What makes a good fishing trip?

[Carl Blackledge]

Hey guys,

In your opinion what makes a good fishing trip?

Carl Blackledge

[lee s.]

GOOD COMPANY.......period. No frills. No wine and dine. Just GOOD company.
And a somewhat reasonable optimistic expectation to adding to the "species" or target list. Don't need a LOT of fish.....if that is the need, I'll stay home and do it here.
.....lee s.

[Darian]

Amen to good company!! Planning/preparing/traveling/fishing with my fishin' partner, traveling to new/old places (adventure??), good captains/guides, fishing'/catchin' (we do eat some of the fish we catch but don't bring 'em back from trips), good places to eat/good food/drink. Reasonable cost!! Sorry for the generalities but there's too many reasons that go into what makes a good trip for me to list here.... :cool:

[Carl Blackledge]

Lee-Darian,

I agree with you guys 100%

Carl Blackledge

[John Sv]

For me it really is the people as mentioned before. I started writing about the adventure/new location being critical. That part is great, but as I was writing that I thought about so many great fishing trips across the farm I was living on, to the little bass pond, or fishing the same place I have a zillion times catching stockers on Donner Lake, but this time with my son.

Carl thanks for getting me/us to think about this! Heck I even started looking at old pictures because of this thread :)

[mems]

https://i.imgur.com/sAs7rgxl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RKbkNLpl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NfqDc8rl.jpg
Just being on the water

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I guess it is all the wonderful memories.......

[gitt]

It is not all about the fishing. A group of us flew down to Patagonia for what was supposed to be dryfly season. It rained most of the days, but that did not deter us. We were fishing out of Picacho Lodge, which required a 45 minute run down a river in pontoon boats powered by a 45- 60 hp Yamaha. One day it rained so hard we just told the guide to bag it and get us out of the rain. He pulled up to an abandoned lodge on Lago Copa that was originally built for Nomad of the Sea. Across from this lodge was another lodge that the Fly Shop had also abandoned as well. The guide got us to take cover under an overhang of the lodge and disappeared. We peered through the windows and saw it as they just left without picking anything. The forest was slowly taking over the building due to the deferred or lack of maintenance since the operation was abandoned. When he came back, he had an all metal wheelbarrow full of dry firewood. We set it ablaze to initially warm our bones and dry ourselves. By the time the wood had burned down to a bed of coals the heat created from the wheelbarrow fire had steam shooting out the handles and even the top of the wheel started to smoke. We threw a grill over the wheelbarrow and started to BBQ a hardy meal of blood sausage. By then, I had had my fill of blood sausage for the week. To this day I can still taste the blood sausage when mentioned- yes, I will pass. When the lunch was over, we put our dry gear back on and departed back to the lake to finish our day. For our day on the water, we did not see another soul. Who else in their right mind would be out there? This area was pristine old growth, accessible only via the river or by helicopter. We did run into a single Patagonian who was living on the lake raising cattle. This was by no means any large operation. He had a wooden rowboat that he used to cross the lake to put his cattle one at a time on another pasture. Otherwise, this hermit was out there on his own with just the resources to exist. When I refer to him as Patagonian, he did not speak Spanish and it was difficult to communicate with him when he asked for assistance to drain his boat of water and flip it over to do repairs. This had nothing to do with the fishing, other than us being there. The fishing sucked that day, but yet I don't reflect on the day other than the sequence of events mentioned that made this an excellent trip. On our very last day, while loading our gear for did we finally see someone. One person was on a horse and another was walking up the river. One of the boats gave the pedestrian a ride upriver.

Trips like this provide me with memories that can never be fabricated or imagined. The sight of waterfalls cascading over granite every where you looked cannot be replaced. You just have to do it. On our last day at the lodge, our guide joined us for dinner. There was a coffee table book he paged through and pointed out photographs where we had fished minus the notables in the photos. Browns and rainbows were targeted and caught, but the experience itself is what remains. Casting to deadfalls along the lake made me feel I was casting to bass, but trout are all we caught. I believe it is the experience and relationships for the timeframe that sticks out foremost in my mind.

[Scott V]

A guide without an attitude. So sick of guides boasting about how great they are or some other bs, just take me fishing and be good company.

[dynaflow]

lee s. said "GOOD COMPANY.......period. No frills. No wine and dine. Just GOOD company."
That's it in a single line.A joy shared is a joy doubled as they say.I only see my Bonefishing mates once a year on C.I.but we just pick up where we left off...same Dad jokes included.

[ifsteve]

There are some attributes such as "good company" that are paramount. But for me it also depends a LOT on what the trip is for. Went out yesterday for the first time with a guy I met. Fished locally for redfish. The weather was tough and we both got skunked. But I had a great time. For that kind of trip its a lot about being on the water with good folks.

But in two weeks I am heading to the Seychelles. I would be flat lying if I said its all about "good company" I am going with a very good friend and fishing buddy so that is covered. But this trip has some built in expectations. To make it a good trip I think these have to be in place:
1. Quality gear and guides
2. Quality fishery with opportunities.

Perhaps the best way to put it is that the outfit has done an adequate job of the things that are in their control. And they do their best to deal with less than optimal things they can't control. Did you get what you paid for?

[Carl Blackledge]

IFsteve

I think you said it perfectly...after all it is a fishing trip, but good friends and top end gear do make it more enjoyable...I actually enjoy fighting a big fish with a great rod and good reel....maybe like watching a good bird dog work?

Carl Blackledge

[mems]

Good luck in the Seychelles. Post a story when you get back, I hope you get a big GT and a milkie on the flat. Mems.

[ifsteve]

Good luck in the Seychelles. Post a story when you get back, I hope you get a big GT and a milkie on the flat. Mems.

Thanks, Don. This trip is to get my last bucket list fish, the GT. We timed this to have the best tides for them so we'll see if there are any milks around. Also would love to get a bumpie and a trigger. But I am all in for a GEET!