I’m a fly fishing guide.
I’m not licensed or insured. I’m not formally endorsed by any fly fishing brands. I’m not listed in an online directory or affiliated with a shop. You’re not going to see a section on this website with random smiling sports holding trophy fish.
I do have experience, though. Not only have I guided professionally in the past with all the aforementioned bona fides; I have the kind of resume that matters most. There are the years of working at each and every aspect of fly fishing. Through trial and error, I feel like I have a functional grasp on the basics of angling. Equally as important, I can communicate some of the fundamental principles of the sport at a level that my clients can understand.
I know when clients can’t make the cast that they need to make. So, it is my job to get them into position so that we can then work through that together. I try to ensure that there is still excitement when they miss a rising fish, because we talk about how fooling trout is more than half the battle. I can help them feel good about themselves if they don’t allow slack when a bass jumps and throws the hook. We can hopefully laugh about it, since I will share that it is a problem I have as well. Most critical, I know when my clients are tired and just need a break.
If my clients want to talk about fish biology, dragonflies, or football, I do my best. I try to explain the difference between amphibians and reptiles, how photosynthesis works, and what plants you shouldn’t touch… or eat. With varying levels of explicitness, I slip in some morality every once in a while. We learn patience as we cast. We show grace when someone crowds your spot. We steward the creation we get to enjoy.
And then there is the constant untangling of knots.
If a day isn’t going well, or if a client is a bit fussy, I make sure that I don’t push them. I love fly fishing. I want to pass that passion on. I also know that I won’t be doing anyone any favors if I make them grind it out or if I lose my cool. My policy is to celebrate the wins, find the silver lining around the losses, and make sure it occurs over a donut or ice cream.
I do want my clients to love fly fishing, nature, and their time on the water with me. While not the best model for job security, the plan is to train them up in the way they should fish. I want them to eventually not need my guiding. But if I’m being honest, I hope that they’ll always come back for pointers or even just the company. If I do my job well, I don’t think that I’ll have to worry about that.
I have four clients that get the bulk of my energy and effort. Another has expressed interest, but he has to learn to walk before he can cast. They fill up my schedule and bring me the most satisfaction. They take the most work, but they’re the most rewarding. Any guide will tell you that their time on the water with others means less fishing for themself. But the investment today will hopefully translate into more fly fishing in the future. And while that long-term plan isn’t the point today, it is the natural outcome of doing a good job. This is already coming to fruition with the eldest in the group. I still guide him, but we also fish side by side.
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the question that is on everyone’s mind when you mention that you are a fly fishing guide. It is common knowledge that fly fishing isn’t the business to be in if you want to be rich. I don’t doubt that some face real struggles. But as for me and my house? What I get from my clients is providing me with everything I need and more.
Every once in a while, I dive back into the archives to rework a piece for one reason or another (here is a link to this post’s original version). Today’s article certainly needed an update. Eight years later I have a lot more experience as a “guide”, and two more boys are tapping me for time on the water.
Happy Father’s Day from Casting Across