How to pick the best fishing lodge or resort for you!
If you are looking to spend a vacation at a lodge relaxing and fishing, you should make sure the lodge you choose is the right one for you. There are many things you will want to consider, whether those considerations are the target species, lodge accommodations, fly-in options, or others. In this article, we will take a look at some important options to consider when planning your fishing trip and lodge selection.
Target Species
Choosing your lodge based on a target species or the quality of the fishery depends on the type of angler you are.
Many people going on vacation to a lodge may not care about a specific target species or the quality of the fishery. They just want to relax, do some fishing in a beautiful setting, catch some fish and simply enjoy their time.
Other anglers, the discriminating, hardcore variety, will want to base their decisions based on their preferred target species. Walleye, musky, pike, bass, perch, or others. If you have a target species in mind, you can narrow down fisheries that you want to fish, and from there, you can narrow down your lodge search to find the one that’s right for you.
Fly-in Lodges
Another important consideration for many anglers is if the lodges are fly-in lodges or offer one-day fly-in packages.
Fly-in lodges may be more expensive and mean that you can’t bring your own boat, as many anglers tend to want to do for some species. Fly-in lodges can offer some great fishing and very little to no angling pressure, especially for species like walleye and pike.
Some lodges are accessible by road, allowing you to bring your own boat while offering fly-in packages as well. This means you could take a day out from fishing the drive-in lodge lakes and sprint a day on a wilderness lake with no access via floatplane.
Amenities and Services
Most lodges have similar amenities and an overall standard, but there are a few things you might want to consider for amenities and services.
If you want to hire a fishing guide, you will want to select a lodge that has guide service packages through the lodge. In the majority of cases, the guide service will provide the boat and all gear needed for a day on the water, and some will even provide shore lunches.
Cabin size is also an important consideration depending on the number of people you will have at your party. Larger cabin accommodations mean you might only need to book one cabin instead of multiple, saving your group money.
Some lodges feature American plans, offering food along with the board, serving breakfast and dinner options alongside the lodge stays. Housekeeping plan lodges require that the guests do their own cooking and cleaning of the cabins but will provide everything needed to cook your meals. Pots, pans, fridges, stoves, grills, and freezers are typically provided to guests on housekeeping plan lodges.
Many lodges offer both American plan and Housekeeping plans and let you pick for yourself what one will work best for you.
Conclusion
Choosing the right lodge based on your wants and needs will go a long way to ensure that your vacation to a fishing lodge is a great time. Decide what you want the most out of your trip and pick accordingly.
