In my short time guiding, I've seen some wild / crazy / hilarious / frightening things. I will say, most experiences have been great. Same story as in any service based business.... some folks can't be made happy but you do the best you can.
I live vicariously through the client and every fish they catch I see as a team effort. I got them in position, they made the cast. We both have a role in the success 👍.
I would think that most people hire a guide to learn something, try new water or try new techniques. I see it as some do it just to take a boat ride 🤣. You should have a discussion with your guide prior to the trip about what you would like to do and what you would like to accomplish. If it's nothing more than getting out of the office and spending a day on the water, we can make that happen. If you want to learn how to properly nymph, throw streamers or possibly become more proficient at dry fly fishing. Your guide should be able to set you up to do those things. You also have to keep an open mind and take direction from the guide. You hired them, use them. If you base a successful trip on the number of fish you put in the net, that's not always a good measuring stick. I've had a guy who has never fished in his life manage to put 19 trout in the net nymphing. I've had other guys that could really cast leave the river angry with one or two fish.
Two quick stories....
While floating for trout, we were running a double nymph for rig under an indicator. I told the client to fish the seam of the fast water and slow water and mend so that he got a drag free drift. While telling him this, both flies came back and went into my mouth 😳. I thought the one beat had broke my incisor when it hit. Oblivious, the gentleman started his forward cast. I grab the end of the fly line and screen stop. He turned around to watch me spit out both of his nymphs. He asked me what happened. I told him tippet wasn't heavy enough to land what he had hooked. 😁.
Another client seem to want to fish the exact opposite side that I asked them to cast to no matter what. I told him the deep slot is on the right and that's where he'll find the fish. "I like the looks of the water on the left" and that is where he would cast. Three quarters of the way through the trip, he asked me if there were any fish in this river. I explained to him that he's not putting the flies where I asked him to put them and he's not getting a drag free drift. "By all means 'pro', why don't you show me what you mean?". I casted on the right where I had asked him to throw it, made one mend and the bobber went down within 3 ft. I set the hook and handed him the rod. "It's just that easy, huh?". I told him it was if he followed directions... which he did for the remainder of the day 😁
