Thinking of Gifting a Fishing Trip? Ask These Questions First
Most people have enough things. That’s why we advocate for generous gift-givers to surprise the angler or anglers in their lives with fishing travel – the memories derived from experiences last far longer than another lure or rod or rainsuit (although of course those are solid gifts if the person truly needs those items).
Experiences are especially valuable if you can share them with the recipient. I’ve enjoyed trips to Mexico and Guatemala with the non-anglers in my family and I hope they had fun, too. But before surprising them this holiday season with what you deem the trip of a lifetime, it pays to ask some questions, so you get max credit for your thoughtfulness and they get ample enjoyment from your generosity. Here are some things to ask and consider before you pull the trigger:
Will they value this type of fishing?
I’m an advocate of spreading your fishing wings as far as possible – I’ve found very few experiences I would hesitate to try again – but some people are purists. Maybe they only like dry flies for mountain trout, or their lives are completely bass-centric. Perhaps they get ridiculously seasick. For those people, a dream trip popping for tuna or chasing giant trevally across the globe might not be as cool as it would be for me. Don’t give them your dream trip – make sure it’s theirs, too.
Who will they go with?
Many trips are double occupancy. Others require three or four anglers to make it affordable. But if you’re not going with the recipient, and he or she can’t find anyone else with the budget or desire to go, they may be screwed. It’s part of why we’ve worked so hard to find ways for singles and pairs to join our trips to Panama and Alaska, and why we love the Casa Vieja Lodge Singles Week. But even if they can go as singles, not everyone has the confidence or desire to get dropped into a group of likeminded strangers.
How will the timing work?
Make sure that your recipient is free at the right time? Some places, like the bass fisheries at Mexico’s El Salto and Picachos, have long seasons. At others, the window may be quite short to chase particular species. If your recipient is a CPA, a March to early April window might not work. Or they may have another trip planned at the same time. I’m a big believer in going when the fishing’s best so don’t kneecap yourself by buying a trip for someone who’s not free at that time. Also, make sure that they have enough time off from school or work to get there and back without courting disaster. If they only have 6 days off, most of a trip to the Great Barrier Reef or the Seychelles will get eaten up with travel.
What is their budget?
You’ve gone ultra-generous and bought someone a dream trip, saving them thousands of dollars. That’s awesome, but it doesn’t mean that they’re off the hook. They may still have to buy plane tickets and licenses and pay gratuities. Perhaps there’s a hotel fee involved. Make sure you’re not putting them out over the tips of their skis.
Do they have the necessary equipment?
As noted above, just because the trip itself is paid for doesn’t mean that everything is covered. One thing that we really like about our trips to Alaska, Guatemala and Panama is that all of the rods, reels, lures and other fishing equipment are provided – even down to waders at Bear Trail Lodge. To amass high-quality stuff for a one-off trip might be prohibitive. Even in that case, though, be sure they have the right gear – sunglasses, rainsuits, etc. Most anglers will, but you want to set them up for success, not “almost success.”
Of course, one way to ensure that you get them the right option is to discuss it with your prospective traveler. See where they want to go. Pick their brains about other options. You can even play devil’s advocate and point out some of the holes in their planning process. Used properly, the internet remains an unbeaten tool for making an informed decision together.
But if you’d still like to surprise them, reach out to us and we can talk you through the process. Without knowing your friend or family member, we can’t be 100% certain it’ll be exactly right, but we can help you ask the right questions and make a highly-informed decision that’ll put them one step closer to the trip of a lifetime.
