"First and foremost I have a very understanding bride who realizes this fishing thing is a stress reliever but more than that a passion of mine."

Stole the above from CP, but it applies to me also! I have the best wife in the world, am blessed by that, and know it! I may be a little biased about that also. LOL

As CCiller alluded to above, once you can get the kids out of the house and stable in their lives, it becomes a lot easier to slip off and fish for a little. The stress is about non existent any more, unless you start worrying about the Gkids or GGkids!

I am self employed also, small reasonably successful business, used to work 16-18 hours a day. Got to a point, after about 10 years, where I realized I was spending to much time working. I could work at my office 24 hrs a day 365 days a year and never catch up.

Another thing I am blessed with is the ability to shut it all off after I leave work. I don't think about work until the next morning on the way to work.

I garden also during the week and that is a nice stress reliever also.