Dave Brown of Dave Brown Outfitters guides for a trout in beautiful Western Canada. Brown recently sat down to take on some questions for the Venturing Angler:
1. Why do you guide where you do?
I having been guiding and Outfitting since 1988 – my first trip was on Alberta’s Bow River, and I would like to apologize to those first clients, but you have to start somewhere! Originally I was a Bow River Guide then in 1992 I received a “hot tip” on British Columbia’s Elk River which certainly played out as we established the first fly fishing only guide service on the Elk River. Since then our service has added several rivers to our menu including the Upper Columbia, Saint Mary and a few others that have temporarily escaped my mind. I like guiding as it is a great excuse to be outside with people, and I like to catch fish.
2. What is your favorite fish specie?
Brown trout are awesome – especially when they eat streamers.
3. What is your favorite thing about guiding?
On top of catching fish and being outside what I like about guiding is helping people learn more about this great sport, whether it is a new technique or sharing info on the area that we are in, there is so much that a good guide can share with clients that can really ensure the trip is a success.
4. What is the most memorable trip you’ve guided and why?
That is a tough one.I have guided a lot of people over the years but one that sticks out was the first trip I did on the Elk River with John Gierach, We fished it during a golden stonefly hatch. The river was going off, and he could not believe the size of the cutthroats that where coming up to eat his dry fly. After fishing, John kept saying, “Wow, that was great. AK Best would love this.”
5. What is the funniest thing you’ve experienced while guiding?
Fishing with AK Best and Joe Humphreys were trips whenI always had a good laugh. I learned a lot and both AK and Joe do not take things too seriously.
6. What makes your guide service great?
The guides that work with me make it. Of course our competitors feel the same way about their services, however our guides have incredible experiences to share because a lot of them have fished and guided in other countries, they have seen a lot different scenarios and know how to deal with it. They are also not afraid to be challenged by fishing different rivers and going other to places, so they always show up with their A-game as opposed to worrying about what time they are going to get off the river so they don’t miss dinner or the evening baseball game. Our guides are fly fishers first, as opposed to ski bums looking for a revenue source in the summer time.
7. If you had only one day off all year, where would you fish and what fish would you target?
Tough one. I really like to bass fish, but I would have to say fishing to rising fish on the Bow River to big rainbows and browns on small dries.
8. What are your favorite three flies?
Clouser Minnow
Purple Haze
Chubby Chernobyl
9. What is the one piece of gear you couldn’t bear to leave at home?
I really like the Orvis Guide Sling pack. You can carry a lot of gear in it and it does not weigh you down.
10. Do you have any other passions?
I am an avid wingshooter and guide in Saskatchewan and Arizona during the fall and winter.
To check out more from Dave Brown and Dave Brown Outfitters, please click here.
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