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By Robert Williams 

The first reason to hire a guide and there are many reasons to hire a guide, but you hire them for their knowledge and their ability to find and produce fish. They know the water and know the different area’s where the fish are. A good guide has this knowledge and ability. A great guide will show you more in a day then most learn in a month. They also will make it fun for you and your partner.

The second reason: When you go in search of fish in waters you don’t know you hire a guide, at least for the first day of fishing. What you learn on that day is the main reason you hire a guide. They show you the access points to the water and they are usually the best.

What to Expect from your Guide?

A guide should have specific and current knowledge of the water and the location of the fish. He should know the water conditions and what flies should be used for those conditions. He should know the location of the fish for the different times during the day. Such knowledge comes from experience on the water not the number of days they fish. It comes with long hours of hard work and different techniques.

Personality

A guide should be calm, pleasant and helpful while doing his job Everyone makes mistakes and you don't need a guide yelling and or even yelling at you when your out to have a great day fishing.

Effort

The guide should make the trip successful. If one’s presentation or fly is not working they should try another. If you hire a guide and fish the same thing (Fly) all day and its not producing you need to try another approach. If you fish the same waters all day and you do not catch fish that guide is not doing his job.

Attention

 When you hire a guide he is there to help you and be close and available if needed. The amount of attention a person gets is based on their abilities and desires. A good guide will see quickly if you need help or you just need information on a Fly or just the presentation portion. Some guides will set you up and go and check out other parts of the creek or river. A good guide will tell you what he or She is doing and why he is doing it. Normally a good guide will be at your call and only fish after you are doing what is needed to catch fish.

Equipment

A guide’s equipment should be in good working order and clean. A guide will check over your equipment and flies and may make suggestions regarding the equipment and flies that you are going to use. Most guides have flies for your use and some may even provide them in the cost of the trip. Guides may also charge you for the flies that you use at a fair market value.  Some of the Screamingreels guides will provide flies in a box and then at the end of the trip you are charged.

What a Guide Expects from You

Truthfulness: Don't try to tell the guide that you know what you are doing he will soon catch on. Give him an assessment of your skills and abilities up front. That lets the guides tailor his trip to your abilities, making it a great trip for you. If you are physically challenged or have a handicap this should be told to the person who is booking the trip so it can be handled before you head out.

Courtesy

The guide you hire should be a professional and should be treated with respect. You can help with a bag or rod if he looks like he needs help. He will help you with your equipment if you need it. If you’re fishing with a partner don't help your partner out let the guide do that. Its great to offer encouragement but don’t interrupt while the guide is attempting to instruct.

Expectations

You are paying a bit for a guided trip and you expect to catch fish. Hiring a guide is like going to the doctor or getting your car fixed. You need to check his references, referrals or testimonials from the guys who have experienced these trips. You don't want to put pressure on your Guide when the fish shut down. He is feeling the pressure already to produce fish. If he has made every reasonable attempt to get you to catch fish that's all you can ask. There are no guarantees you will catch fish every time you go out.

Tips

It is customary to tip your guide after the trip. This should not be based on how many fish you caught or landed but how hard did he work for you. Did the guide go above and beyond his call of duty? Was he at your side when needed? Tips may be varied but most get between 10% and 20%. Of the total cost of the trip. Or some may even be off the chart for an outstanding job.