So, you’ve answered the question”Is this a vacation where we fish or a fishing vacation?” The next big question is “What do I want to catch?”.
Keys to Planning a Fishing Trip:
1. Is this a vacation where we fish or a fishing vacation?
2. What do I want to catch?
3. How much is this fish worth?
What do I want to catch?
Are you on the hunt for giant blue marlin, 6-pound smallmouth bass, or native cutthroat? You’ll also want to consider personal experience and the fishing experience of your party here. If you’ve never cast a fly rod other than dryflying, Pacific salmon might be a stretch.
If you’re a new fisherman dreaming of Hemingway-like adventure, or if you are planning a family fishing trip, by far the best trip you can do is an inshore full-day charter. If you’re in a tropical locale, this could include trolling for kingfish, dorado, and even sailfish, casting to yellowtail, then an afternoon of bottom-fishing for group, snapper, or rockfish. If you don’t have an immediate answer to what you want to catch, and will be near saltwater, a mixed-bag inshore trip is surely the best bet. Offshore deep sea fishing is what many people have in mind when they think of trolling salt, but the cost, time, and low success rate — there’s a reason marlin are such a trophy — often pale in comparison with a more fish-friendly inshore excursion, especially if you’re planning a family or group trip.
If you’re unfamiliar with types of fish and where they are found, resources like our Fin & Field species database or IGFA’s are great places to start. By targeting a species you’ll start answering the “where” and “how much” questions.
Spend some time following a few guides and charters to see what they’re catching. Many of the top guides are regulars on Facebook, sharing their latest catches and photos of happy customers. Check out our Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up on the action.
Want to stay ahead of the bite? Click Here and head over to Fin & Field to download our guide to planning and booking a fishing trip.
