Hiring a Fly-Fishing Guide

A professional fishing guide will typically cost $350 to $550 per day for two people. That's expensive, but usually worth the money. Even expert anglers often hire a guide when fishing a new river or lake. Here are some reasons to use a guide and ways to locate a good guide, followed by some ideas about how to get the most out of a guided trip.

Reasons to Hire a Guide

1. They fish the same areas day-in and day-out, so they know what works best under all conditions.
2. They can help you improve your fishing skills.
3. They know the un-obvious places to find fish, especially when it's crowded.
4. They have the skills and equipment to get you safely down a whitewater river.
5. They can loan or rent to you equipment you don't have.
6. You get to relax and concentrate on having a good time. It's an investment in better fishing.

Finding a Good Fly-Fishing Guide

1. Word of mouth is best. Ask your friends and acquaintances if they have used a fishing guide and what their experience was like.
2. Some fly shops have their own guide service, while others can recommend a competent guide.
3. The Oregon Guides and Packers is a source for that state. Their members are professional outdoor guides and outfitters, most of whom do it full time. To get a brochure listing their guides, call 800/747-9552 or go to their website, www.ogpa.com
4. Make sure you choose a guide who is familiar with the water you want to fish.
5. Ask a prospective guide how long he's been guiding the water you are going to.
6. If you're fly fishing, ask what percentage of the guide's trips are fly fishing.

Things to Do Before the Trip

1. Be frank and objective about your skills; if you are a beginner, make sure the guide understands that.
2. Don't mix fly anglers and gear/bait anglers in the same boat.
3. If you want lots of fish, but don't care about the size, tell the guide. If you want trophies, but will settle for fewer hookups, make sure the guide knows.
4. If you have special diet requirements, tell your guide before he packs a lunch.
5. Health concerns or handicaps? Let your guide know!
6. Fishing tactics you "don't do"? Tell the guide when you set up the trip, not when he's launching the boat!
7. Want to take home lots of fish in a cooler? Say so before you hire your guide, because some of them (especially fly fishing guides) advocate catch-and-release.
8. How long do you want to fish? All day for some folks is eight hours, but for others it's dawn to dusk.
9. Should you bring your own lunch and water? What about snacks or alcohol?
10. If you're going fly fishing and your casting skills are rusty, take a fly casting lesson from a local fly shop; a $30 investment in a lesson can help you get the most out of your $300 trip.
11. Make sure you know what clothes to bring on the trip. Ask the guide for advice.
12. Know what the cancellation/refund policy is. If it's a gale force wind or the temperature is 20 below, what happens?
13. Who's supplying flies? You or the guide? If the guide is supplying them, be sure to pay for them (maybe in your tip).
14. Get a good night's sleep the night before your trip.

Things to Do on the Day of the Trip

1. When the guide tells you to meet at a certain time, be prompt!
2. This is your trip; give the guide enough information so he can make sure you have a good time.
3. Try to do what the guide tells you do.
4. If you're tired or cold or don't feel well, tell the guide.
5. Ask questions.
6. It is customary to tip a guide, especially if you've had a good time. Tips vary, with $20 per angler being a rock-bottom minimum. On many rivers, tips typically run 15-20% of the guide fee. Did the guide supply flies? Was the lunch especially good? Did you learn a lot that you can use on your own? All these considerations should go into your decision about a tip.Your guide has to pay for lunch, permit fees, a shuttle, and perhaps a booking fee to the shop or outfitter. That means about half the money you pay will go to someone else. So your tip can be very significant to your guide.