Name of Business: Hookin with Nate Guide Service (Michigan) Galloups Slide Inn (Montana)

Website: https://hookinwithnateguidingservice.com/

Social Media: instagram. nathan_a_anthony

What is your experience with trout fishing, and how many years have you been guiding?

I’ve been fly fishing for 21 years now, I started out when I was 6. This is going to be fourth year guiding the last two years manly being in Montana and then Michigan in the winters.

What type of trout do you primarily focus on (e.g., Brown, Rainbow, Brook)?

My main target is brown trout followed by rainbows and steelhead 

Can you describe your approach to teaching beginners the basics of trout fishing?

I’ll usually try to find things that they can relate with in order to get them casting correctly and I’ll often show them after explaining the motion and some techniques. After figuring how much skills I’m working with. Then I’ll try and decide what would work best for us to be successful. (Dry fly, nymphing, of streamers) 

What are some of the most effective techniques you use for catching trout in this area?

I’m really into streamer fishing and top water flies. Dry fly fishing works great when there is a hatch going. I don’t really care to nymph but it can definitely be productive 

How do you handle safety measures, and what equipment do you provide for clients?

Life jackets, throw rope, first aid, first aid kit and I’ll go through all the safety protocols 

What’s your go-to bait or lure for tricky trout, and why?

Depends on what approach I’m going with. For streamers I’m going with the barely legal it’s just something that works in the sun or clouds and it’s a great baitfish imitation. For dry flies I’d say an ant and that’s just because it’s one of the those bugs that are always around and fish will eat them whenever. My go to nymph would me a tungsten red neck it’s pretty similar to a pheasant tail and it’s a great mayfly imitation. 

How do you adapt your guiding strategies based on weather conditions or time of year?

So for the weather conditions typically on darker days I’ll stick to darker flies and brighter days. Time of year will usually determine how big or small my flies are and how fast I should be moving them if I’m streamer fishing. For dries on cloudy days purple haze or purple chubby and the rest of the time I’m just trying to match the hatch the best I can. 

What’s the most memorable fishing experience you’ve ever had with a client?

That would definitely be with Susan it was my first trip for the slide inn and on our first day we got two fish that were 18 inches and a 22.5 inch brown. She ended up rebooking me the next day and she landed two more 18s. And I just remember I was so relieved and happy and she was just absolutely shocked when I told her she was my first client in Montana. 

If you were a fishing lure, what type would you be and why?

I’d probably be some kind of streamer probably something a little bigger then average but in a natural color and it’s just what I love doing 

How do you maintain the fun aspect of fishing even on days when the fish just aren’t biting?

Honestly I’ve noticed that a lot of people are really interested in learning so if you can teach them something and really focus on that. Also just having real conversations with them and making sure they have an enjoyable time. 

Pro Questions:

Can you share a nuanced Pro Tip for identifying and interpreting underwater structures where trout are most likely to congregate?

Anywhere there is slow current and they have some kind of ambush spot they could come out and get food if they want to. 

What’s your expert-level Pro Tip for fine-tuning drag settings to manage fighting trout effectively, especially larger ones?

Fight the fish with your hands don’t always rely on your drag but if you’re going to. Set the drag a little lower than normal 

Do you have a Pro Tip that addresses the subtleties of fly presentation, particularly when dealing with wary or highly pressured trout?

So first off if he’s feeding on bugs sit and watch see how often he’s feeding look to see if he’s eating to the left or the right just sit there and watch the fish For dries and nymphs smaller tippet maybe smaller flies definitely use fluorocarbon. For streamers just try and do something different then other fisherman maybe they want it fast  maybe they want it slow 

What’s your Pro Tip for seasonal transitions in trout behavior and how to adapt strategies to these shifts?

So when it’s winter definitely slower the better and usually deeper or shallow flats, especially on the warmer days. Springtime is usually pretty good and the fish are starting to get more active and moving around looking for a good meal coming off winter so this is a great time for throwing big streamers. Summer time you’re looking more toward dry flies. And going for fall you can usually nymph an egg pattern or go back to streamers brows are going into post spawn and are pretty territorial this time of year. 

Could you share a Pro Tip that delves into the importance of local aquatic insect hatches and how to match your flies accordingly?

Most of the time your dry fly fishing it’s extremely important to match the hatch the best you can. A general pattern that’s probably the best fly ever is the Adams fly it covers most of your mayfly patterns. But if you are throwing a caddis during a mayfly hatch you probably aren’t going to get any action, the fish usually key in on something and won’t eat anything else. Most of the time you can try and look around and see what is hatching and match your fly the best you can or talk to your local fly shop and ask what should be hatching in your area and that time of year. Some places even have a hatch chart you can get and see what typically hatches at times of the year.