Henry Winkler and Wife Reflect on Fishing Adventures

Henry Winkler and his wife, Stacey, have been married for almost fifty years, which means she’s quite familiar with him—especially regarding his fishing tales.

Recently, the couple sat down with Graham Bensinger for an interview where they shared insights about their relationship, how they first met, and a particular activity that apparently transforms Winkler from a friendly Hollywood figure into a fiercely competitive character.

That activity? Fly-fishing.

Stacey hinted that Winkler might not be entirely truthful about his fishing exploits.

“You have alleged before that he pads his numbers,” Bensinger remarked, prompting a quick, feigned offense from Winkler.

“Wait a minute. Really?” he replied, looking surprised.

Stacey remained firm, teasing back, “I write down in my book exactly.”

Winkler defended himself, saying, “I don’t round off; that I do only in charity,” which set Stacey up perfectly.

“The biggest charity is your fish size,” she quipped, joking that his focus on his catch size rivals other, perhaps more personal, claims people might make.

Clearly amused, Winkler seemed taken aback. “I have just learned something I’ve never known,” he admitted. “I don’t pad my numbers, but my wife believes I do. Shocking. I’m shocked. I’m hurt.”

Who hasn’t maybe exaggerated a bit after a successful fishing day, right?

Yet, this joking reason isn’t their primary challenge when fishing together. The couple once enjoyed outings but found it challenging due to Winkler’s change in temperament when he’s in “fishing mode.” He’s known for his amiable nature, but a trout can bring out a whole different person.

He explained how they used to have designated fishing zones in their boat—Stacey from the front back to the oars, and Henry from the oars back. But, well, Henry didn’t always stick to his side. “I’m here to catch a fish,” he noted, occasionally casting into her area, which didn’t go unnoticed.

Stacey shot back, “Not wind up—slap into my water.” They clearly had different views on the fishing boundaries.

Winkler argued he was just chasing the fish, while Stacey pointed out that he disregarded rules and boundaries entirely when it came to casting a line. “He turns into a 7-year-old,” she described, humorously noting how their first fly-fishing trip led to more arguments than their entire marriage combined.

“She just didn’t understand,” Winkler stated, whereas Stacey countered, “So then what I would do would be to not catch fish to make you feel better?” His dry response was, “That would have been so thoughtful.”

Eventually, they figured out a strategy for a happier fishing experience: they fish in separate boats with separate guides on different parts of the river.

Problem mostly solved. But Stacey still finds a way to tease Winkler. Whenever she catches a sizable fish, she makes sure to send him a photo.

Stacey confessed, “He gets irritated,” to which Winkler quickly refuted, “I do not get irritated.” But, of course, he is curious about her success. He joked, suggesting that maybe there’s a secret to her fishing luck, like some kind of fish-attracting pheromones.

In fact, Winkler even joked about whether she might be using Photoshop to enhance her images while on the water.

Stacey noted how fly-fishing is one of the few activities where her husband, known for his patience and kindness, gets genuinely reckless. “If he thinks he sees some bubbles, he’s going there,” she added. There’s a sense of abandon when it comes to his fishing ambitions.

After nearly half a century together, the Winklers have certainly understood the essentials of their relationship: separate fishing boats, distinct zones, and never fully trusting his estimates on the size of his catches.