7 Tips for Solo Fishing Trips

When embarking on solo fishing trips, it’s easy to neglect the importance of preparation. Often times as anglers, we are too eager to pack up and go that we miss some of the necessities that can make or break a trip. Whether it’s a week-long excursion to a faraway destination or a day-long trek to the mountains, here are 7 helpful tips to make that trip go a little more smoothly.

Pack the Car Ahead of Time

Packing the car ahead of time is an excellent way to ensure nothing gets left behind. Make sure all rods are safely stowed away in their tubes and reels in their cases. There’s nothing worse than arriving at the river only to find your favorite rod snapped in two. Packing the car in advance will also make things far less stressful on departure day.

Check Stream Conditions

Checking the conditions of the stream or river you are planning to fish is essential. Assuming the body of water has USGS data, this is something that should be checked many times before your departure. If you are fishing a river for the first time, reach out to local fly shops or other anglers to get an idea of what is considered a “normal” flow.

Bring a Backup!

Whether it be a rod, reel, or camera battery, you’ll want to make sure you bring plenty of backups on your trip. As fly fisherman, we love our gear. But the sad truth is that sometimes, gear can fail us. That is why it is important to make sure one mistake does not ruin the entire trip. This doesn’t mean you have to bring a spare of everything, just the necessities….like beer!

Bring the Camera

So you’ve planned this epic trip, but the trip is nothing without the pictures to prove it! Bring a camera. This doesn’t have to be a fancy DSLR. It can simply be a phone camera or GoPro. The idea of bringing a camera is not to produce award-winning photographs, but rather to serve as a reminder of a time you were totally emersed in nature. Trust us, you’ll be happy you did when you’re back at the office scrolling through them.

Pack a Killer Lunch

While on the trip, one thing that is out of your control is the fishing. If it’s slow it’s slow. However, there is one thing that you can control, and that is lunch. Typically, the fewer ingredients you have to haul around the better, but don’t be afraid to go big! Check out 5 Easy Lunches While Wading for some great streamside meal ideas!

Stock Up on Flies

Although this is an obvious one, we can’t stress the importance of fly variety. Prior to departure, you should have a wide variety of flies in your box in a plethora of different sizes and colors. When there is a hatch going off, you’ll be happily prepared without any limitations.

Have Fun!

Last but certainly not least, have fun. These trips are meant to serve as a fun way to decompress and escape. Don’t get bent out of shape about a missed fish or two, it’s all part of the game. Cherish every moment because, as you all know, you don’t know when you’ll be on the water again.