Summer is the perfect time to go fishing. The weather is warm, you’ve got vacation time coming, and fly fishing can take you as far or as near as you’d like. There’s water, and fish, almost everywhere in the world. As a vacation opportunity, fly fishing offers relaxation, personal time, the thrill of the hunt, the chance to pit your will against the smartest and best tasting fish out there, a sense of community, endless opportunities to laugh at yourself, and concrete proof of the fruit of your labors. Its no wonder that fly fishing is one of the most popular American sports.

When asked why they do it, most fly fishermen will tell you that fly fishing is about artistry and nature. The battle to catch a fish is about pitting your personal skills and intelligence against those of a fish. You must be able to perfectly mimic their prey in order to successfully prey upon them. This takes time, patience, and perfection, which leads to the other main benefit of fly fishing: a chance to be alone with yourself and nature. There is a strong sense of camaraderie in the fishing community, but it’s related to a shared experience out there fishing rather than to any boisterous shenanigans. Instead, fly fishermen tend to share a reverence for their time fishing and the opportunity it offers to relax and know oneself and one’s world better. It is this more than anything else that makes fly fishing the perfect holiday.