A fishing trip is an easy thing to agree to over lunch and a surprisingly difficult thing to put in the diary. Someone has a new baby, someone can’t get away from work, and the friend who first suggested it has become very vague about dates. Years can pass this way, with everyone remaining remarkably enthusiastic.
It helps to have somewhere specific in mind, particularly somewhere that makes a persuasive case for spending a few days on the water. A good guide does much of the work; a comfortable room and an excellent dinner ensure the day has something to recommend it even when the fish prove uncooperative. Choose carefully and there’s enough to keep a non-fishing partner happily occupied, although that does require finding out what they’d actually like to do.
For Aussies, the shortlist can begin close to home, with the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand’s trout rivers and Fiji’s offshore waters all offering ample reason to put a date in the calendar. Further afield, there are Pacific flats worth arranging an entire week around and a Wyoming ranch that might stretch the definition of a fishing trip considerably. These eight lodges and resorts should give the group chat something to work with.
Australia
One of the many benefits for Australians chasing a genuine bucket-list fishing trip is that you don't necessarily need a passport to find authentic adventure.
The Great Barrier Reef and the Kimberley coast both produce experiences that rival anything in the Pacific, with the added benefit of a same-day flight home.
Lizard Island Resort, Great Barrier Reef, QLD
Within the Australian jewel that is the Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island sits 27km off the Queensland coast and 240km north of Cairns. It does mean that you’ll have to hop on another flight to reach it, but fishing on some of the best waters in Australia can still all be achieved within the morning.
About 15 minutes by boat, inner reef trips turn up mackerel, queenfish, and trevally, while the outer reef, roughly 50 minutes away from the resort, offers huge schools of tuna, sailfish and, in season, the coveted black marlin.
Guests can book the resort's private charter vessel, the Duyfken, for heavy-tackle marlin fishing, easily arranged through the concierge at check-in or at your own leisure.
Address: Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, QLD
Contact: 1800 867 169 (within Australia), lizardconcierge@delawarenorth.com
Pricing: All-inclusive rooms from $2,650 per night, twin share; a private Marlin fishing charter starts at about $6,000.
Flight time from Sydney: Direct to Cairns in around 3 hours 10 minutes, then a scenic light-aircraft transfer (about 1 hour) to the island.
Flight time from Melbourne: Direct to Cairns in around 3 hours 20 minutes, then the same light-aircraft transfer.
Berkeley River Lodge, The Kimberley, WA
Fly-in only and capped at just 30 guests across 15 villas, Berkeley River Lodge sits where the Berkeley River meets the Timor Sea in one of the most remote corners of the country. So remote that there aren’t any roads heading in or out, where barefoot luxury actually bears genuine meaning within WA’s sprawling terrain.
This is also barramundi country, where guided fishing runs through tidal creeks and river systems see huge numbers of the Australian mainstay, entirely built around a five-night stay.
Beyond fishing, guests can embark on friendly gorge walks, waterfall swims, and the inherent rugged beauty only really found in the isolated luxury that Kimberley has to offer.
Address: Berkeley River, WA
Contact: 08 7922 6198, info@berkeleyriverlodge.com.au
Pricing: Sold as a fixed five-night, all-inclusive package with return Darwin flights included - from $3,950 per night. Note the 2026 season is sold out, with 2027 bookings open.
Flight time from Sydney: Direct to Darwin in around 4.5 hours, then the included charter flight to the lodge.
Flight time from Melbourne: Direct to Darwin in around 4.5 to 5 hours, then the included charter flight.
New Zealand
New Zealand's North Island remains the benchmark for trophy trout fishing in this corner of the world, and its luxury lodges have had a century to refine the experience into something genuinely five-star.
Huka Lodge, Taupo
Founded in 1924 as a fisherman's camp on the banks of the Waikato River, Huka Lodge has hosted four visits from Queen Elizabeth II among a long list of heads of state, celebrities, and Australian travellers.
After a NZ$25 million refurbishment by new owners Beckons, it still remains deliberately small at 20 suites plus two owners’ cottages, with every stay including breakfast, pre-dinner drinks, and a nightly degustation matched with wine.
But, of course, we’re here for the fishing, with guided fly fishing for trophy trout running directly from the property on the Waikato River, so once you’ve checked in, you won’t have to travel far at all for some of the best fishing experiences in the region.
Address: Huka Falls Road, Taupo, North Island, New Zealand
Contact: NZ: +64 7 222 4555; Australia: +61 2 9918 4355
Pricing: Nightly rates vary depending on the month and season, with prices as low as NZ$3,400 twin-share, reaching NZ$7,020 through summer’s peak season on a half-board basis. A half-day fly fishing add-on is NZ$1,855 for two, and the Taupo Discovery package (lake cruise and fishing) is NZ$1,950 for two.
Flight time from Sydney: Direct to Auckland in around 3 hours 15 minutes, then a short domestic flight or a 3.5-hour scenic drive to Taupo.
Flight time from Melbourne: Direct to Auckland in around 3 hours 40 minutes, then the same onward options.
Poronui Lodge, Taharua Valley
Set between Taupo and Napier on private water protected by a National Water Conservation Order, Poronui pairs guests with a guide in search of wild brown and rainbow trout – there’s even a heli-fishing add-on for anglers who want to reach water nobody else can get to.
It's certainly an even quieter proposition than Huka, built for people who want the fishing itself to be the reason for travel, rather than the regal reputation that surrounds the luxury lodge. But that’s not to say it’s any less impressive.
Address: Taharua Valley, between Taupo and Napier, North Island, New Zealand
Contact: +64 7 384 2080, reservations@poronui.com
Pricing: From NZ$2,000 to NZ$3,240 per room, per night, fully inclusive of meals and beverages.
Flight time from Sydney: Direct to Auckland in around 3 hours 15 minutes, then an onward transfer to the Taupo/Napier region.
Flight time from Melbourne: Direct to Auckland in around 3 hours 40 minutes, then the same onward transfer.
Kokomo Island, the private island resort that ruined me, fishing program is built around the Great Astrolabe Reef, one of the largest barrier reefs in the world, with three dedicated boats covering sports fishing (Giant Trevally, Tuna, Wahoo, Sailfish and Marlin over deep seamounts), reef fishing, deep dropping to 400 metres for Snapper, and spearfishing for anglers who fancy themselves better freedivers than hanging off the side of the boat. In short, you won’t be stuck for options here.
It’s also completely private, with just 21 beachfront villas and five larger hillside residences for further luxury and isolation. What’s more, the incredible chefs will then cook your catch the same night, a nice full-circle touch for a truly bucket list fishing stay.
Address: Yaukuve Levu Island, Kadavu Province, Fiji
Contact: +679 776 4441; 1800 983 172
Pricing: Nightly rates start at US$2,500 per villa.
Flight time from Sydney: Direct to Nadi in around 4 hours, then a 45-60 minute transfer to the island by the resort's own seaplane or helicopter (US$1,650 per person). Same-day arrivals must land in Nadi by 3 PM.
Flight time from Melbourne: Direct to Nadi in around 5 hours, then the same seaplane or helicopter transfer.
Papua New Guinea
New Ireland Province, and Kavieng in particular, has grown in reputation among saltwater fly anglers in recent years, with adventure travellers heading to the one island province for one fish above all others: the giant trevally. Still, it remains refreshingly under-visited by Australian standards.
Lissenung Island Resort, Kavieng, New Ireland
“The best little island resort in the South Pacific” is a private island nestled between 149 mostly uninhabited islands, which create rich and busy channels for the native fish population: Giant Trevally, Spanish Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, Barracuda, Yellowfin, Dogtooth and Skipjack Tuna, Mangrove Jack, Red Emperor, Coral Trout, Rock Cod and Sweetlips, to name but a few.
Capped at just 16 guests, Lissenung runs half- and full-day GT and pelagic charters year-round, with water that sits at a consistent 28–31ºC.
It's certainly not the most well-trodden item of the list: a smaller, more relaxed operation than the destination fishing lodges of the Seychelles. But that’s entirely the reason you travel. Its exclusivity is born of genuine remoteness rather than manufactured scarcity.
Nusa Island Retreat, also in Kavieng, is worth a mention for anglers who want fishing to be the entire itinerary rather than one activity among several, though it doesn't publish rates and is best approached with a direct enquiry.
Address: Lissenung Island, Kavieng, New Ireland Province, PNG
Contact: +675 7044 1714, info@lissenung.com
Pricing: From PGK 780 (about AU$250) per person, per night, twin share; full-day fishing charters from PGK 1,300 (~AU$400) per person, half-day from PGK 700 (~AU$217).
Flight time from Sydney: Direct to Port Moresby in around 5 hours, then a 1.5-hour onward flight to Kavieng.
Kiribati (Christmas Island)
Christmas Island, known locally as Kiritimati, is the largest coral atoll on earth found between Fiji and Hawaii in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Getting there isn’t as simple as many of the others, so if you’re averse to planning ahead, it can be tricky. It does draw, however, a smaller, more dedicated crowd than the Pacific's resort islands, so if you’re willing to travel, you’re rewarded with arguably the best bonefishing on the planet.
Ikari House, Kiritimati
Ikari House is the highest-rated lodge on an island that doesn't have many, and it's built entirely around the fishing experiences where guests head out for bonefish, giant trevally, bluefin, golden trevally, milkfish, and triggerfish across a large lagoon system (more than 240 square miles).
The standard package pairs guests one or two to a guide across skiffs and traditional outrigger boats, including airport transfers between Christmas Island Airport and the lodge, 7 nights’ accommodation and 6 days of fishing.
But if you’re looking to splurge a touch (go on, you’re on holiday), the Premium Adventure tier adds a private room and first choice of guide and boat for anglers who want top-end service.
Address: London Village, Kiritimati, Republic of Kiribati
Contact: +61 3 9532 1583 (Australia)
Pricing: Six-day Bonefishing Adventure packages (all meals, transfers and fishing licence included) run at US$4,450, twin share, depending on season; the Premium Adventure (private room, choice of guide and boat) is US$6,150 per person.
Flight time from Sydney: Direct to Nadi, Fiji, in around 4 hours, then a same-day connection on the weekly Fiji Airways flight to Kiritimati (a further 4 hours 45 minutes) – this route runs once a week, Tuesdays only, so it dictates the whole itinerary. Told you to plan ahead.
Flight time from Melbourne: Direct to Nadi in around 5 hours, then the same Tuesday connection to Kiritimati.
USA
Not every trip on this list is a quick hop across the Pacific, of course, with the world’s best fishing (sometimes) found slightly further afield. For the sake of our list, we still wanted to share somewhere within reach for the Aussie traveller, and for readers chasing genuinely world-class trout water, Brush Creek Ranch is worth the extra journey.
Brush Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Wyoming, USA
Named the 2026 Orvis Fly-Fishing Lodge of the Year, Brush Creek Ranch controls more than 20 miles of private trout water across the North Platte River, Brush Creek, French Creek, and the Encampment River, plus six stillwater fisheries, on a 30,000-acre property in the Rockies. If you’ve ever seen Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, you’ll already know exactly the type of terrain we’re speaking about.
A world away from a Pacific island lodge, the world-class fishing sits alongside horseback riding, private downhill skiing, and a working-ranch atmosphere that provides guests with more than just an afternoon out in the creeks. Pack your R.M’s; Brush Creek’s not one to miss.
Address: Saratoga, Wyoming, USA
Contact: +1 307 327 5284
Pricing: Nightly rates vary by month and season, with a minimum rate of US$2,800 a night through December for a king room, reaching US$8,600 a night for a 3-bedroom cabin.
Flight time from Sydney: No direct route exists from Sydney, so you’re looking at around 14 hours nonstop to Los Angeles, a connecting flight of around 2 to 2.5 hours to Denver, then a 3-hour drive to Saratoga. Door-to-door, expect 20-plus hours each way.
Flight time from Melbourne: Similar routing via a roughly 14-hour and 35-minute nonstop flight to Los Angeles, then the same Denver connection and drive.