Each day has become noticeably shorter as summer winds down. The leaves will soon change colors, then disappear like the memories of summer. The kids will be back in school soon and another year of guiding will come to an end.
I have been guiding long enough to feel experienced, and not long enough to hate it. Fishing every day seems like a dream for many of my customers who show envy of my profession, but the truth is that very few fishing guides have been able to survive the “grind” long enough to build a successful business.
What worries me about this scenario is not seeing any interest in the profession with younger people. Who will I “pass the torch” to when it is time for me to retire?
Twenty years ago, I was called the “rookie” or the “kid” by the other guides who were already boasting 10 to 20 years’ experience. They taught me much of what I know about catching walleyes, but handling customers in the boat, especially when the bite is tough, was on me. To safely take clients fishing for eight hours in a boat while educating and entertaining them, despite the fishing conditions, is an art that few can master. Productive fishing is very important to a successful day on the water, but it does not define the day.
Every five years I reflect and laugh at how little I used to know. This type of profession demands “on the job training” and it never stops. Twenty years ago there were over a dozen fishing guides on the Gunflint Trail, and now there are only seven. I turn down more days each summer than I guide, because there are not enough fishing guides to handle the demand. I am beginning to worry that the legacy of Saganaga Lake fishing guides will eventually be reduced to some pages and photos in the Chik Wauk museum.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources statistics show a slight decline in youth anglers between 16 and 24 years of age, despite the slight rise in overall angling license sales. Minnesota ranks nearly two times the national average for angler license sales over the past five years, and roughly 35 percent of those sales were to women. Minnesotans love to fish, but our statistics are not reflective of the rest of the nation which is showing a steady decline in anglers, especially with the youth. Will there be a need for fishing guides in the future? Maybe not on a national scale, but I think the experience of a guided day of fishing on pristine lakes like Saganaga will always be in demand—and it sure beats a real job.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
Leave a Reply