A friend once asked me why I spent the time going fishing with a guide. My answer is simple: “I want to learn.” One of the best ways to become a better angler is to learn from a profession, and most guides are out on the water hundreds of days each year. Fishing guides know every rock, fishing hole, and spot on the river. Guides are a wealth of knowledge, and some of the most amazing people you will meet in your life. Over the years, here’s a few things I have learned fishing with a guide and reasons why you should book a salmon fishing trip with a professional.
Learn a New Fishing Technique – Guides have practice and mastered different techniques. They also have the fishing gear and setup, so don’t be shy in asking a guide if you can fish a certain technique, as long as the conditions are right.
Learn Fishing a Body of Water – If you are looking to fish a specific body of water or river, take a trip with a guide to learn the water. Guides are more than happy to share techniques, what works for them, share which fishing spots are good from the boat (and a few from the bank). So if you are looking to fish a brand new body of water, go with a guide and speed up your learning curve, and fish catching ratio!
Fish a Specific Bait – With so many different baits to catch salmon, you have the chance to learn how to fish a specific bait and learn something new, or improve your knowledge on how to properly fish that bait. This is one of the ways I learned how to fish plugs on big rivers.
Ask the Guide Questions – Fishing guides are awesome teachers and coaches. They will help you fishing techniques or baits properly, but also will answer any questions you have. Guides have a wealth of knowledge, and are always willing to share tips, techniques, setups, etc. Just don’t ask them for their secret salmon egg cure!
Learn Their Fishing Setup – Each guide has a different setup for their gear, and you can learn what rods, reels, line, setup they use day over day. This is specially awesome for any beginner angler who is looking for the exact gear to go out on their own salmon fishing.
Understand Fishing Conditions – A lot of success with salmon fishing comes with experience on the water, and guides have way more on-water time than the average angler. Guides learn which conditions work best with certain baits, where they should fish on the water, and how to maximize the chance at a big takedown. You will still have to get out there fishing in those conditions, but learning a tip or two from a guide will increase your chance at a salmon.