August 17th 2014

     When we head out for a day on the water whether it be on a boat or from the shoreline there's so much to be aware of and when we do it under the influence not only does it become a safety issue but you miss out on what's brought us there to begin with.
     Here in the state of Washington as in a few other states the use of marijuana has become legal, and before I go any further on this I'll state where I stand on this. I voted for the legalization of marijuana, being illegal I feel it plugs up our judicial system, fills up our over crowded jails and is far less dangerous than alcohol, I know this because I drank a fifth of whiskey a day or MORE for 15 years which completely destroyed my life, I ended up going through an intensive inpatient treatment center, and while going through all the emotional, legal, and financial hell I was going through I never heard anyone say that they smoked some weed last night, crashed the car and abused their family, do I think that weed is the healthiest for our community. ...NO but I think its healthier for the community to stop arresting people for it. With that said.......
     When you show up to a guided fishing trip, your guide wants to give you a memorable day where your safety is most important and of course you catch fish. When you book a trip with me we are fishing small tributaries where the angler is actively involved in the success of the day, you are not sitting in a boat seat staring at a rod waiting for a fish to commit suicide on your hook, with me you're casting, you're learning to read water, you're waiting for a bite that if you don't respond to immediately you miss your chance and on a slow day that  chance may be your only chance at landing a steelhead.
     I understand that getting out to go fishing for a day means relaxing on a day off, for many that day includes drinking a couple beers with your buddy, or now here in Washington, blazing some weed, it's my personal opinion that these things are safe in moderation, but I WILL tell you that when you show up to a guided trip with me, if you're under the influence whether it be alcohol or weed, your chances of catching fish are extremely diminished.
     As a guide and probably with most guides we eat, sleep, and drink fish. We obsess over catching fish and how to help our clients catch fish, we want you to have a successful day and come back and fish with us again, but when you show up "high" , that makes our job extremely tougher. I'm writing this because now that marijuana has become legal, the number of people showing up for a guided steelhead trip under the influence is growing, and I notice that it's THOSE trips where our catch average drops horribly. It's a LEGAL right to smoke weed and I respect that, I voted in favor of those rights, but when someone fishes with me for a day and leaves having not caught fish it's hard for me to not take it personal, that I could have done something more, but if someone has decided to show up under the influence and its clear that its hindering the chance to catch fish there is nothing I can do to fix that. Drink and smoke my friends, it's your legal right, .please just do it responsibly.