There were some very good posts in another thread, regarding guides and their dilemmas but I wanted to examine another side of the issue of guides. That is the issue of a good guide from the perspective of the "sport", the client. One of the nice things about the Michigan Fish-In is that the water was strictly C&R. I hired a guide for a half day float trip. He is a grad student working for the summer. Folks, I can tell you that my guide put me on fish in the shade, in the sun, in the rain, in the mists and fog, and in the wind. He pointed out some flaws in my fishing, including the reason why I was having trouble setting the hook. He gave me pointers and tips that worked in his boat and will work in other places. To that end, I would like to say that if any of you are up at Rusty's this summer, Joe Guild (rhymes with wild) is a heck of a guy, and guide. He knew how to handle the boat. He knew how to put his cubical-dwelling "sport" onto fish and how to increase his hookset rate. He knew how to joke around and have a good time. He knew how to retrieve flies from trees! He had the patience of Job. More than anything else, the great time I had that morning is why I am trying to wrangle another short trip up to Gate's Lodge before winter sets in up there. If I get back up there while Joe is there, then I'll try to go back out with him. I know that there are good and conscientious guides all over and that others deserve having their clients call attention to what they have done. I can only speak for the one guide that I have ever hired. Joe Guild, take a bow.
(Note that Joe is working towards a Master's Degree in education. From what I have seen, he is well on the way to mastering the art of educating people.)