Fly fishing trips are not easy to plan well, especially if you are heading to a new place. Two factors unravel the best laid plans: weather and whether there is a bite on. Through the years, we’ve had to fight against the tyranny of Steve’s hyper-planning and the chaos of Dave’s “Let’s just see what happens.” In this episode, we discuss the importance of creating a plan for the fly fishing trip that includes space for flexibility.
LISTEN NOW TO “FLY FISHING TRIPS – PLANNING VS FLEXIBILITY”
The Fly Fisher’s Book of Lists – The Perfect Book for a New Fly Fisher
This book is a must-read for folks who like to scan lists and discover helpful hacks and tips.
Fly fishing is a wisdom sport. The more you fish, the more you accumulate tips and ideas and hacks – that make you more proficient and increase your enjoyment of the sport.
This book is just that – lists of wisdom that we’ve accumulated through the years. It has come from guides, fly fisher friends, from our reading, and from watching videos.
This book is like a plate of hors d’oeuvres. You simply can’t have one. Read one list, and you’ll read the next. Visit Amazon to buy your copy today!
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Hi. My name is Steve and I am a plan-oholic. Yes, I am cursed with an addiction to planning — in a hobby that demands flexibility and constant improvisation.
Your advice for obsessive planners is spot on. Having a plan B lets one adjust to streamside realities while still maintaining some sense of order. I have found another thing that is helpful in learning to live with this affliction: On trips I like to stay somewhere that has numerous water options. I make a written list of the various fishing options; essentially a menu of locations. Then if plans A and B don’t look so good, I just go back to my menu and select another option.
In terms of base locations, one favorite is Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone Park, which had an incredible number of rivers of various sizes within an hour’s drive. The other favorite is Philipsburg, Montana. It is known for proximity to Rock Creek, but it also is an easy drive to the Blackfoot River, the Little Blackfoot, Clark Fork, and several un-crowded small creeks. Doing research to develop the “menu” is a fun planning activity for cold January evenings.
So, on a fishing trip, a little spontaneity is OK – as long as you plan it ahead of time.
Love the podcast.
Steve in Indiana