Spring training is in West Palm Beach, and the games are in the daytime, so I really hadn’t planned to go fishing, but Kris wanted to go, and there you are. I didn’t know if there would be fly fishing in West Palm Beach, I didn’t know what to fish for, so I started hunting around the internet.
The first time I ever fished with a guide was probably 25 years ago, in Idaho, with Kris. The guide intimidated me, and I thought he would rather have guided someone who knew what they were doing. We fished the Big Wood River, outside of Hailey where Ezra Pound was born. I knew a good bit more about Ezra Pound than fly fishing.
My second trip with a guide was in Galveston, not long after, with Captain Chris Phillips. I picked Chris because saltwater fly fishing in Texas wasn’t that common, and in Galveston Chris was it. I thought Chris liked me a good bit more than I deserved, and I fished with him off and on for 15 years. He was a legend in these parts, and when he died–eight years ago?–it was the death of a sweet man.
My third trip, with another Texas saltwater guide out of Rockport, was a bust, and I felt cheated.
I’ve fished with lots of guides. I’ve had young guides who worked hard, old guides who were lazy, and vice versa. I’ve had knowledgeable guides who taught me a lot, and I’ve even made a few friends. Whether my guides were good or not seemed somewhat random, but I’ve worked out some guidelines:
- If they’re in the Orvis lists, they’re likely to be ok. You know the list, it’s on the Orvis website, and it’s one more thing they sell. I’m certain the guides pay to be on there, but there seems to be vetting, and I’ve never had a bad guide off the list. Ever.
- Local fly shops will recommend good guides. I’ve had guides who were abrupt, or too young, but I’ve almost always had good luck with the guide if not the fish.
- Be dubious of the recommendations in your local fly shop of a guide many miles away. They likely don’t know the guide.
- A guide’s boat may be a good indication of his quality, at least in saltwater. Guides with good boats are invested. They’ve given their craft some care, even before you get there.
- If a guide is booked for your time slot, ask for a recommendation, but don’t immediately assume their recommendation is ok. Guides may fish with a fellow guide or they may only share beers, but they aren’t likely to be guided by a fellow guide.
- Guides who don’t fly fish may put you on fish, but they may not know what fly to use. Especially in saltwater I’ve fished from time to time with conventional tackle guys. It’s never been bad, and they knew the water, but they didn’t necessarily know flies. I watched thousands of black drum stream by in the 9-Mile Hole near Corpus and had no idea what to throw at a black drum. Black drum flies are not the same as redfish flies I gather, but you’d think if the guide fly fished I could have caught more than one.
- When you’re going somewhere, read about the fishing where you’re going. Check the internet. Lots of guides write as advertising, and if what they write makes sense, they’re likely to make sense as well.
- Product endorsements are meaningless for picking guides, but if you want to try a product line fish with an endorsed guide. It’s a great way to try out equipment.
As for that guide on the Big Wood River, we were setting up rods and he pulled out new tapered leaders and put them on our lines. He said “I always feel rich when I put on a new leader.” Great line, and something to remember.