Rick Nyles of Sky Blue Outfitters guides for a range of species in Pennsylvania. Nyles recently sat down to take on some questions for the Venturing Angler:
1. Why do you guide where you do?
S.B.O. guides primarily in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania. We are blessed with a wide variety of fishing, slow water, fast pocket water, small spring creeks to large rivers. Pennsylvania, in my opinion, is the Montana of the east.
2. What is your favorite fish species?
Trout of course. We love “hunting heads” looking for that large trout sipping a mayfly or caddis.
3. What is your favorite thing about guiding?
We enjoy seeing a client catch their first large wild trout and teaching them the skills of selecting the fly, getting into position, making the right cast and landing the fish. I know we accomplished our mission when it all comes together.
4. What is the most memorable trip you’ve guided and why?
There are so many but I would have to say Penns Creek. I had a client land 4 large brown trout with out moving. They ranged in size from 14 to 23 inches.
5. What is the funniest thing you’ve experienced while guiding?
I walked out onto a wooden bridge and one of the boards gave way and I took a flying leap into the creek. I will never forget the clients face – should I be concerned or laugh? We all had a good laugh.
6. What makes your guide service great?
Experience, oh did I say experience. We have been guiding for 15 years and have over 50 years of experience fishing for trout, bass and carp.
7. If you had only one day off all year, where would you fish and what fish would you target?
I would fish for trout. Where is a hard question? I enjoy small streams to big rivers. I guess a remote mountain stream. Being by myself and concentrating on making myself better is always my goal when I go fishing. I am still learning.
8. What are your favorite three flies?
CDC Caddis, CDC Sulphur, and my own creation, the Flying Nymph.
9. What is the one piece of gear you couldn’t bear to leave at home?
Blood knot tying tool. I carry a spare just in case I loose one.
10. Do you have any other passions?
I have said for years that fly fishing is my passion and golf is my hobby.
To check out more from Rick Nyles and Sky Blue Outfitters, please click here.
–
Disclosure: Sky Blue Outfitters is in a professional relationship with the Fly Fishing Guide Directory, LLC and the Venturing Angler. Though potentially benefiting from this relationship, we do not post what we do not believe to be true. To read more, click here.