Fly Fishing Vacations for your sanity
Fly fishing vacations are advertised all over the Internet,
in magazines, and wherever fishing related activities are
taking place. Your choices are limited only by your budget.
Fly fishing vacations on a budget
Speaking of budgets, if your wallet isn't amenable to spending
big bucks on a fly fishing vacation, you'll have to look
carefully at the options available. Most professionally run
fishing vacations will cost you dear, but there are a few
bargains out there.
Decide firstly what you want from your vacation. If you expect
the professional to supply all your gear, you will pay for it
either in hidden costs or as an added extra.
A boating trip will cost more than a simple wading trip. A
camping trip will be less than one where you stay in cabins
or hotels.
If you hire a guide to show you the ropes, be prepared to
pay for him or her. The upfront costs will usually not include
gratuities. The advantage of a guide is having someone who
knows the waters and who can direct you to spots where fish
are found. (No guarantees).
Getting the best out of fly fishing vacations
If you are paying money for your fly fishing vacation, you
should have certain expectations. Do some homework before you
commit so that you won't be disappointed.
Check out exactly what you will be getting for your bucks.
Are there hidden costs involved? Don't plan on catching your
dinner every night; the fish might not cooperate.
There are vacations suitable for families with young children.
Others are aimed at target groups. Women only fly fishing
vacations are offered regularly, as are those targeting
youth groups.
A vacation for the novice fisherman is not likely to excite
the experienced pro. Likewise the novice will soon be
disillusioned if signed up for a vacation where instruction is
beyond his or her capabilities.
What's available in fly fishing vacations?
Fly fishing vacations are available throughout the States and
internationally also. Prices range from the hundreds of dollars
per night to the thousands of dollars for multi-night stays.
Your fly fishing vacation might include a full day seminar
followed by a day or two on the river to practice what you've
learned. Other vacations are purely the get out and fish type.
Some vacations are float trips where you'll have the opportunity
to cook your catch in the evenings over a campfire and talk
about the ones that got away. Other trips are catch and
release only, so you'll need a camera to record your successes.
Fly fishing vacations are sometimes offered at ranches where
there is private water. This might be a privately owned portion
of a river or stream or it could be a large lake or pond that
has been stocked with trout. Often these privately owned waters
have a catch and release provision.
What you should know before you leave on your fly fishing
vacation
Before you leave on your fly fishing vacation, make sure that
you have a confirmed list of the inclusions offered in your
itinerary. If possible, find out what others have said about
the operators of the program.
If you are taking your own tackle, make sure that it is
suitable for the waters you will be fishing. Find out if you
can purchase anything you might need at the site.
A fly fishing vacation might not be paradise personified, but
it is sure darned close. If you have done your homework and
everything falls into place you'll have your office colleagues
wondering about the smile on your face when your return to work.
About the Author
Dale East is a long time outdoorsman and fly fisher and publisher of
Fly Fishing Wyoming