After much hard work and dedication my dream is slowly but surely beginning to come true. When I think about future careers, I have no idea. My parents claim I change my mind at least 100 times a day on what I would like to do after college, which is true to some extent. However, I do know that fly fishing is something I will always keep close to home no matter where I end up in the job field. I have taken many people fly fishing and put them on countless numbers of fish from the big stocked trout streams, wild trout streams, to rivers packed with smallmouth bass. Teaching people and giving people an insight to what mother nature has to offer has become a great passion of mine. While taking people fishing it never really dawned on me that guiding might be a great path to follow for a few years and see where it ends up. Well I have decided to take that route and I have landed a guiding position with Hookers Fly Shop of Sylva NC. Many potential customers may get iffy when they hear someone is a new guide but don't let that scare you. Just because someone is new to guiding doesn't mean they don't have what it takes. I can tell you that fly shops do not just hire someone who walks in and claim to know how to fish. You are tried out, looked over, and trained before you are ever considered. Fly shops make money off giving people a great experience and they have to be careful in who they hire. Yes, some guides may be more experienced than others but just having the title of guide says something about that person. It says that they know what they are doing, they are capable of putting you on fish. So please, don't be cautious or wary when you hear someone is new to the guiding world, they can still get the job done just as any other guide out there can. If you are thinking about booking a trip, whether you are new, experienced, whatever, book a trip through Hookers Fly Shop of Sylva NC, they have an excellent guiding staff (Including Myself). WWW.HOOKERSFLYSHOP.COM ... They are always running great deals and specials so be sure to check out the website, facebook page, instagram, look at the guides, pick one (If it's me that would be great) and I can assure you that no matter who you pick you will have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!
God Bless, Have a Great day, Keep fishing, Keep Reading
Jalen Morton
Jalen,
ReplyDeleteGuys, like us, that fish "for the pure love of it" are always better than guys that "fish to make a house payment"
Sometimes the money-paying, guide- hiring public is fortunate when they "luck into" guys like us. Guys that love Fish and Fishing more than anything else...... A guy that truly gets his thrills patiently and kindly helping others (you got me beat there!)....... Sometimes THAT guy becomes a Fishing Guide (like I did 14 years ago) and like you are doing now. You (nor I ) will ever see Fishing as a "Job"... It's more than that. It's a WAY OF LIFE. It's a more important than anything, other than your family...... You respect those Clients. You respect those Rivers. You respect those Fish..... Trust me. I've seen a 100 "guides" come and go on the Coast. I'm sure it's the same in the Mountains. Don't you worry, you are a FISHERMAN. You were born to cast a Fly and you were born to be a Guide. The Best. Take your time and build your business one piece at a time. One client at a time . Remember, Great pictures bring business. A great Guide always gets his clients back for a second or third or 100th trip....... One day I will proudly brag about fishing with Jalen Morton when he was just putting his plan in motion.... My BSBA from ECU is framed up under a Amberjack Citation somewhere...... I wonder where you're WCU degree will be in 7 years!!!!!!!
Hey, any prospective customers out there.. This guy, Jalen, in 2 weekends (4 days) he took a novice fly caster (me) and he put me on 100+ Rainbow Trout, 40+ Brook Trout, and 2 Brown Trout..... What more can I say......
Marty you always find a way to say it best! I'm hoping all will work out and I can turn this into a long term deal. I do know however, just like you, whether there is money involved or not, I will always be fishing, it's a part of who we are . I'm feeling another Capt. Marty and Morton trout slam here soon! Hope you can make it up this way before things pick up on the coast. We have another trout stocking here soon in March, hope you can make it!
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