The fly fishing trip. It is the thing of budgets, daydreams, and wonderfully exhausting weekends.
But before you get online and compare lodges and guides, mark of time on your calendar, or buy an entire new load of gear, there are some calculations that you go through. Or, at least, you should go through.
If you are new to fly fishing the idea of taking a prolonged adventure might be exciting but intimidating. Where to start? What to look for? These are good, legitimate questions. Finding the right location and picking the right outfitter are big decisions. But there are some decisions that are actually upstream from all that research. And truthfully, there are some questions that you ought to consider even if you have been fishing and fishing-vacationing for decades.
Here are four categories of decisions you ought to run your next fly fishing trip through:
Time
Isn’t this the whole issue? For so many of us, finding the time or making the time or being afforded the time to go – actually go – fishing is the first matter to consider. Once you are able to get away, there is one significant question worth answering: how much of your time away do you want to spend travelling.
You could think of it this way: Do I want to spend two days to get to and from a particular fish or get to more fish quickly. Basically, is it worth a few days of travel or are you content to leave in the morning and be fishing after lunch. The experience might not be exotic (it might even be in your own state), but you get more time on the water. Or, is time on the plane and in the rental car a legitimate part of the fishing for you?
Money
This is only number two because time is, in fact, a more valuable commodity than money. Even if you only have a little money, I think you will agree.
However, money will determine if you can do a weekend versus a week. Money will be the deciding factor on whether you have one day guided versus three days on your own. The spreadsheet in your head (or, the actual Excel sheet on your computer) will force you to make some decisions on where that thousand, hundred, or twenty dollars goes. To be truthful, if you have tens of thousands of dollars to spend there are going to still be choices. But aren’t those good choices to have?
Energy
Like the tv commercials insinuate, fly fishing certainly can be relaxing. But not all fly fishing is inherently relaxing. Or easy. Or for everyone. What are you physically and mentally up for? If you’re not a great fly caster, maybe bonefish aren’t for you right now. If a day on a plane is going to wipe you out for the next day, perhaps a trip across country is going to be too much. Three days on the water sounds like a better deal than one day in the drift boat, but three days walking might be a chore and ultimately less fun.
Know your limits. Know what will be expected of you when you get back. Embrace it, and work within those parameters.
Reward
Regardless of your time, your money, or your abilities, you’re going to be making a calculation. Will you play it safe or shoot for the moon? There is something to be said for driving through the night to hit the hatch for a few hours simply to turn around and go home. Those few hours might make it worth it. Or, it could be a total bust. You could have spent the two days on local water catching familiar fish. But then, you’ll always have that what if? in the back of your mind.
This is the kind of stuff that only you can know. And, hopefully you’ll be able to mix in some risky fishing business throughout a year of safe outings.
Does this sound like a lot of talk for something that ought to be simple? Well, yes and no. You might have found a groove for your fly fishing trips. But maybe you’re playing it safe. Maybe you need a night behind the windshield and a few hours sleep only to wake up to some fresh steelhead that take you to some very frustrating but exhilarating places, just to turn around that evening and head back so you can show up to work in the morning.