Have you ever imagined doing what you love most and getting paid for the same? Well, most of our fishing Guides we have around love fishing, and they are pretty good when it comes to catching fish one is specializing in. You have to be passionate about it first before turning your hobby into a full or part-time job as a professional fishing guide. It has been stated often that the secret of a good life is doing what makes you happy as a living. It reduces stress and makes your experience more fantastic.
But again, being a fishing guide does not mean all the time you will be just enjoying yourself catching fish while your clients cheer you up. It’s the other way round; you’ve to help your clients capture the fish and teach tell all the necessary things about fishing. One needs to have patience too to deal with a different type of client you will come across. Give out your best and make your customers feel the worth of their money by making their trips memorable and enjoyable. Let’s now check out steps that will make you an outstanding fishing guide in your area:
1. Make a Decision on the Type of Fishing Guide You will want to be
Just like any other job out there, Fishing Guide also have specialization depending on several variables. Yes, you can be a general fishing guide, or you can focus on what you do best. Guiding clients for fly fishing, anglers on freshwater or saltwater can be one of your specialties. Your locality at the moment can substitute you for one though moving from one place to another to follow your passions will get you far.
2. Strengthen Your Relationship
To get your name out there, you have to put in the extra effort. Meet up with the local fishing guides to get more information about their respective employers, career field, and guidance. Some might be willing to teach and connect you to fly shops around plus the lodges and agencies.
Maintaining a great attitude and being friendly will improve your scores. Placing ads in the regional and local magazines is a brilliant idea, as is distributing your flyers around. Having a business website has proven to be worthwhile, so do building your relationship with the local business owners.
3. Improve your skills
Keep sharpening your skill; you will never know when the opportunity comes knocking on your doorstep. Practice makes perfect do it more often. Pay an experienced fishing guide for his expertise and pick something useful to get you by. Work on your communication skills, patience, your other abilities and capabilities to make clients around you feel at ease. Attend professional guide school to improve your skills and be a reliable person.
4. Ensure you have required certifications and licenses
You can’t wake up one day and want to be a fishing guide instantly; there is a process that one needs to be followed. The process varies depending on the country or state you are in.
Here are some of the possible requirements you may need to become a fishing guide;
- First Aid/CPR Certification
- Your Fishing Guide School Diploma
- Fishing Guide License
- DMV Boat Registration
- For Saltwater – Commercial Passenger Vessel License, Captain License USCG and Commercial Boat registration
Ensure your clients have the necessary documentation too.
5. Prove Yourself
Now you have all the certification and the knowledge needed for this career. It’s time to go out there and prove yourself worthy of being paid as a fishing guide. When you get the opportunity, show expertise to your best. Employers need to know and see your stuff to weigh if you can deliver an excellent fishing guide to their esteemed clientele. If you prove valuable to your employers, they will reward you awesomely
6. Seek Employment for the Same
At this point, you’ve already come far, and if you’re not financially stable to go solo, then seek employment. Getting hired for the position of a fishing guide in a reputable company doesn’t come on a silver plate. Make several applications to various companies, go door to door, and talk to business owners in the locality they might be needing someone. Eventually, you will get one to make the best out of it.
7. Establish your Own Business
You have all it takes to own a company in your hands, and that is the essential thing all fishing guides should understand. Spending time on the water with your clients often will ensure your business flourish. Know that clients are coming to the company basically because of the reputation you have built. Don’t disappoint them by now getting involved in other company businesses, create time for them, and you might even stay long hours as a business owner than just being a fishing guide.
8. Invest in your assets like Boat, Gears among other
It’s advisable to have your fishing gears per your specialty; it doesn’t matter if you’re just a fishing guide or the company owner. But of course, you can’t compare the two, the business owner will have to dig deeper into their pocket to acquire some of these necessary assets.
9. Socializing And Networking
Socializing and networking with your fellow fishing guides will give more fishing Intel while sharing their experiences.
Talk to various business management and their staff; they know more. Engage your clients to get more referrals.
10. Enhance your skills
It has often been stated that knowledge is power, and a good student never stops learning. Take some short courses online of your interest to boost your skills and expertise. A useful fishing guide should strive to be better at what he does.
11. Sponsorship
As much as it’s optional to get a sponsor in most cases, it has proven to be fruitful. Look for endorsement deals with several fishing companies, and it will sort you out with your daily operating expenses as a fishing guide. The fishing tournament is done more often, register, and does well; it will get your name out there. Opportunities will come looking for you due to your reputation.
Final Thoughts
Guiding is not an easy task at all, so passionate, dependable, and most reliable people make the best fishing guides. Confidence will take you far off this journey as more clients will be relying on you for their safety on the waters. So, they need to have confidence in you for safety while teaching them how to catch fish. Keep on learning new techniques to be on the top fishing trend always. Don’t wait for opportunities to come; be proactive and advertise yourself out there. Enjoy what you do; this kind of career needs this handy.
