Do we need guide certifications?
Every state has different regulations on fly fishing and professional outfitting services. Some states require a guide to be board certified for fly fishing, others do not even know you exist as you guide waters with paid guests. Should we see more regulation or less? Does it help paying clients and guides themselves to have a state standard that designates "approved" guides?
While many states have guide registration and permit regulations, it makes little difference on what may be ailing the fly fishing industry the most--service of the customer. What all these guide regulations miss out on is the one thing the entire Fly Fishing industry seems to overlook--that we should not be in the business of "disposal guests" or one-time casting lessons. None of the courses for certification discuss how to handle customers, how to be proactive in meeting their needs, how to build clients through exceeding expectations, and how to actually TEACH. There are many guides, but few teachers out there.
Here are some other pro and cons of guide registration and regulation.
No Regulation:
Pros:
Guides can begin working immediately, can set-up "shop" in less time.
Cons:
Mixed results on market, guides will not have any set baseline of knowledge required for safety and state fish and game regulations, forget fly fishing skills.
Regulation:
Pros:
Guides are tested and know the basics of what the state deems important for their sport. Normally this includes First Aid, water safety, and the very basics of their field sport techniques, along with regulations.
Customers know that state certified guides have some basic level of training, are recognized by the state and have some credibility.
Cons:
Let's face it...it is a hassle. Many guides feel like it is a hoop to jump through and that the tests and badges do not mean they know anymore than the next (perhaps) uncertified guide.
It is too easy (normally) and you can have bad guides that still do not know how to treat guests or teach fly fishing.
Creates a false sense of what makes a true fly fishing guide.
Comments
FFF the only real cert is only weather or not you can preform a few casts. No teaching experince, no people skills, no real test of guiding! Why spend the hundred bucks for fff.
Posted by: lwren | April 19, 2006 09:29 AM
I think FFF wants to set itself up as a complete solution, and I know they have changed the program a lot to include more teaching. However, the fly fishing world seems to be a lot like the off-road world--certification is hard to govern and can mean little to the actual guests if the person lacks the teaching skills to begin with...
Posted by: nlw | April 26, 2006 08:14 PM
Guides should be trained by the operation they are employed at. There training is improtant to the image of the outfitter. Are the best guides younger or older mature?
Posted by: lwren | April 27, 2006 07:42 AM
I agree, on the operation training. We have struggled with how much training guides will take in our past operations. Some feel it is not what "fishing" is about. Maybe some feel they are just passing through so why bother. We are increasing our efforts to train rather than decreasing...covering all aspects from teaching to techniques. As for age...tough question. I think if the person is willing to put the client first, their ego second and understand the learning/entertainment side--then age does not matter as much as attitude. having said that, I have found more success training young(er) guides--relatively speaking--than those with decades of guiding behind them. Not surprising I guess.
Posted by: nlw | May 1, 2006 03:28 PM