I Want to be a Fly Fishing Guide! Part 1

This is not some sort of epiphany, I just don't think that I have ever communicated this to everyone on this blog.  I made this decision a few years ago after fishing with different guides in different places as well as feeling like my skills as a fly fisher were improving.  That's not to say that I am where I want to eventually be with my skills.  Nor am I saying that I am ready to be a guide right now.  I've got a long way to go, but I feel like the foundation that I have been building is getting stronger every year.  

I want to be a guide for a few reasons.  First off, I love to fish!  I love every moment I get to spend on the water.  Second, I love to teach.  I have taught in Missouri public schools for 20 years now and I never get tired of helping people understand things that were confusing at first.  Finally, if I could couple those things together and actually get paid to do it, that would be a dream come true.  I am set to retire in 10 yeas and I think being a fishing guide would be a great way to supplement my retirement income.

I would also prefer to be a guide on Lake Taneycomo and want to take people fly fishing for trout.  Taneycomo is an amazing fishery that is a "fisher's lake".  What I mean is that there seems to be a very small population of pleasure boaters and thrill seekers.  If you see a boat on Taneycomo, chances are that people will be fishing out of it.  Another factor in my decision making is that I have more success on Taneycomo than I do on the big lakes around Kansas City, where I live.  I can be successful on smaller lakes like Watkins Mill and Guy B. Park, but when it comes to fishing Lake Jacomo, Longview Lake, Smithville Lake, and Blue Springs Lake, I have little idea what I am doing.  Another fact is that guiding in state park and conservation areas is illegal.  Guiding on Corp. of Engineer lakes is legal, but I don't want to guide people for bass, crappie, and white bass on these lakes.  I would rather chase prettier fish (in my opinion) in prettier places (in my opinion).

I have identified some categories that I will need to work on prior to taking out clients and I thought I would share these thoughts with the readers of this blog.  I think of it as my fly fishing guide manifesto.  My indentions are to maybe get some positive feedback to make me feel like I am headed in the right direction but to also get some constructive criticism to improve my plan.  I'm still working on the details of what I think a guide needs to be, but when I'm done, I will be sure to include them in Part 2 of this post.