To fly off the handle
My wife spent all afternoon yesterday cooking a special dinner for our wedding anniversary. So she really flew off the handle when I came home three hours late.
Honey, please don't fly off the handle -- I had a little accident with the car, but it certainly wasn't my fault."
To bark up the wrong tree
If my brother-in-law hopes to borrow any more money from me, he will be barking up the wrong tree.
Hey man, if you think I was the guy who robbed that bank today, you're barking up the wrong tree! I was nowhere near the place.