What's your bucket list fishing vacation?

Wife was asking me my bucket list skiing or fishing trip. This has never crossed my mind really, so I've not given it any thought.

Fishing beats out skiing, because Im a Jong on skis.
I'm a Jong with a flyrod, but I'm less likely to get killed, so I'm looking at fishing bucket list.

Off the top of my head, I said New Zealand. My only knowledge of NZ fishing comes from Harry Moores instagram. Patagonia? Alaska? Some bonefish/permit place? I've never fished salt with a fly, but would like too.

Either way, i won't b doing this. I told her I'd rather take 20 trips for a day or 2 to east Tn, than I would 10 days down under.

She didn't really get it.

I've already shared a boat with SFB, so everything on my list is checked off.

Iceland. And, I will be checking it off in May.

I don't really know what's on my "list" but, up for consideration:

Multi-day/week off shore / island hop thing, maybe with a sailboat (with a little Whaler as a launch, ideally)

Fly in/heli /hike(?) in remote destination where the trout are big, wild and remain naturally curious

Piloting a bass boat at 102 mph... YEEE HAAAWWW

Dean River - Done

Arctic Char above the circle.

East Coast Stripers during prime time

Kamchatka

TDF

Seychelles/Indian Ocean/Diego Garcia

Reds in loosiana(could actually happen)
Taimen in russia(prob never happen)
Whatever in AK using fs cabins or 10day float
Patagonia
Musky in WI

Really anything to get my lazy ass outta MT and fish something new.

1) Big fish in shallow water:
Indian Ocean atolls
Rhode Island in June
Tarpon, somewhere where there are few people.

2) Big false albacore from shore launched paddleboard:
Cape Lookout

NZ, Seychelles

Taimen in Mongolia wouldn't be boring.

Bassas da India, inconnu, Gaula, Nunavut char, African tarpon and threadfin, Ethiopia, barramundi, New Caledonia, and a goddamn motherfucking Colorado pikeminnow.

Fucking trout in NZ have laser-20-20 X-ray vision-read-all-the-books-about-drag-free-drift-selective-trout and matching-the-hatch.
Bring camo and kneepads and hire a guide that is born an raised and don't get disappointed if you catch nothing and get an allergic reaction to the sand fly bites. DO NOT wade wet even if it's like 90'.

Christmas Island on the other hand you can catch 30+ plus bones a day and burn out the cork on a disc drag reel...

You went down to Christmas, Crampedon? Tell me about it. Heard getting drinking water can be a bitch there sometimes. When you coming skiing with me?

Mah-seer in India. Trout too, if they can be found anymore.
Taimen in Mongolia
Trout in the Pyrenees

Also queenfish. They are neat.

Doing my bucket list fishing in april. Hopkins, Belize... So stoked.

Throwing 8 inch streamers to pike and bass is the boundary waters was really cool. I really want to do that Smith River float, can anyone tell me if it's bucket list worthy for fishing dries? But ultimately mine would be a week or ten days with no family worries in patagonia, met a small operator at magic waters named eduardo I'd really love to visit

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Originally Posted by kokomas

I really want to do that Smith River float, can anyone tell me if it's bucket list worthy for fishing dries?

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I have done the Smith multiple times. The fishing is pretty good on the Smith, but do it mainly for the overall experience. If spectacular dry fly fishing is what you want, the nearby Missouri River is the place. I recommend Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig MT.

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Originally Posted by Tele'ndaboat

Doing my bucket list fishing in april. Hopkins, Belize... So stoked.

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Do you have a guide lined up? I have a couple connections in Hopkins if you need someone.
In fact I will be there in about 16 days. Good luck permit are a bitch!!

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Originally Posted by schwerty

Taimen in Mongolia wouldn't be boring.

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This!!

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Originally Posted by teleee

Do you have a guide lined up? I have a couple connections in Hopkins if you need someone.
In fact I will be there in about 16 days. Good luck permit are a bitch!!

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Hey Telee,

My wife fished with Lincoln down there last spring so we are going to be fishing with him again...

Any advice you have would be awesome.

You are in good hands. Lincoln and Floyd are definitely the 2 best guides in Hopkins.
Are you going through a guide service or directly through Lincoln? You can save a substantial amount of coin if you go directly through Lincoln.
Not sure what rods you are bringing. I bring at least 3 rods with me.
A 7 for bones, i like to rig up an 8 weight with wire leader for cudas. There are lots of them on the flats, and a 9 or 10 for permit. If you bring a 10 you can rig it up for tarpon if you make a run to their hang out.
Flies....
I can take a picture of the ones I have used down there if you would like

I am guessing you already know this, but
Take every thing you will need there are no shops. I mean everything! Leaders tippet everything.
The chinese owned grocery store is the best place to buy food and beer for the day.

Oh and most important do NOT smoke the local weed and get into a pool game late at night. Trust me on this [emoji13]

^ This. Bring everything. Not a single fly, spool of tippet, or leader to be found anywhere around Hopkins when I went 2 years ago. I fished with Lloyd Nunez thru Mt Shasta guide service. Could've booked directly and saved huge coin. Didn't know at the time. Hopkins is a way cool little village. Mellow, friendly and cheap. Grand slam is possible. Didn't get a permit, but bones and tarpon were plentiful. It's back on my bucket list. Once was not enough.

Oh, and Mongolia, Christmas Island, and Patagonia round out my bucket list.

I went through Lincoln's site, Blue Horizons. Can I get more direct than that? Bummer if so...

I think it ended up being $500 a day.

So I'm kind of new to the salt world, even though the web site says all terminal equipment and rods are provided I should bring my own?

Thanks for the info!

Ben

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tele'ndaboat

I went through Lincoln's site, Blue Horizons. Can I get more direct than that? Bummer if so...

I think it ended up being $500 a day.

So I'm kind of new to the salt world, even though the web site says all terminal equipment and rods are provided I should bring my own?

Thanks for the info!

Ben

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Hey Ben, we go in pretty much geared up. If you can roll in with your own gear the going rate for a local guide is $250 a day. But where you are coming in without all the stuff $500 a day is a pretty good deal.
I would recommend letting them know that you are planning on showing up with no fishing gear. That way the be wont be shocked.
I have a buddy who lives down there and guides part time. If you get down there and need something that they cant provide I will PM you his contact info and he can most likely help you out.
Have fun!! I have to warn you though, this salt water shit is addictive as hell. You will never be the same after you go.

Load up on squid 5 days a week for the month of jan 2017... would be a 70g crew share.