Let’s be honest – you can toss a fly in a muddy creek and still have a great time, right. But then there are those places. The ones that haunt your daydreams and make you consider selling your car to pay for a plane ticket.
Here’s our totally biased, experience-soaked list of the world’s 10 best fly fishing destinations where the fish are wild, the landscapes are ridiculous, and the stories write themselves. If destination flyfishing was a points game, how much would you score?
1. Patagonia: Sea-Run Brown Trout on the frontier
Big sky. Bigger trout. Patagonia feels like it was carved by a fly fishing god in a particularly generous mood. The Rio Grande is ground zero for monster sea-run browns, and the wind only makes the fight better (eventually). Bonus points for Malbec by the fire afterward. Fish the upper Rio Grande in Chile to step up to the next level.
2. New Zealand’s South Island: sight-fishing nirvana
Imagine stalking a 6-pound brown in ankle-deep water while the Southern Alps glow in the distance. The South Island is home to the world’s most technical trout fishing. It's chess, not checkers – and when you win, it's unforgettable. You’ll earn every fish, and love every minute. Take a multi-day helicopter trip into NZ’s backcountry for full immersion.
3. Alaska, USA – Salmon, bears & bush planes
Alaska’s not a fishing trip, it’s a pilgrimage. Think silver salmon blitzes, Rainbow trout the size of your leg, and the kind of untouched wilderness that makes your soul feel five pounds lighter. Fly-out lodges make you feel like you’re in a National Geographic special – because you basically are.
4. Christmas Island (Kiritimati) – Bonefish paradise on the equator
You haven’t lived until you’ve watched a Bonefish vaporise your backing on a pancake-flat flat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Add in Giant Trevally, 27°C days (80°F) with a sun that never seems to quit and you’ve got the ultimate saltwater fix. Beware though – those CXI Triggers are highly addictive.
5. Iceland – Trout & Salmon in a lava landscape
Volcanoes, glaciers, gin-clear rivers, and dry fly-eating Arctic Char. Iceland’s fly fishing feels like you’re casting in Middle Earth. Plus, you can wrap up your fishing day with hot springs and local beer. Yes, please.
6. Xcalak – Grand slam sweet spot
Permit, tarpon, and bonefish – sometimes all in one glorious day. Down near the bottom of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Xcalak is that rare saltwater destination that’s both accessible and wildly productive. Shallow flats, jungle backdrop, and a hammock waiting when the tides turn. It’s a grand slam with a side of ceviche.
7. Mongolia – Taimen and untouched water
Want to catch a fish that predates dinosaurs and eats ducks? Meet the Taimen. Mongolia is for the adventurous soul: remote rivers, yurt camps, and a raw kind of beauty that rewires your brain. If Jurassic Park had a fly rod, it would come here.
8. Kamchatka, Russia – Rainbows from another planet
These aren’t just trout. These are savage, missile-shaped beasts that crush mouse patterns like they're chewing bubble gum. Add volcanoes, grizzlies, and helicopter-only access, and Kamchatka becomes a fever dream you won’t want to wake up from. Politics aside, we’ll be allowed back there soon!
9. British Columbia, Canada – Steelhead country
The word “chrome” wasn’t invented for cars – it was made for steelhead. Swinging flies on BC's coastal rivers is a rite of passage. The fish are moody, mysterious, and pure magic when they show. Rain or shine, it’s church.
10. The Seychelles – Saltwater fly fishing’s final boss
It doesn’t get wilder than this. Milkfish, GTs, Triggerfish; the Seychelles is where your gear gets tested, your skills get humbled, and your IG game goes nuclear. The price tag is steep, but the bragging rights are forever.
Honourable Mentions:
The Florida Keys – For tarpon chasers and Hemingway re-enactors.
Norway – Salmon, fjords, and endless summer nights.
Tasmania – Australia’s secret trout treasure.
Belize – Bonefish, permit, and tarpon within casting range of your beach bar. What’s not to love?
Bahamas – Bonefish by the dozen on endless sand flats.
That’s the list – for now anyway. Have a favourite I’ve missed? Drop me a line.
Fanning Island on the Equator, Golden Dorado in South America, oh, and the Peacock Bass. Agree with Xcalak and the Rio Grande, and New Zealand of course!