Momo,

You nailed it. I used to be a snowboarding in structor. I watched a ton of people struggle on their own and absolutely kill themselves. They could barely walk the next day.

Those that took lessons with us had way more fun, got way less hurt, and were up and riding much more quickly.

The value in a teacher or coach (insert guide), is that is shortens the learning curve. Always good to figure things out on your own, but there's certainly no shame in learning from a pro. Learn the right way, from the start, and improve from there.

-Mobyfish

Lay off the weed Jorge
 

;).

And if nothing else
 

Mo and I will show you everything Josh taught us . :cheers1:
Checking pm now . Josh is an incredible guide , and an amazing photographer . Which puts the icing on the cake . Hope to see you soon J.P. . :jig:

Do the professional guides here trade services?

Wow great thread lol so fun to sit down after lunch and soak all that in.:cheers1:

It is kind of silly to say that you will never learn what a guide knows on your own. The good guys fish every day, and they stay out all day. They keep moving, keep fishing, keep trying to extract every bit of detail or every possible clue. Guides also do what all other good fisherman do: LURK.

Hey is that guy snagged on a rock? LURK
Hey did that sea lion just puke up a squid? LURK
Hey I think I smell a seabass fart... LURK
Hey where did you catch that yellow, and with what bait and in what depth and on what size line LURK LURK LURK
Hey Josh forgot to cut off his top-secret disco mackerel jig before heading in!! you damn sure better LURK
Is that TROMPUS? LLLLUUURRRRRKKKKK

When I first started I lurked so hard I nearly broke my neck. The need for a guide is inversely proportional to your LURKER status:D

5 pages of lively debate, and I still haven't read the ultimate theses on whether it's really "better" to do it with, or without a guide. :D

But I think that's cool - maybe everyone should make a decision for themselves?
And all of us should, regardless of what our preferred learning path was, stop trying to influence other folks - and respect their decision?

I think it's the time we close this thread - nuff' said.

We're fortunate to have pretty good number of quality local kayak fishing guides, and a wonderful local kayak fishery.

This is plenty enough of a pitch for the guides.
They don't pay the BWE bills. :D

Fortunately, just like other hundreds of thousands of threads, this one will also be available for all future generations to search and find the information, hear local fishing guides names, and figure out how harmonious of a view our lil' community has on this particular subject. :D

Okay, okay I'm going to give it up right here, right now free of charge. When I'm in La Jolla, I follow around this fish killing white boat with two hulls. They even hand out free donuts and beer! Thread killer Adi! :the_finger:

Up yours, Jim

And for the record I'm talking abiut Jim (Deamon) and not Jim Salazar

Bert, what is wrong with my avatar?
I get what you a trying to do here and I don't think it is very funny OR nice.
SEAL HATER

Josh this , Josh that .
 

Blah , blah , blah . :D. There was one other guide to mention. Wait , I think he retired ? :eek:

Who Matt? I think he moved to Vermont.

Your 100% right I am sorry. Please accept my apology. :cheers1:

and I REALLY DO HATE SEALS!

The most entertaining part of this thread are the interpretations of some guys about what other guys just typed. But that is true about almost every forum. Some of the arguments on both sides are just about as funny too. Assuming that everyone has time to put in 20 trips to catch their first target species is about as dumb as believing that everyone in favor of the school of hard knocks fell into a code group putting them on bites. It is amazing how ingrained hyperbole (look it up) has become in our daily arguments. I will say that it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to start off regularly catching "trophy" fish without some excellent mentoring. And it is also unlikely that anyone that cuts down the "learning curve" will ever fathom what they missed.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x.../hyperbole.jpg

This thread is getting as many hits
 

As Fish porn Friday .:party:.Whats the verdict ? Is he gonna use him? :confused:

BUMP:D

So when and where is fish porn Friday?

LOL!
 

I've missed you guys...

J

I woke up this morning and decided that I am going to learn to fly helicopters. I am not going to hire an instructor, or talk to anyone who has flown a helicopter, or even read anything about helicopters on the internet. I am just gonna head on down to the airport, steal a helicopter and give it a go. What do you guys think?

To me, it doesn't matter who you are, or what side of this debate you are on. The fact is that everyone has had a mentor, coach, advisor or guide of some kind at some level. I could care less how someone caught their trophy, whether it was on their own, or whether someone told them to "drop this, right here". The only thing that matters is the size of their stoke when they smile for the camera. The fish is not the trophy, the stoke is.

Go fish. Hire a guide, don't hire a guide, I don't care. Just be sure to post a picture of your stoke. Tight lines...