According to new research released today the top excuse people get caught out on when having an affair is ‘I’m going fishing’, followed quickly by ‘going to the library’ and ‘going to play darts’.

2,000 Illicit Encounters members were asked what the worst excuse was their spouse gave them when sneaking off with their lovers and out of a list of 40 options, including ‘I’m going to the bank’, ‘I need to get the car serviced’ and ‘I’m getting my eyes tested’; ‘I’m going fishing’ came out on top with 28% of the votes.

When this 28% (541 people) were asked ‘Why do you think your spouse is not fishing?’ the top six reasons were –

The weather is too bad for fishing

We don’t live near a lake/the sea/a river

They don’t even own a fishing rod!

They’ve got no interest in fishing

They fish very late

They don’t answer their phone when they go ‘fishing’

 “What’s most shocking about this research is the feeble excuses people make when having affairs – some of them are so transparent!” Claire Page, spokesperson for Illicit Encounters said, “One would think that people would go to more of an effort to be discrete when they’re sneaking off. Perhaps they think they’re convincing, perhaps the marriage has become so stale that they don’t care, or perhaps women can read their husbands better than they think and can tell when they’re lying.

“The biggest irony about this research is that escapism is associated with fishing, but this is the main reason people have affairs too – because they want escapism from their mundane, stale marriages.”

When the 2,000 IE members were asked what would be a better excuse, the top five suggestions were:

I’m going to football training

I’m working late

I’m going to the gym

I’m volunteering for a local charity

I’m meeting my friends in the pub