If you’re headed on a long-distance trip, the process of boarding the airplane can be mentally draining. We all want it to be efficient, but that means different things to different people. Collectively we have a stake in boarding progressing quickly, but individually we want to make sure that we’re there first and that our stuff is safe.

The year flew by, and as we look back we had some amazing adventures to some of our favorite destinations — new and old, fishing and otherwise. Relive them in this brief summary of all of the fun and frequent flyer miles.

The goal at the start of your trip should be to get one bite, put one fish in the boat, and then build from there. Each additional success adds confidence, releases pressure, and increases your awareness of how to do things correctly.

There’s good reason to travel if you’re a tournament angler, and in this case by “travel” I don’t mean just head to Okeechobee or El Salto or the Cal Delta. I mean something outside of your comfort zone, outside of your area of expertise. It’ll help you gain perspective on the critical lessons that will improve your tournament success.

If you’re too busy ripping lips to read or watch or listen to the news, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered, fellow anglers. We’ve assembled a hodgepodge of newsworthy and semi-newsworthy articles from other sources that might inspire or help you on your upcoming fishing travels.

Based on my social media feed, many people think that I’m constantly gone, but the truth is that I’m in my desk chair far more days than I’m away. In the interest of transparency (and to inspire some of you to be equally creative), here’s how 2022 played out in terms of using my allotted vacation time.

In between long-distance fishing trips? Sitting at home? That doesn’t mean you can’t be using this time productively to get ready for the next incredible angling excursion. Here are five ways to make the most of your “down time.”

The vast majority of travelers don’t have unlimited budgets or hundreds of thousands of frequent flier miles. Many of us scrimp and save not only to get the time off to travel, but also to make the most of it. That means we have to make choices. In most cases, I’d rather splurge on a luxury like a helicopter ride to a glacier to go dog sledding versus a more comfortable seat for a midday four-hour flight. I’d rather go economy class on a 10-hour flight than not go at all.

You paid the money, you took the time off work, this is YOUR VACATION. That doesn’t mean that you should not respect your guide or outfitter, but it does provide you with a certain amount of leeway.

While Hanna and I have embarked on this project to make fishing travel our raison d’etre, we recognize that not everyone can or will travel long distances to chase fish. Perhaps it’s your budget, or family obligations or work, or maybe you just don’t want to get on a plane. That’s ok, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t derive great satisfaction with a rod and reel.