Hiring a Guide...What You Should Know

Reasons to hire a guide:
A good guide is an invaluable resource when getting started in fly fishing or traveling to new waters. A guide knows
the water and where the fish are during a given time of the year and will save you countless hours of fishing
nonproductive water. A good guide will teach you more in a day than you could learn in several trips to the same river.
When traveling to new waters a good guide will show you different access points to the river you are fishing and when
to fish them (for your return trips). The reason for hiring a guide isn't always for catching the fish of a lifetime, but for
shortening the learning curve.
What to expect from your guide:
A good guide will be calm and helpful while working. He should know the water and where the fish should be during the
time of year of your trip. Your guide should make your trip fun and enjoyable. A good guide will look over your
equipment and make suggestions regarding your equipment and its application to the waters you are fishing (for your
use during future trips).
What do guides expect from you:
Honesty. An effective guide will ask you during the trip planning phase what is it you want most out of the trip, your
experience level, and how you rate a successful trip. A good guide will also ask for any health limitations or special
diet considerations if there will be a shore lunch. If you want the most of your trip with your guide, BE HONEST when
setting up your trip. If you want to spend the day chasing trophy fish, or you want to try and catch a number of fish, if
you don't tell your guide he may never know.
Tips for hiring a guide:
Guided fly fishing trips cost money. Money that you worked hard for, and you want the most for this money. Be sure to
check a guides references and referrals of those that have been on trips with the guide you are going to hire, or those
that have fished with him. Remember to talk over the phone, or in person, with a guide prior to booking him for a trip.
You definitely want to try and match personalities when booking a guide, as one guys knowledge is another man's
bore. Communication is the key when booking a guide.

Special Thanks to:
Matt Tucker
Ozark Chronicles.com