Hiring a Guide Ensuring your day on the water is what you are looking for.

So you’re interested in hiring a fishing guide? Now what?  If you are like many, you start to search the world wide web.  Website after website you see pictures of pristine landscapes and people with big smiles on their faces holding beautiful fish.  You think to yourself,  I want to do that.  So you pick a guide service and give them a call.  Chances are you will be given several trip options and be told we can fit you in on certain dates.  If the dates work for you, you give them a deposit to secure your spot and meet your guide at a certain place at a specific time and hope that your day is as magical as the pictures you saw online. There is a very high probability that you will get that day on the water that you will reflect on for years to come.  However some folks don’t get that.  What they were expecting and what they get are two different things.  They may be expecting to take a 50 yard walk down a perfectly manicured trail and stand knee deep as the sun kisses the water's surface.  They weren’t expecting the two mile walk being attacked by black flies to stand in the exact location the picture was taken.   What if I told you there was a simple way to ensure you know what to expect before you make that deposit?  The answer is simple, ask questions. Don’t hesitate to ask a lot of questions.  Any guide service should be willing to answer any questions you have before you decide to invest your hard earned money with them.  What should you ask?   Here are a few things as a guide I suggest you ask before you lay down the money.

The first question needs to be to yourself.  What am I looking for?  If you are traveling to northern Maine and want to catch trophy tarpon chances are you are going to be VERY disappointed.  So what do you want?  If you just want a relaxing day on the water catching whatever bites, great, ask the guide service if they offer this.   If you are looking for a guide that is a certified casting instructor who can teach you a very specific casting technique make sure this is something they offer.  A guide service should be able to break down the trip for you and give you a general description of what to expect long before you book.  

The next thing you should ask about is the guide's personality.   Believe it or not this one question can make or break your day on the water.  Everyone has a different personality and this will show through no matter what they are doing.  The seasoned crusty old guide that's been at it for 30 years may get you on that fish of a lifetime but they may not have the personality you want to stand next to for eight hours in the middle of nowhere.  So don’t hesitate to ask what the guide is like.  Many outfitters have several guides that they can match to your interest.  You may want a gentle soul that's willing to tell stories and have a few laughs or you may want the person that's going to point out every detail you are doing wrong and make you fix your mistakes.  There is a guide out there for everyone. You just need to be willing to ask the questions and shop around to find what you are looking for.

What should I bring?  Most guide services will have a list of items they recommend you bring.  Chances are they will suggest things like bug spray, sun screen, rain coat, bottle of water, hat, and sunglasses.  But make sure you ask the question, they may have very specific items for the fishery you will be at.

What equipment do they offer?  Some guides will have everything you need for your day together others may not.  Imagine expecting to have a rod and reel handed to you when you show up and the guide looks at you and says grab your rod and you have nothing to grab.  Most guides I know will at the very least have some beat up old rod in their vehicle that can be used as a backup but ask this question.  Maybe you are off on vacation and haven’t brought your fishing gear and are expecting to use theirs or maybe you are trying something new for the first time and want to try before you buy.  Make sure to ask and explain to them your situation before you book that trip.  

If you have any physical limitations ask them if they can help you.  Imagine being a guide, you have a full day's trip planned.  You want to take your new client  to a location where the fish have been biting great for the last week.  The client gets out of their car and they have a severe physical disability that will prevent them from getting to where you want to take them.  Now the guide is scrambling to come up with a new plan.  Many guides can design a trip based on the information you give them.  But, they need to know your physical limitations before you book the trip.  If you can’t walk more than 100 yards that's fine but you should really share this information before you pull into the parking lot.  This will ensure you have the day you are looking forward to.  

Ask about their cancellation policy.  Let’s face it, things happen and you have to cancel things from time to time. It could be due to sickness or a family emergency, things happen.  Ask your guide how they handle this situation as everyone has slightly different rules.  Also ask about what happens if the guide has to cancel, because, just like you, things come up.  Make sure to ask about their weather related cancellation policy.  Remember a guide is responsible for the clients safety.  I always tell people “yes” we fish in the rain, however what happens if severe storms are predicted on the day of your trip?  Make sure you understand these policies before you commit to booking the guide.  

Be prepared to answer the guide's questions.  A good guide will want to make sure you as the client are a good match for them.  Like you asking about their personality they will want to know what you are like as well.  They will want to know if you have been fishing for 20 years or if you have never caught a fish in your life.  They should be asking questions to ensure they can give you what you are looking for.  If you and the guide aren’t on the same page it could make for a terrible day for both of you instead of a fun day on the water.

I always tell folks that reach out to me to ask questions, and I mean that.  I make it very clear to everyone that I am a zero pressure guy.  I encourage everyone to call me. Call me several times before you decide to book a trip.  I want to make sure all your questions are answered. I want to make sure I’m the kind of person you want to spend the day with, and I am offering the service you are expecting.  I want to make sure our day on the water is a special day you will be talking about for years to come.