In the recent issue of The Fly Fish Journal there is an article written by Jim Hepworth where he says that “guides tend to make lazy, spoiled, indolent fly fishers, needy and dependent, especially in a crisis, and flyfishing is nothing but one crisis after another. In that sense, even for those who can afford them, guides can be downright dangerous.”
Well, while I agree with much of what Jim says, my fellow guides and I aren’t lazy.
Here is why:
It’s Saturday morning January 1st. We are having a cold snap here in Western Washington, the high is going to be in the upper 20’s and I had three bottles of Champagne last night bringing in 2011. Now I’m twenty minutes from meeting Charlie and Ted (fellow EWA guides) to fish the Skykomish for early run winter steelhead. As I cross the West Seattle bridge there isn’t another car on the road. I stopped atop the bridge to snap a few pictures of the moon coming up over Mt. Rainer. I can feel my heart beat in my Temples. 
Charlie and Ted are right on time, we load our gear into my car and head out. The day never get’s above freezing, we never see a fish, we fish till dark, and it is great!
Mr. Hepworth goes on to say that “A guide will spot your fish, select your fly, help you to your casting position, teach you to cast, tell you when to “set” the hook, how to play the fish, net the fish for you, and the snap your photo. In return all you need to do is hand over a big wad of sweaty bills.”
And then, on days off we fish, in the freezing cold with frozen feet, casting to nothing. So, Jim, I don’t think all guides are lazy, spoiled, or indolent, especially the ones that I know, but yes, fly fishing can be one crisis after the next and fly fishing guides can be dangerous.
Here is to a fantastic year on the river and the sound. We look forward to fishing with you!
Ted says
Yo…..
I think he’s saying that guides tend to MAKE lazy fly fishers out of their clients, not that guides themselves are lazy when they fish.
Charlie says
It is true that lazy guides can breed lazy fly anglers. This is particularly the case these days when there is alot of competition among guide services and outfitters, and fish counts and photo ops become indicators of the quality of someone’s fishing experience. The truth is, many guides are lazy, and would rather catch fish FOR their clients than give their clients the ability to catch fish.
The best guides I know would like nothing more than to see their clients catch many, big fish and have the trip of a lifetime. However, the most professional guides also realize that catching fish is not the bottom line. They want to give their clients the tools to have success on their own.
The best complement a guide can achieve is to have a client return on another trip as a competent, confident angler, knowing that his advice and guidance helped nurture the angling spark that has now become a burning flame.
Guides can be lazy, and while you might have good fishing with these types it is doubtful that you will come out a better angler.
Just my .02 cents
P.S. I agree with you Lucas… EWA guides are neither lazy while guiding, nor are we lazy when it comes to fishing on our own!
Charlie
Quinton says
Totally agree Charlie,
“The truth is, many guides are lazy, and would rather catch fish FOR their clients than give their clients the ability to catch fish.”
That’s key. It’s pretty easy to catch fish for your client, it’s much harder to teach your clients to catch fish for themselves. Here’s to doing things the hard way!
Quinton
mike m says
Lazy, uncaring people with a guide license are an anchor around the neck of hard working professionals. This is the case in many professions. Poor examples spread a poor perception; this becomes reality for many through experience and to others by word of mouth. You can only shake your head… The ethics of making a living in conjunction with the environment should include a conscience but as we often notice doesn’t in everyone. You can’t write laws and regulations to ensure a “professional approach” to our work. Other professions have taken this route and still struggle with individuals who make the rest look bad…just the way it is. So just one person at a time you provide a quality experience, envelope people in who you are, share a day fully engaged in something you both love. At the end you send them on their way and hope it grows.