After a strange early June things are back to normal here at Mile 14. So as I was prepping my gear for the days fishing on
Saturday a young guide I'd never met tied his boat up next to me and in the course of an hour asked me a few questions, like how much time do I spend preparing. I told him an hour and a half every day and told him of the 5 'P' principle...proper
preparation prevents poor performance. I really think I've guided more people than just about anybody on the
Kenai River and I doubt if any of the guides read my blog but these hard learned lessons are what I'd teach if asked.
1. Simple, don't let this happen. Always check your tide book. It also looks good when you refer to written material.
2. Never pass the restroom without asking if anybody would like to stop.
3. Mix business with pleasure. In this crazy business of guiding it works great. Especially for you.
4. Don't get big headed over out smarting a fish...after all their brains are the size of pin head.
5. 100% effort. Always. Its the only way you can feel good about yourself in this business.
6. Don't ration bait. If you're low on salmon eggs use them even more. Fresh eggs=a bite=a landed salmon=mores salmon eggs....simple.
7. When a King salmon spits the hook, breaks the line, saws off on the prop, tangles with another boat or breaks the rod its no body's 'fault'. That's the allure, they win sometimes.
8. Its a blood a sport, catching fish is #1. But...the other parts are pretty darn cool, like this caribou.
9. Furnish
Rain gear.
There's so much you can't control in this business that you'd better take care of the things you can. Like peoples comfort.
10. There's no 'I' in team. That's what you are out fishing. Always say 'we' caught this or that, 'we' had a bad day......'we' ain't giving up....
11. If you're a democrat admit it, it'll liven up the conversation.
12. Don't tell jokes.
13. The word 'client' is
waaaaay to formal. You're not a lawyer.
14. Your boat is just a tool. Keep it clean , comfortable and serviceable. Anything more than that is a waste of time.
15. Never hurry. This is a
biggy.
16. Humpies are Salmon too. Who wouldn't be as happy as my friend Howard Brown with a beauty like that?
17. Never take a guy fishing who has a chest freezer in the back of his truck.
17. Be healthy and stay hydrated.
18. Some days when its cold and rainy and your mood begins to sour just remember you could be running a shovel instead of a boat right now. That makes for an instant smile on me.
Please come back to Mile 14. This next week I'm going to walk you all through a day on the Kenai, start to finish....
Some of that advice could well be applied to general everyday life Uncle Jeff. I miss you! Wish I was fishing with you right now.
ReplyDeleteMan, That is about as great a list as I have ever saw. These lessons are great and although we do not have tides or caribou, one can fill in your own applicable nouns and voila, as Molly states. I can see it now, Jeff King's Guide School, all you need to know in 18 simple steps. I even like #11 as I have had a few in my boat, including one on opener. Seriously, you need to do something with this, it's fantastic. Maybe on your sidebar!
ReplyDeleteJeff,
ReplyDeleteYou should consider writing a book of all your great experiences and things witnessed through the years of your guiding. You'd make millions.
Ya know Dave I sensed something about the opener. The mix and mash of different peoples backgrounds and views is one of the things I find facinating about being a guide. anyway, those are few that poped into my head Nate. I remember telling Chris Simmons before his first guide trip...it you sometines use 'colorful language' ...never be the first one in the boat to do it.
ReplyDeleteMiss you to Mol...hug them young uns....