By Frank Petito for the Orbitz Travel Blog
Sunset over Lake Michigan
Gone fishing. The words--historically scrawled on a shingle nailed outside a workplace--conjure images of the outdoors, good friends, a clear mind and, occasionally, a fish or two. A good day of angling can take you there, as President of Orbitz for Business Frank Petito knows. Here, the avid fly fisherman offers some friendly advice for anyone planning a fishing trip.
Frank's best fishing buddy, his youngest son Henry, reels one in.
1. The ideal number for a group fishing trip is two.
"Two is a great number for a trip as it enables good conversation and bonding, especially if it's taking a trip with my son or a great friend and we get to chat in the car, in a boat, on a river and tell stories afterwards. One is also a good number: My favorite day of the year to fish is the Friday after Thanksgiving when I drive to Wisconsin to a local river. I usually do it by myself, and it's just a fun time to reflect on the year, and chill out."
Just your typical fishing trip tomfoolery for Frank (right) and friends.
2. The ideal number for a group fishing trip is everyone.
"On the other extreme is a great trip with a bunch of friends. And I have found that the more people, the less important the fishing and the more important the tomfoolery. The logistical challenge is greater, but if I'm going on a really special trip, I'd like to share the experience with as many people as possible. For the last 18 years, I've gone on an annual weekend trip with 10 grad school buddies. We've been all over the country but the things I remember most are the post-fishing jocularity, more so than the fishing itself--although we've had some great fishing adventures."
Make sure your gear is good to go.
3. Gear up--one accessory can make all the difference.
"Of course you need the right fishing rod, reel, flies etc.--and it's critical to have the appropriate beverages. But the one piece of gear that I view as critical is a good pair of polarized sunglasses. They can help you cut through the water's glare and actually see what's going on under the surface. I can always borrow a fishing rod if I need to, but if I leave without my prescription sunglasses I'm not a happy person."
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