Guided fly fishing trips are so much more than paying a guy to take you fishing for day.The best way to think of a guided trip is as a day of education on the water.
There is a lot to learn about catching fish on a fly rod, especially steelhead. A guided trip can help you in many ways.
For the beginning fly fisherman, a guided trip will get the fly gear in your hand and help you start learning the casting process. Spending a day with a guide will help you speed up the learning curve it takes to get started. And there is much more to catching steelhead on the fly than just the gear. There are many factors involved in putting a steelhead in your hand with fly gear.
Not only do you have to learn to cast, you have to learn to manage your line, select the proper type of line for the conditions, select the right fly for the conditions, and figure out how to get the fly down to where the fish live. You also need to figure out where to find fish. You need to know where fish will be when the water is flowing and stained and where to find the fish when the water is low and clear. And, you have to understand that different conditions call for different fishing techniques.
Once you actually hook a fish, landing a steelhead on fly gear is very challenging. Fly reels are nothing like spinning or bait casting reels and it takes a lot of discipline to learn to take your hand off that reel when the fish is pulling line out against the drag. There is also a lot to learn about how to keep pressure on a fish when it is swimming into the current or with the current. And, have you ever thought about what to do when a fish jumps to keep from loosing it? I can help you with that too.
Now, what happens when your line gets snagged or tangled? As a guide, I'm here to help you better manage those situations. Of course the big lesson to learn is how to prevent these things. Why does it matter? Managing these situations correctly helps you spend more time fishing and less time getting out of tangles. Managing these situations correctly will also help you protect your gear from breaking. So, a guide is a great asset in getting you started in fly fishing and learning to catch fish. But, are there any other reasons to go on a guided trip?
I pay other guides several times each year when I travel. Why? Because if I'm on vacation with my family or on a business trip and I want to get in a day of fishing, I don't want to have to bring along all of the gear. The fact that a guide will outfit you for a day on the water is worth it's weight in gold when you are traveling. Local guides know the water and the conditions. They can get you on fish quickly in a situation that would take you most of the day to get dialed in.And don't forget, even a seasoned veteran with a fly rod can always pick up something new from a guide. I have never been on a guided trip that I did not walk away with some part of my game better.
Whether you are new to fly fishing and steelhead or a seasoned veteran whom happens to be on Steelhead Alley for a day or two, a guided trip has a lot to offer you. I want to be your guide. LET'S GO FISHIN'! I know we will both walk away from the day with a great experience to remember.
