Five 2026 fly fishing trips you should be booking now

Fly fishing’s most popular travel destinations call to anglers from across the globe. As a result, these coveted destinations often book up fast and early. That means that fly fishers hoping to visit these faraway places are well advised to make their travel plans sooner than later. With 2025 not even halfway in the books, we’re already seeing 2026 beginning to fill up at some of our most popular lodges and destinations. Here’s a few of the 2026 trips worth getting moving on.

New Zealand

New Zealand is one of a select handful of trout fishing destinations that is on virtually every fly angler’s bucket list. The list of reasons is a long one: stunning scenery, friendly locals, a welcoming climate, world-class food and wines, gin clear rivers, and unmatched sight fishing for oversized brown and rainbow trout. 

Cedar Lodge in New Zealand is the South Island’s premier helicopter fly-out operation that gives anglers access to unpressured backcountry rivers on a daily basis. It’s also one of the only lodges in all of New Zealand that includes helicopter flights in every angler’s package. So it’s no surprise that the lodge books up very quickly each season. This coming season is no exception — we’re already down to a handful of rods left on the 2025-26 schedule. The good news? Thanks to a recent cancellation and a bit of good luck, many of those remaining rods are available at some of the most highly coveted times of the year.

Our picks:
December 7th - 16th, 2025 — only 4 rods available
January 14th - 20th, 2026 — rare cancellation opening, jump on this one
January 20th - February 2, 2026  — only 4 rods available

We also have some limited additional availability at other times of the season, so reach out if you don’t see something you like.

Head here to send us an inquiry about a visit to Cedar Lodge.

Patagonia

That short list of destinations that invade every angler’s daydreams? Count Patagonia in. Whether the classic freestoners in Argentina that first put Patagonian trout fishing on the map or the glacier-tinged rainforest rivers and spring creeks in Chile that offer some of the best dry fly and streamer fishing on the planet, each year countless fly fishers trot the globe to chase Patagonia’s trout. 

Regardless of which of our six Patagonian lodges you’re most interested in, space is limited for the 2025-26 season. January is completely sold out at several (but not all) lodges, February is running on fumes, and availability during other popular times of year is dwindling as well. However, if you begin your planning now, you can still secure great dates in Patagonia for the coming season — including during some of our personal favorite times to be there. Here are a few suggestions, but contact us for the full rundown.

Our picks:
January 10-17, 2026 at Patagonia Baker Lodge
February 21-28, 2026 at Magic Waters Lodge — only 6 rods left
February 28 - March 7, 2026 at Magic Waters Lodge — only 2 rods left
January 31 - February 7, 2026 at the River of Dreams Basecamp
February 2-8, 2026 with Patagonia River Guides
March 1-8, 2026 with Patagonia River Guides
March 7-14, 2026 at the River of Dreams Basecamp
March 21-28, 2026 at Patagonia Baker Lodge — Hatch Adventure Travel Hosted Week
March 28 - April 4, 2026 at Magic Waters Lodge — Hatch Adventure Travel Hosted Week

Scattered availability exists outside of the above suggested dates, but space is filling quickly. Click on one of the links above to send us an inquiry about a 2026 visit to Patagonia or drop us a line.

Greenland

Everyone’s talking about Greenland. Greenland’s natural riches, which many others are just discovering, a select group of anglers have known about for years. For fly fishers, those riches come in the form of Greenland’s sea-run Arctic char. Whether the silverbrite rockets of the early season or the orange- and red-bellied stunners of the later season, anglers come in pursuit of these marvels which are not only a sight to behold but offer fly fishers the chance at personal best days that leave arms sore from catching and sides aching from laughing. 

2025 at Kangia River Lodge in Greenland is sold out. The handful of other sea-run Arctic char lodges and camps in Greenland? They’re sold out, too. As you’d likely guess, that means 2026 is booking up fast. In fact, the 2026 season at Kangia River Lodge is down to just a handful of available rods. 

If you want to chase sea-run Arctic char at Kangia River Lodge anytime before 2027, we strongly urge you to make your booking now.

Our picks:
August 9-15, 2026 — only 2 rods available, special week for U.S. direct flights
August 15-24, 2026 — expanded schedule giving anglers 7 full days of fishing
September 5-13, 2026

Head here to send us an inquiry about booking a 2026 visit to Kangia River Lodge.

Iceland

Tourist interest in Iceland has exploded in the last decade or so and angler interest has followed suit. In fairness, Iceland has always been a mecca for Atlantic salmon anglers — with some of the country’s best rivers requiring hopping on a multi-year waiting list in order to score a chance to fish them. More recently, anglers have begun landing on Iceland’s shores in search of not just salmon but brown trout, Arctic char, and sea trout (sea-run brown trout). 

With the 2025 season fully booked at virtually all of our Icelandic destinations, 2026 is beginning to book up in earnest. Now is the time to plan your 2026 trip to Iceland to be sure you can secure the most coveted dates in places like The Icelandic Highlands.

There is, however, one catch: you can’t actually book many of our Iceland destinations for 2026 just yet. As is customary, all of our sea-run fisheries (Atlantic salmon and sea trout/sea-run brown trout) offer anglers booked this year first right-of-refusal to rebook for next year. Whatever remains after the rebooking period is what’s left on the table for anglers hoping to book for 2026. So while you’ll have to wait to formally book those destinations, what you can do now is join our 2026 waiting lists for both Atlantic salmon (multiple lodges) and sea-run brown trout at Battle Hill Lodge. That way, when 2026 bookings open, you’ll get first crack at available dates.

Head here to send us an inquiry about booking your 2026 visit to chase brown trout and Arctic char in The Icelandic Highlands or reach out to join our 2026 Atlantic salmon and sea trout waiting lists.

South Fork Lodge

Ever wondered what the hardest lodge ticket to punch in the U.S. is? It’s South Fork Lodge in Idaho. The lodge has been well-loved by anglers for decades but since it was purchased by and underwent a breathtaking remodel at the hands of renowned angler Oliver White and comedian and entertainer Jimmy Kimmel, finding an available room at the lodge has become part artform and part science project. And why not? There may not be a nicer fishing lodge on the entire planet and Idaho’s South Fork River is very likely the finest dry fly river in the entire country.

We have just two openings left during the entirety of 2025 (see below). For 2026, we highly recommend interested anglers join the South Fork Lodge 2026 Waiting List.

Our picks:
June 9-14, 2025
October 18-26, 2025

Head here to send us an inquiry about grabbing one of these last two 2025 openings at South Fork Lodge or reach out to join the 2026 waiting list.