"Treat" of the Week

I know it's been awhile and it's hard to really call this the "treat" of the week anymore... but I am going to do it anyway. 

This little "treat" is common sense for some, and for others a more difficult thing to master. It is however, basic guiding 101. 

What do I do when we aren't catching fish and everything gets quiet? You have to ask it because inevitably at one point or another whether it's a week long trip or a half a day at some point you run out of things to talk about and the fish get sparse. It happens, don't worry about it... I mean it rarely happened to me, but that's another story haha. 

Things to keep in mind.
1. Clients always can get better at casting, teach them something
2. Have a joke in your back pocket. Generally speaking keep the politically incorrect stuff for after you've got a good feel for your client. 
3. Share a story of some other fishing experience, pretend this day reminds you of that even if it doesn't. 
4. Pick out a really fishy looking rock, or "see" a fish rise. 
5. Talk to the fish "Here fishy fishy"

Definitely do not walk away and leave it in an awkward silence. The longer awkward silences go the harder it is to break them.

The hardest part about guiding is reading clients. Some like to talk more than others, some like to have their ego patted, some like to absorb as much knowledge as you have, others think they already know it all. It's essential that you can figure out how they want to be treated and handle it that way. If you can't read people and handle people well you shouldn't be a fishing guide, I don't care how good you are at it. If people don't like you, you will not go far in that business.