Guiding and expectations

[ebf]

this anti-woolybugger thing is pretty funny (i.m.h.o.)...

i regularly throw buggers/fritzes into pools, especially those that have high fishing pressure (SB6 junction pool, etc). why ? coz it works ! bottom line is i'm there to catch fish, and quite honestly, in some places a wooly bugger works better than a well-presented dry or nymph.

on the holsloot last weekend, we caught the majority on dry or dry/dropper rigs, but had awesome fun fishing (upstream) extremely long smooth sections of the river with streamers anything else there would have been a waste of time...

when I take someone new on the stream, I will at least suggest that they consider streamers, coz I don't see the point of going out and not catching fish because you refuse to change tactics. to me, streamers are a perfectly valid and acceptable tactic.

you can be a purist if you want, but why diss someone who is just using another tactic if they feel comfortable with it ?

P.S. I intend throwing at least one fritz at some monster browns in Rhodes, ok, you can flame me now, hehe...

[Scythe]

For me it's simple:

1) Zero 'holier than thou' attitude
2) A good assessment of my skills/tackle/whatnot & then proper venue & technique selection.
3) FISH
4) Lots of k@kpraat and fishing talk
5) I must at learn at least 1 new thing from you on the day.
6) A decent lunch pack.
7) Inkyhol to follow the day of fishing combined with more k@kpraat and fishing talk.

[shector]

I think Andre can provide valid insights into this discussion as he regularly takes people out onto the Cape streams.

[rols]

was teasing with the woolie bugger post. have none in my stream box. i would like the guide to correct my faults with explanations as to why it's wrong. i'd like him to give me some tips on different casting techniques. i'd like him to explain to me how and what i should look for when deciding if a lie could hold fish or not. and of course the sarmies and some cold beers for when we've finished. i want to get a fish, yes, but i also want to learn tactics from him as i doubt i'd be able to afford a guide too many times.

[MaXiMuM]

this anti-woolybugger thing is pretty funny (i.m.h.o.)...

I am not diss’ing it, the American Guides swear by them…

i regularly throw buggers/fritzes into pools, especially those that have high fishing pressure (SB6 junction pool, etc). why ? coz it works ! bottom line is i'm there to catch fish, and quite honestly, in some places a wooly bugger works better than a well-presented dry or nymph.

Is catching fish the only thing you are interested in, when you are on the stream?

on the holsloot last weekend, we caught the majority on dry or dry/dropper rigs, but had awesome fun fishing (upstream) extremely long smooth sections of the river with streamers anything else there would have been a waste of time...

I might have to agree…

when I take someone new on the stream, I will at least suggest that they consider streamers, coz I don't see the point of going out and not catching fish because you refuse to change tactics. to me, streamers are a perfectly valid and acceptable tactic.

Interesting on that thought, I prefer to ensure the guys are comfortable and learning stuff… I might prefer to teach them how to dead drift, as it will give them a better all round skill for the future.

you can be a purist if you want, but why diss someone who is just using another tactic if they feel comfortable with it ?

No Diss’ing involved, just comments

P.S. I intend throwing at least one fritz at some monster browns in Rhodes, ok, you can flame me now, hehe...

When are you coming?? And I would like to see you take a Brown on the Willow on a Bugger/Streamer… Knowing that stream, its going to be hard to sneak above those fish.

[izak]

I have a whole range of woolly buggers in my box, different colours sizes ect. Look, only fly-fishermen could decide "oh no, this fly is way to successfull for me, Im going to stop using it!" lol. You want to catch BIG fish? You know what fly you need...

A guide is there to help you, show you the spots(most important) and give techniqe advice. If you still cant catch fish, its not his fault, might not even be yours, every now and again we all blank.

[MaXiMuM]

For me it's simple:

1) Zero 'holier than thou' attitude

I have not met millions of guides, but I the ones I have met are down to earth people, they guide because they love fishing, guiding is not going to make you a rich man… they have to have people skills… if there is a guide with that kind of attitude, then he will not be a guide for long…

However, the client should also arrive with an open mind, it is very frustrating when you are trying to transfer knowledge to someone who believes he knows everything already… I watch Fred battle with a couple of guys, they knew it all, and Fred could not get them to understand what he was trying to explain… Tony and I were scouting that beat of the river, and walked behind them, picking up all the fish they left behind.

2) A good assessment of my skills/tackle/whatnot & then proper venue & technique selection.

Intresting, a lot of the international guides believe, and rightly so, that you have chosen them to guide you, as you have researched them and understand how they prefer to fish… not saying they will not do this, but they are there to guide you in the way they know best…

3) FISH

I agree to some extent, but in Alaska, the guides cannot be held responcible for the Salmon not being in the river, they will then take their clients to catch 1 of the other 9 types of fish there… your statement, fish is a little open ended, What fish, Lots, Beeg, That, This???
A guide can take you to get a big one, just one, because it is the only one in the river.
A guide take you to get lots, but there are no big fish.
A guide take you to get that fish, but you are going to work hard for it.
Etc…

4) Lots of k@kpraat and fishing talk

Agreed.

5) I must at learn at least 1 new thing from you on the day.

If you don’t learn a heap of new things, well… there are many seasoned fishermen who will take a guide on their first day on a new stream/river. “Infact� there are many guides who will take a guide one day one…

6) A decent lunch pack.

Often a lunch pack might not be provided by a guide, it is all up to the setting…

7) Inkyhol to follow the day of fishing combined with more k@kpraat and fishing talk.

This is not always the case…

But great comments…

[MaXiMuM]

was teasing with the woolie bugger post. have none in my stream box. i would like the guide to correct my faults with explanations as to why it's wrong. i'd like him to give me some tips on different casting techniques. i'd like him to explain to me how and what i should look for when deciding if a lie could hold fish or not. and of course the sarmies and some cold beers for when we've finished. i want to get a fish, yes, but i also want to learn tactics from him as i doubt i'd be able to afford a guide too many times.

This is also what I expect from a guide…
Show you things that you might not see, and explain to you why it is happening. Explanations on how to approach stuff and tips on taking more/better/sighted fish.

I prefer to talk about the weather and the birds and the rocks and the people, than to have to fish for you…

I posted a response to thread a while back, telling of taking three guys up the top of the Bock… 2 of them are seasoned hunters and out doorsmen, one was new to fishing, the others could fish a bit… we hardly took any fish all day, but there was so much more to see, do and talk about that the fish became immaterial, it was about the “fishing�. All three of those guests made a concerted effort to contact me about a month or so latter express their gratitude. For me, that was a personal mile stone.

[MaXiMuM]

I have a whole range of woolly buggers in my box, different colours sizes ect. Look, only fly-fishermen could decide "oh no, this fly is way to successfull for me, Im going to stop using it!" lol. You want to catch BIG fish? You know what fly you need...

A guide is there to help you, show you the spots(most important) and give techniqe advice. If you still cant catch fish, its not his fault, might not even be yours, every now and again we all blank.

True...

I, however, by my self, on my own time... would prefer to not catch that fish, than take it on a Mrs. Simpsons, stripped up through a hole...

I would prefer to con it into thinking it was just about eat a nice juicy natural insect, than something unnatural...

[rols]

actually, thinking about it a bit more....guiding can't be that easy either. we as customers can be bladdy a_holes too and it must take a concerted effort for the guide to remain positive and friendly when someone is behaving like a spoilt know all, afterall word of mouth is what they rely on, for continued business. i had the pleasure some time back of being taken by Andre to fish on the streams. what a lovely day, relaxed, comfortable, professional. it was only my second time on the streams and he really made me feel at ease, as i was nervous as hell. he put me into some nice fish and it was a sheer pleasure fishing with him. i'd battle to keep my mouth shut if i was guiding a real dooos or even keep my interest up to help him. so yea, i think the guides have a few juicy tales to tell and sometimes need that beer at the end of the day