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Top Destinations for the Solo Angler
TOP DESTINATIONS FOR SINGLE AND SOLO ANGLERS
Solo travel and solo fishing can be gratifyingly self-indulgent: fish as long as you want, focus on whatever species you want, and never have to share bow time or trade shots! It’s a situation where the only compromises you have to make are with yourself and the fish you’re targeting. Fishing and traveling alone allows you to enjoy a destination and a fishery on your own terms – without the distractions, schedule or priorities of others. Even for those that prefer company when traveling, the fact is that finding fishing partners that can do the same trip – at the same time, for the same cost, focusing on the same things – can be difficult, and finding trip scenarios and a room and boat, there are some operations that charge very little
specifics that work for multiple people can be a bit like herding cats.
Whatever your reasons, traveling and fishing solo can be incredibly rewarding. While sharing a boat with the right person is always fun, fishing solo allows anglers of all abilities to quickly progress his or her skills while maximizing opportunities and shots. Traveling solo, you’re bound to meet other friendly travelers on a similar agenda that you can engage with at the lodge bar or around the dinner table when you want the company. It’s easy to have more illuminating conversations, and you’ll make friends faster than you ever would at Nonetheless, we realize that it can be difficult and costly to plan and travel as a single angler versus sharing a room and boat. Some operations have steep single supplement fees, and the financial burden can be considerable. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of our favorite “single angler” destinations: lodges and operations that offer minimal or no single supplement fees, where single occupancy rooms are included with every package, or where seasonal incentives that make it more attractive for those fishing on their own.
While fishing as a single angler can price out higher than sharing home or if you were with a known group.
for a single supplement. There are also a handful of lodges where single occupancy rooms are included with every package! At right are some of our top picks for operations that offer the best value, settings and overall price points for single anglers.
FIVE USEFUL TIPS FOR FISHING AS A SINGLE ANGLER 1. Hydrate: Long periods on the bow can be hot and tiring, which means that ample water consumption is vital. 2. Strip Out a Second Rod: Fishing single presents a great opportunity to have multiple rods stripped out and ready to fish. For example, when if you’re fishing the flats with a bonefish rod in hand, it makes sense to have a barracuda rod or a permit rod stripped out and ready to grab when opportunities arise. If you have to step down to retrieve a rod out that is stowed, and then strip out line, the window of opportunity has likely closed. 3. Relax For Lunch: Make sure to take a true break for lunch, as “cooler time” and a chance to sit will otherwise be limited 4. Line Management: When you’re fishing solo, you need to make sure your fly line is organized and ready to launch quickly. Invest the time to regularly clean your fly line or (better yet) pick up a new fly line before the trip. Strip off the amount of line you think you are going to cast, shoot it out, and then strip it back in in lazy coils on the floor of the boat. This avoids tangles when you need to quickly make a shot. 5. Have a Camera Plan: If you want great photos of your catch, be sure to review your camera functions with your guide ahead of time! Show him the basics to operate and focus the camera before things get crazy and you’re trying to land a fish.
BAHAMAS
Mount Pleasant Lodge – Great prices and a la carte guide options. Small Hope Bay Lodge – No single occupancy surcharge for select weeks December through February.
BELIZE
Belize Permit Club – Belize’s most popular single angler destination for those that hate sharing permit shots. El Pescador Lodge – 25% off for single anglers June through December. Garbutt’s Fishing Lodge – Competitive price point and the smallest upcharge for a single angler in Belize. Sea Dreams Hotel – Stay on your own in the funky, fun and inexpensive beach town of Caye Caulker.
CHRISTMAS ISLAND
The Villages – Single fishing with one-to-one, guide-to-client ratio is standard with all packages.
CUBA
Cayo Cruz – Great value for single room / single skiff packages. El Faro Lodge – Single occupancy accommodations are standard with all packages.
GUATEMALA
Casa Vieja Lodge – Special weeks available where single rooms are standard and the lodge will pair single anglers up for fishing.
HONDURAS
KAMCHATKA
MEXICO
Bahia De Los Suenos – Single occupancy lodging is standard, with low upcharge for single fishing. Campeche Tarpon – Great value and low cost for single angler packages. Costa de Cocos Lodge – Great value and low cost for single angler packages. Isla Holbox Tarpon Fishing – Incredibly low upcharge for single fishing and lodging supplement. Pesca Maya Lodge – Great value and low cost for single angler packages year-round with special rates for summer and fall months.
MONGOLIA
Mongolia River Outfitters – No single angler upcharge and outfitter will gladly pair up single anglers in a boat.
SEYCHELLES
Alphonse Island – The most “reasonable” rates in the Seychelles, and all packages include single rooms.
U.S. WEST
Bighorn Angler – Great overall value and low single occupancy surcharges. Elk Creek Ranch – The best deal in the west with no single occupancy surcharges. Four River Fishing Company – Great value and low cost for single angler packages. Great Waters Inn – Great value and low cost for solo packages. Sunrise Pack Station – No upcharge for single anglers and strong availability for single slots.
