What do you hope to get out of a guide trip??

[RobertTB]

"What do I hope to get out of a guide trip ?"

I hire a guide because I believe she/he knows where the fish are and what they want to eat on the day I hire her/him BECAUSE the guide is really in touch with what the fish are doing.

Thus, this gives me a great deal of confidence that we will see or catch fish. To me, this is the top feature of hiring a guide. They know where the fish are and what to throw at them. I always expect to catch fish. Sometimes the fish don't behave accordingly, but that's fishing.

I hire one certain guide because I have a great time with him in the boat, even if it's a bad fishing day. I always laugh a lot and the trip is just flat out a good time. I am never hesitant to ask a zillion questions about how to present the lure, how fast to reel, where to cast exactly and I expect brutally honest suggestions on how I can improve as a fisherman, even if it's painful for me to hear. I wanna' learn. I know my guide has given his best effort to put me on fish at the end of the day, this I never question.

A good guide has excellent equipment from the boat/rig right down to rods, reels, and lures she/he is happy to let you use. She/he might be evaluating rods and reels, as clients can put the equipment through a series of challenges that may border on the harsh. The guide can learn about equipment as well, thereby gaining knowledge of the equipment. Knowledge is good.

I have a friend that frequently goes with me when I go with my guide. 3 of us are a riot, 2 of us are top notch fishermen. That swine friend of mine ALWAYS steals the best fish from me by casting to the perfect spot mere seconds prior to me casting to that spot and he gets the fish. This gives me the opportunity to take crummy pictures of him and his large catch, which I blame on the camera. My guide laughs, but takes quality pictures, so I can't lie about my friends successes. Yes, plural. My friend succeeds often, thanks to the guide. I am along for the ride, which happens to be a fantastic ride every time that I enjoy immensely.

I love my guide and I love my friend. That, I think, is the real key: The journey we share and so enjoy as friends.