Finding a great fishing lodge is in large part due to asking all of the right questions.
The Fishing
How’s the fishing? This may seem quite obvious, but every fishing trip will ultimately focus on the fishing itself. Do they have great fishing? Is it plentiful? Are the fish big? What kind of fish are common in the area? You can look online for reviews and see what results they’ve had. Don’t be surprised if you find people bragging on Instagram or Twitter about what they’ve caught. As you know, fishers love to talk about a great catch. If you can’t seem to find anyone talking about that particular fishing lodge, that might be a beneficial indicator. No news can sometimes be bad news.
The Lodge
You’re not going to spend every hour of every day on the water. Do they have fireplaces? How’s the water pressure? As you know, fishing can be a dirty and messy hobby. Cleaning up after a fishing trip is an important step. When you want to relax afterwards, what sort of amenities do they have? Are there excellent restaurants nearby? If you want to get away from the lodge one day, do they have good shopping? Do they have seasonal activities and celebrations? Depending on the time of year you have available, that can have a huge impact. That’s especially true if you like a quiet experience.
The Guides
You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your fishing guide. Learning what you can about them is a good idea. How long have they been a guide? What’s their background in fishing? What kind of fishing do they prefer? What techniques do they use at that lodge? If you prefer shallows and they prefer deep water, that could be an issue. Do they use fishing streamers or only dry flies? Making sure that your techniques and fishing styles mesh is massively important. That will have a direct effect on your experience and whether or not you actually enjoy your time at that lodge.
The Unexpected
Everyone wants the perfect vacation, but a flawless fishing trip basically never happens. It’s advised that you learn about how the lodge handles accidents or mistakes in advance. What happens if you break a rod? If you get sick, what’s the protocol? How do they deal with refunds or missed trips? What do they do about wind and weather, such as rain or storms? If your airline misplaces your bags, what can you do?
Knowing who to speak with and what to do can really save you a lot of worry and headache. If at all possible, make sure that you have a name, phone number, and email for contact purposes. Having a specific person to speak with can save you time and aggravation. Even the best lodges with fishing lakes in Minnesota aren’t necessarily going to be perfect or precisely what you want in every respect, but there’s still plenty of great fishing around.