i am very interested in becoming a fishing guide in ontario.....does anyone have any info ob any schools or training that is available?
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i am very interested in becoming a fishing guide in ontario.....does anyone have any info ob any schools or training that is available?
I have never heard of a "school for guiding" then again I have never looked. I always assumed the guys and girls that do guide, do it because they are good at what they do (hunting, fishing, etc). Through years of experience, and first hand, "on the job" experience and knowledge.
The only "school" I could see, would be working under a current guide and helping on the boat, and learning the ropes.
Not sure that's something you can learn in a classroom?
Seneca college king campus has a course on fishing.. Its a seasonal course.. "Basics of fishing" or something like that...
Edit: Upon googling, it appears its a bass fishing course.. Also hear there is an ice fishing one as well.
maybe apply for a job at a big fishing lodge
http://guideschool.blogspot.ca/
the number is no longer available
Best thing to do is to look into some of the bigger lodges that are out there, some will have a sort of informal training where they teach you a bit you work the docks and fish on your time off to build knowledge.
When it comes to guiding or success in fishing at all really, adaptability and versatility are key. Time on the water is everything to find multiple patterns to be consistent. Its kind of a hard thing to learn through schooling lol.
Another large consideration before looking into guiding is how well you deal with people. You are going to have clients coming from all walks of life, you will need to be able to get a quick read on them and what they are looking for and cater to their needs.
Also you wont be fishing very much!
I personally love guiding it can be a very satisfying job, nothing more fulfilling than getting others hooked on the same passion we share.
Start applying to lodges/camps in the north. Work as a dock hand/general labour if you have to for a year first.
I worked as a guide for a summer, had no training whatsoever, and didnt have to do the dock hand thing beforehand. I knew how to fish, how to cook a shore lunch, and how to drive a boat. Phone interview with the owner and I was on a float plane and in camp a month later. The kid who was doing dock hand had a hell of a summer as well. He and the boss would hop in the float plane ebvery couple days and go fish a new lake to test it out, which probably hadnt had a soul on it in years. he'd spend the rest of his time cutting grass, cleaning boats, etc, but got his fair share of fishing in too.
I guess it depends where you guide. I fished almost all the time with my guys when we were chasing walleye. Pike fishing not so much, but occasionally. But certainly every day for a few hours while walleye fishing. If I knew the fish was big, I'd hand my rod off to someone if they wanted it (kids for example). When i caught my personal best pike, I asked if they wanted it, and they me to go ahead and reel it in. They were just as happy.Quote:
Originally Posted by fiftyquest
good info,thanx a lot! anyone know where there is guide job listings?Quote:
Originally Posted by blasted_saber
Shhhh... Don't say that... Once the universities catch on they will start charging $5400 a year for a 4 year honors program, then the government will bow down and make it mandatory for all thinking of becoming guides to have a bachelor of guiding, register and pay monthly dues, and continue recertification courses yearly.Quote:
Originally Posted by 123chadder
Lol that's not so far from the truth right? :-)
You could look at the Canada Employment listings? Use your imagination and explore yourself to see what might be available? Google can offer some good info if you use it. Look up various lodges and cold contact them. You never know?Quote:
Originally Posted by 123chadder
If I was still a single man....sigh..
Terms of Employment: Seasonal, Full Time, Weekend, Day
Salary: $2,700.00 to $2,900.00 Monthly for 56 hours per week, Gratuities, Other Benefits
Anticipated Start Date: 2014/05/10
Skill Requirements:
Education: Completion of high school
Credentials (certificates, licences, memberships, courses, etc.): First Aid Certificate, Freshwater angling guide certification, Wilderness First Aid Certificate, CPR Certificate
Experience: 3 years to less than 5 years
Languages: Speak English, Read English, Write English
Guide Specializations: Freshwater angling, General outdoors guiding
Specific Skills: Escort groups on outdoor sport and recreational trips, Assemble camping gear and supplies, Advise on safety and regulations, Plan trips, Prepare meals, Practice low impact/no trace land use, Attend to persons with special needs, Provide outdoor, wilderness and wildlife instruction, Handle complaints, Prevent legislation violations, Set up emergency shelters
Additional Skills: Operate and maintain watercraft, Operate photographic and video equipment, Operate communication (including emergency) devices, Operate GPS (Global Positioning System) and other navigation equipment, Maintain equipment
Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Manual dexterity, Combination of sitting, standing, walking, Bending, crouching, kneeling
Work Site Environment: Outdoors, In/on water
Transportation/Travel Information: Valid driver's licence, Travel expenses not paid by employer
Work Location Information: Staff accommodation available, Room and board provided, Remote location
Security and Safety: Bondable, Criminal record check, Driver's validity licence check, Driving record check (abstract)
Essential Skills: Reading text, Oral communication, Working with others, Problem solving, Decision making, Critical thinking, Job task planning and organizing, Finding information, Continuous learning
as you can see there is places that want the Freshwater angling guide certification....but i cant seem to find the course anywhere
Why don't you contact the lodge owner and others who you say are asking for this certificate and ask them?Quote:
Originally Posted by 123chadder
Google is your friend.Quote:
Originally Posted by 123chadder
http://discovertourism.ca/en/educati..._angling_guide
Those are some hefty requirements.
That certification will help, but is certainly not a must have.
I believe RD Carson offers a training course in Thunder Bay. Works with Confederation college
Unedited by: WayneGretzky99
Chad, why don't you ask Macker for a job when you fly in with him. You never know until you ask.
thats true woody,ill bring it up
fack off wayne.....go take your meds
thanx for the recommendations guys
Not all anglers make good guides!! A wise man gave me some advise, he at the time was one of the best guides in Ontario and I was just getting started guiding... He said "if you're in a spot with a friend or customer and the fish are biting like crazy and you cant resist to grab your rod and fish or it's killing you to not wet a line then you're not a good guide, but if you get just as much enjoyment out of watching someone else catching all the fish, you'll make a good guide" he was bang on! Keep in mind, Just because your a fishing guide doesn't mean you're fishing everyday... Most years I guide every day for steelhead from the middle of October to the beginning of December, if the conditions where good I was out there and I rarely fished 1 day myself in over 40 days on the water... Guiding's not as easy as it looks sometimes.. there's tons of behind the scenes stuff you don't see or know about.. Most of my guide days are 12 hours + and I don't get to fish much of the time.. It can also kill the passion for the sport, to much of a good thing scenario.. Not trying to deter you but that's stuff you should know before you dive in...There was a good article on fishing guides, but I cant find it. you should google - life as a fishing guide... I agree with a lot of guys, contact some lodges, you can learn from them and their other guides.. that's the best start...good luck
i truly get a buzz from showing what i know and watching others use my advise with success....im the type of guy who hands my rod off to a newb when i get a nice fish on
Take it from an old guy: follow your dreams, grasshopper, and don't get married and have kids - yet. I love it when a young person knows what they want to do. Others have given some good advice here. I would echo the advice to"just do it". Send letters to lodges and follow up with calls. Go to sportsmen's shows and talk with the lodge owners that are there. Let them know what you want and what you can offer. Think like them: who would you want to hire as a guide? If it was me doing the hiring, a diploma from an accredited educational institute wouldn't mean that much. I would want someone personable and somewhat worldly so he could relate to as many different types of customers as possible.Quote:
Originally Posted by 123chadder