# Make a Living as a Fly Fishing Guide?



## sparrfish (May 14, 2007)

Could I make a living as a fly fishing guide off the texas coast i would love to guide seriously offshore fly fishing for wahoo,yellowfin,and sharks in the winter and ling,kings,marlin,sailfish, and things of that nature in the summer. I would really like some responses and Im 15 and ive got time until i need to make that decision but fly fishing is my passion and I love Texas so I would like to try to really pioneer extreme bluewater fly fishing off the Texas coast.Could I do it or would I have to include light tackle fishing as well.


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## txzin (Dec 12, 2006)

Brother I say go for it all the way! I have done some light offshore flyfishing and its awesome. I don't see why you couldn't do it. you may have to figure in the light conventional tackle as well, but as soon as someone hooks a Mahi sightcasting a weedline its hard to go back to chunking bait. Go for it, start now, don't wait. i have a buddy that started working at a fly shop in Montana when he was 14 or 15 and now he is 23 and summers in Montana guiding for trout and winters in Chile guiding for trout. Otherwise he is either hunting Idaho in the fall or catching tarpon in Florida in the spring. What a life! Follow your dreams.


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## Dave Kelly (Aug 10, 2006)

Start with the coast guard requirements.


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## TX CHICKEN (Jun 4, 2004)

I would shoot Brandon Shuler an email or try and meet him at one of the many fishing shows they attend every year. He is the most avid blue water fly fisherman I have met and is always willing to answer questions.
http://www.getawayadventureslodge.com/brandon.htm


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## davidb (May 10, 2006)

Get a good education, maybe a double major in Marine Biology and Business. Get your Captains license and fish every chance you get.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

A bit of information and some advice. The key is "make a living." First of all congrats on your enthusiasm, but let me try to "reel that in" a bit with some reality. Fly fishing offshore for kings, snapper, cobia, dorado, spanish macks, etc. is and has been done for quite a while. You won't be "pioneering" it. You mentioned Chris Phillips, and if you know him you know he fishes and guides offshore fly fishermen. When he goes, he goes with me on The Jammer II. We "co guide" off shore fly fishermen. We certainly do not do anywhere near enough of those fantastic trips to "make a living." I'm sure he showed you the Oct/Nov issue of Saltwater Flyfishing where there was a 6 page photo essay on fly fishing for kings off the Texas Coast. That was Chris and I on my boat.

First you are generally limited to a max of 3 anglers (unless they want to sit and rotate) just because of the logistics of fly fishing, and they therefore have to split your fee only 3 ways. With the price of gas, and buying some bait for chumming, on an average trip your expenses will be about $350- $400. Most guides are now doing a flat fee of about $750-$850 plus gas these days. So your clients are looking at about $11-1200 before tip- divided 3 ways. Not a lot of people are willing to pay $400 each for a day of fishing. Which I've really never understood, because there are lots of people who fish by themselves with a guide either for reds and specs, or in Florida for bones, and don't blink an eye at paying a $450 charter. If they only knew how much more fun the could have offshoreJ!!

Regarding sails, marlin, big mahi, etc. By definition, where they live you are looking at long trips- i.e. a bigger boat- at least 28-32 feet- to have the ability to get out there at a decent speed, and to have the gas capacity to make it out and back. Plus the numbers of fish are just not there for fly fishing. If you go to Panama, Guatamala, Costa Rica, etc. you get many many shots with a fly per day. Out here off the Texas coast, if you get 2-3 per day, you're very lucky.

Regarding winter for hoos, yellow fin, etc. Check with the guys who do it conventionally. Because of the distances involved, you need to do an overnighter- i.e. 2 days. This means you need at least a 2 day window of good weather. Not a common thing in the gulf during the winter. There are many many postponed tuna trips during the winter. And remember you would have to match those "weather windows" up with your clients' schedules. Not very likely.

Not trying to put a damper on it, but I've been doing it for about 5 years, and I'm just trying to share some of the challenges. that's why I also do conventional charters as well. I love my fly fishing charters, but I just don't think you can make a living at it off the Texas Coast.

THE JAMMER


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## Texxan1 (Dec 31, 2004)

I agree with Jammer... I live next door to Chris phillips and he could get alot more business, but with fly fishing its so dependent on the weather... Chris scratches out a living on the various things he does, not just guiding fly trips

If you have the passion, you will make it work but it will not be easy

Thomas


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## surfsideperson (Aug 22, 2005)

Some of the best advice i have ever read on this sight. I am friends with a very avid fly fisherman, and photographer, and writer, and it is tough for him to "make a living" out of it. Again, if you build it they will come, just not alot of them....good luck.


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## lawspetc (Jun 18, 2004)

I spoke with Chico Fernandez a few years ago and he echoed the same sentiments. And, he is pretty famous!!!


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