TOP 9 Best Fly Fishing Destinations in the World

Fly fishing is something which brings to my mind a beautiful stream with plenty of trees and some amazing fishing.

Here are the top 9 places to fly fish in the world.

These destinations should top every fly fisherman’s bucket list. It is hard to pick a favorite because each one is like another world. Go. Fish; and fall in love with these outstanding fly-fishing destinations.

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TOP 9 Best Fly Fishing Destinations in the World

Montana

The Madison Valley Ranch is just outside of Ennis, Montana. This is a small town where the Trout outnumber the people who live there. This is a very beautiful country with outstanding rivers and a level of luxury living.

Guests stay in rooms that are in a western setting and have access to the Madison River and Jack Creek. Just to let you know there is a two-acre stocked pond so you can warm up your fishing arm.

There is ranch life here, but they have the modern conveniences of a big city too. You can check your email on the Wi-Fi or step off the porch where a night sky that will thrill you.

The best part of coming to this place is its fishing. Here you can go over to some of the best fishing in all of Montana – the Madison River Channels.

There are lots of rivers here like the Beaverhead, Bighole, Yellowstone, Ruby, and Gallatin Rivers. They all offer a tremendous population of big beautiful wild Trout.

The Madison River is where you head for fly-happy Trout with plenty of appetite for Salmon fly hatch. The Yellowstone River is home to some of the best cutthroat Trout fishing you can find. The Gallatin River is shallow and wade-able and offers outstanding Trout fishing.

The Ruby River is for wading-only and not a lot of fishermen bother with it. That’s good for you because there are some nice deep holes here with trophy Trout in them.

The Big Hole River is perhaps a perfect Trout fishing river. It is a wade-in or drifts fishing river with a lot of structures and plenty of big Trout.

Overall, you cannot beat Montana for Trout fishing. This is a fly fishing haven with plenty of opportunities for big fish.

The guides are experts, and they can offer the master fly-fisherman a challenge and still offer the best teaching and fishing for kids and novice fishermen.

Alaska

The No-See-Um Lodge is known as a world-renowned fly fishing destination that provides an unforgettable experience. It is nestled amid the famous Bristol Bay Watershed and along the banks of the Kvichak River. The No-See-Um Lodge is known as an epicenter of fly fishing.

That is a tall order, but the No-See-Um Lodge fills it with ease. You are sitting in the middle of 20 million unspoiled acres. It sits along one of the most famous rivers in the world for fishing.

The Kvichak River is the drainage for Lake Iliamna, and what that means for anglers is world class Rainbow Trout fishing. You will also have access to many of the other local rivers. Rivers like the Nushagak, Eggigek System, Naknek, and the Alagnak – all well known for their runs of Salmon.

They also have resident populations of wild Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Char, Arctic Grayling, and sometimes the massive Northern Pike.

How many kinds of fish are here?

One can list the fish that are available, but it is not the same. Fly-fishermen have to come here to experience the fly fishing. It is just the sheer number of fish that makes one fall in love with Alaska.

There are millions of Salmon, Kings, Silvers, Sockeye, Chum, and Pinks. So there are huge populations of Rainbow Trout some of which are 33-35 inches long. There is tons of Dolly Varden, which are a close cousin to both the Salmon and the Rainbow Trout. This is a fly-out lodge that has over 30 remote fly fishing locations, and they are flexible.

The ratio is two guides for four fishermen. There is always a tremendous opportunity for you to land a world-class fish. The lodge and staff, however, are what will make your dreams come true here. Expect a comfortable lodge with luxury furnishings and personal attention from the staff and guides. Your job here is to enjoy the outstanding food and maybe reel in trophy fish or two.

Argentina

The Patagonia River Ranch is located near San Martin de Los Andes in Argentina. This sits along the world-famous Chimehuin River, but also within easy access of the Patagonia areas best rivers.

Guests lodge in luxury offered by the Patagonia River Ranch, which is five-star, to say the least. The vaulted ceilings and rustic wood finishes make the lodge the place you’ll long to get back to after a long day on the water.

The most valuable thing here for the fishermen are the guides. These are native Argentinians who also speak fluent English and are top fly-fishing instructors too. This is a fly fishing vacation that is suitable even for beginners and veteran fishermen alike.

The fishing here is for German Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. The rivers are crystal clear with a beautiful blue “glow”. They wander slowly through oxbows and offer a lot of opportunities to target trophy Trout.

What you get here is the best fishing gear, best fishing guides, and the best experience in a high mountain setting. This is the Patagonia River Range.

Mongolia

The Sweetwater’s Mongolian Taimen Camps sit within the Eg-Ur Watershed, which is a very special set of fisheries. Here the Taimen usually run from 30-40 inches with the opportunity to land fish that are above 40 inches in length.

These are dry fly eating monsters that spend their life swimming up and down rivers as they follow the food. It takes a huge amount of insects to feed such a large fish and for fishermen that is a beautiful thing. Because it means that these are a predatory class of fish that uses this opportunity to stuff their guts.

They eat a wide variety of things, including small and medium-sized mammals. When fishing for these fish, think big flies and big rods. Even mice, ducklings, and small beavers are fair game for these fish.

The local rivers offer Grayling and Lenok, which are just Asiatic Trout in the 20-25 inch range. The rivers are beautiful and comparable to those you find in the wilds of Alaska in some aspect.

What they don’t have are the millions of Salmon, but the trade-off here is amazing when you entice a 40-inch Taimen to strike.

Guests stay in Yurts, or, Gers, which are like luxury tents which offer comfortable accommodations. They have a staff that helps your fishing adventure become something that you will never forget.

New Zealand

The Poronui Lodge is located on New Zealand’s North Island. It sits in the secluded and wild that promotes some of the best fly fishing in the world.

Here fishermen target Wild Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout that reside in the pristine waters of this 16,000-acre private wilderness. Guests are housed in luxury either in the main lodge or one of the seven guest cabins.

The lodge sits above the Taharua River it has outstanding views of forests, meadows, and the beauty of the river. You can expect to be cared for and to dine on gourmet food that’s prepared by a professional staff.

Fishing-wise, this is a guided lodge and the guides here are outstanding. These are local fishermen who have fished these rivers for all of their lives.

This knowledge is what helps to bring the fly-fishing here to a world-class level. Add into this the majestic rivers and the trophy-sized Trout, and you have the makings of a true fly-fishing adventure.

There are a lot of fishing options here too. Guests can helicopter to remote fishing streams, and hike or 4×4 into areas where few people ever meander. Guests also can partake in the overnight campouts that put you in the epicenter of fishing.

How you set up your itinerary is strictly up to you – what remains is just pure fly-fishing heaven. The rivers here are a beautiful blue and green with clear bottoms and miles of natural Trout habitat. You can expect to get some 24-30 inch Brown and Rainbow Trout.

Iceland

Midfjardara is a Salmon-rich river in Iceland – the glacial and volcanic wonderland. Midfjardara is also the name of a world class outfit that guides fishermen and hunters. To some of the rarest and most wild rivers found anywhere in the world.

This River stretches an incredible 115 km in length, but it is not always a raging whitewater rapid. It is, a beautiful clear flowing ribbon that is made up of shallow banks and small deep channels. This is a river that can be fished by wading in it or from the shore as well.

In parts, it is ankle deep but stretched along its runs and riffles are over 220 pools, each with a name and endless stories. This is Salmon country, and anglers have four rivers from which to fish.

The Salmon here are wild and the landscape is preserved. The history is endless, and the people of Iceland respect and value the natural system.

Opening day is June and runs through September for Middle White Salmon (MWS). The best months to fish are usually mid-July through the end of August.

By September, the weather usually turns and fishing can be a cold rainy sport, but the action remains high. The early season is full of the chrome bright Silver Atlantic Salmon. They run in the 5-9 pound range with a trophy fish being in the vicinity of 20 pounds.

This is a catch and releases river system so expect the average annual weight of the fish to continue to grow. Other fish include beautiful Brown Trout and once in a while a Sea Trout too.

Fishermen who come to Iceland leave a bit of themselves behind. In that vast place, you take a part of Iceland with you for this is a majestic land that settles easily into your heart.

Expect to find luxury accommodations that offer comfortable beds and outstanding food, but it is the fishing that you will remember here.

Mexico

The Paradise Lodge sits along the shores of the beautiful Caribbean Ocean. This is a fishing lodge on saltwater with an amazing selection of big game fish. It also has exotic saltwater fish that you can target with a fly rod.

The lodge offers an experience away from the tourist places and over-fished waters. This is a great lodge for smaller groups and friends that want to tempt a Tarpon to strike. There are also available the fabled Bonefish and the feisty Snook.

The lodge is very simple, but it offers amazing views and comfortable, luxury rooms. Rooms have double beds, air conditioning, ceiling fans, and a coffee maker. You will have plenty of ample storage for all of your gear.

Each room has a private bathroom with hot and cold running water. This is not a luxury resort; it is a fishing lodge, and the focus is on comfortable rooms, good food, and plenty of fishing.

Tarpon are big fish but they do love dry flies – more specifically, they love Gurgler flies. You will find these big fish hanging out near the mangroves. They prey on the little fish, though these fish take patience to hook, fight, and land.

The Paradise Lodge offers some outstanding guided fishing. They make your stay all about your fishing desires, you work with your guide to plan and unbelievable fly-fishing vacation. There is so much fishing here that your stay could last months without running out of fish to catch.

Brazil

The Agua Boa Amazon Lodge sits in the remote area of the Amazon and just 200 miles northwest of Manaus. Here you will be able to find the wild parts of Brazil. The primary fish here is the Peacock Bass, which is perhaps one of the strongest fighting fish you will encounter with a fly-fishing rod.

These are beautiful fish with pinpoint vision. They see it; strike it, and it’s over. Often times, the strike is so hard that many people are often startled by it.

However, remember it is not just the strike that amazes fishermen. It is a combination of the split-second strike followed by a long run. Once these fish strike the fight is on and their aim is to see you lose.

A lodge is a group of smaller homes where you find wonderfully comfortable beds and sitting areas. The main lodge has the dining area along with a game room. The pool has lounge chairs, for plenty of rest-and-relaxation amid the trophy fly-fishing.

The Agua Boa River is a clear water fishing paradise where mostly you sight fish as you fly-fish. When you will see the fish that is about to strike your fly. That is thrilling too. There are some amazing fish here.

The peacock bass is an awesome fighter and they can exceed 20+ pounds Peacock Bass is very fierce, but the Arowana, Pacu, and the beautiful Cichlids offer amazing fight and sport. The Arowana is also known as the monkey killers. This is because they will rocket out of the water and take small monkeys out of lower tree branches.

These long fish can coil into a tight pack and can leap 5-10 feet out of the water. They are surface feeders, and they put up an amazing fight. This is a place that you can come to and experience a different time.

The rainforest is very enchanting, and the fishing will make you a changed person.

Africa

Are you planning a fishing trip to Africa? Which species should you be scouting for?

The mystical golden mahseer has played havoc in many fly fishermen’s dreams over the years. Its sheer size, predator-like features an amazing color makes it one of the world’s premier game fish.

The fly fishing fraternity usually thinks of tigerfish when they plan a fishing trip to Africa. No doubt, their aggressiveness, along with their teeth, and acrobatics when hooked makes the river dog.

This is what tigerfish are regularly called, referred to a worthy advisory. Add in the incredible African fauna and flora and the fishing is nothing short of world class.

There is, however, a fish that gives both species a run for its money, it is the largemouth yellowfish. The largemouth yellowfish is related to the mahseer.

It doesn’t take very much to see the resemblance to their Indian cousins. The apex predator in the Vaal and Orange River systems of South Africa reach a remarkable size with a known maximum of 50lbs!

Bob Hoffmann

The author of this post is Bob Hoffmann. Bob has spend most of his childhood fishing with his father and now share all his knowledge with other anglers. Feel free to leave a comment below.

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