Where to fly fish next: guide rates, best months and access

Flats

Ambergris Caye

San Pedro · Belize

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $480–650
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: BZE Belize City · 15-min flight to San Pedro

Flats

Andros Island

North, Central and South Andros · Bahamas

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $800
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: NAS Nassau · 20-min flight

Trout

Arkansas River

Salida, Colorado · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $695–750
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: COS Colorado Springs · 2 hr

Flats

Ascension Bay

Punta Allen, Quintana Roo · Mexico

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $850
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: CUN Cancún · 2.5 hr, then 1 hr by boat (TQO Tulum closer)

Trout

Beaverkill & Willowemoc

Roscoe, Catskills, New York · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $425–450
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: EWR Newark · 2–2.5 hr

Trout

Bighorn River

Fort Smith, Montana · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $725
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: BIL Billings · 1.5 hr

Trout

Bow River

Below Calgary, Alberta · Canada

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $505–580
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: YYC Calgary · 20–45 min

Trout

Bristol Bay

Naknek, Alagnak, Iliamna, Alaska · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: Lodge only
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: ANC Anchorage · Regional flight, then floatplane

Inshore salt

Cape Cod

Brewster, Chatham, Monomoy · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $900 for 6 hr
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: BOS Boston · 1.5–2 hr

6-hour trip, not a full day

Trout

Central PA Limestoners

Spring Creek, Penns Creek, Little Juniata · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $500–550
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: MDT Harrisburg · 1.5 hr

Trout

Deerfield River

Charlemont, Massachusetts · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $500–720
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: BDL Hartford · 1 hr 15 min

Trout

Farmington River

Riverton, Connecticut · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $500–600
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: BDL Hartford · 40 min

Flats

Florida Keys

Islamorada to Key West · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $900–1,000
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: MIA Miami · 1.5–2 hr to Islamorada

Trout

Great Smoky Mountains

Townsend, Tennessee / Bryson City, North Carolina · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $375–800
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: TYS Knoxville · 45 min

Trout

Green River

Dutch John, Utah · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $699–700
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: SLC Salt Lake City · 3.5 hr (VEL Vernal about 1 hr)

Trout

Henry's Fork

Island Park, Idaho · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $795–880
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: IDA Idaho Falls · 1.5 hr (WYS West Yellowstone 25 min)

Salmon

Iceland

Laxá, Rangá, Blanda and others · Iceland

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $1,300 per angler
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: KEF Keflavík · 1–5 hr by road

Trout tour price; salmon is sold by the rod

Trout

Kenai River

Cooper Landing, Alaska · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $660–1,400
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: ANC Anchorage · 2 hr

Shared and private boat prices mixed

Trout

Lower Deschutes

Maupin, Oregon · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $625–750
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: PDX Portland · 2 hr 15 min

Trout

Madison River

Ennis, Montana · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $700–800
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: BZN Bozeman · 1 hr 15 min to Ennis

Salmon

Miramichi River

Blackville and Doaktown, New Brunswick · Canada

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $250–300 per angler
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: YQM Moncton · 1.5–2 hr

Priced per angler, not per boat

Trout

Missouri River

Craig, Montana · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $700–790
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: HLN Helena · 45 min (BZN Bozeman 2.5 hr)

Inshore salt

Montauk

Long Island, New York · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $900–1,100
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: ISP Islip · 1.5 hr (JFK 2.5–3.5 hr)

Inshore salt

Mosquito Lagoon

Titusville and Oak Hill, Florida · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $500–700
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: MCO Orlando · 45–60 min

Trout

New Zealand South Island

Otago, Southland, Fiordland, Nelson · New Zealand

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $435–840
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: ZQN Queenstown · 30 min–2.5 hr

Trout

Northern Patagonia

Junín and San Martín de los Andes, Neuquén · Argentina

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $560–850
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: CPC San Martín de los Andes · 30–45 min

Steelhead

Ohio Steelhead Alley

Rocky, Chagrin and Grand rivers, Ohio · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $475–550
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: CLE Cleveland · 20–50 min

Steelhead

Olympic Peninsula

Hoh, Sol Duc and Bogachiel rivers, Washington · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $600–750
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: SEA Seattle · 3.5–4 hr to Forks

Steelhead

PA Steelhead Alley

Erie County, Pennsylvania · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $475–650
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Beginner
Fly into: CLE Cleveland · 1.5 hr (ERI Erie about 15 min)

Steelhead

Pere Marquette

Baldwin, Michigan · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $400–700
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: GRR Grand Rapids · 1.5 hr

Trout

Rangeley Lakes

Rapid River and Kennebago, Maine · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $450–635
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: PWM Portland · 2.5 hr

Trout

Río Grande

Tierra del Fuego · Argentina

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: Lodge only
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Low
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: RGA Río Grande · 20 min–1 hr by 4x4

Steelhead

Salmon River

Pulaski, New York · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $450–600
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: SYR Syracuse · 45 min

Trout

San Juan River

Navajo Dam, New Mexico · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $575–625
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: High
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: DRO Durango · 1 hr 15 min (ABQ Albuquerque 3 hr)

Steelhead

Skeena System

Bulkley, Kispiox, Skeena, British Columbia · Canada

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $1,500
Trip style: Lodge-based
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: YYD Smithers · Fly in via Vancouver

Trout

South Fork Snake

Swan Valley, Idaho · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $880
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: IDA Idaho Falls · 45 min (JAC Jackson 1 hr 15 min)

One outfitter's rate only

Trout

South Holston

Bristol, Tennessee · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $495
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: TRI Tri-Cities · 30 min

Low confidence; local shops list no rates

Trout

Upper Delaware

Hancock, New York / Pennsylvania · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $425–600
Trip style: Guide recommended
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: EWR Newark · 2.5 hr (BGM Binghamton about 1 hr)

Trout

West Branch Ausable

Wilmington, Adirondacks, New York · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $599
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Advanced
Fly into: ALB Albany · 2.25–2.5 hr

One outfitter's rate only

Trout

Yellowstone National Park

Lamar, Slough Creek, Firehole · USA

JFMAMJJASOND

Guide day: $790–850
Trip style: DIY-friendly
Crowding: Medium
Difficulty: Intermediate
Fly into: BZN Bozeman · 1.5–1.75 hr to the park