Why Plan a Year Ahead?
Bucket list fishing has gotten complicated with all the lodge options and booking systems flying around these days. As someone who has knocked off a dozen of these destinations over 20 years and blown several by not booking early enough, I learned everything there is to know about what actually requires advance planning versus what you can book last minute. Today, I will share it all with you.
That’s what makes destination fishing endearing to us obsessive anglers — the anticipation is half the trip. You spend months researching, planning, and dreaming about water you’ve never seen. Then you finally get there and it either lives up to the hype or teaches you something about managing expectations.
Here are ten destinations I’m actively planning for or dreaming about — each one offering fishing you can’t replicate anywhere else.
1. Bristol Bay, Alaska – Wild Rainbows and Salmon
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. Bristol Bay is the motherland for trophy rainbow trout. Fish over ten pounds caught on mouse patterns and flesh flies during salmon season. The lodges cost real money — $8,000 to $15,000 for a week — but the fishing is unmatched. Book now for summer 2025; the top lodges are already filling.
2. Belize – Permit on the Flats
Permit remain the ultimate fly-fishing challenge, and Belize offers the best shot at consistent permit fishing in the world. Lodges on Ambergris Caye and the southern coast put anglers in sight of tailing permit daily. Budget $4,000 to $6,000 for a week including lodging and guiding. Spring months fish best.
3. Patagonia, Argentina – Brown Trout Rivers
The rivers of Argentine Patagonia hold some of the largest brown trout on Earth in stunning mountain scenery. The Rio Grande for sea-run browns and the Rio Limay for resident fish are both world-class. Season runs November through April. Many lodges require booking 12-18 months out.
4. Christmas Island, Kiribati – Bonefish Paradise
If you want to catch 50 bonefish in a day, Christmas Island is the place. This remote Pacific atoll offers some of the highest bonefish concentrations anywhere, plus shots at giant trevally and triggerfish. It’s a long journey — two days of travel each way — but the fishing justifies the effort.
5. Amazon Basin, Brazil – Peacock Bass
Peacock bass in the Brazilian Amazon are visual, aggressive, and grow to 25 pounds. Fishing happens from mothership operations that cruise remote tributaries during low-water season (September through March). The jungle setting is an adventure in itself.
6. Iceland – Atlantic Salmon and Giant Browns
Iceland’s rivers produce some of the most expensive Atlantic salmon fishing on the planet — a rod on a prime beat can cost $3,000 per day — but the fish are spectacular and the scenery is otherworldly. Lake Thingvallavatn offers more accessible fishing for giant brown trout if salmon prices are prohibitive.
7. Outer Banks, North Carolina – Spring Albie Run
False albacore running the Outer Banks in October and November offer world-class light-tackle fishing without international travel expense. These mini-tuna fight like fish twice their size and are accessible from shore, kayak, or small boat. A budget-friendly bucket-list option that’s actually achievable.
8. New Zealand – Sight-Fishing Brown Trout
New Zealand’s gin-clear rivers let you spot and stalk individual brown trout in what many anglers consider the most technical freshwater fly fishing in the world. The fish aren’t numerous, but they’re large, educated, and require perfect presentations. Humbling stuff.
9. Costa Rica – Offshore Grand Slam
Blue marlin, sailfish, and roosterfish in a single trip? Costa Rica’s Pacific coast makes offshore grand slams possible. The fishing is accessible and relatively affordable by offshore standards, with excellent operators out of Quepos and the Papagayo Gulf.
10. Louisiana Marsh – Redfish Revival
Sometimes the bucket list is close to home. The Louisiana marsh, an hour from New Orleans, offers some of the best sight-fishing for redfish in North America. Tailing reds on shallow flats, slot fish in school after school, and guides who know waters that seem infinite. An essential American fishing experience.
Start Planning Now
Pick one destination, research the best timing, and start making reservations. The trips that actually happen are the ones you commit to on a calendar. Dream trips stay dreams until you book the flight.
