Fly fishing guiding/teaching

[Michal Duzynski]

...

[Paul Arden]

Big tails!

[dgoosen]

Hey Michal aka Mike!

Have read all the above and like the reply from Paul. I have been doing this on "small" water compared to many, 13 years to be precise. I am fortunate in that I was able to work myself into an outfitting unit in Canada www.kenauk.com - no advertising here! Hence I do not have all those overheads of insurances etc. I reckon I have the best of both worlds! Teach and fish! Some guests you like and there will definitely be some you don't! If you are a people person then it opens up so many more opportunities for fishing around the globe. Each day is a learning day when you guide, Trust me! From catching 90 year old men before they go overboard because you told them to sit and they figure they know better than you to your guest out fishing you - only because he is the guest! lol. It is rewarding and frustrating all in one! Like you say keep taking them out but remember you could be financing that next HT with the fees they should be paying you to share your knowledge!

Tight lines Douglas aka Goose

[Michal Duzynski]

Hi Paul, big tails- big runs.
Hi Douglas aka Goose
By " I'll keep taking them out" I ment the carp out of Australian ecosystem. I did not take any person fishing yet.
Look, I really like the subject and really like to read about it.
Now, summer in Australia, carp everywhere in big numbers, facebook is full of posts with people catching carp. It is becoming super popular as a sport fishing. It is Superb spoting, stalking, and sight fishing- presenting the perfect cast, seeing their approach, suck it- and strike- I'll never have enough
Fly fishing become more popular- people think it cool- good thinking
I still will be lurking around the subject for sure.

There is another thread on SL , good caster vs good angler, well let me tell you something.
If I did not know how to present the fly I would deffenetly not land 7 fish in 2.45h.
Prrsentation was the key( and that is confirm, by some other facebook members who fly fished that day @ the same dam).
anyway, I got a good feeling

@Tim Kemton- please tell ys more about your coulinary experience. All where and how? Was it and SEQ carp?

cheers
mike

[tomo]

Hi Mike,

Some great stuff covered off already in response to your questions/FP.

I've been guiding for a short time in NZ - around 4 seasons. I spent a long while considering it before hand, and it took a bit of self confidence and a couple of guide friends to give me a real push after doing some work for them. Prior to guiding, I spent 2 seasons consciously up skilling myself - fishing, locations, casting, teaching, people skills, business knowledge. Being the local expert is a must (different for everyone, for me it was 15 years). You need get your self legal first - in my country that means various insurances, concessions ( permit to work on estate land), audited H&S plan + procedures, and tax obligations. These days you have to be squeeky clean.

The good stuff! Teaching is fun and rewarding!! It's one hell of a job . You are very much fishing through someone else too, which is cool. You must manage expectations, and remember there is stuff out of your control - weather, their attitudes, where they put the fly (despite solid instruction) etc. Understand what they want from the day, and put them in the very best position to achieve / exceed it. Catching nothing happens to all guides sometimes, don't sweat it. As long as you have given the client/ guest value and an experience they were after, then sometimes actually reeling one is isn't as important as you might think.

As for people going back to where you have taken them, it's expected when guiding/ teaching locals. Paul covered off good stuff on locations , photos/ media etc. If you guide on a fragile fishery, explain that and hope they take it onboard. Some water needs to be for only yourself too, keep that in mind. Over here, I am very careful with this .

The biggest challenge for me was being "on the clock" for the whole day. There is no switching off, like I had on previous jobs. It can be mentally fatiguing having someone in your care for the day/ trip. As Paul says you will need plenty of stories!! If you don't want to look back and think I'd wished it done it, then go for it

Cheers, Tom .

[Michal Duzynski]

Hi Tom, thank you for your thoughts.
The legal aspect as you described might same here in Australia, and I think it would be too much for what's worth, as I dont think about it as a full time job.
In 23 years of hospitality job( includes 9 years on a cruise ships), I traveled a lot, seen a lot and learned a lot, so the public skills and story telling aspect is covered.
I have so much to tell, that you would not even want to assembly your fly rod, just seat in the bank, look at the water/fish and listen to all the bullshit.

If you have to come to me for an 1.5-2h casting lesson in the park and pay such and such $, you could also join me for a lesson by the lake side, and after the casting is covered we could go for a walk and hook you into a carp.
What a better cherry on top of the cake then a strong fish taking you into the backing after a first fly fishing lesson?
Would the legal issues apply in this scenario?

Also I noticed that people dont practice fly casting after a lesson, a least not as much as they should, but I strongly belive they would ask for more- more presentation casts( to reach the difficult fish), more distance( to reach the fish that is faraway), more line managment as how you place and handle the line is very important before the next shot, after they catch a good fighter.

cheers
mike

[Paul Arden]

Oh yeah that brings up one little point Mike; I know that you are very good at talking. In fact you are one of the best! I have a good friend who is a guide who NEVER stopped talking the entire day. I actually had to go on the other bank to try to get away from him but unfortunately I could still hear him, as could anyone else within several kilometres.

Now while there are people who like continual commentary there are definitely others (me for example!) who will be want to be left alone to their own thoughts for a while!

When I go fishing I like to hear silence, nature, for me that’s really part of the experience. I’m aware that for many of my clients it’s the same, listening to the jungle is part of the experience of fishing in the jungle. So even when I’m sharing a boat we are not always talking! In fact because I have guests for 4 days (minimum stay) to one week (sometimes more) we have downtimes where we spend time on our own. They can be resting, reading a book, chilling out. People need space. This is very important - for me too!!

Cheers, Paul

[tomo]

If you have to come to me for an 1.5-2h casting lesson in the park and pay such and such $, you could also join me for a lesson by the lake side, and after the casting is covered we could go for a walk and hook you into a carp.
What a better cherry on top of the cake then a strong fish taking you into the backing after a first fly fishing lesson?
Would the legal issues apply in this scenario?

Totally agree, it sounds good. I'm unsure to be honest and I wouldn't like to put you wrong. Perhaps find out if there are any requirements for a licence etc to work at your chosen location. If you are meeting them there you wouldn't need vehicle (business) insurance.

There are definitely costs involved, maby do some figures and see if you can work these out. If it's something you really want to do you will find a way to make it work

Cheers

[Paul Arden]

Yep I think that’s the better option Mike. Then you can fish too!

Cheers, Paul

[Michal Duzynski]