Planning a 2023 Family Fishing Vacation

It’s early January and ice fishing is cranking in the Midwest. However, if you’re like me, the open water season can’t arrive fast enough. It’s time to start planning a 2023 fishing trip, and there’s nothing better than launching the boat, locating some fish, and watching your friends and family hammer them!

By January, the annual boat, RV, and sports shows converge on the Midwest. Northeast Iowa has a full schedule of events starting with the Iowa Boat, RV, and Vacation Show on January 27-29 at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls. A few weeks later, the Cedar Rapids Sport Show will be held from February 24-26 at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse Convention Center. Sports show season wraps up when the Eastern Iowa Sport Show comes to the UNI Dome in Cedars Falls from March 10-12.  

Outdoor enthusiasts from all over the Midwest line up at these shows to ogle the sparkling line-up of boats and RVs and stare slack-jawed at outfitters’ photo albums of full stringers and trophies. If a fishing trip is on your family’s agenda this year, I recommend spending an afternoon at the show nearest you, stopping at as many booths as possible for availability and pricing. Afterwards, narrow down the destinations to your top 5 and spend time reading guest reviews and feedback online. Visit outfitters’ websites and social media pages and solicit information from your favorite fishing boards.

Once this process is complete, identify your top 2 locations and sit down as a family to define “success”. This may seem novel to some, but each family member could have different goals for the trip. For one person, success might mean the number or size of fish you catch. For another, simply spending time outdoors as a family may be rewarding enough. As a result, to ensure a successful vacation, it's crucial that expectations are discussed and understood as a family.    

Every family has both diehard and fair-weather anglers, and any successful vacation plan must accommodate both. When determining the location for your trip, make sure the area has more to offer than just fishing. Doing so will mitigate boredom from a slow bite, misery from severe weather, and frayed nerves from too much “quality time.” For example, if the destination is Storm Lake, Iowa, for spring walleye fishing, make it a priority to take the kids to King's Pointe Indoor Waterpark. Similarly, if you are heading to the Iowa Great Lakes, leave room in the schedule for some shopping around town and rides at Arnolds Park Amusement Park.

Another consideration when planning your trip is how far you’re willing to travel to get to the honey hole. In my experience, 4-5 hours in the truck is the maximum. In addition, if we’re trekking that far, it’s nice to fish for species we can’t easily find locally. In these parts, perch, trout, northern pike, and walleyes are rare to legendary, so targeting these “unicorns” helps build excitement for everyone.  

While every angler has dreamed of fly-in vacations to remote fishing meccas, most family budgets can’t support journeying to these once-in-a-lifetime destinations. When planning your trip, it’s important to avoid champagne tastes on a light beer budget, so factor in all the actual costs involved. For example, if you plan to trailer your own boat to the water, make sure to budget not only your fuel costs, but also boat and trailer maintenance. The last things you want to worry about are flat tires, trailer lights, and worn out bearings. Don’t forget to check your tackle boxes to see what needs restocked, and make sure you have enough space to pack required equipment and other items your family “can’t live without”. Checking these boxes in advance can reduce the risk of ruining months of planning and preparation before you make the first cast.

When determining your budget, it’s important that all hard costs are taken into account and compared to the expense of hiring a guide or charter service. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe that hiring a guide can’t be budget-friendly or suitable for a family vacation. Half-day guided trips in many areas can cost $250, and full day outings can easily double the amount. However, the costs (and stress) of executing a self-guided trip may exceed those of an all inclusive guide service, and the convenience and peace of mind can add a lot of value, especially when you’re supposed to be on vacation.  

Although Northwoods cold water destinations for exotic species are traditional favorites, year-round guided catfishing charters are gaining popularity. If you’re going to travel, you might as well get the “extra insurance” a catfishing guide/charter service provides in terms of knowing where the trophies are and what equipment is needed in the area you will be fishing. This also increases the odds of a successful trip, because the likelihood of getting bored while fishing with an expert is very low.

If your family is interested in an epic catfishing trip to Texas and learning how to be a better catfish angler, WST Pro Staff Manager Chad Ferguson is your guy. Chad owns and operates North Texas Catfish Guide Service, the premier fishing guide service in Texas (and a few other areas he travels to throughout the year). Chad didn’t earn the nickname “Mr. Catfish” because he finds the big cats hard to catch - his list of professional accomplishments and accolades speaks for itself, and he will put your family on the fish no matter the weather conditions or time of year.  

WST pro staffers Mike and Cindy Houston own Houston Guide Service and operate out of central and north central Texas. This dynamic duo operates a full time, multi-species guiding service for catfish, striped bass, and crappies. However, their passion is hunting trophy blue cats in nearby area reservoirs.    

If your lifelong goals include catching big river blue cats or prehistoric spoonbills, the lower stretches of the Mississippi River and Lake of the Ozarks can be dynamite. WST pro staffer Captain Jason Schneiderhahn operates STL Catfishing Trophy Guide Service, and nobody is better at putting these giants in the boat. Imagine catching your first trophy blue with the St. Louis Arch in the background!  

If your trip involves specific midwest locales, there are several WST pro staff guides just a phone call or email away. Jimmi Brown operates Chasin Cats Guide Service, a Google top-rated guide service operating in Central Iowa, that specializes in full season catfishing from ice-out through the fall. Most importantly, Jimmi will share his 40 years of experience, teaching you tactics that will last well beyond your day trip. For example, he’ll describe trolling and controlled drifting methods, basic sonar strategies and setup, and catfish gear selection and the types of rigs to use when targeting channel catfish.

If you prefer tighter spaces and lesser-known locations in the Midwest that require an “off-road” adventurous spirit, look no further than WST pro staff member Spencer Bauer. Spencer owns and operates River Certified Outdoor Adventures, and is an expert on fishing, camping, and kayaking for multiple fish species on Iowa’s streams and waterways. Check out Spencer’s River Certified YouTube channel for entertaining videos including tips and tricks for catching a variety of fish.

Ryan Tasler joined the WST pro staff in 2022 and operates Tasler Guide Service in Central Iowa. Ryan’s passion is helping customers catch the biggest, meanest, ugliest catfish possible, and trophy flatheads are his specialty. Whether you’re looking to catch your first flathead, or beat your personal best, Ryan’s years of experience fishing interior rivers will take your game to the next level.  

Planning a family fishing vacation builds excitement and gives families something to look forward to when we’re stuck inside during these cold winter months. The research and preparation also provides a convenient distraction to the winter doldrums. It gives anglers the opportunity to check gear prior to the coming fishing season and investigate trending tactics and presentations. By including the entire family in the planning, and making sure everybody owns part of the process, you can create anticipation which increases the enjoyment for everyone. Making it a team effort also ensures that one person isn’t responsible for both the planning and ultimate success of the trip.

The one wild card that we cannot control is the weather. As a result, if you can bank enough vacation time to spend at least 3 days on the water, in addition to travel time, this should help mitigate a total wash out. For example, when my family goes to Wabasha, MN, we count on at least one day of rain. During these rain delays it’s fun to hit the creamery in Nelson, The Eagle Center in Wabasha, putt-putt golf in Kellogg, or one of the many local taverns for a meal, cold drinks, and the latest fishing intel.  

Wherever you decide to take your family this year, do your homework and spend some time planning. Get the whole clan involved, and it may be one of the most rewarding and satisfying vacations your family has ever experienced. Until then, good luck and tight lines!