Great Question! I made my living for many years as a wilderness fishing guide in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I found out that I hated fishing! Day after day of taking walleye fishermen out and drowning leeches, crawlers and minnows so they can catch walleye. And if you are not catching Walleye ever 2-3 minutes, they are wondering why in the world they hired a guide. I grew to dread going on the water!

Then by happen chance, I made contact with Tom Hellgeson who was editor of Midwest Fly Fishing. We chatted, I placed an add in his magazine, and he sent a writer up to do an article on Fly Fishing the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I knew virtually nothing about fly fishing and fly fishermen. Tori McCormick and a friend of his came up for a couple of days of fabulous fishing and I was absolutely hooked on fly fishing. More importantly I was hooked on taking fly fishermen into the BWCA. Fly Fishermen are the polar opposite of a walleye fishermen.

Although I no longer guide in the BWCA, I take several long weekends and fly fish around the BWCA, taking a few of my friends and old clients along. It doesn't matter if we have a banner year (100 fish a day!) or a crappy year (only a couple of fish), we have a blast. It is more about camaraderie, sitting around the campfire, enjoying good food cooked over a campfire, a drink as the sunsets, and strong coffee! Fly fishing has rekindled by joy of fishing and I look forward to my next day on the water!