hi All
after watching loads of Addictive Fishing shows on youtube, I am desperate to go fishing to Florida or Louisiana etc.
i started looking at chartered boat /guide prices and they are extortionate to say the least.
400 dollars a day average etc
now, anyone been to a lovely place fly fishing in the shallow blue seas abroad and did they do it themselves? i.e. just go and fish themselves and save some money?

what are peoples thoughts/experiences etc?
i know that you pay these guys to get you on the fish and they have the lovely trendy boats etc

but by the time you add up flights, accomodation then 400 dollars a day, we are talking serious money here!

any help would be greatly appreciated.
peace
rusty

You pay what you pay to 'get there,' from that point on you're paying for years of experience, all the equipment the 'Guide' had/has to purchase/maintain, etc. Boat/motor/fuel/etc.

But back to your question, try this excellent East Coast fishing board: http://flyfishingforum.com/flytalk/index.htm

Bulk of these Fellows are on the East Coast and if anyone can tell you where you might fish (out of your rental car) this would be a great starting place.

fae

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You are obviously joking right???......Do you know how many miles some of these boats can cover in a day? Do you know how many miles to the gallon some of these engines do?. Do you know, how much it costs to continually keep and maintain even a 17ft flats skiff?.....How much is the guides knowledge of not only placing you on fish but advising on the right tactics, and the use thereof of all his/her equipment if necesssary (and in most cases guides equipment is top of the range) worth????

I think you actually underestimated the cost of a guide and boat in Florida, which is likely to work out at a bit more than $400 a day, nevertheless going on your costings, a day (8 hours normally) works out at $50 per hour to the guide, which bearing in mind all the above, is hardly extortion.

If it is fly fishing you are talking about, and you want to get the best out of Florida, particularly down in the Keys, I am sorry but you are gonna have to bite the bullet, and hire a guide, at least for a few days, then it may be possible to perhaps hire yourself a kayak and do a bit on your own.

Having said that, if Florida is where you want to go, the best way to do it, is to find a fishing buddy to go with you, this halves the cost of a boat, although admittedly if hiring a skiff and you are fly fishing, it also halves your fishing time, notwithstanding which, if you hire a guide for 6 to 12 days, he will undoubtedly give you a discount on costs.

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Brian G

I'd agree completely with the above responses; it's quite possible to burn 50 gallons (US) in a day, and whilst US gas may be less expensive than ours, free it ain't. However, if you are after the warm water SWFF experience, there are alternatives to Florida. Try Cuba (Cay Coco or Guillermo for instance) where it is quite possible to mix guided and DIY fishing at a reasonable price. I had a week in tobago last year (an exploratory rather than total fishing) and caught Tarpon, Jacks and Barras on a mixture of fly and lures, and the whole deal, including a day in Grand Slam 2 with Kester came to about £1100 all in. Look up "My Tobago" - you'll learn lots. You really can't get much better value! For not much more than a couple of grand, it is possible (so my researches tell me - I'll post on here later, when I've actually done it) to fish on the Baja peninsular - Roosters, Jacks, etc .hen tyher4's Striper fishing on the US east coast . . . there are all sorts of possiblities, but you really will have to let your fingers do the walking; there is an immense amount of info. out there, you just need to take the time, and make the effort, to do the research. It WILL be worth it.

There are some spots in the FL keys where bonefishing is possible from shore but its pretty tough but not impossible fishing (boat disturbances , tourists and spooky bonefish make it hard).
It is also possible to rent a very basic skiff for around $150 / a day maybe less and have a go at the Tarpon fishing. Staking out in a channel and bait fishing would pretty much guarantee success at the right time of year (may - june). Flyfishing would be much tougher. Navigating a boat around the flats you need to keep your wits about you or end up stuck high and dry(i have been there ! ).

Overall I would say it can be done but some fishing and boating skills are required. A guide does really cut down on the learning curve. I prefer to fish diy and enjoy earning my fish , but whether you can get upto speed in a weeks vacation is the question.
Maybe a combination of a few days guiding(hopefully get some fish) with some diy (enjoy learning and if you catch its a bonus) could be a compromise ?

I can provide some details of basic cheap accomodation etc in the FL keys which I can PM you if required

Part of the equation you have to consider is what's more valueable to you: Time or money?

There certainly are places where you CAN do DIY fishing. Personally, I've seen more options for Redfish and if it were me, I'd forget about bonefish and go for redfish. Bonefish have more sex appeal for the tourist angler, but from what I've seen Redfish seem to offer more options and far more reasonable prices.

However.

This shallow saltwater action, does NOT look to me to be easy fishing to learn. Techniques, tides, weather, fish movement patterns, fly selection, positioning, presentation, etc, etc, etc. It's all very complicated, at least to me, I'm used to the trout/warmwater fly action so I can say that I personally find it mind-blowing. Also, there is a basic safety aspect that you need to undestand and the safety hazzards are not always obvious to the newbie.

You also will not find a lot in the way of where-to specifics posted on the internet for all to read. In general here in the US, the way you find the fishing is by slow, grinding exploration. That takes lots of time and I'd say it's going to sharply limit fishing success because you will spend a lot of time discovering where you can't fish and were the fish aren't.

Maybe, if you're lucky, you can make some local contacts who MIGHT give you some pointers if you prove yourself trustworthy such that you won't out their good spots on the net. Maybe.

Personally, I'd say to look for areas that are generally known for accessible fishing, meaing places that are wadeable and accessible without a boat. Then I'd say plan to hire a guide for a few days to get the feel for the techniques and tactics. Then start working different nearby areas on your own to see if you can learn the DIY aspect.

Grouse

hey Fred, Davisi and Grouse

thank you so much for your positive feedback.
it's always a pleasure reading thoughtful comments.

it has given me plenty to think aboot, regards location and species, Cuba sounds interesting and red fish look awesome too.
I watched some Addictive Fishing on youtube and in this tv program they do a lot of redfish fishing.

have a pleasant weekend chaps.
cheers
rusty

If 2 of you fish in The Keys with guides you can do it for a sensible cost.

Cheap flight. Hire a cheap small car (with only 1 driver), stay in a basic motel, go to Dennys for breakfast. Get a cheap Subway sandwich for lunch and live on pizza in the evening. Dont go to the bar all night and dont drink loads of beer !!

You can even use the guide's tackle - that would save you buying your own and then you put that dosh towards the cost of the trip.

But guides (As Genty points out) are currently $550 + per day.

One more point, redfish bore me senseless !

Hope this helps.

hey
i agree with most of the guys a guide and all his overheads will be in that region as i have paid it for a couple days and was worth every penny , if you have the right guide though, i fish usually down sarasota way and fishing with the fly is great especially for bonito or similar but best of luck in finding what you want

Check out this guy. No Motor Fly Fishing

I went out Snooking along the gulf coast with this guy a couple of years ago.

The boats aren't quite so fancy and you'll have to put in a bit of sweat but great fun.