The Sox are in Florida for their their Spring Training, but you don’t need to travel that far for your spring training! In fact, you don’t even need to travel at all for some training opportunities! That’s right, spring time means guides around the state are brushing off their non-winter gear and preparing for the upcoming summer season. MWGO is excited to offer a full slate of training opportunities and other events this spring and our first one, “A Guide’s Guide to Insurance” with Cross Current Insurance, is just a week away, so don’t miss out. But that’s not all, we have astronomy classes, guiding fly fishing clients tips and tricks, canoe poling, and our first ever Trivia Night too!
Leading off…
A Guides Guide to Insurance with Cross Current Insurance
Navigating the landscape of liability insurance for guides and other outdoor activities is challenging. The number of insurers and specialty insurance programs for this sector are fewer and the appetite of insurance companies for the various activities are quite often limited. Main street insurance agents and brokers may not know much about the marketplace and fewer still have much understanding of the operations and how to manage the risks. Working with insurance brokers that understand the outdoor recreational industry and are outdoor enthusiasts themselves will better serve guides looking for insurance.
MWGO will host a virtual workshop presented and facilitated by Cross Current Insurance Group on Tue Mar 12 at 7pm. Understand the Insurance Industry from a Guide’s perspective and gain an insider’s insight into navigating what can be a challenging topic. A fly fishing guide business has different associated risks from a hunting guide business, which has different risks from a wilderness trip guide business. Help understand how you as a guide or guide business can find appropriate insurance coverage for your particular business and its operations.
This event will be held virtually via Zoom and is open only to MWGO Members.
On Deck…
Our First Ever Maine Guide Trivia Night at Mast Landing Brewing in Freeport
Think you know a bit about Maine? Are you loony for loons? Keen on kayaking? Wild about wildlife?
Whether you’re a nature lover, a present (or future!) Maine Guide, or a general trivia fan, join the Maine Wilderness Guides Organization for an evening of fun and prizes at Mast Landing Freeport on Monday, March 25th at 6pm. Trivia will cover everything from local history to Registered Maine Guide exam topics, so dust off that Gazetteer*!
Bring friends to form a team, or come solo to make new connections. As always, Mast Landing will have a great menu of brews and food to fuel your trivia prowess. It’s not just a game – it’s a celebration of Maine’s incredible outdoor heritage!
*No need to bring anything except yourself, however. We’ll provide everything you need!
In the hole…
State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta
MWGO will have a booth at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show April 19th through 21st at the Augusta Civic Center! This is a great chance to stop by and say hi, chat with MWGO representatives, share your thoughts and ideas, or find out more about MWGO events or activities.
Look for us in “The Bear’s Den” section of the show. We are always looking for ways for our members to get involved, so if you would like to help staff the booth, please reach out to us! The Show Hours are Friday 1pm – 8pm, Saturday 9am – 7pm, and Sunday 9am – 4pm. We hope to see you there!
Batting cleanup…
Exploring the Summer Skies of Maine with John Meader
Does the eclipse have you thinking celestially? Join John Meader, Director of Northern Stars Planetarium, for a four week online class, Wednesdays at 7pm from Apr 24 to May 15, to discover the stars, the constellations, the planets, the Moon, and other sky phenomena such as meteors, aurora, and the Milky Way. The class will be taught especially for guides and those who spend time in Maine’s Northwoods, to expand your background knowledge of what’s overhead, allowing you to share the sky with clients and sports with a deeper understanding of what you’re looking at so you can share it with others. Cost is $50 for MWGO Members, $60 for non-Members.
But wait, there’s more!
Guiding Fly Fishing Clients: Tips and Tactics for Successful Outcomes
Whether you are a current Maine Guide or aspiring to become one, join MWGO on May 4 for a day of tips and tactics you can use to successfully lead fly fishing clients on Maine waters. Topics will cover casting, fly selection, knot tying, safety, proper catch and release techniques, and more, all from the perspective of how a Guide can teach and model these skills and practices to their clients. Pricing and registration info coming soon…
One more…
Canoe Poling Workshop with Lisa DeHart of “3 Minutes with a Maine Guide”
Canoe poling is a heritage skill rarely practiced today outside Maine and the Maritimes. But before there were outboard motors it was a common way to transport supplies upriver through fast water and rapids.
Join MWGO on May 18 (rain date May 19) in West Gardiner for a canoe poling workshop instructed by Lisa DeHart of “3 Minutes with a Maine Guide.” The cost is $150 per person for MWGO Members and $175 for non-Members, with a maximum of 6 people in the class, so don’t wait to sign up for this one!
These are all popular events and some of them have very limited enrollments, so don’t wait, act now! We hope to see you at one (or more) of these events this season!