I was recently listening to Mike Jones’ Fly Line podcast featuring Bill Green.
If you don’t know who Bill Green is, this episode is a good way to get to know him. When I was in my late 20s, he hosted a show called “Bill Green’s Maine.” I believe it aired on Saturday nights. He traveled all over the state interviewing Maine people doing Maine things.
Listening brought back memories of when I was on his show — one of the fondest moments of my guiding career. I remembered sitting at home thinking, “I’ll email him and see if he wants a new guide on his show.” I figured if I didn’t ask, I wouldn’t have a chance.
In August 2004, we met at Dysart’s with his cameraman. Bill bought me breakfast and explained that he only needed one fish to make a TV show.
At the time, I had only been fishing the Penobscot for two years. I had never fished it before I started guiding, and only did so because another guide told me to buy a jet boat and start guiding for bass. I had never operated a boat before, let alone fly-fished for smallmouth on a big river.
Over those two years, I explored new sections of the river on my own or while guiding trips. To this day, there isn’t much of the river I haven’t seen from Medway to Old Town.
I was nervous to take Bill out, but the river offered endless opportunities and I only needed one fish. The real question was where to start.
As I ran upriver, my mind bounced between spots. I thought about the first place I ever fished while scouting for a guided trip with Jack Lee, where I caught 40 smallmouth. I also considered fishing moving water since it was August and the fish prefer cooler water on hot days.
Producing on one day is tough, especially on the most popular outdoor show in Maine. But Bill and his cameraman were fantastic. They put no pressure on me. They just wanted to have fun. All the pressure was coming from me.
Coming through the rapids, I decided on a side channel I had been exploring where I’d caught some nice fish and could sight-fish. I slowed the boat and eased toward the point with the trolling motor. I remember exactly what fly I was fishing: a Clouser Minnow. I made my first cast and hooked up immediately. Just like that, the pressure was off.
Then the smallmouth jumped. Panic set in. It was a big-river smallmouth on a fly rod. When the fish finally slid into the net, the pressure disappeared and I let out a yell. We had a show on the first cast, but the day was far from over.
Now we needed B-roll and filler footage. At one point, we dropped the cameraman on shore so he could film us running upriver in the jet boat.
What really stands out is that while the cameraman was on shore, smallmouth started rising everywhere. I never saw a hatch, but Bill began catching them on topwater and I’m pretty sure the cameraman caught a few himself.
Bill Green was a great host and made my first TV appearance easy and enjoyable. Being on the Maine outdoors show is something I’ll never forget.
Whether you’re a new guide or someone who’s been at it for years, it never hurts to ask. One simple email can change your business. Think outside the box and don’t be afraid to do what no one else is doing to set yourself apart.