There was a time when I thought being a fishing guide would be about the coolest existence a guy could experience. That all changed one rainy Father’s Day weekend some 15 years ago when renowned guide Rod Patch floated me and my wife down the Cardiac Canyon reach of the Henry’s Fork. From bouncing the cata-raft down “The Slide” to taking us over Surprise Falls and then standing in the river up to the very top of his waders to ensure we got good drifts through some of the best water the river has to offer, I realized one thing.
Guides work too damned hard.
Above, this great little film from the folks at Filson offers a very small snippet into the lives of guides on the Alagnak River in southwest Alaska. From tearing apart defunct cannaries on Bristol Bay for much-need lumber for camp use, to rigging an outboard motor with less-than-factory-spec parts, you’ll see that a guide’s life, while thoroughly fulfilling, is hardly an easy one.
For now, I’m happy to be an occasional client who gets to fish. I’ll leave the guiding to the pros.
— Chris Hunt