Every once in a while I’ll get a comment, defining my guiding as being intense on the water :)  It always gets me chuckling inside and puts a smile on my face…., for I know I’m upholding a promise to myself that I made many years ago.  

A very long time ago when I was a kid and had a dream of being a full-time fishing guide when I grew up, I made a promise to myself if I ever became a guide, I would always give my clients my best each and every day on the water.  And if I ever found myself not fullfilling that promise I would promptly hang it up as a guide. 

I think some people are surprised at how hands on I am with my guiding.  They find it hard to believe that I’m going to pretty much talk them through every cast and spot throughout the day.  My job is to put my clients on fish while increasing their skills and knowledge of the sport, and I do that by constantly sharing with them what’s going on in my head and how I would approach and fish that piece of water.  

You’ll see me fine-tuning my clients high-sticking while fishing a far seam of a fast riffle.  I’ll say your doing it 97% correct, but this 3% little tip here will not only have you hook up, but you’ll be high-sticking on your next fishing trip perfectly and catching more trout.

You’ll see my clients walking behind me in my foot steps approaching a hole so they can see how important it is for success to wade stealthy and in the correct places.  I’ll say if you walk below the shoal here in this shallow riffle, you won’t send waves up to the trout and spook them holding in that flat water upstream. 

You might find me asking my clients, “What kind of cast would you use here?” or “Where should the trout be holding here?”, if you just walked up on this hole by yourself?  If  I feel they’ve missed a clue or an opportunity to use an easier or higher percentage type of cast, I’ll ask them what about if you tried this kind of cast standing here? If they’ve pointed out a different spot where the trout are holding I’ll explain to them where and why the trout are holding in this spot versus that spot.

I look at every moment with my clients on the stream as an opportunity to teach them and transform them into better fly fisherman.  Don’t get me wrong, we do relax, enjoy ourselves, and catch lots of trout, but I’m just not the kind of guide that will sit back and watch clients do something the wrong way, because I know if I don’t teach them the right way they’ll be doing it the wrong way again next time they’re out fishing by themselves.  You wouldn’t see a golf instructor time after time watch a student slice the ball withouth stepping in and correcting their stroke.  Much as a golf instructor I choose to step in when needed to make adjustments and explain the fishing scenario at hand.

When I get home from a day on the water and I’m completely drained I know I’ve done my job.  And better yet when I’m guiding those past clients on the water down the road and I find myself not instructing nearly as much, I know they’ve gotten their money’s worth out of me.  

I guess what I’m trying to say is being an intense guide is a positive perception I’d like to have.  The last thing I want my clients to ponder over at the end of the day is if I gave them my all.  

Keep it Reel,