Angling Resolutions
For a Good Year on the Water
I’m heading down to the Bahamas for my last fishing trip of the year (and one of my favorites). It’s a good time for a little angling adventurism even if you’re braving the cold and trying to catch striped bass (like my friend Joel!). But it’s not too soon to start getting ready for another good season on the water.
So here are some angling resolutions for next year.
1/ Hire a Local Guide. This is a smart investment. It’s a great way to see your local rivers with the benefit of some real expertise. You’ll learn new techniques you can apply when you’re on your own. And if it’s a good experience it can become an annual tradition. If there’s a bigger river then try a drift boat, which offers a new perspective if you’re normally wading. It’s good to get to know the guides who are on the water 100 days a year (or more). So find a friend or loved one and get out there.
2/ Embrace Saltwater. It can be hard to make your saltwater debut. You have to fly a long way and that first bonefish is the hardest one. But once you do then it’s the beginning of a beautiful relationship. It completely changes your angling calendar—now winter is in play. Regardless of the fishing, getting on the flats is an absolute delight. Ideally you go with a friend who knows what he's doing. But a saltwater trip doesn’t have to be an entire week. Four days is certainly enough. And if you’re reluctant to head all the way down to the Bahamas then what about redfish in South Carolina with Tuck Scott? Try it for a few days to get in the groove.
3/ Donate to the Cause. If you fish, and even if you don’t, then you become a conservationist. If you don’t contribute to preserving the ecosystems we love then nobody else will. Climate change is affecting every place we fish and always in bad ways. There are great organizations devoted to research and conservation. Trout Unlimited, of course, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Get involved, learn what they do (it’s extremely impressive) and donate money.