Sindri Jonsson shows Tim exactly where to cast as they chase Arctic char in Iceland. Having an experienced guide like Sindri can pay dividends on the water! Photo credit: Black Mountain Cinema
There are plenty of reasons why you might hire a fly fishing guide. The most common reason is that you’re taking a trip, so you want to optimize your angling opportunity. It might also be the case that you have to have a guide to access a particular stretch of water. Or, you could be genuinely interested in learning something from a reputable waterman.
Whether the cost of a day in a drift boat is a splurge or chump change, the investment of time with a guide necessitates that you do more than reach out to the first person Google hands you. With a few simple steps, your day out with a professional has the potential to yield a lot more than a good number of fish.
Do your research
Talk to people. With whom have the folks at your TU chapter fished? Solicit feedback from your social media friends and followers. Who has a good reputation? Who might have a less than stellar standing among real anglers?
If you’re proactive, spend time at booths and seminars during offseason programs like The Fly Fishing Show. Don’t be an inquisitor but do ask questions. It isn’t ridiculous to consider chemistry during a face-to-face or telephone conversation. Do you enjoy the guide? Does he communicate well? Is she attentive to your questions?
State your purpose
The right guide has patience and cares about you as a fly fisher. Arni Skulason did precisely that with Heather as she was chasing this gorgeous sea-run brown trout!
As you’re booking the trip, let the guide know what you want. Is your goal a big fish? Is your goal lots of fish? Is your goal a fish on a certain fly or utilizing a particular tactic? This is the kind of thing that many guides will gladly help you seek to attain… they just would be better prepared if they knew beforehand. And they can explain the feasibility of your request at the outset if you let them know.
When you’re on the water, remember that you’ve hired him to accomplish a goal. If you change your mind, speak clearly and respectfully. You might get shot down, and the guide might have a good reason for it. But if you don’t ask to fish a certain pool, stop for a bathroom break, or get some help with your cast, she may very well not know what is on your mind.
Share your experience
Give your guide feedback. Be adult enough to express any disappointments. Do it personally and do it with the right spirit. Passive-aggressive online reviews are much less helpful than a conversation. And don’t forget to tip.
Sometimes the guide is happier than you, as is the case here with Mats Herz celebrating the landing of Tim’s sea-run brown trout!
Sing the praises of a good guided trip with anyone who is willing to listen. Or, if your experience was just so-so, consider what was on the guide and what was the consequence of any number of variables inherent to something like fly fishing. A day with few fish in the net might be the guide’s fault. But it could be the fish’s fault. Believe it or not, it could be your fault. Be honest and tell it like it is when asked.
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Hiring a guide entails more than submitting a booking request on an outfitter’s website. To take full advantage of everything that a guide can do for you (including much more than a slideshow’s worth of grip-and-grins), do your research and state your purpose. Once you’re off the water and have had a chance to reflect on your trip, share your experience so everyone can learn something. Hopefully, such sharing does include some great pictures of fat and long fish.
Written by: Matthew Lourdeau of “Casting Across”