponed until he/she gets a little older.

Cherish these times. Give that little one 100%. That baby will be grown before you know it and guess what.... those fish will still be there.

Get this - My second daughter started fishing with me when she turned three....that was thirty three years ago and we still fish tournaments together. Believe me Brother when I tell you time flies.

Start planning picnics at the lake.
Learn how to fish one handed while holding the baby in the other.

How to score some points with the other wife:

Change diapers often with out asking.

Learn how arm the bottles just right. Learn how to feed the baby while smiling at your wife. You have to convince her that you like it.

Most important! Offer to babysit and insist that your wife go up it with her girl friends.

You will build up a lot of good will and she will begin to think what a great man you are and will feel guilty about objecting to an occasional fishing trip.

Just remember that the most important that thing in your life is that baby and your wife. They come first before anything you do except work to support them. Fishing is way down on the list of important things.

Keep in mind that the baby may grow into the best fishing buddy you ever have.

I have a 9 year old. I sold every piece of fishing related equipment I had when she was born. Boat, all tackle and all lures. I literally couldn�t have made a T-rig. With no gear to use I didnt miss it a bit.

As time progressed I slowly got back into it. First a tube for short outings, then a bass buster. Then I joined private water fishing and took her perch jerking a few times. Before long she was asking to go on a regular basis. Then last Jan I bought �us� a new ZX200 Skeeter.

Now she regularly wants to go. Ifnot she�s ok with me going without her. She loves to go to the boat show and is as involved as I could hope for a 9 year old girl.

With the cost of daycare there is no way I could have done it and kept my hobby. Plus with my work schedule I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could, but that part hasn�t changed.

Thanks!

I stopped fishing when my daughter entered first grade, and instead I chaperoned, attended all her school functions and had father > daughter day as often as we could. I did not start back fishin until she had a year of college under her belt.

Do not regret a minute of it

I love that!

I work Saturday but am off on Sunday. Sunday is our father-daughter day too and is what she has learned to call it. I like to let her pick out the activities for the day. Sometimes it�s fishing in the morning, movies in the afternoon or some other activity. Yesterday it was IHOP for breakfast, PuttPutt and the arcade for mid day and then once we came home she wanted to play a few rounds of Yahtzee.

I�m also off on Thursday and she absolutely will not play hookie to go fish with me. My wife is a teacher and her perfect attendance and straight A�s are very important to my daughter. So my definite fishing day is Thursday.

My son is almost 8 months old. He was born June 1st. I'm a teacher and usually fish all summer. I'm sure it's differenent for everyone, and every child, but ours was the easiest in the mornings, so it didn't mess up my fishing at all. I didn't fish at all for about 2 weeks after we got home because my wife was pretty weak from her c-section. Plus, I just wanted to be with him. After about 3 weeks, my wife actually told me to go fishing.

After that, I'd stay up with him at night and do the super late feedings, then I could usually time his next feeding to where I could give him a bottle right before I left if I needed to while my wife slept. Then he'd usually sleep late into the morning. By then my wife would be up and rested enough that she was fine to have him by herself until I got back around lunch time. I'd take a shower then we'd both take us a nice nap in the recliner.

Another thing that helped me was being a crappie fisherman. When you hit 25, you can go home!

Your whole life will change, but It will be the greatest thing that's ever happened to you.

I fished nights when I had to. Shorten trips to 1 or 2 hours. Wait till kids and wife are asleep. All these things allowed me to get out quite a bit. My 3 kids range from 3 to 10 and I get out 75 times a year. Many trips are 1 hour mid day nap time trips, but you can manage. You have to keep your sanity too. As they get older, It will get harder, but at some point you may have a fishing partner.

You're done! lol There is no set rule except you will have less free time in the beginning...Then things will start to look like this...

Oh...and congratulations!

Man joebass those shades are insane in that first pic. High level cat you are.

Ha, the best you could with prescription sunglasses back in the day. And no, just a low level office grunt. Companies had dress codes back then.