We’ve all been there. Your line pulls taut, pulse quickens, and you set the hook fiercely into a solid, unmoving object. You fire off a string of expletives, pulling and jerking the rod—more an attempt to vent frustration than an actual effort to free the line.
A snag can infuriate even the calmest angler. I’ve seen rods snapped in fits of anger and watched friends humiliate themselves, splashing and flailing with Elaine Benis-style dance moves...

This is the second installment in a five-part series outlining the experiences of working fishing guides and what it takes to survive a dream job. If you missed part one, you can read that here.
It’s easy to assume that fishing guides make more money than they actually do. Multiplying an outfitter’s $500 per day rate by a vague estimate of “guidable days” each year can lead aspiring guides to imagine themselves getting rich by taking people...