Fishermen and vacations make for an interesting combination. And surprisingly a lot of guys who fish a lot, never take fishing vacations. Which I think is a huge mistake. I get that vacations generally revolve around fishing and most of the time as a man, you defer to the wife and kids wishes when it comes to making a family happy. And I’m certainly not asking men to give up quality family time for fishing. But I think a fishing vacation trip can really benefit an angler in a bunch of meaningful ways.
Planning a fishing trip as either part of your family vacation or a separate trip on your own, or, even better, with your family or good friends specifically centered around fishing. There is something about spending time outdoors with people you enjoy chasing fish that is hard to encapsulate for others. You just need to do it and see how much it opens up on your perspective, your enjoyment and even your mood. It can improve your every day fishing, and can give you a fresh outlook on fishing that is reinvigorating.
Planning a Fishing Vacation Trip
I think part of what stops guys from planning a fishing vacation is they have this grandiose idea of what it should be. But going to a lake a few hours a way can be just as great. The key to me is going to somewhere on a bucket list or somewhere that offers a great fishing location, scenery or a chance to catch something you don’t normally get to fish for where you live.
All of these things are key ingredients I have found over the years to make for a great getaway. Don’t bind yourself up with the fish in the initial stages of the planning. You are looking for places that will offer you a reprieve. From your busy work life and from your ordinary fishing.
I find that going to interesting locales, chasing nice fish in other places or chasing species I don’t get to fish for a lot can do wonders for my psyche and at the same time be very enjoyable while also having the ancillary benefit of giving me a better or new perspective on my fishing at home. I know this because I’ve been in ruts before fishing around the house. You get into the rut of fishing the same spots the same way because it was successful in the past. What normally breaks me out of the rut is to go on a fishing trip that is outside of my norm.
I generally start planning a fishing trip based on improving my location based on season or to a place on a bucket list either for the surroundings or for the better fishing for a certain fish. Then I start exploring lodging options and then I start doing research on best tactics, when and where best fishing is and if it’s something I think I can do on my own or if I might be better getting a guide.
Considerations for Fishing Vacations
I think going somewhere that gives you a reprieve from your weather is an added dimension to a great fishing trip vacation. So I will go somewhere cooler when it’s really hot down south or go somewhere warm when it’s really cold in the winter. But I will also plan trips to other locales when I know that fishing is best in a certain season as well.
I am fortunate to live in a somewhat centralized location in Kentucky. I can be to a lot of diverse and good fishing in less than 8 hours. And there is some great and different fishing around in less than 4 hours. So again it doesn’t have to be a cross country trek to be a great “fish cation”. And what is nice about short trips is you can have several fishing vacations a year.
While I do enjoy a week hunting trout in the mountains out west, a few day trip up to another state to chase some big fish in other waters is equally energizing.
Ideas for Fishing Vacations
I am a bass fisherman at heart. I have spent most of my life chasing those fish and figuring out an infinite amount of ways to catch them in diverse varieties of conditions and locations. I also grew up in Florida chasing saltwater fish for years. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve been expanding out to learn more about other species and seeing if I can find trophy fish of other species at lots of other locations.
I have a bucket list that is a mix of locations, fishing for big fish, and lots of different species. Things like trophy red ear out west, trout fishing in the mountains, big crappie down south, big bass in Texas, and chasing as many species of panfish and trout in as many different locations as I can squeeze in while I’ve got time. So I’ve been making a concerted effort to add fishing to my vacations. Add fishing trips to each year. And also adding fishing weekends with the guys. A fish camp if you will.
These are just great times hanging out, fishing, cooking and sharing old stories. I used to fish camp all the time right after I got married. We would take 3-5 day trips down to a lake or river, camp out, fish, cook, sleep in tents and have a big time. I missed it something awful. I went back to my first one this spring with a buddy and his fish camp buds. It was a dang hoot and now it’s back on my radar.
I also explored fly fishing for trout in Yosemite as part of a vacation this spring. My wife let me sneak away for a few hours each morning to fish. I went the first morning with a fly fishing guide since the location was completely new to me, and I was out of my element. It was one the best fishing trips I’ve ever experienced. I didn’t catch any particularly large trout, but I learned a ton, was immersed in breathtaking surroundings and caught fish steady to reinforce I was picking up tactics and reading the water correctly. What it really did was energize me for fishing and now I’m adding multiple trout trips every year. It reinvigorated my love of exploration in fishing.
How to Maximize the Enjoyment of a Fishing Vacation Trip
I know not every one can take multiple fishing trips in a year. I get that. I really do. But you can do some leg work and figure ways out to make a fishing trip affordable. The easiest way to me are quid pro quo trips. Travel somewhere to stay with a friend and let them come stay with you and fish your waters. I actually think this type of networking is what fishing was meant for. Sharing things you enjoy with kindred spirits.
I can’t afford to rent multiple hotel rooms and fly all over the country to fish either. But I’ve been figuring out how to get myself to where good fishing is and finding where I have friends close by and making shorter trips more affordable. And having someone share the trip with you, makes it so much more rewarding. And if multiple people go, you can split the costs and lower them for each individual.
A great fishing vacation trip is not solely about the quality of the fishing. It’s about the quality of the time. Fishing is fun when you are catching. Or when you catch a big one for sure. But you can make any fishing trip a lot of fun with food, drink, fellowship, laughter and memories. Go to where the fish live in beautiful places and share them with people you cherish.
I’ve caught a lot of fish all over the country, even a few outside the country. As I get older, it’s about stocking up the memories with the people, the beautiful places, and time spent exploring around the next bend in the river or down the next bank on the lake. Every day spent on a fishing trip can be made great with an explorative spirit and good people to share it with. And what it does for your psyche and your soul will prove invaluable.
