Why I Can't be a Guide

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
I took a couple snowbirds fishing today. We have had some recent
temperature drops and water temp has not fully rebounded yet so I expected
a slow crank bait bite. I was right. I'm sure glad I was just fishing
though and not guiding. (I don't guide.) My two guests couldn't handle
basic skills. One refused to use spinning tackle and then proceeded to
backlash a brand new Curado 200E all day long. She was better than my
other guest. He did use spinning tackle, but he tried to lob cast a
crankbait all day long like he was lobbing a Carolina rig or a multi
dropper bait rig. It was painful to watch. I tried to help both of them
throughout the day, but its frustrating when they wouldn't or couldn't
adjust their techniques to what was working. Every time I caught a fish I
unsnapped the crank I was using and gave it to one of my guests. One never
got a fish all day. The other caught one tiny little 10 incher.

Neither had any accuracy or distance. It looked like neither of them had
an previous experience casting a crank bait. If I had been guiding
instead of fishing I would have felt like I failed to show them what they
had to do to catch fish. I caught 7 keeper size from 2 to 4 pounds.
That's pretty good for me for winter fishing. I tried to tell them some
points, structure, & breaks that fish orient to or hold on, but I felt
like my efforts were wasted. These were both "experienced anglers" who
love to fish. I took them out because one of my good clients from my day
job asked me too.

Wow! It was frustrating. I think if I had been out fishing by myself I
would have spent twice as much time fishing productively. 3 out of 4
areas I selected produced fish. I don't see how guys like Willhide can do
it.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com

I feel your pain Bob. I guided for 17 years myself and had many days like
you just described. Luckily, I've retired from guiding and moved from
Wisconsin to Tennessee. Now, if I wanted to guide, I'd have to get a Coast
Guard Six Pack License and I don't feel like doing that...
--
Steve Huber
Executive Producer/Editor in Chief
OutdoorFrontiers Multi-Media LLC
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com