| Compleat Angling |
 |
 | Hampshire, England |
Izaak Walton country
|
Anglers have been trying to fool fish with feathers and fur since Caesar's day. But it was the English who turned a quest for food into one of the world's most addictive pastimes. In southern England, just north of the Channel, lies the cradle of modern fly fishing: Hampshire. And chalkstreams like the Test and Itchen are its Tigris and Euphrates. Izaak Walton, the most celebrated angler in history, fished and wrote about these holy waters more than 300 years ago. Walton's The Compleat Angler remains one of the most frequently reprinted books in the English language since it was first published in 1653.
Thanks to careful management of these streams (read: private, ultra-exclusive water fished by appointment only) down through the centuries, old Izaak would still feel right at home. This is classic English countryside, a lush, serene, sylvan landscape laced by idyllic chalkstreams. And the wary brown trout that swim these streams offer anglers one of the supreme tests of dry-fly skills. Presentation and stealth are paramount. Beginners best try their luck elsewhere, since these fastidious trout won't give you a second chance if you blow your first cast. Remember, no wading, and dry flies only. Fished upstream, of course.
Editor's Choice: Fishing Trips
| Fishing in El Dorado |
|
| North & South Islands, New Zealand |
Trout Nirvana
|
Seventy years ago, novelist and devoted fly fisherman Zane Grey dubbed New Zealand an "angler's El Dorado," and no one's ever had cause to dispute that lofty claim. If you're after the trophy trout of a lifetime, the land of the Kiwi is the place to go. And thanks to its reversed seasons, you can fish your home waters at peak season before heading way down under. Both the north and south islands of this postcard-perfect land boast unparalleled fly fishing for lunker browns and rainbows, descendants of trout introduced in the late 19th century.
The well-worn cliché "gin clear" was first coined for these pristine rivers, and it's no idle boast. Forget blind casting if you want to catch anything, and leave your neon pink lines behind. These fish are cautious and the water truly is transparent, so you better spot your quarry before you even think of unfurling a cast in its direction. You'll also need the services of one of New Zealand's legendary, eagle-eyed guides to help you tell the difference between a trout and a rock. It won't be cheap, but what's the point of flying halfway around the world just to get skunked?
Editor's Choice: Fishing Trips
More on Fishing New Zealand
Find New Zealand Destinations
| Lunker Brook Trout |
|
| Labrador, Canada |
If you want to experience the best fishing anywhere for America's most storied native trout, you have to go to Canada. The beloved brookie (or speckled trout or square tail) was the first trout encountered by colonists on these shores some 400 years ago. Brook trout (char actually, but who cares?) have long been celebrated as much for their taste as their dazzling good looks. But loss of habitat, an overwillingness to take a fly, and competition from the imported brown trout relegated most American brookies to small streams and small sizes.
But far to the north in Labrador, it's still possible to catch football-size brook trout. This remote, unspoilt region, perched on the eastern tip of Canada, is overrun with countless rivers bursting with big, fat, beautiful brookies. The Minipi River system in particular regularly coughs up square tails between three and eight pounds (remember, we're talking about Brook Trout), and record-setting monsters pushing ten pounds have been hooked in these waters. What are you waiting for?
Editor's Choice: Fishing Trips
More on Canada Fishing Guide
Find Canada Destinations
| Fiery Fishing |
|
| Tierra del Fuego, Argentina |
An Argentine spring creek
|
How do you combat the winter blues when fishing season ends? Grab your gear, and hop on a plane heading due south of the equator, and don't stop until you reach Patagonia, where the fishing season is just beginning. This Argentine angling paradise boasts rainbow, brown, and brook trout that prowl streams born high in the majestic Andes. Big rivers like the Boca Chimehuin, Collon Cura, and Malleo flow across Patagonia into the Atlantic Ocean. And Argentine-size spring creeks like the not-so-small Arroyo Pescado sparkle though a landscape in which any Texan would feel right at home.
And at the extreme southern tip of the continent, in Tierra del Fuego, flows Argentina's most storied river: the Rio Grande. For here, in the legendary "Land of Fire," swim the largest sea-run brown trout on earth. Although Argentina's trout are recent transplants, American and European anglers happily spend thousands of dollars for the privilege of tossing flies at them, and for good reason. The fishing is great, the scenery is incomparable, and the excellent local wines help you relish a good day of angling.
Editor's Choice: Fishing Trips
Find Argentina Destinations
Return to 
Top
