How to choose a Professional Fishing Guide

Life is way too short and fishing is too much fun to put up with a middle-of-the-road guide for even an hour. Here is a quick guide for helping you through the process:

First, ask friends who fish and guides you know to recommend a guide for a specific water or general area that you want to fish. This is the best way to get accurate, unbiased information.

Next, log on to the internet. It is always best to fish with a guide that you are referred to, but the internet is a good place to look for a guide. Once you find one, Google the name to see what has been written about him. Guides with better reputations might have been written about by magazine writers.

Also, the guide will likely maintain a web site. Keeping in mind the type of fishing you prefer, when you want to go and what species you'd like to catch, read the information carefully.

Look on the web site for sponsors and recommendations of the guide you are considering.

The BIG step - you are ready to talk to the guide.

What questions to ask -

• Ask how long the guide has been in the area, how many days a year he spends in the area you wish to fish and flat out ask if he is a specialist in the style you wish to fish.
• How many years in the business?
• What is the guide's safety record and medical training?
• Ask what form of liability insurance the guide has. If he does not have a commerical policy, then you might run into issues if there is a problem
• What kind of rods/reels/tackle should you bring or what is provided?
• What kind of fishing are you looking to accomplish? Make sure you communicate either you are looking to find that one trophy fish or just looking catching/releasing all day and having some fun with your kid fishing in the boat

During the conversation and question asking - keep in mind to look for a guide who loves his job.

And what if the fish aren't biting? Sharing the boat with the wrong guide can make for a long, long day. The more educated the guide, the longer the conversation stays interesting. Look for guides with knowledge of not only fishing, but also the human and natural history of the surrounding environment. Look for guides who are commited to deliverying the same high level of service both on and off the water. That service could be teaching a technique or how to read the water.

One last thing to keep in mind...as you are researching, questioning and considering, keep in mind that guides also can choose their clients. Guides understand that you are paying money to be shown where the fish are, but they also enjoy clients that realize there is much more to the experience than casting a rod and hooking a fish.

Northern Minnesota and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area has amazing beauty in just about any season - there is so much more to a fishing trip than just fishing!