Becoming a Registered Maine Guide has been a life long dream for me. It seemed like a right of passage for those who grew up in a sporting camp environment. The daily influences of experienced Maine Guides with their paying sportsmen kept the dream alive throughout my youth. I knew the body of water, the favorite fishing spots, and the outlying ponds like the back of my hand. Watching the guides load up their pack baskets each morning with freshly packed lunches or the complete makings of a cookout was very inviting. I was jealous of the guides and their daily routines when I compared it to my daily inside chores of cleaning, cooking, and laundry.
Guides provide the best possible fishing opportunities for their sports each day. Their knowledge of the great outdoors along with their practical instincts assures guests that they are in good hands. They know the current fishing conditions based on a variety of data. For example, they know the water levels and temperature, the present diet of the fish, and Mother Nature's overall influences. Cooking is another skill that is an absolute for a Guide. A typical summer cookout prepared by a Maine Guide begins with fried onions and fresh peeled potatoes cooked in a big cast iron frying pan. Usually a thick steak and a vegetable accompany the potatoes, and a standing pot of coffee that has been brewed over the open fire completes a meal. A Maine Guide must be skilled in many diverse areas to be successful.
My determination to become a Maine Guide led me to devote an entire week to schooling in a remote setting to prepare for the tests. Three options were available for study: Fishing, Hunting or Recreation. The Recreational Maine Guide has a license to take guests on overnight trips, where the Fishing and Hunting are self-explanatory. At that time, you must pass both a written test and appear before an oral board to endure a three part test. One part of the test is devoted to Map and Compass skills. Another part is dedicated to a “Lost Person Scenario,” which test your skills at finding a lost person in the woods. Finally you are drilled on the subject matter of your major, i.e. fishing, hunting or recreation. If you fail any part, you must reschedule to appear again. I was fortunate to pass all the tests and become the first female Registered Maine Guide in my family, and the first female guide at Pierce Pond Camps. It's an accomplishment I shall always cherish.
Becoming a Registered Maine Guide is not an easy task. Did I mention the school I attended was held at a sporting camp, and I was the only female among 23 male students? Oh well, it's not only the Maine woods that makes you tough!