Disclaimer: I meant to post this closer to part 1 but got sidetracked. Sorry for the delay if you were waiting on pins and needles for the thrilling conclusion.
Back in early March, I published a post about my desires to be a fly fishing guide on Lake Taneycomo in Branson, Missouri. If you would like to get caught up to speed and read that post prior to this one, just click here. I concluded that post with the following statements:
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.
So here are some of my thoughts about what I need to do and what I need to improve on prior to reaching guide status. Please don't take this as me being a know-it-all. After reading the post, it sounded a little preachy. What I believe to be true is what I have learned from guides that I have gone out with. Without those people, I wouldn't know anything about becoming a guide so they deserve the credit for teaching me A LOT!
People Skills (Maybe the Most Important Skill)
A guide has to have patience! Above and beyond anything else, a guide needs to understand that most clients aren't going to have the skills that the guide possesses and is going to make mistakes. For some people, they will have zero experience and might not have ever touched a fly rod. For others, they might not have ever fished the fishery that the guide takes people out on. Then there will be people with a little experience that think they are better than what they really are. Finally, there will be the quiet ones. Those are the ones that I think I will need to look out for. Those will be the ones with a lot of fly fishing experience and won't need as much attention as other folks. I'm sure there are types of clients that I am leaving out, but those are the ones that come to mind. No matter what though, here's what I think a guide needs no matter the type of client.
Patience- people are going to screw up. I screw up all the time. Screw ups are inevitable and need to just be laughed off, no matter what. I think this is actually easier to do with a stranger rather than friends and family that you have expectations for. Learning from mistakes is how we learn so mistakes are inevitable.
Personality- did you ever have a teacher that was boring and/or monotone? That class probably wasn't a lot of fun and you might not have looked forward to that class. Guides are teachers and people learn more and learn better when they are relaxed and having fun. I'm not saying a guide has to be a stand-up comedian, but a few jokes and one-liners sure can lighten the mood when fishing is tough or a string of errors have been put together.
Supportive- nobody wants to get yelled at or belittled. Folks are going to miss fish. Folks are going to lose big fish. Folks are going to get nots and...you get he idea. A guide needs to understand that things aren't going to go perfectly and to expect those things. People want to have fun and enjoy themselves on a guided trip and it's not fun to feel defeated or belittled. Like Patrick Swayze said in Roadhouse, "Be nice."
Boat Skills
While I am getting better at navigating Lake Taneycomo, I have a long way to go. When it comes to understanding all of the details that comes along with boat maintenance, I am in my infancy. I have further to go in this category than anywhere else and I know that. I'm saving up for a nice boat and will hopefully gain a lot of those skills along that journey.
Fishing Skills & Knowing the Fishery
A guide had better be able to catch fish in any environment that they are willing to take folks out in. To me, a guide should be an expert, and I mean EXPERT, about the fishery. They better know where every rock and stump is, fish patterns, seasonal influences, and everything else that they can possibly know. Guides are held on pedestals by me and other weekend warriors, and that title comes with expectations. If a guide appears to be lost or unknowledgeable, clients will see that and lose confidence not only in the guide but in themselves as well.
I think it is important for guides to be honest about the conditions and upfront with clients about the expectations as well. As a client, I want to know if I am looking for a few bites from trophy fish or if I should expect a gaudy number of stockers. What is the size of a trophy fish? What other species could I catch? Overhyping a day, I believe, is setting up a day for failure. The clients are probably excited enough and adding unattainable expectations will lead to disappointment. Saying honest things will let clients know the reality of fishing like "There will be times with a lot of action and there will be some slower times, but always be ready and take in the entire experience."
Acquiring Clientele
While I'm not sure how to go about doing this, I feel like this blog, YouTube Channel, and other social media stuff will hopefully help. I also think getting your name in with a marina and creating some friendships/partnerships with other guides will help too. This "business side" of being a guide will be what I struggle with. I just want to teach, help provide fun experiences, and create some memories as well. Thinking about money exchanges, half day rates, and deposit policies are necessary but not the reason that I want to guide. Sure, I want to make money doing this but that's not the only objective.
Fly Tying Skills
I don't know many guides that don't tie their own flies. I think a guide needs to know a lot of easy patters that catch fish and can be tied quickly. I know guides that put their own special touches on flies that can mean the difference between catching and not getting bit. If conditions change or what the fish are feeding on changes, a guide needs to be able to whip up some flies on short notice in order to give clients the best day possible.
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