How to Become a Fly-Fishing Guide, with Joe Hebler

[Interview starts at 55:00] 

This week, Joe Hebler of the Blue Quill Angler in Evergreen, Colorado, answers the question "How do I become a fishing guide?"  Whether you are graduating from high school or college, or in another career looking to escape daily stresses and an unsatisfying job, Joe gives a great road map on what steps to take to successfully land a job in this competitive field.  And if you aren't interested in becoming a guide, Joe also gives some great tips on current fishing conditions on Colorado streams.

 

In the Fly Box this week, we answer some questions, share some tips from a listener, and alert people to a threat on one of Pennsylvania's finest trout streams.

 Should I buy a 4-weight or a 5-weight rod for trout?

Whatever happened to that little barbed thingee that goes into the end of a fly line to attach a leader?

 An alert about a proposal by a meat packing plant to withdraw 700,000 gallons of water a day from the springs that feed the headwaters of Fishing Creek.

 Are wet flies a legitimate strategy when you have trout rising downstream of your position?

How do I get a large trout close to my net if my leader is long?

What could I have done to catch a smallmouth bass in deep, clear, swirly water?

 What mouse pattern is best and how should I fish it?

 A great list of tips on why starting out in a small stream will build your skills for fishing tougher, more technical waters later.

 My father wants to remove the brush along our stream to make it easier to cast and for my kids to splash in the river.  Should I try to talk him out of it?

What is the best way to remove wind knots from my leader?

A listener asks me about my top 3 places to fish

I foul hooked a brook trout in the belly but it was only a flseh wound.  Do you think the fish will survive?

Should I match my leader length to my rod length?