 "The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending, then having the two as close together as possible."
George Burns (1896 - 1996)
Spring came late this year, but the migrating birds didn't seem to notice. Any open water was filled with ducks on their way to the northern prairies, and the geese sat patiently on the ice, already paired-up and ready to nest.
Last week, Lisa spied a strange migrant in our yard, and it took almost all of breakfast for us to identify it as a Taiga Fox Sparrow. As I read about the plump, rufus-backed, melodious, songster, I learned that he had quite a trip ahead of him; he may nest as far north as the Arctic Ocean. Over the next few days, I found my mind wandering north with him. After guiding in Alaska for seventeen summers... it's in my blood.
My eighteen-year-old son, Jake, recently received word that he has a summer-job waiting for him in Alaska. He'll be on his way north a few days after graduation, to work at Bristol Bay Lodge for an old friend of mine. He's quite a bit younger than I was when I left for Alaska, but I'm sure that the excitement, questions, and doubts are all the same.
It seems like such a short time ago that Jake made his first casts, and that's the title of today's watercolor. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Jakob,
As you know, I've never pushed you into fly-fishing, or groomed you to follow in my footsteps and become a guide. I've only seen bitterness and disappointment come from such a thing, and I figured that you'd find your own path in life.
I can't tell you how excited and proud I am for you, to hear that you've been offered a job at Bristol Bay Lodge this summer! You must be thrilled! I remember how anxious I was to get to Alaska that first season... The three months I waited before going north seemed to crawl by at an unbearable pace. The only thing that kept me sane was the fly tying... I tied six-dozen flies a day!
Everything will be new for you, and I know that you're worried about doing a good job. It's good that you're concerned... it shows that you care, and that you'll succeed. Very few of the important difficulties you'll encounter this first season will have anything to do with fishing, however, and everything to do with long hours, strenuous work, and challenging conditions. Try to remember these things...
Safety; above all, be safe. Never take a risk with yourself, a guest, or the lodge's equipment. If you realize, fifteen minutes down the lake, that you've forgotten a life jacket, it's best to go back and get it. If the lake looks rough and the waves are running high, wait it out somewhere safe. If you haven't run a particular stretch of river before, follow a guide who has. Always let someone know where you're going, the route you'll take, and when you plan to be back. If an experienced guide tells you that a certain route is too difficult or dangerous, and to use another... don't try it to see if you're good enough to make it; you probably won't. You get the idea.
Be early for everything. Be the first guy at the lodge in the morning for coffee, the first person on the dock to load or unload a floatplane. Never be the reason that someone waits.
Be proud of the job you do... but leave your ego at home. A really great fishing guide isn't competitive with anyone but himself... he's a team player and openly shares his experience and skills. Be honest about your day; feel good about it, but don't boast.
If you're not sure about something, it's best to ask questions. Never pretend to know something that you don't. Don't b.s. anyone; the other guides, the crew, your fishermen, or yourself. You might damage equipment or hurt someone, and besides, all of the "old guys" will see through it anyway.
Speaking of "old guys", there'll be a lot of very qualified and experienced people at the lodge. Some of the guides have been there dozens of summers and seen hundreds of new guys come and go. Listen to what they say and take their advice. If you think that you have a better idea about how to do something, ask one of them first; you might be relieved at how lucky you were not to have tried it!
You won't prove anything to anyone by throwing a 40 hp outboard on your shoulder and carrying it down to the dock by yourself. You just might make it, but you'll probably blow out your back in the process. Never dodge work or walk away from a job; just be smart about how you do it.
Instead of strength, impress people with your attitude; stay positive. Don't whine or complain; never utter a disparaging word. When it's foggy and rainy, and the lodge is full of disappointed guests, be the guy who asks how to be helpful; offer to take a group out fishing around the lodge, or teach a fly tying class. Being positive and helpful will get you much further than any amount of "brown-nosing" can.
Get as much sleep as you can, whenever you can; you're young, and you might be able to hang out all night with your friends and get by on a few hours of sleep. If you do, you'll wear down fast and bounce back slowly. Take care of yourself; get to sleep early and don't drink too much.
Be prepared. Think about the day ahead of you and plan for it the night before. Consider where you're going, and what you might need. Remember... it's not how much stuff you carry in your pack that's important... it's what you carry that's vital. A crusty old guide I worked with years ago once preached the rule of "seven P's"... proper-prior-planning-prevents-piss-poor- performance. Learn to improvise, because no one can plan for everything all the time.
Speaking of that, you'll make some mistakes. When you do, own up to them. Making excuses, or blaming someone else only makes you look small. When a mishap occurs, you'll probably hear someone say, "Oh, that... it could've happened to anyone." They're right; of course, it could have happened to anyone... but over the course of the season you'll notice that "it" happens to some guys a lot. Be one of the guys that "it" never happens to.
If you're walking up to the lodge some morning, and notice a scrap of paper off to the side of the path, stop to pick it up. Chances are that it may have been left there on purpose. If you look up, you may see the boss having his morning coffee, and watching from the dining room table to see who takes the time and effort to pick it up.
You'll guide a lot of the older fishermen that'll have more experience than you do. Don't embarrass yourself, or try to prove that you're the guy in charge by telling them what to do. You'll learn a lot more by quietly watching them and asking questions. Learn to give your fishermen advice by offering suggestions rather than proffering imperatives.
Make private note of their limitations and do what you can to mitigate them; If twenty feet is all the further your guest can throw a fly line, then coach him to his best cast, congratulate him on his effort, and gently row away from the fly before starting your drift. When he makes a mistake, misses a strike, or loses a good fish, feel his disappointment instead of your own. When he triumphs, let him own his success. Treat your fishermen like you'd want another guide to treat your parents, as valued guests and friends.
Learn to enjoy the people you're with; enjoy teaching them and being a positive part of their experience. A good guide will catch them a lot of fish. A great guide will give them a memorable day with surprisingly few. By the way, enjoy yourself as well. People who are having fun are likeable and attractive, and that's important.
There's no room in your boat for politics, religion, rudeness or sarcasm. Learn a few jokes that you could tell to Lisa.
Jake, I hope that you have a wonderful summer, and that this letter has been helpful. I envy you! Have fun, let me know how it goes... and give my best to those "old guys", would you? I miss them more than I'm willing to let on.
Stay well and in touch.
I love you,
Your Dad
P.S. About all of those flies I tied prior to my first season; each one of them was a little seed of hope, the dream of a fish yet to be hooked and played on a distant and unknown river. I never would have guessed how little fishing a guide actually gets to do, and I still have most of them. Do you need any? Bob White ©2008  About the Author... Bob White is a tremendous artist and talented writer. Bob guided in Southwest Alaska and has nearly two decades of experience there as a fishing and wing shooting guide. He also guided sportsmen in Argentina for a decade, and continues to host fly fishing and wing shooting trips to Patagonia, Alaska, Kamchatka and other destinations.
His photography and art are easily found in many prominet publications, including Fly Rod & Reel Magazine, Gray's Sporting Journal, and Gun Dog Magazine.Bob also owns Whitefish Studio where you can find today's featured art, as well as many other beautiful works. Please browse around a whitefishstudio.com.
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