To misquote “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”, in this world there are only two kinds of people, my friend: those who’ll be home for Christmas, and those who use the Christmas break to travel far and wide. If you are of the second type, and love fishing as well, you might be looking for ways to spend the end of December and beginning of January on the water. After all, it’s the time of peace and quiet, and what can be more peaceful and quiet than fishing?
With this in mind, here are a few ideas where to go fishing over the Christmas break. Rest easy, we’re not going to go through the usual suspects – you’ve probably read, heard, and watched everything there is to read, hear, and watch about Florida, other destinations within the US, and the Caribbean islands. Let’s see if our online marketplace for fishing adventures can offer you something different.
1. White Christmas in Canada
Every Christmas song mentions snow, but let’s face it: for most people in the Lower 48 winter is more about rain and muck than postcard picture perfect winter wonderland. Why don’t you stop dreaming about white Christmas and go somewhere where you’re guaranteed to have just that, plus fishing a’plenty: Canada. You don’t know what you’re missing if you’ve never sat over a walleye wintering hole, fighting one of those striped monsters with a nearly uninterrupted connection of the short winter rod, or even handlining. Trout and salmon, perch and pike may be at your service as well. Don’t you feel the attraction of a comfortable lodge, lost somewhere in the boreal forest? Walking through the woods or riding snowmobiles, reading paper books, talking and playing board games in the evening next to the blazing wood stove, interrupted perhaps by Aurora Borealis or howl of a wolf pack in the distance – enjoy the old-fashioned fun and leave the craze of the modern high-tech world behind, if only for a week.
2. Santa, Perch, and Hygge in Lapland
Santa lives in Lapland. At least, it’s impossible to convince children in Finland, Sweden and Norway, collectively known as Fennoscandia, of any other versions. But whether you believe in Santa or not, the local rivers, lakes and fjords are always ready to bring you gifts of a different kind: Ice fishing for salmon and trout, perch and pike, is what many local anglers live for. To reiterate, when you are among the people of the North, there’s no need to be afraid of the cold – they’ll supply you with appropriate clothes, and if that doesn’t work, there are two proven methods: sauna and aquavit. Finland, Sweden, and Norway offer a wide variety of winter entertainment apart from fishing – reindeer, skiing, and sure, a visit to Santa. You will go through Stockholm, Helsinki or Oslo, and can very well stop there to get a taste of the local way to make everything cozy, warm, and festive even in the dead of the winter.
3. The High Art of Everything in Rome, Italy
Er – what? Going fishing to one of Europe’s biggest cities? Now, wait a moment. For many of us, Christmas break getaways are about compromise and coalitions. If your co-pilots and sidekicks have set their sights on something refined, cultural, and unashamedly urban, while you are a die-hard fly-fishing person, Rome should be on your top list. Because, just a short drive from the capital of Italy there are the Apennines, the mountain range where, if you believe local fishermen, fly-fishing was originally invented. While that claim is open to discussion, there’s no doubt that local rivers and streams offer outstanding fly-fishing opportunities, with experienced guides ready to educate you as to the caprices and preferences of the brown trout that is the main quarry there. Let your family enjoy the masterpieces of Leonardo and Michelangelo, while you immerse yourself in an art of a different order.
4. Parties in Lisboa, Portugal
If you’re more into parties than Vatican and ruins, check out the capital of Portugal. Lisbon is one of Europe’s most vibrant cities, with all sorts of nightlife and parties that seem to start as someone’s birthday and finish two weeks later at someone else’s wedding, with a few dozens of perfect strangers sharing in the fun. Well, that may be an exaggeration, but fishing opportunities in Portugal are hard to exaggerate. The shores of the Iberian state, right through the Faro at the border with Spain, are a bottleneck not only for international cargo traffic, but also for big game fish, including swordfish and marlin, and there is no shortages of captains and charters who you can hire for some deep sea, heavy-tackle fun. The same applies to Spain, by the way; check out also the islands, including the Canary in the Atlantic Ocean and Balearic in the Mediterranean Sea. Other types of fishing are available as well. Party all night and fish all day – a perfect New Year for the young at heart.
5. To Good Hope (the Cape of) – Western Cape, South Africa
One of the capitals of South Africa, and a town with a lot of history, Cape Town may be even more vibrant than Lisboa – actually, local experts advise to stay away from the giant beach parties on Christmas Eve and New Year, because of the proportionally impressive accident statistics. Well, you’ve been planning your getaway to get away from the crowds anyway, and there are many amazing opportunities for that in the Western Cape province. There, where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic, December-January is some of the best seasons to sail offshore for all species of tuna, especially the yellowfin tuna, with numerous excellent charters ready to take you out in pursuit of them. You can also enjoy freshwater fishing in the mountains nearby, and there’s a wealth of non-fishing entertainment, too, from winery tours to animal viewing.
Of course, these are not the only options for a Christmas break getaway with fishing on the side. There is a lot of water and a lot of fish on this planet. Perhaps your adventure lies elsewhere – look at our offers and see for yourself.
Main image credit: Keep Reel Fishing Charters
