All through the late winter and spring plans were carefully made, fishing tackle cleaned, hooks
and lures sharpened, line replaced, maps studied and likely hotspots carefully marked. Finally
there we were. But, somehow the idyllic setting on the brochure turns into a broken down cabin,
chairs with one leg shorter than the other three, beds that came out of a WW II army surplus
store, a leaky boat with a motor that had seen it’s prime before you were born, and two members
of our foursome had begun arguing when we were still halfway there.
Most of us don’t have the luxury of going on a fishing trip more than once or twice a year. You
can drastically improve the odds of your dreams becoming reality by considering some of the
pitfalls and taking time to plan properly.
1) Hope for the best; but plan for the worst! You can’t always count on sunshine and warm
weather. Don’t let a lack of planning ruin your trip.
2) Chose your companions carefully. Your best friends at the office might be totally
incompatible on the water. Be sure to discuss your likes and dislikes and plan accordingly.
3) Decide on the type of trip you want. House keeping or American Plan? Drive or Fly-in?
Boats provided or take your own? What species is your fishing preference?
4) Choose your accommodation wisely. Ask lots of questions to ensure that the lodge where
you intend to spend your hard earned money is everything they say it is.
5) Decide how you will share the costs. Will one person pay all and split it up at the end?
Will each person be responsible for contributing certain items like food, beverages, gas, boat,
etc.? Will everyone simply pay their own way? It seems simple but this issue has resulted in
more than one broken friendship.
6) Be sure everyone is willing to participate in the chores. I tend to do all the cooking, and
enjoy it so that is never an issue on our trips but serious discussions often develop when one
or two people do all the work while the rest sit on their butts.
7) Plan your menu and appoint a competent shopper. Again this seems simple but at the
very least be sure that you ask each person if there is anything they particularly don’t like, or
are allergic to. If it turns out that you have a particularly picky eater in your group perhaps
you should refer to tip #2.
8) Determine the best time of year for your trip. You not only need to adjust to individual
schedules but spend some time researching the best optimum time to fish for the species in
the area you will be fishing.
9) Learn about your destination. Great side trips and venues are often overlooked by focusing
strictly on your destination. Do a bit of research and see what other things or places of
interest are in the immediate area.
10) Don’t forget your fishing pole and tackle; and above all relax, unwind and have a great
trip!
