Are you looking for the perfect holiday that will combine leisure and activity in the correct ratio? Then go for a fishing holiday.
Some people will spend all their vacation time lying on the deck chair by the pool. And then there are some restless souls who cannot stand the idea of staying in the same place for more than a minute.
But in order to get the most out of your hard-earned vacation, you need to achieve a fine balance between action and restfulness.
You aren’t an idle person by any means, but after all, you took leave from the bustle of your daily existence, and you deserve to enjoy it in peace. And fishing lets you do exactly that.
So where are you planning to go for your fishing holiday? The idea is to travel as well as catch fish, so it’s little use pointing out how you have fine fishing spots within thirty miles of your home. The idea is not simply to catch fish, but to catch them far from your home.
Consider going to South America. There’s this country called Chile along its western coast, and it’s shaped like a long, thin green pepper. It’s a fabulous country for Trout fishing.
If you’re worried about hospitality, then worry no more. There are a number of fishing lodges near water bodies that offer more than acceptable food and accommodation.
Take the Futaleufu lodge in southern Chile, situated on the river of the same name. And in addition to that river, there are a number of lagoons, lakes, and streams nearby, almost all of which are good places for fly fishing.
Explore freely along the north-south axis, but be careful of east and west because of the country’s curious shape, you may find yourself straying into the neighboring country, Argentina!
Thinner still are the countries of Central America, that thin strip of land connecting the two continents to its north and south. Belize and Panama are wonderful fishing destinations for Barracuda, Tarpon, Bonefish, Wahoo, Kingfish and so forth.
These two countries also host a number of fishing lodges staffed with English-speaking attendants that provide fine food and board. The El Pescador lodge in Belize or the Tropic Star lodge in Panama come to mind.
And Panama is really an astounding place for catching Marlin striped, blue, or black. More Marlin records have been set and broken in Panama than anywhere else in the world!
Or if you find it essential to have greater breadth of movement, take a look at Africa. The Okavango Delta in Botswana, for instance, is once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s a vast, marshy swampland that is absolutely teeming with avian and fish species.
Tigerfish and Bream are particularly abundant, but perhaps the greatest spectacle is the incredible run of catfish in November (which is actually midsummer here in the southern hemisphere).
Absolutely anything you care to throw at them will be gobbled up flies, pieces of bread, or even an empty hook! While that isn’t very conducive to high-class competitive angling, it is nevertheless something you shall remember for the rest of your life.
From the shallow lakes of New Zealand to the chalk streams of England, from looking for Mahasheer, that legendary world champion of fighting gamefish in the icy streams of the Himalayas, to casting for record-size Tuna in the tropical waters of the beautiful Seychelles islands, memorable fishing destinations abound in the wide world. If you have a feel for the sport, you can surely choose one that suits you best.
