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Fly-fishing: A Proper Pick
Written By: Chris Wilkes - The Highland Hiker | Issue: 2019/03 - March
Fly fishing gives you an excuse to visit some very pretty places and one of the things fly fishermen and women like to do is plan these excursions.
A lot of different factors go into planning a successful trip and basing it off of other people’s suggestions is useful, but can lead to some frustration. For one thing, every fishermen has different ideas about what makes the perfect trip. That’s why it’s important to ask yourself some questions when deciding where to go.
Where do you want to be hanging out when you’re not fishing? Usually this question gets asked last and that can lead to problems. On most fishing trips, your day is completely built around fishing. But would you rather catch 100 fish in 40 degrees? Or catch 50 fish in 75 degrees? There’s no wrong answer, but you have to be honest with yourself as to what you want.
How much of a challenge do you want? I’ve taken trips where you will catch fish if you can get the fly to the water. I’ve also taken trips where I spent all day in a lake trying (unsuccessfully) to catch a trophy-sized brown trout. Again, no wrong answer but each destination and the guides they employ will have a different default setting as to what makes a successful trip for their clients. Some will be numbers of fish, some will be size, but all will be based on what a majority of their customers want and you need to know that going in.
How much solitude do you want? Not surprisingly, a lot of the allure of fly fishing is based upon the fact that usually it’s done in very quiet conditions and not in a crowd. So it makes sense that when planning a fly-fishing trip you would want those same conditions. The more people a lodge holds, the more people will be out on the water. Again, the camaraderie can be a plus, but it is something to consider.
Best of luck and enjoy the scenery!
