Fly fishing has long been one of my favorite hobbies. But, as every angler knows, it’s not always easy to go fly fishing on a budget.
The gear can be expensive. Also, fly fishing lodges are never cheap. Finally, the day rate for a good guide, although fully justified, is never too easy on the wallet.
I’ve cast my lines in plenty of places around the world. One thing that I’ve realized is that not all fishing destinations are created equal. Some of them have far better fishing than others, while some are much more expensive.
In this post, I’m going to share with you the 5 best fly fishing destinations for a modest budget. So, pack up your best fly rod and the rest of your gear and get ready for an epic, but affordable fishing trip.
Mexico
With the 620-mile-long Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System to the south, and the Billfish-rich Pacific to the west, perhaps it’s no surprise that there’s incredible fishing in Mexico.
This is a country where you can enjoy fly fishing, lake fishing, river fishing, and world-class ocean fishing, all at an affordable price.
Check out fly fishing hot spots like Cozumel, Xcalak, and Holbox Island in the south, where massive Tarpon and Bonefish frequent the crystal clear shallow waters and tangled mangroves. Or head out on a deep-sea fishing charter off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.
Manzanillo, a small, non-descript town 170 miles south of Puerto Vallarta, is home to the annual Manzanillo Fishing Tournament. The Baja is another excellent spot for anglers and spin casters alike.
There’s no doubt that Mexico is an affordable fishing destination. Here you can get on a guided boat with a well-respected captain for as little as $300 per day.
On top of that, the cost of living in Mexico is quite low. Accommodation, food, and transport all cost much less than in the US.
Ireland
I know what you’re thinking – Ireland isn’t a cheap travel destination. While that may be true in general, the Dollar is strengthening against the Euro. There are also dozens of great campsites around the country where you can pitch a tent for €10 or less.
Cheap or not, the rivers and streams in Ireland are an angler’s dream.
There are massive Atlantic Salmon coming in from the ocean. The rivers are alive with beautiful Brown Trout (known as Breac Donn in Gaelic). Finally, the famously fast-growing Farox Trout of the southwest can reach 20 pounds or more.
Some of the best fly fishing spots in Ireland don’t require a license either, making it an even more affordable fishing destination.
Not only does the country have some of the best fly fishing in the world, but it also boasts beautiful cities like Galway (near The Great Western Lakes) and Cork (with great fishing in the Cork Harbour).
To visit Ireland on a budget, you can rent a car for as little as €10 per day. Then you can sleep in a tent on campsites for €10 per night. While restaurants aren’t cheap, cooking sausage and stews on the campfire at night is a great way to save some money, and tasty to boot.
As far as fishing licenses go, most regions of the country are under the Irish Fisheries Board, which requires a €25 fishing license bought from a local office. However, some places don’t require a license at all.
I know of anglers in Ireland who have been fishing the country for decades and they have stated, quite frankly, that you’re more likely to bump into a fisheries representative at the local pub rather than at the bank of a river.
Chile & Argentina
I know I shouldn’t list these two very different countries as one destination on this list. But since the world-famous region of Patagonia spans their borders, I wouldn’t want to leave out either of them.
Chile is easily one of the best fly fishing destinations in South America, with the single largest and most consistent Brown Trout run in the world taking place here every year.
The fly fishing in Argentina is excellent as well and its lake district boasts many world-famous fishing lakes and rivers. The rivers here are so clear that you can literally stand on the banks and see massive Trout lurking in the swirling pools.
When I first visited Argentina on a fishing trip back in 2017, it wasn’t exactly what I would call “a budget travel destination,” but things have changed in recent years. Today, Argentina is one of the cheapest countries to visit for Americans, thanks to a strong US Dollar.
The Argentinian Peso was 17.44 to the US Dollar when I was there in 2017. At the time of writing this post, it’s at around 67. This represents a 275% increase in buying power for those with the US Dollar in their pockets.
Fishing around here is mostly done on fly rods, so you can rent decent gear from one of the many fly shops in the region. Or you can bring your own and head out on the rivers and lakes yourself.
When I was in Patagonia, I did both. I went to a local fly shop one day, picked up some maps and some rental gear, and then headed out to the nearby rivers that were recommended by the locals.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have much luck on my own. There were definitely some huge Trout in the rivers – I could see them – but I didn’t catch any at first.
That’s why I decided to hire a guide. With my guide, I had better luck and was able to get a taste of how good the fishing is in Argentina.
Guides cost around $300 for the day when I was in Patagonia. While this isn’t exactly cheap, it’s much more affordable now that the Peso is lower. There are also plenty of opportunities to fish independently all around Patagonia, as I did.
Just make sure you pick up a fishing license from a local fishing shop. They cost around $30 for one day in Argentina and around $65 for a full year in Chile.
Accommodation is also more affordable in Argentina these days. There are plenty of great fly lodges in the area, but you can also stay in hostels, budget hotels, or one of the many cool Airbnbs near the rivers for as little as $25 a night.
South Africa
In recent years, the US Dollar has become much stronger against the South African Rand. When I first visited in 2011, one Dollar was worth less than 7 Rand, but today, it’s worth over 18!
The strong Dollar equates to some incredible comparative buying power when fishing in South Africa, but also when it comes to accommodation, food, and the cost of visiting National Parks like Addo and Krugger.
For fly fishing, you have plenty of options in the country. Some of the most popular spots include Eendekuil along the Vaal River. Don’t forget the beautiful Orange River, which starts as a small stream in the highlands of Lesotho and flows into the Atlantic Ocean on the western border with Namibia.
The Vaal and Orange Rivers have similar species, but you’ll find a considerable amount more in the Orange.
These are both great places to target Smallmouth Yellowfish, as well as Carp, Barbel, and Mudfish. Bring your heavily-weighted caddis and mayfly patterns and cast them both into the rapids, the seams, and into the calmer pools. If you’re a novice nympher, bring along some strike indicators, as these fish don’t always take aggressively.
South Africa also has over 1,700 miles of coastline, meaning that it also offers superb saltwater fly fishing. The country may not be as famous as places like the Seychelles for Triggerfish, but there are still plenty of them in its southern waters.
Join a charter out of Cape Town and try your hand at landing a massive Yellowfish, Snoek, or Yellowfin Tuna. Catching one of these on a fly rod is an unforgettable experience.
Mongolia
I’ve always loved off-the-beaten-path travel and Mongolia is the epitome of intrepid exploration in my opinion.
Not only that, but the rivers here are home to the infamous Hucho Taimen. These river monsters top out at around 6 feet in length and can weigh over 200 pounds. This ensures that they feature prominently on every angler’s bucket list.
I did an 8-day independent hike in Mongolia back in 2012 and it was life-changing. I followed a river for around 62 miles, fishing along the way.
While I didn’t end up hooking into a massive Taimen, I did catch enough Trout and Lenok to help sustain myself and my spouse along the way.
If you’re a budget traveler who enjoys camping and the outdoors, there’s no better place than Mongolia.
The country stretches for over 600,000 square miles and you can camp wherever you want, thanks to the nation’s nomadic past and continued passion for the itinerant way of life of the local people.
You can stock up on some cheap trekking food in the capital of Ulaanbaatar. Then pick a river or a path and head out hiking and camping for as long as you want.
You can also stay in cozy Yurt Camps and local guest houses for as little as $10 per night. If you’re not into trekking independently, there are plenty of trekking guides and tour operators in the capital and some of the major sums (small villages), although fly fishing guides are harder to come by.
You may not have thought of visiting Mongolia before but. I’m telling you, whether you’re into fishing or not, this is a great place to get back into the outdoors and to experience a raw, pristine, and untouched environment.
Fly Fishing Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank
It can be a challenge to go fly fishing on a budget. You often have to buy expensive gear or stay in expensive fishing lodges or lake cabins in the US.
But in other parts of the world, fishing isn’t such an expensive activity. You can rent gear for very little, stay in cheap hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs and enjoy fishing in the outdoors for a fraction of what it would cost at home.
I hope you enjoyed this article and it gave you some new ideas for your next fishing vacation.
Did I miss somewhere? What are your favorite fishing destinations? Are they in the US or abroad? Are they affordable or expensive? Share with us in the comments below.
Nick Wharton is the expert fly fishing angler behind the website Into Fly Fishing, where he and 3 other professional anglers share their expertise on fly fishing destinations around the world, as well as the best gear, techniques, and knot tying methods. Basically, everything you need to know about fly fishing in the US and around the world can be found on Into Fly Fishing. He’s also the full-time traveler and entrepreneur behind the travel blogs Goats On The Road and Your Irish Adventure. All photos for this article were provided by the author.
