Or, what to do when you can’t fish on a fishing trip
I had plenty of time to think about this on a recent Great Lakes mission. A group of friends and I spent a week chasing carp, smallmouth, and whatever else we could find on the Big Lake. When the conditions were safe to get out, we enjoyed spectacular freshwater flats sight casting. When gale force winds kept us penned up, we still made the most of our time.
Finding yourself weathered out for a day (or two, or three) when you’ve taken time off work, traveled, and spent good money may feel disappointing, but it’s also part of the experience. The more fishing travel you do, the more often this will happen. You could get all pissed off about something over which you have no control and infect everyone around you with your bad mood and negative attitude—ensuring your day is terrible and no one ever invites you on a fishing trip again—or you can go with the flow and enjoy yourself.
For those who choose option B, I’ve put together a few ideas to maximize your landlocked time. Instead of going straight to the bar, (or raiding your hotel’s mini bar) consider doing one or more of the following activities first.
1. See the Sights and Get Yourself a Little Culture
The places we go to chase fish with fly rods are often beautiful and fascinating in ways that most anglers never experience. I know this is difficult for some of us to imagine, but millions of people travel to the very same destinations we covet for completely different reasons. They travel just as far as we do to walk on the beach, (without scanning for roosterfish) hike in the mountains, (without scouting trout pools) or get a taste for communities and lifestyles different than their own. Don’t be afraid to be a regular tourist. Consider a forced day off the water a gift, because without it you’d probably miss out on everything beyond fishing that makes this place unique and interesting. On my most recent trip, we visited a Marine Museum and learned more about the maritime history of the Great Lakes. Turns out, there’s more to the story than that one Gordon Lightfoot song.
2. Tie Flies
This can be slightly challenging, since you probably don’t carry a full tying kit with you when you travel. Most fishing lodges, however, have plenty of tying supplies on hand. Ask the guides to teach you some of their favorite patterns. If you’re not doing a lodge trip but getting guided independently, ask your guide if you can borrow a vice and some materials. Or, head to the nearest fly shop and ask them to show you some of their favorite local ties (just make sure to buy something while you’re there). You’ll come away with new ideas, unique approaches to tying, and potentially a new fishing buddy.
3. Channel Your Inner Jim Harrison and Eat a Damn Good Lunch
Sure, you eat lunch on the water, but that’s rarely a great meal. Eating on the water usually involves jamming fuel into your gob as quickly as possible so you can get back to fishing. Since you’re not fishing, grab a table at the best lunch place in town (either with your friends or a really good book), savor your meal, and see how the other half lives—the half who doesn't fish.
4. Work?
I’m conflicted about this one, as doing work is often anathema to the essential escapism of a fishing trip. That said, if you (like me) work a job with perpetually loose ends, taking a couple hours to answer some emails or clear the metaphorical decks might allow you to fully immerse yourself in the remaining fishing days. There’s always a danger, however, that you encounter news you didn’t want to hear and wreck your headspace. Best case, you have an idea that’s percolating in your head, maybe a solution to a long-standing work problem or conundrum— write that out without logging on. You’ll feel accomplished without the danger or reading a message you didn’t want to see.
5. Gather Intel
This suggestion mostly applies to DIY trips but has a lodge application as well. If you’re not fishing with guides, use your off day to plan the remainder of your fishing days. Seek out some local information. Try to figure out where the fish will be and what they will do on the back end of this particular weather pattern. Dig into some maps and explore some back roads. You might discover a completely new spot to try once the skies clear or the wind lies down. If you're at a lodge, pick your fellow anglers’ brains. Where have they fished recently? What were their experiences like? You might learn about a fishery you’ve never considered.
6. Train for Your Next Trip
While we were waiting for the winds to calm on the Great Lakes, Michigan guide Kevin Morlock turned poor fishing conditions into a training exercise. Kevin knows that casting in the wind often separates success from failure when flats fishing. He grabbed his 9 wt, tied on a weighted crab pattern, and started practicing for an upcoming permit trip in Belize. "You only get so many shots, and I want to make the most of them," he told me. We could all be better at casting in the wind.
7. Get Some Exercise
Fishing trips generally involve an overabundance of food and drink. Celebratory excess is part of the fun. While multiple days of fishing, eating, and drinking often leave you exhausted, you rarely get much physical activity. Spend a couple hours moving your body. Take a long walk; hike a mountain; rent a bike and go exploring; hit up a nearby gym (if you’re into that kind of thing); go for a run; do some yoga. I’m not saying you should turn your fishing trip into a wellness retreat, but you’ll probably feel better if you do something to look after your physical self.
8. Read a Good Book
So often we lament our general busyness—work, email, family, scrolling—our lack of calm down time. Well, here’s your chance. You just inherited a completely unscheduled day. Instead of filling it with your habitual distractions, invest some time in that book you packed. Looking for ideas on what to read? We have you covered.
9. Fall Down a YouTube Hole...Together
Watching YouTube fishing videos alone in your basement is sad. Watching fishing YouTube videos in a room with your buddies as a prompt for commentary and conversation is hilarious. On our day off, we watched the new Yellow Dog Bhutan film shot and edited by Chris Patterson. We all shared some vicarious stoke, which led to a discussion about bucket list fishing destinations.
10. Now You Can Go to the Bar or Brewery (or Both)
All these suggestions will help you make good use of your down time, ushering you across the day and into a reasonable cocktail hour. You could start drinking as soon as the day’s fishing gets called off, (no judgement here) but you’ll definitely feel better and probably enjoy your trip more if you utilize some of those hours for non-alcohol related activities.