Fly Fishing Guide Schools

[Fossil4Life]

Hey all. I am curious to get opinions and/or recommendations regarding fly fishing guide schools so I can become a certified fly fishing guide.

Now, I do realize that you technically don't have to be a certified fly fishing guide in order to earn work at a lodge. However, I am looking to volunteer my time as a fly fishing guide for a couple of non-profit organizations.

These organizations provide fly fishing experiences for disabled and wounded Veterans and their families. And in order to be a fly fishing guide in support of these efforts, you have to be certified.

That said, I wanted to pick everyone's brains and see what the "hot" or best schools are to become guide certified. Ideally, I'd like the schools to be Orvis approved, but it's not a requirement, and while I am partial to Montana, I'm pretty open to wherever the better school(s) are located.

Thanks!

 

[PennKev]

I'd pick the cheapest one that will fulfill your certification obligations. A quick browse of the interwebs shows guides school prices from $800-2500+

One of the biggest advantages of these schools, from what I've read and heard in the past, is job placement. They are just as much a networking aid as they are a guiding class. Also, do you need to learn how to handle a boat? Again, this seems to be a big part of some of these schools. If you aren't going to work as a guide or ever guide from a boat, why pay top dollar?

 

[DavidFin]

I've been dabbling with the idea of this, too. Yes, the schools are more for networking and boat work than anything else. However, it's possible to meet a shop or lodge and get in with them, too. Some may suggest that there is a bit more "cred" going that route rather than buying your way into it. But it all depends on what you want to get from it.

From the people I know who guide successfully and those who never got off the ground, going with shops or lodges seems to produce better results. I know two people who paid their way and one never worked and the other no longer guides.

 

[krayfish2]

Hmm, I have volunteered my self and rowing my boat for wounded vets. I wasn't aware of any certification that I'd need. Better check on that before I show up and get told "sorry you drove 3.5 hours for nothing"

 

[wbranch]

If you guide for a fly shop on a well known river you are only going to get a salary or a small percentage of the daily fee charged to the customer. If the daily fee is $500 you might only get $100 plus whatever tip the client gives you. Not stellar wages if you are going to be rowing a drift boat with 1-2 guys for eight hours and possibly have to change their flies and re-rig them numerous times.

Rowing a drift boat is pretty easy once you know what you are doing but you need to give the clients a smooth float and not be banging on rocks. Also when rivers get low I have seen clients that just refused to get out of the boat and the guide had to drag the boat and the clients through the shallows until the water was deep enough to float again.

Neale Streaks has a great paper back book titled "Drift Boat Fly Fishing". Buy yourself a copy. It is a good read and a must for a guide in training.

 

[DavidFin]

Depending on where you guide it's not just drift boats, you'll have powered ones, too.

If you've never rowed before you definitely need to get some experience before you take clients out. It's not rocket science, but there are variables: timing for different currents, going sideways and not taking an oar to the face, how to minimize getting wet in choppy water, etc.

 

[Fossil4Life]

Thank you all for the replies! However, I think there seems to be a bit of confusion. In order for me to volunteer and provide guide services for certain non-profits, I have had to attend a guide school and be a certified fly fishing guide. Not looking to earn money as a guide for a lodge or anything, simply just volunteering my time, that's all.

The cost for going to a fly fishing guide school is negligible; I have a bit of my GI Bill left over which will cover the cost of tuition and such.

That said, what are some of the "hot" fly fishing schools that you folks recommend? Sweetwater is big and well-known, but wanted to see what else was out there.

 

[krayfish2]

Looks like almost all of the schools are MT, CO or ID. Sweetwater has GI Bill right on the front page. Rivers fly fishing is one here on the east coast.