It’s the start of runoff in Mid-May on the Henry’s Fork in Ashton Idaho. The Mother’s Day Caddis are hatching thick, and the swallows are humming around the cliff walls picking them off. The bugs are around, the birds are around, but the water is too murky for fish to key in on surface bugs. Looking around the boat ramp at some of the rigs other folks are throwing they remain hopeful on surface caddis fishing. Paula is on the front of the boat and dry fly fishing feels like a far cry with the conditions, but let’s throw a giant salmon fly with a dropper for the hell of it. Normally dry flies are the first choice on the Henry’s Fork but not with the water clarity today. All good, we have a streamer rig ready to go. I knew Paula was a seasoned guide up on the Bow, but I had never fished with her. As a former guide, I have always been a better guide than I have a fisherman. That assemblance of thought was thrown out the window with her first cast---a 70’ laser 3‘ off the bank, perfect reach cast---ok ok OK….here we go. There is always that thought when you instantly know someone on the front of your boat is a stick of “oh shit, I better know where the fish are today because the person throwing is not the issue”. Granted I wasn’t guiding, but those instincts ALWAYS kick in when you’re on the oars. 6 Casts in and I was already thinking about changing the fly if they were going to eat it, they would have. I knew the day was going to be tough from then on. We switched it up all day from the dry dropper to the nymph rig to the streamer…..it was slow but we caught some fish once we stopped and worked a few runs. When we got to the takeout Paula, contrasting many clients I have had in the past, shrugged it off. “Tough day, conditions sucked, but that was fun as hell---throw me a beer”. She gets it. You always know when you’re fishing with a seasoned guide, those tough days are part of the sport, part of what makes those good days even better. It’s an understanding, almost a rite of passage. Fish hard all day with not much to show for it, certainly not the angler---rather a result of the conditions. Such a different feel to the clients seen at the ramp who had a tough day and wore it on their face. It’s a passion for the sport, it’s knowing it isn’t always going to be great, it’s working for those few fish, it’s the crux of guiding. 

At the pinnacle of her craft, Paula is fresh off her 10th Season of Guiding full time on the scenic Bow River in Southern Alberta. Starting out in the headwaters around Banff---the Bow meanders East towards the City of Calgary where it offers some incredible tailwater fishing. In fact, you can catch quality trout right in downtown Calgary, a unique fishery for sure. Like her fishery, she guides in a unique way as well. Paula separates herself by knowing her clients to a T. 90% of her clients are return clients and she knows their tendencies. This gives her an advantage going into the day when as a guide, you already must deal with the unpredictability of nature. Every day is a new endeavor, and she treats it as such. Patterns change, weather conditions change, the angler varies. One thing that remains consistent is Paula’s drive to teach----every client, no matter how seasoned, has the opportunity to learn every day. Paula has two goals for her trips; Teach, and make the client fall in love with the Bow. Oh did I mention, she was an Olympic hopeful in Skeleton before injuries pushed her towards guiding (See Link) 

This is the time of year Paula can focus on reloading the tank. When asking her what is on her mind now, it’s still fishing, only this time for herself. The thing about being a full-time guide, you never focus on yourself, you never get to fish when the conditions are prime. The offseason allows the chance to get out and make some casts, travel, and recoup. Give her a follow and check out her journey to Cuba, and the Seychelles as she scratches the saltwater itch before headed back to the Bow for another season.