Id Rather Be Fishing: Colorado Fly Fishing Guide School

How many times have you seen the bumper stickers that say, I'd rather be fishing, and thought to yourself, me too? No matter if you're 25 and bouncing from one job to another looking for your niche, or if you're 62 and just retiring from a long career, maybe becoming a fly fishing guide is the right move for you.

More and more people are leaving unsatisfying careers to follow their passions and begin new, more meaningful lives. Going to fly fishing guide school could be just the career change for you. Imagine fishing in Colorado and giving lessons for the rest of your working life. Does it get any better?

Becoming a guide may not be as straightforward and simple as you think. There's more to it than lessons, knowing how to cast and where to fish. Once you decide to make the commitment there are some things you should look for in a school.

A good guide school will place an emphasis on safety and how to handle emergency situations with both the boat and the clients while fishing in Colorado. Look for a school that offers both First Aid and CPR certifications. Fishing guide school should provide potential guides with a thorough knowledge of how to handle unanticipated health and safety emergencies with clients, and how to make rescues.

Another important consideration in choosing a fly fishing guide school is river safety. Ample time should be devoted to maneuvering a boat through the river with variable currents. Guides should be taught to identify, understand, and deal with rapids, obstructions in the river, and other water hazards in fishing guide school. Guides should be trained in responding to boating emergencies, and should spend substantial time practicing fishing in Colorado on the water.

Of course, fly fishing skills are central to a good fly fishing guide school. Look for instruction in knots, entomology, different kinds of fishing setups, netting, and proper catch release should all be included in fly fishing lessons. A good fly fishing guide school will teach you to read the river so that you are able to find the best fishing spots and provide a good experience to your clients.

In addition to safety measures and fishing techniques, your guide school should teach aspects of professionalism that will enhance your business. You should learn practicalities like organizing trips, managing equipment, using the best rowing techniques for fishing, understanding Colorado fishing reports, and providing lunches. Training should also include client relations, and managing expectations of clients while fishing in Colorado, based on their skills.

Finally, check to make sure your school choice provides certification at the end of the training, like Cutthoat Anglers fishing guide school. You should have completed the minimum state requirements to become a guide. Your should have spelled out all the rules, regulations, and laws governing fishing in Colorado, and you should receive a certificate verifying that you are a certified fly fishing guide in Colorado.