Re: Starting a guide business
Find out what sort of licenses you need. Your home state will require some sort of business license. If using a motorized boat, you'll need a coast guard license. If looking to guide in national forests you might need a permit for them, and I believe all national parks require permits. Yellowstone is no longer issuing new permits, for example, and I don't know if similar situations apply elsewhere. If you can't get permits for water you want to guide, try to arrange something with an outfitter who does have a permit.
Also, check regulations for guiding on state lands. In Missouri you cannot guide on Conservation Dept land, for example.
Advertising and promotion are what will get you business. Get a good business card. You can use www.vistaprint.com, but get the cards you have to pay for and jump for the thicker paper. You need either a basic website and a great brochure or a great website and a basic (single-page even) brochure/flyer. My money is on the latter option these days. Look into letterhead or plain old mailing labels. Give some fly manufacturers a call to try to get wholesale guide pricing on flies, especially if you plan to include them in the price of the day.
Also, check your IM.
Owner, Yellowstone Country Fly Fishing
Head Guide, Parks' Fly Shop
Fly Designer, Montana Fly Company
Author, Yellowstone Country Flies and River Characters