So, You Want to be a Fishing Guide? Part Three: Qualities of a Good Guide

This is the third installment in a five-part series outlining the experiences of working fishing guides and what it takes to survive a dream job. Here’s where you can find part one and two. Guiding takes more than passion and skill for fishing. A talented angler understands fish. A talented guide understands fish and people. The latter tends to be more complicated than the former. Most clients expect to catch fish, or at least have opportunities...

Wildlife Bounties: Effective Management or Relic of the Past?

Wildlife bounties have a long, complicated history in American wildlife management. In the early 20th century, state game management agencies commonly placed bounties on predators to protect domestic livestock and restore plummeting game populations. Many hunters and trappers were happy to receive payment for helping achieve those goals. The widespread use of bounties continued for the next several decades with unforeseen consequences. Bounty...

So, You Want to be a Fishing Guide? Part Four: Guiding Isn’t Fishing

This is the fourth installment in a five-part series outlining the experiences of working fishing guides and what it takes to survive a dream job. Here’s where you can find part one, two and three. Some of the best “fishing bums” I know are the worst guides. They’re superstars with a rod in their own hands, but guides don’t hold rods—they hold tillers, push poles, oar grips or nets. The measure of a good guide isn’t if she  can catch fish, it’s...