Bluegill,

Go for it man!

Guiding is way different than fishing for fun, however. Before guiding, if I didn't feel like fishing (wasn't very often), I didn't go. If the weather was unbearable, I stayed home. If the fishing was lousy, I'd quit and go back another day.

On the other hand, as a guide, there is a self-imposed pressure to catch fish. You fish no matter what! You need to have plenty of stories to fill the time when the fishing isn't non-stop action.

Being a guide is way more than being a good fisherman, though that is a start. You also need to be a leader, an instructor, an expert with regulations, a medic, a cook, an entertainer, a mechanic, a janitor, and at times a baby-sitter.

Though it is rare, there is a small percentage of clients that cannot be pleased no matter what. Many guides think, "I can stand anyone for 8 hours." My premise is that it is my boat, if a person is ruining the experience for the rest of the boat, it's back to the dock with a refund. Thankfully I haven't had to take anyone home yet, but a guide must have the good of the order in mind and be willing to make the difficult decisions.

All that being said, I can't think of a better profession! I truly love seeing folks landing the biggest fish of their lives; or any fish for that matter. I love showing people the river and wilderness that I consider my back yard. I love to serve.

If you enjoy being around and helping people, are a natural leader and willing to go the extra mile, guiding is an extremely rewarding adventure. And besides that, people actually pay you to go fishing! It really doesn't get any better than that.

Some advice: Don't go into debt for anything as a guide. No debt = No pressure, gives you plenty of options and freedoms. I fish because I love it, not becuase I have to make a boat payment!

Also, get to know your local gear reps. Most reputable companies want you to use their gear and offer great pro pricing (plenty of restrictions apply). In fact, many of the manufacturers that sponsor this site will have guide programs.

Finally, promoting a guide business is all about repeat customers and referrals. It will take some time to build a client list, but well worth the sweat. Make your customers happy fishers and the catching suddenly becomes secondary.

If there is a way that I can help you out, shoot me an email (address in profile).

Good luck.

Ed