Section: trip-planning
Guides & Guided Trips"Experience is the best teacher."presented by ... |
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| Flipping through photo albums on a cold December morning recently, it occurred to me that many of my fishing "firsts" and some of my most treasured fishing memories had something in common. My first legal musky, first shore lunch, first trophy lake trout, the discovery of a bass fishing paradise and incredible topwater plugging, some of my best fish tales, careening down the mighty Albany River (backwards !), and new friendships all came while fishing with a guide. | |
| Except where guides are required, most experienced anglers too seldom recruit the services and expertise of a guide. In light of the phenomenal experiences and successes we have enjoyed while under the watchful eye of a professional guide, not using one more often seems a bit short-sighted. Whether it is stubborn pride, defiant independence, or pure economics that keeps most of us from drawing on the experience and expertise of a guide more often than we do, the fact of the matter is that a good guide can greatly enhance the quality of a day's fishing - both in terms of catches and the overall fishing experience. |  |
| The term "guide" is, in itself, a bit misleading. In a bygone era, a guide did just that - guided his angling guests to and through unfamiliar waters and places to catch fish. Today's guides do so much more that the "guide" label misrepresents much of what they actually do over the course of a day. Other than putting clients on fish - the more traditional "right place at the right time" kind of thing - guides today are an odd mix of eco-tourism operator, fishing instructor, bait dispenser, oarsman, shore chef, safety rep, pathfinder, historian, mechanic, beast of burden, entertainer, fishin' buddy, photographer, even nanny. The modern-day guide, those who do nothing else, are highly trained, broadly experienced professionals. Whether your fishing trip is a daytime charter on the Great Lakes or a week-long lodge stay in the North, having this guy on your payroll, even for just a day, can pay big dividends. | |
 | A guide's job description might read: provide a quality, memorable fishing / outdoor experience (regardless of how the fish are biting). That is a difficult chore and, oftentimes, given adverse fishing conditions, the attitudes and unrealisitic expectations of some clients, nearly impossible. Although no guarantees are provided, a professional guide will work very hard on your behalf, doing everything within his ability and experience to make sure your guided day is a memorable one. |
| On unfamiliar water, a professional guide or charter skipper can spell the difference between success and failure, enjoyment and frustration. Today's guide / charter skipper is an experienced angler and public relations specialist who takes pride in his ability to provide a safe and successful fishing trip for his clients. And, having fished alongside a good one, most anglers quickly discover that, in addition to being a hired hand, their new fishing partner will be someone with whom they will want to fish again and again. |  What Great Guides Do |