Guiding

I don't know if this counts, but MUCH to my dismay whenever it happened, I saw Herb Herb Weigl guiding sports on the Letort in the FFO section, most often from the I-81 overpass up to the Big S. He offered this service through his shop, "Cold Spring Anglers" in Carlisle at the time, which I'm guessing was in the 1990's.

Those of you who know the "crick," know that the last thing you need when you've been sitting on the bank chomping on a cigar watching a sporadic riser for the last hour is two doofi (the plural of doofus) walking upright behind you...

Needless to say I always gave them the evilest eye I could muster and pretended I didn't speak English even though Herb knew me... 😉

I may be wrong about this, but I also think there was someone else at the shop that guided on the Letort but I never ran into them or didn't realize it was a guide & a sport at the time.
 
dudemanspecial said:
I read that as stripper and got real interested, then it turned into a fishing story.
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Knowing my college friends and our antics in our early to mid 20’s, I don’t recall specifically, but there is a reasonable chance that also happened that weekend.

Edit: Wives and/or GF’s at the time weren’t on that trip, which probably increases the likelihood.
 
caddisflyer said:
Really who needs to pay a guide....It seems like every guy I run into on the stream these days is a darn expert on everything and needs to tell me so.
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I admit I can get a little pretentious online, but on the stream I pretty much restrict conversation to "any signs of life?" and "Did you leave anything in there for me?" The response I get determines if I want to shoot the breeze with someone or get the hell out of dodge.
 
I don't remember local guides until maybe 20 years ago. First guide I remember in eastern PA was Ben Turpin and I commonly saw him on the Pequest (in NJ), Brodhead, Little Lehigh and Martin's Ck. I guess we had some favorite spots in common. He is a class guy and I did a float with him down the West Branch, but he wouldn't guide me to any local spots! One June I headed to the Brodhead and when I got to the hole I planned to fish there was a guide with two clients. As I got closer I noticed it was Ben and we chatted. He was sorry he got to the spot I planned to fish first so he clued me in to a spot a few hundred yards upstream where I hadn't fished. Had that hole for myself and caught 15 fish that evening topped by a 17" rainbow. Nice gesture.

Didn't hire a guide until I was 55 years old - I knew how to fish - and now I hire guides one or two days a year. The big thing you get from a guide is knowledge. I've learned new techniques and sharpened up my casting and mending skills. Sometimes I get into bad habits and a day with a guide can correct them. When you pay a guide for a day he/she will usually discuss other places in the area and let you see their fly box. Even learned good places to stay and dine from guides. Guides speed up your learning process. I have fly fished going on 60 years and I still have plenty to learn.
 
JeffK said:
I don't remember local guides until maybe 20 years ago. First guide I remember in eastern PA was Ben Turpin and I commonly saw him on the Pequest (in NJ), Brodhead, Little Lehigh and Martin's Ck. I guess we had some favorite spots in common. He is a class guy and I did a float with him down the West Branch, but he wouldn't guide me to any local spots! One June I headed to the Brodhead and when I got to the hole I planned to fish there was a guide with two clients. As I got closer I noticed it was Ben and we chatted. He was sorry he got to the spot I planned to fish first so he clued me in to a spot a few hundred yards upstream where I hadn't fished. Had that hole for myself and caught 15 fish that evening topped by a 17" rainbow. Nice gesture.

Didn't hire a guide until I was 55 years old - I knew how to fish - and now I hire guides one or two days a year. The big thing you get from a guide is knowledge. I've learned new techniques and sharpened up my casting and mending skills. Sometimes I get into bad habits and a day with a guide can correct them. When you pay a guide for a day he/she will usually discuss other places in the area and let you see their fly box. Even learned good places to stay and dine from guides. Guides speed up your learning process. I have fly fished going on 60 years and I still have plenty to learn.
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I was fishing brodhead maybe 8 yrs ago or so and Ben walked up to where I was fishing with a couple clueless looking chaps… we had small talk and I said go ahead and take this spot….Ben is not a Dbag or I would have planted and grinned.
 
I believe guides have their place. For those new to the sport,a day or 2 can with a good guide can really shorten the learning curve. Don't focus on fish, focus on fishing.

I meet alot of guides on Salmon River in NY. Most are great guys. Became friends with a few. I've even seen them help others who they weren't guiding perfect their drift/technique.

I know some guides that guide on private stocked waters. Good guys but c'mon. Ray Charles could guide on private water over freshly stocked fish.
 
Tigereye said:
I know some guides that guide on private stocked waters. Good guys but c'mon. Ray Charles could guide on private water over freshly ststockedish.
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Some folks would be surprised which "big names" are guiding on pellet pig water. It's where the money and steady work is at in the eastern U.S. (And I'm not talking about Spruce Creek.)
 
i would rather figure the fish out myself and catch them. rather then try to show someone how to do it. its my hobby, its my time on the water. no way in hell am i trying to figure it out for someone else, or less its my wife and kids. much more enjoyable being our there yourself and finding water/fish.

dont eat where you poop(G rated) for forum rules.

go find a job your good at. show up early everyday, tell your boss youll work late and do the jobs no ones wants to do.

thats what i did and i own my house on a great trout rive
 
Bruno said:
I’ll chime in and say that lunch is one of the most important things a guide can use to impress a client. I’ve experienced everything from a lousy bologna and cheese sandwich to a perfectly grilled pork chop served with a fresh salad, all provided by guides. The fishing might not always be great, but lunch can always be outstanding, and that can truly make a difference in the day. Oh, and don’t forget the coffee—coffee is essential!

So that being said can you make a decent lunch ?
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Matt,
Would it be the same if I went to a restaurant and asked the server to help me with my double haul? I only ask that question because I'm a ****** sandwich maker. 🤣. If you want a charcuterie board, go to a restaurant. If you want 12 hours of intense fishing, getting my boat.
 
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