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Guides and pictures

8K views 117 replies 49 participants last post by  TallFlyGuy 
#1 ·
When I see pictures of people that have fished with guides, I see pictures with the guide holding the fish while the client looks like they do not belong and looking out of place. Why are the guides in the picture at all and why are they holding the fish? It seems self-serving for the guide to even be in the picture and especially when they are holding the fish like they own it. If wanted to frame a picture, I certainly would not want the guide in it and me looking out of place.

I can see issues with safe handling and release but come on, does the guide need to be in the picture?
 
#2 ·
Often the guide tails \ lands the fish. To try to hand the fish off to the client puts the fish at risk.

But yes, I do see part of it as self promotion as well. Especially when they lean in to join the client getting his pic taken by a buddy, holding up their rod and reel, have the name of the business on their hat, and have their boat with logo as the carefully placed back drop.

But the client shouldn't really complain. Hiring a guide and then trying to pass off the hero shot as some big accomplishment you did yourself is kinda lame as well.
 
#27 ·
Hiring a guide and then trying to pass off the hero shot as some big accomplishment you did yourself is kinda lame as well.
Lack of reading comprehension? Most folks that do a guided trip post a report and will also give specifics about whether it was guided or not. If a guide won't let me handle my own 16" brown on the Madison even after asking for him to step out of the picture than that guide is looking for a photo op.
 
#3 ·
Honestly...most of the time they get the job of holding fish because their clients are not going to do it right to a. get a good picture and b. not hurt/drop/squeeze the fish. Plus, guides work their tail off to put clients into fish...so I don't see any harm. If you ask most guides for your own hero shot however, without them in it, I would say any good guide would be more than happy to take a picture of you and your fish.

Just don't complain if they won't let you unbutton your fish before you take the picture...biggest mistake I see guys make on the water when it comes to pictures.
 
#5 ·
This this picture :beathead: is the main reason why guides hold the fish in pictures.

As a guide, this is why I like to hold the fish for the pictures until my clients learn proper fish handling techiques. As the first couple fish get landed, I like to anchor the boat and show them the proper way to hold the fish and release it. Then I have no problem being the photographer.

From my experience, a lot of times people want the guide in the picture.
 
#7 ·
From my experience, a lot of times people want the guide in the picture.
Excellent post and picture!

And you're absolutely correct. Alot of people do want the guides in the pic, and alot really consider the guide as part of the trip and part of the experience.

This is Gordie. She absolutely insisted I hold ALL the fish she caught while her husband took the pic. Her husband, Louie, liked to hold his own fish. To each their own.



(We were fishing reds, not catching any, so we went after the dollies, and she wanted to see the Boga Grip...so that's why I'm manhandling that fish with a Boga.)

Jeff
 

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#8 ·
Damn Aaron...that picture is unreal. You would think that jamming your thumb into the gills wouldn't occur to anyone as a good idea...even if you are trying to pick up a toothy fish that doesn't have teeth that extend to the gills. I have seen plenty of guys on fishing shows heft their fish by putting one hand behind the gill plate and then another on the tail to lift a large fish...but never seen anybody using this "skewer" technique.

Probably why I am not a guide...my hat is off to you guys for not losing your shiz on clients.
 
#9 ·
I don't let clients hold fish for photos.

I tell them right off the bat that they aren't going to touch many of the fish they catch. Some folks are a little browned out by that, but if they display the demeanor that shows "Fish safety first, photo op second", then I will let the hold one for a guide-less photo.

You would be suprised by how hard an amped-up sport can squeeze a humpie when it starts flopping mid-photo. I have seen folks give them headlocks that Jimmy Snuka would have been proud of...

IMHO,
Mark
 
#10 ·
My trophy wall isn't just about the kill I also like to remember the boys who tote my footlockers full of necessities for the bush. A kill just isn't complete without a toast of Champagne and a fine meal. I feel that these little bits of civilization I bring to bush not only make my experience there bearable but I also like to think that by showing my aboriginal this type of gracious living I raise them up as well. Thus a photo that includes the guide and porters reminds me of my civic and economic contribution to the native culture as well.

yrs truly Bwanna
 
#12 ·
Man....more guide haters around here.

Seriously, why do people hate guides so much? Makes no sense to me!

If they want pictures of themselves with their clients holding fish I don't see the big problem..........................especially from a business standpoint.

Can you really blaim guides for the measly fish runs we have in this day and age?

I don't think so.

Better to waste your hate on people who fish with nets. They do a lot more damage than a guide ever could.
 
#13 ·
I always took this as an opportunity to teach people how to properly handle a fish. Learn by doing, with some respectful coaching. I can't think of a legitimate reason that even a novice should not be allowed to handle a fish as long as they have some support and supervision. Seems a bit elitist to think that these people are not capable of handling a fish. IMO sending folks home without learning to properly handle a fish is a missed opportunity.
 
#24 ·
Fishing with a guide is lame? And having a picture taken of your catch while on a guided trip is lame? Just curious where that mindset comes from.
Never said either of those. Poor reading comprehension is lame :rofl:

Guided fishing has it's time and place for some people.

I said, doing a hero shot without the guide in the pic and taking full credit for the 'accomplishment' as if you did it all yourself is lame. Bragging about fish you caught while being guided is kinda lame. It is what it is. Give props to the guide.
 
#34 ·
Never said either of those. Poor reading comprehension is lame :rofl:

Guided fishing has it's time and place for some people.

I said, doing a hero shot without the guide in the pic and taking full credit for the 'accomplishment' as if you did it all yourself is lame. Bragging about fish you caught while being guided is kinda lame. It is what it is. Give props to the guide.
Chad:

You always make for great entertainment. If you fished anywhere in the world (as in international destinations) or a trip domestically and wanted to float; you'd need a guide to accomplish that, right?

If you fish the same old rivers and the same old holes, year after year, week after week, you are right; who needs a guide????
 
#26 ·
Im pretty lame. I kinda like most guides. It's a great way to fish effectively without knowing the area. I can see not wanting to do it. But as a guy without a boat, no knowledge of the area, and no knowledge of a species.... why not? Guides have taught me more about casting, and ecosystems, local cltures, fish behavior, and great places to eat and drink than caught me fish. And they have put me how on to a lot of fish.

As for guides hoping into pictures. Im sure a good number of them do it for promotion. Most don't. Or at least I doubt they do. The good ones I've been with don't seem that way. But I have been around a couple of guides, and have ehard about guides, that were really nothing more than pilots of the boat that strike a pose whenever someone pullls out a camera.


Peace all.
 
#35 ·
My wife and I were over in Spokane and decided to go on a guided trip. It was her first time fly-fishing and I wanted to make sure she had a great experience. We went with Tom Loder on the St. Joe and had an awesome time. He went over fish handling with my wife and I have several shots of her holding native cutts, without the guide, and lots of video of Tom helping us bring in some great fish. He even worked the video camera for a bit so we could get some shots of both of us. It was my first, and as of yet only guided trip. We will hire him again in a heartbeat, even though I could work my way back to the holes that we fished.

Scott
 
#38 ·
.. but having a guide in no way diminishes the value of the catch.
In your mind perhaps. In my opinion, nothing beats putting in your time, gaining the experience, figuring out the timing, location, the right fly, presentation, etc etc and being rewarded by a successful trip.

Again, I have nothing against guides for the most part. I was focused on the hero shot and not giving the guide proper respect for putting the person on the fish in the first place...
 
#39 ·
Any guide worth his salt would never take FULL credit for their angler hooking a fish. The angler, under the guide's knowledge of the water and conditions coupled with what ever technical advice he or she has given their client, AND THE CLIENT DELIVERING THE PRESENTATION is the cause for success. It's a team effort. Said team deserves a photo, if one is desired at all. But most importantly the safety of the fish is paramount. Which is why the first (and sometimes only) photo taken of a steelhead has me holding it for my sport. I coached the fight and capture, I tailed it, I was an intergral part of the team (my client knows it) and , oh yes, safety for the fish is paramount! The less handling the better. I've held thousands of the ball of muscle that we call steelhead. My client, even the experienced ones, have held far far fewer. I am keenly sensitive to the fact that the client may want a photo with just them and their prize. But more important to them is that they capture it on film at all. By me holding it for that first pic or two insures they will have documentation. After that if the fish is doing well, I will teach my guest how to hold the steelhead, and assist in transferring it to their hands for a quick solo shot. Interesting that out of the zillions of times I've done this, the clients' favorite pictures are those with me holding the fish. The fish looks better -- I know how to hold it correctly. Hence a better represenation of their prize.

As for not liking guides, yeah we're a pain in the ass clogging up the river, teaching (most of us) river etiquette and lore, expsosing people with deep pockets to the Natural beauty and biology of the river and its diverse, sensitive ecosystem instilling upon them the importance of keeping it in tact. Sometimes we even make them a better angler - personally I'd rather fish around skilled anglers that move than clueless folks who are just occupying space. Everybody desereves a fair shake: we go to school, we get trained for our jobs, we take golf lessons, we get coached in sports, some of you take pottery class etc. What's wrong with hiring the services of a fishing guide? Many folks don't have the time and/or are not geographically living in prime fishing country. And what's more, I have made some incredible everlasting friendships that I would not have had I not been guiding. Hiring a guide is not for everyone, neither is paying to watch a proffesional sports team play ball. It's what makes the world go 'round. Best of luck on the water my friends. Be safe.
 
#45 ·
Well, I'm happy to say I'm not as cool as some of you guys.

I love good guides. I think it's fun to go to a destination I've never been before (or rarely go to) and have a guide show me how it's done. I like to hear the stories, see the guide's flies, learn something new....

I guess I'll take the easy way out, have less fun than those of you that did it the "hard way" :confused: , and catch more fish. ;)
 
#46 ·
Well, I'm happy to say I'm not as cool as some of you guys.

I love good guides. I think it's fun to go to a destination I've never been before (or rarely go to) and have a guide show me how it's done. I like to hear the stories, see the guide's flies, learn something new....

I guess I'll take the easy way out, have less fun than those of you that did it the "hard way" :confused: , and catch more fish. ;)
If that's your thing go for it. It's about pleasing yourself not all of us. :cool: Obvously you're not alone or there wouldn't be very many guides in business.
 
#47 ·
Chad, i totally agree that those trips that you learn to do it yourself and put all the pieces together to land a fish are the most satisfying. The best is when you go one step further and land that big fish on a fly you tied or a rod you built.

All that aside: What makes posing with a fish a "hero pic"? Trying to pass it off as your own feat is lame if the guide was seriously working for you. But how many people are trying to do that? I sort off just think of it as a moment to remember. A "polaroid" moment if you will. I've had guides that have shown me how to hold a fish then get out of the way before the pic was taken. It wasn't that hard.
Some guy that goes to some far off place and knows he's not likely to ever go back catches a fish and knows how to handle it because he's knowledgeable and experienced wants to take a picture for his vacation album, or his desk at work to remember the good times when he has to work 50 hours a week. But the guide won't let him. So he's sitting there off to one side as the guide is striking a pose. He gets three weeks of vacation a year of those three weeks: one week is spent visiting relatives he couldn't care about, One week is spent taking his wife on some vacation some place he would never think of going to on his own to give her a break from her 35 hour a week job in which all she does is gossip with her coworkers, 2 days are personal days he uses to run errands like holiday shopping and picking out a b-day present for his wife, 1 day he took off but got called in at the last minute to handle a crisis, the last 2 days are his. Let the guy have his picture.
I can see the conversation in his office now.
"Where's this picture from."
"Iceland, stopped over for two days last year after a big meeting in London."
"You spend a lot of time there?"
"No, that was the one and only time."
"Who caught that fish?"
"I did"
"Whose holding it?"
"THat was a guide we hired."
"What was his name?"
"Dont really remember."
"Then why did you take the picture with him in it?"
"Something about handling the fish properly. I've been fishing for 2o plus years but this green guide thought I wouldn't know what to do with a fish."
"He help you land it?"
"No, he pretty much drove us to the river and then spent the day flirting with my wife."
 
#51 ·
The one and only time I have hired a guide was for a bone fishing trip and I was going to take a picture of my guide and a nice little bone he landed for me.
This is a quote "You don't want my black ass in your picture" then he handed me the fish and grabbed the camera and took my pictures. I'll try to find them and post'em"
I'm going to hire this guide (Bahamas) again this October and I'll get his picture when he's not looking.
I tried to talk him into a fishing trip here in Washington but he told me it was just to cold in Washington.
I said it gets a 100 degrees. He said "then it's to hot"
Smart guide, wants to stay in his home waters.
 
#57 ·
Quote of the month right there.

A couple years ago I fished with a guide by the name of JD out on the OP. He was wearing a really nice hat that some clients from Pugetropolous brought him that said "Urban Elitist Flyfisherman" on it (hence my sig line). This was just after the Wild Steelhead Release was being proposed and the different user groups were either fighting for it or against it. The mayor of Forks basically said this, WSR, was just being pushed by a bunch of Urban Elitist Flyfisherman.

We've earned our moniker and continue to uphold it. Most guides are the strongest proponents for that which we all support but put very little effort into making reality. Gear fisherman are our allies not enemies. But we still consider them nothing more than gear chuckers/snaggers. Considering they make up close to 90% of the sport fishing community we should look at them as family. Instead we voice our differences (just as we do inside our own community in regards to the different methods we use to catch fish on the fly). Pretty disgusting really.

Back on topic. Not everyone has the opportunity to fish enough to get to know the run timing/water flows/holding water/etc. And others such as myself spend 95% of the time behind the oars trying to make sure the people I'm fishing with have the best chance to catch a fish. My boat, my turn around rig, and many times my gear. I"ve caught more than my share of (you name the anadromous species) that it's more about having those with me catch fish. So... It's pretty nice once in a while (yearly now) to just jump in the front of someone else's boat on water I'm not too familiar with and have a relaxing day fishing.. Yes, guided. Ahhhhh... Now that's relaxing.

Now really back on topic. And I think Sloan said it pretty well. How many reports or pictures have you seen on this site where people actually say "boy I caught this fish on my own on an unguided trip". Not many. I don't see a whole lot of self promotion going on from fisherman claiming to be experts and catching fish on their own when that's not the case. Nor do I see guides having to be in the picture for the glory shot. Sure, many times there's a guide in the picture but I'm sure most of the time it's because the client realizes the guide is part of their day on the water and wants them in the photo to capture the entire experience on film.

Now read the quote on top of this post again. Post of the month.:thumb:
 
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