Preparing For a Destination Fly Fishing Trip

Packing for a destination trip can be a daunting task.  The mere thought of forgetting something as important as a passport or essential travel documents is enough to make your heart jump into your throat.  Aside from these important items, there are a few ways to make sure you are prepared for your next destination fly fishing trip.

Extra Everything:  It is so easy to assume that you won’t drop a pair of sunglasses off the side of the boat, break a rod tip landing a fish or get all of your shirts filthy before the end of your trip.  A few things I double up on:

• Sunglasses – A good pair of polarized shades is imperative for spotting fish and protecting your eyes, but unfortunately losing or breaking them is a realistic possibility.  I know sunglasses can be expensive, having a less expensive backup pair is far better than having no backup pair at all.

• Fly Lines – Fly lines and backing do occasionally break, especially chasing large saltwater species.  Having a spare fly line will save you a whole lot of time and money.  Even if you can track one down in a remote place, you can bet you will be paying a pretty penny for it.

• Tippet – Tippet is cheap, don’t leave yourself stuck with a couple wraps of it left on a spool with 3 days remaining in your trip.  It packs very small, and just like a spare fly line, it is a lot cheaper at home than it is in a land far away.

Do Your Research:  Read up on the area you are going.  Make sure that you know exactly what you are in for before you arrive.  Don’t skim over the suggested gear lists that a lodge or operation will send you, there is a reason they put in the time to create these.  Make sure you know what currency is (and isn’t) accepted and how much you should have on you for basic things like food and tips.  Also be sure you know which areas of cities/towns to avoid for your own safety.

Immodium is God’s Gift to Travellers:  Houston, Texas.  The place where I learned that something as simple as a cup of frozen yogurt can give you a violent case of food poisoning.  Bring items like Immodium before you are stuck wishing you had items like Immodium.  Flying with a squirrely stomach is among the least enjoyable things on earth.

Spend the $100 to Avoid Airport Layovers:  Last, but definitely not least.  I have had some nasty airport layovers including one en route to Hawaii that halfway through I would’ve paid a thousand dollars to be in a budget motel room.  It seems like a great idea to save some cash by sticking it out in the airport at the time of booking your trip, but when reality hits you will give anything to lay down in a real bed after a day of travelling.

That’s all for now, follow along the expedition to Tarponville Fishing Lodge in Manzanillo, Costa Rica starting Wednesday morning!  To drop me an email for details on next year’s hosted trip, fill out the form below.