A Day In The Life Of A Kayak Fishing Guide

PHOTO: Most clients have no idea what went on behind the scenes of their own trip.

By Tim Moore
Contributing Writer

People often ask me, “What’s it like to get paid to fish all the time?” I used to I laugh a little. Sometimes I used to roll my eyes. Now I just explain a little of what it’s like to be a full-time fishing guide. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing job, but it’s by no means easy. I am on the water five to six days a week. I head out as the sun is rising and sometimes return as the sun is setting. The truth is, I fish less now than I ever have. Here’s a glimpse into what most of my days look like.
My alarm goes off at 4am, playing a cheery tune that I think is designed to make you happy about it going off. It often gets stuck in my head for at least part of the ride to the boat ramp and is usually the reason I turn on the radio. I normally wake in one of three ways; excited, exhausted, or both. I may be excited because the weather forecast is good and the fishing has been good, or maybe it’s the clients I’m most excited about, but when I have strung several long days together, and the weather looks less favorable, I’m usually more tired than excited.
Anyway, I brush my teeth, splash some water on my face, make my coffee, and I’m out the door, usually in about 20-minutes from the time my alarm goes off. There’s something strange about the walk from my front door to my truck. I don’t know if it’s because I’m not quite awake, but not as half asleep as when I first woke up, but it’s my least favorite part of the day. I don’t think what I do for a living really sinks in until a put my truck in gear, but the second I do I feel the same way as when I’m heading out fishing for fun.

I usually arrive at one of the various launches I use at 4:50am. It’s usually dark and proceed to unload and rig as many as four of my Old Town Sportsman kayaks with seats, PDL (pedal) drives, PFDs, rod and reel combos, and bottles of water. Depending on the time of day, tide, and weather, I may need to re-rig each rod with new lures. I’m a planner, so that means I try to think ahead to what my first lure change will be in the starting lures don’t work out and have that plano box at the ready. Some ramps I can back my trailer down to the water. Others I must unload each kayak onto my Malone kayak cart and wheel them down one at a time. I most often must cart the kayaks, which adds a little time and a lot more work, especially at low tide when the water’s edge is furthest away. I’m a bugger for efficiency, but even after more than 16 years as a licensed New Hampshire guide, I still find small things that make the process of unloading and reloading easier, and the small things add up.
When my clients arrive, I give them safety instructions, show them how to operate the Old Town Bigwater and Salty PDL kayaks, and give them a brief outlook on how I expect the fishing to be that day. Then we head out for a four-, five-, or six-hour trip beginning at 5:30am. Once on the water, I have the luxury of a motor-powered kayak, the Old Town Autopilot 136, so I don’t get tired from pedaling. However, I care very much about my clients and regardless of how many fish they catch, I want them to have a fun time and sometimes I get stressed out trying to make sure that happens. Stress is exhausting and the older I get the more exhausting it is.

We arrive back at the launch at 9:30am at the earliest. After some chatting, I thank them for their business, remind them that I will email them a link to download all the photos I took, maybe exchange more high fives, and bid them farewell. Then I begin the process of unrigging and loading the kayaks in almost the exact opposite order as when I arrived that morning. I head home, rinse and wash the kayaks and all my fishing gear with freshwater, and get it ready for the next trip, which some days is just a few hours from then.
You might notice I didn’t mention fishing. I have the occasional client who requests, and some demand, that I fish with them, but for the most part I spend all my time helping other people fish. I’m fine with that though. I love helping people. I make time to fish on my own here and there and yes, even though I do this job for a living, I still can’t wait for my own next fishing adventures.
When I string enough days like that together it begins to feel less like fun and more like work. I wouldn’t call it an easy job. I am the owner/operator, which means I am the guide, marketing and brand manager, chief financial officer, and admin person. Add to that a fun and full personal life and my schedule is jammed. During the busier seasons, I’m usually always tired, no matter how much sleep I get, but that’s okay. All I ever wanted to be when I was a kid was a professional hunting (I no longer guide hunters) and fishing guide, so even on its toughest days, I still have the best job I’ve ever had. It’s my dream job and it’s filled with amazing people, cool stories, and great memories. My life is one long series of sunrises and sunsets. No matter how tired I get, there’s nothing else I’d rather be that tired from.

Tim Moore is a full-time professional fishing guide in New Hampshire. He owns and operates Tim Moore Outdoors, LLC. He is a member of the New England Outdoors Writers Association, and the producer of TMO Fishing on YouTube and the Hooked with TMO Fishing Podcast. Visit www.TimMooreOutdoors.com for more information.