I've gone up north with groups and with just my wife and myself. Every time it's just the wife and I we have a much better time than when we trip with other people. The main reason for me is that I feel like there's pressure on me to put the group on fish. When it's just the two of us we are more relaxed, we fish hard but if they don't bite we don't sweat it. I love the BW and talk about it often to friends and family. When they say they want to go we've planned trips, which is why I feel responsible for their good time. Anyone else experience this?

Yep! Lots of pressure to provide fish dinners every night for 9, especially when the weather sucks. Newbies tend to get bored with fishing real quick. It can get frustrating for them when your reeling in a fish every 5 minutes and they can't get hooked up just 10ft away from you. I like to joke with my wife, after I see a fish tick her line, are you going to real that one in?

I have kids or non-fisherman just troll crank baits and they always catch northerns or SMB. 2 or 3 fish a day is awesome to them.

Soups can provide fish meat for everyone on those lean days. Bring meals for every night and consider fish dinners a bonus.

Amen to what you are stating. My wife and I have a much more relaxing time when it is the two of us for many of the reasons you listed.

Glad I'm not the only one. Providing fish food isn't a huge issue for us as we only plan 1 or 2 days tops for fish (I don't eat them). It's more about making sure everyone has a good time. I'm hoping to go with some friends again next year and I'm working on setting better expectations for them.

You bet! My 1st choice is always to trip with the wife and me only. She loves to canoe trip, but from time to time a beach opportunity for her comes along where she can't do both. Handful of others are good too, but I'm REAL picky about who I ask along.