Kevin:

Since I was a little nubber my dream was to be a fishing guide. This was back in the early 60's, and I read every issue of Outdoor Life with increasing interest in the PNW and Alaska fisheries...

I'm with SOL on this one. I am afraid now, especially at 46, that it would become "work" and the fun would soon go out of it.

To get more fishing time?

Well, I am a sales rep in a very narrow field of electronics. Most of my customers rarely have time for personal visits...so, I do most of my work via E-mail, computer, phone, etc.

Most successful rep's in this field have anywhere from 10 to 25 "lines", or industry related manufacturers that they represent. Me?...I represent only 3, so I am not beholden to taking unwanted nosy sales managers out to visit customers and eating up valuable fishing time.

My primary principal also loves it (they are a major manufacturer of test instrumentation) as 99% of my time is dealing with their products alone. If I added another 10 lines, and spent 60 hrs. a week working, travelling etc. I could/would make a hellofalot more money. Well, money isn't everything, and we make a comfortable living now. Why screw that up if it isn't broke???

Then, we went and bought a house right on the river. During salmon seasons I can forward my office phone to my cell, head down to the beach and fish the afternoon/evening while still working.

It's also nice as I can take customers fishing, and get work done while I row..

Mike

I have made it my life to fish. I called in sick to work at 19 years old to do a show with Grant McCommie on summer steelhead fishing the Wilson. It was a blast to be on the news at 19 years old. I lost that job when my boss called home and my mom told him I went fishing for the day. Maybe if she told him I was going to make the news he would of let it go. Oh well, he was an asshole anyway.

It got lots worse from then on. Now it is everyday of my life and I still cant get enough. When I go on vacations, I go fishing! I don't think anyone has it as bad as I do.

It's hard to plan on taking any day off in December to fish ahead of time. Fishing is a lot like skiing...put in for a day off and hope for good conditions OR, like me, live on the river and fish everyday. That way you're prepared for the best conditions.

Kevin: Doesn't it drive you nuts when you put a client on scarce fish and they cracker them off, or when you come to a sweet spot that needs an accurate cast and they miss the spot, or . . . .

I have been asked why I don't guide and the answer is simple. I'm just too damn impatient. I know that about 1/3 of the trips i would tell my guest to get the hell out of my boat. Probably hard on the tips.

I have burned every bridge there is, except for the one to my favorite steelhead drift...

Is it February yet?

Booyaa for Sol and Dave. I think working as a guide would suck. I can barely take the whining now, and thats from people who have something to whine about. I can only imagine what I might do after hearing someone complain about the gear, the weather, the water, my clothes, my boat, my Kwikee Mart corndog farts, and the strange fermenting odor from last weeks roe.

It would turn fishing into work. If I take someone out now, its because I enjoy their company. Money does not temper my patience enough to refrain from casting a K-16 into the back of someones head after they completly ignore me and screw the drag down tight on a big fish. I might have just enough patience to first put on a sardine wrap, and sharpen the hooks before I launched it into their scalp.

Yea, I wouldn't make it past a week. I am old and impatient.

I live a busy life; work, volunteer projects, and a fiancee who lives in Vancouver. However, given all of that I still get my fair share of fishing in. I learned a long time ago that it has to be scheduled, in other words, write it down in the calander with all of the other things I have to do and make sure it gets the appropriate priority.

Now I only have five years to go until I can retire comfortably at age 55. On that day I will sell the house, invest the money, and we will leave in our new camper and truck with boat in tow.

Hey Fishonjohn, tell me again how good retirement is?

Dave,

I only fish during optimum times. I guide, so I have the ability to be on the water when the bite is good. Last fall I rescheduled over 25% of my trips because fishing was slow by my standards. If I feel we can get into 10-15 chinooks in a day, then I keep the date booked. otherwise it is rescheduled. Limits are the rule.

So when you have someone cracker a bite or spook a hole, it really makes no difference because you are going to hammer them in the next hole down anyway.

spoken like a true professional,Kevin. I think guiding is the best job on earth. Getting paid to fish,c'mon.

Kevin; We need to fish together.

I'm 50. When I grow up, I want to be a guide.

I retired And fish 5 days a week and take Sat. and Sun. off to be with the wife Great life.

One of the reasons I became a teacher. I love my job and take it very seriously, but one of the perks are my summers to fish. I do have to take classes now and then and teach summer school, but spending time fishing with my kids can't be beat. Luckily I have an understanding wife as well.

I quit my job of eight years just so I could get some fishing time in. It is worth it