Who said fly fishing is expensive.....

[goinoregon]

I’ve fished out of only one “dedicated” fishing lodge but have done so 7 or 8 times now. It’s in AK and it’s pricy. The lodge itself is great. The food is good but what you are paying for IMO is access. To their boats, planes, their privilege on certain rivers, and guides which are required most places you are fishing.

Is it worth it? I’ve gone a bunch so yes but honestly not just for the fishing. Catching big bows is great but not the only place you can do it. I’ve also had the chance to target char, Dollie’s, lake trout, grayling, pike and various salmon species from the lodge which is cool but also something you can do in a number of places.

One of the reasons we’ve coughed up that money is I have a non-fishing spouse and that lodge is good for her. They fly her out to do bear photography while I go my own way and fish. She enjoys the comfortable room but even she could do without the other amenities. We don’t need the open bar and there is too much food. Only fishing trip I ever come back from feeling heavier. We’ve also been going there awhile so I don’t get “over guided”.

Go forward though, we won’t be going annually. We can camp where my wife likes viewing bears. I can fish other places when we go to AK. Plus, I have other places in the world I’d like to explore where I’m not paying a premium for “luxury”.

1 week fishing AK or a rental in MT for 2 months where I can DIY fish all kinds of water and species. Honestly, cost is similar for MT and a lot of other great fishing destinations.

i like the idea of the mt rental, and spending a month exploring. with that amount of time, you can get in a few guided days to help figure places out. any recommendations on an area??

 

[jasmillo]

i like the idea of the mt rental, and spending a month exploring. with that amount of time, you can get in a few guided days to help figure places out. any recommendations on an area??

You’d have access to lots of water staying pretty much anywhere in western MT. I’d personally pick somewhere with easy access to Missoula, Bozeman or Kalispell, though I would not stay in town if possible. If there’s running water in that part of the state, it likely holds trout. Don’t really need a guide if you have fished rivers previously. Lots of access points and solid stream access laws too.

Just to be clear, not bashing guides either. I just don’t fish with them often. The lodge I stay at in AK and one trip where I fished a few days in Belize is it. Well, tuna trips in WA too. To me guides equal access to waters I cannot get access to myself. Good ones obviously have amazing knowledge to share as well, but figuring it out (if I have the time) is a big part of the fun of fishing IMO.