By Capt. Cefus McRae
Most of us probably have a Bucket List, things we want to do, see or experience before we’re too old to do them. For some it might be jumping out of a perfectly good airplane and floating to the ground under a silk canopy. For others it could be seeing the sunrise over the Serengeti while watching elephants saunter across the plain. Whatever it is, I would suggest you go ahead and start planning.
Put a few bucks each week in the cookie jar and begin narrowing down your top three Bucket List trips. Research the best times of year for weather and the things you want to do. How long does it take to get there and how long should you stay to get the full experience. What protocols are required to visit the area—passport, shots, is the steering wheel on the left or the right side of the car? This way, you’ll have a good idea of what you need to do when you’re ready to pull the trigger.
A Bucket List trip doesn’t necessarily have to be to some exotic, far-off place either. Maybe you’ve always wanted to catch a monster rainbow trout. There are plenty of places in Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas where you can do exactly that. And you don’t have to spend five hours on a plane to get there. Sailfish and tarpon are two fish that put on spectacular shows as they dance across the water and peel drag. But you don’t have to spend a full day going to the Keys for a chance to hook up. The waters off the Georgia and north Florida coast are the best kept secrets for both species, and the ride to the fishing grounds is just a few minutes off the beach.
But if you want to venture outside the U.S., you’ve opened up a huge inventory of destinations and possibilities. For giant blue marlin the Azores and Canary Islands represent the epitome of classic marlin fishing. And Prince Edward Island, in Nova Scotia, is home to giant bluefin tuna. I’ve still got a few things left on my list, and plan to start checking those off this year. Roosterfish in Costa Rica. Dove and trout in Argentina. And a couple others.
The best way to get the information you need is to check out reputable outfitters and let them offer suggestions and insight on how to prepare, the cost and the best times to go. Wide Open Outfitters is a good place to start. They offer trips in the U.S. and elsewhere that will put a smile on your face and memories that you’ll keep forever.
So don’t keep putting the trip of a lifetime on the back burner. There’s no time like the present to start checking off what’s on your Bucket List.
Tight lines and calm seas,
Capt. Cefus McRae