Travel Risk Calculator

Where and Why Not to Fish, Is There Such a Thing?

Let’s face it. These are volatile times and the world is feeling a bit askew at the moment. In a little over a year we have experienced the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. We have witnessed disturbing examples of unchecked lawlessness, from piracy in the Indian Ocean to drug wars on the Mexican border. We continue to defend an unstable Middle East while worrying about the disquieting rhetoric and aggressive overtures of other world despots in places like South America and Asia. And all this while we struggle with serious chronic concerns like energy independence, global climate change, worldwide epidemics, and our ability to respond effectively to natural disasters. It’s enough to make even the most intrepid traveling angler take pause.

The question of where – and why not – to fish has become a wade in murky waters. Today’s traveling angler must take into account a multitude of factors in order to mitigate potential threats to financial investment, valuable vacation time and even personal safety. But the real challenge becomes discerning perceived danger from real risk. It is very easy to fall victim to the media hype surrounding any international event and simply decide to go nowhere. On the other hand, unfettered gallivanting around the globe in search of the next hot fishing destination is not completely without risk.

The bottom line is that our fanatical search for wild fish in wild waters is not, and has never been, a trip to Disney Land; and that’s what attracts us in the first place. Take away the “unknown” factor, the genuine spontaneity of the journey, and the potential wildness of the destination, and we might as well be fishing on our stream back home. There are inherent dangers in international travel of any kind, but a modicum of common sense and advance planning usually negates all but the most unforeseen. There are of course, certain things we simply can’t control, like the weather and the fishing, but with the right information you can certainly hedge your bet.

In fact, thinking of an exotic fly fishing trip like a game of poker is not a bad way to manage expectations. The price you pay to go on that trip is like the ante to buy into the game. It’s the cost of getting you a seat at the table, and nothing more. How you play the hand of cards you’re dealt, coupled with a certain measure of luck, is what really determines the success of any fishing trip. Having the skill and knowledge to know how many cards to draw, when to hold ‘em, and when to fold ‘em, is the secret to winning..

It’s a silly analogy perhaps, but a good one nonetheless; and in the real-life game of adventure angling the stakes can sometimes be surprisingly high. At Wild On The Fly we monitor current risk factors we hear about which might impact traveling anglers, and we provide Travel Club members with our gamblers’ opinion on whether to stay in the game or bow out gracefully. This information is updated as often as it changes.