Ken Arnett has been guiding on the Brazos and San Juan Rivers in New Mexico for nearly six years. If you’re hoping to catch a wild rainbow or brown trout, he is your guy in the area. Ken primarily takes clients on rivers walk and wade style. Ken is a fun-loving, energetic guy that genuinely loves to see his clients beaming as they hook a fish on the fly.
Ken provides his clients with tips and tricks on how to fish the area more efficiently, professional photos of the clients and their catches, and a personalized Spotify playlist that will pump you up for a day on the water.
Where are your home waters? / Is this different from where you guide now?
My home waters are the Brazos, San Juan and the Chama River. Though I don’t guide on the Chama, I do guide the San Juan and the Brazos River.
Where do you fish/guide?
Northern New Mexico: The Brazos and San Juan Rivers.
What species of fish do you guide for?
Primarily brown trout and rainbow trout. But, occasionally, a brook trout will make an appearance on the Brazos.
When guiding clients, are you walk-in fishing, fishing shorelines, fishing from a drift boat/jet boat/prop boat? What is your specific style?
The past few years it’s been primarily walk and wade, but as of late 2021, I acquired a 14’ 3 person cataraft that can be utilized as a guide vessel. And, I plan to purchase a drift boat in the next few months as well.
How long have you been professionally guiding?
I have been professionally guiding for 5 ½ years.
Who is your biggest inspiration or mentor?
Rob Giannino has been a huge inspiration to me since we first met in the latter part of 2018. In addition to Rob, Scottie Finanger with Wildfly Productions has also been a huge inspiration to me.
What is your favorite part about guiding and the thing that keeps you coming back every day?
My favorite part of being a fly fishing guide is sharing my burning passion for catching big, technical trout.
Guiding doesn’t feel like “work” for me, and I am incredibly blessed to have been able to turn my lifestyle into a career.
There are never two of the same days and that always keeps me on my toes. One day could be a 100+ fish day, the next we could be working hard to put 10 fish in the net. That is where the knowledge and expertise as a guide comes into play. There is ALWAYS more to learn and improve on and that keeps me humble.
What was your first fishing experience? / When did you begin fly fishing?
I began fly fishing when I was 9 years old with a good friend and his mother. Her father was a die hard fly fisherman and when she and her husband divorced, she became very depressed and struggled being a single mother. Though she was no expert, she knew the basics of fly fishing and would take my brother, her son and me to the local pond where we would catch stocked rainbow trout.
I quickly became addicted and wanted more… I began tying flies on a $40 Cabela’s vise, and caught my first fish on a white wooly bugger that I tied in my living room.
My father, Glenn, who has also been mentioned in my podcast segment, and has fished with Rob, has been a huge motivator for me and fly fishing. He has always been an avid outdoorsman, but grew up in Texas fishing traditional tackle. Once he noticed my passion for fly fishing, he purchased his own fly rod and we began learning the ropes of fly fishing together and started traveling to the San Juan and Pecos river every chance we got. As soon as I obtained my drivers license and got my own vehicle, I was on the water 2-3 days a week and began learning some entomology which improved my fly fishing/tying tactics immensely. In 2017, I began guiding and have been doing so ever since.
Most embarrassing thing to happen while guiding a trip? (For you or a guest)
Though my most embarrassing moment doesn’t seem too “special,” I can definitely say that slipping and falling on a super slick, mossy rock would take the cake.
Also, during a guided lunch, the Mountain Dews in the Yeti seemed to have gotten a bit shaken up during our travels and I ended up getting a face full of pressurized soda!
Best day on the water with clients, tell us about it.
Easily the best day on the water (for me) was the first time my client hooked into a 30+” brown trout. I was excited, nervous, terrified, and a mix of other emotions as he was fighting it, but, the second we got that fish in the net, it was screams of joy, tears and a lot of hugs and high-fives! The fish ended up taping in at just shy of 34 ¼” and broke the aluminum boat net handle in half, it was EPIC!
Dream fishing trip?
Golden Dorado in Bolivia is my #1 bucket list trip followed by 20+lb trout in the South Island of Twizel New Zealand.
Do you think that conservation plays a role in guiding? Why or why not.
ABSOLUTELY! Guides play a huge role in conservation.
Without conservation and proper/ethical angling tactics, we risk ruining our fisheries. Not only is that a huge problem for our industry, it would unarguably ruin the opportunity for other anglers to enjoy the same fish.
It is very important as a guide, not only to teach your clients to catch fish, but also the basics of preserving the health of the fish i.e: wet your hands prior to handling fish to protect their slime coat, use barbless hooks, never hold fish out of the water for more than 10 seconds, don’t disturb redds, etc.
What is it that draws you to fly fishing?
The science and inconsistency of it. As mentioned before, there are never two of the same days fly fishing. The slightest change can cause trout not to eat and by doing extensive research of weather patterns, barometric pressure changes, water fluctuations and temperature rises/drops, we can learn to predict these changes and adjust our angling tactics accordingly.
Best and worst places you have guided clients?
Being that I have only guided 2 very healthy, stable fisheries, I cannot say I have guided a “bad” place.
Of the two waters I guide on, they are both incredible in different ways. The Brazos, without a doubt, has much smaller fish than the San Juan, but, the scenery and amount of fish you can catch in a day seems unreal! The Brazos River is a small freestone river situated below the 2300’ tall Brazos Cliffs resembling Yosemite National Park. Down stream, you are running primarily dries and dry-dropper rigs on light tippet, fishing pockets and deep runs under fallen debris, all while getting misted by cool water at the base of a 75’ waterfall.
The San Juan river is beautiful in its own way, but is clearly much less scenic than the Brazos. The San Juan is a large tailwater below Navajo Dam and flows through a wide, shallow rim rock canyon where in some spots it spans 108ft wide and 30 ft deep. The San Juan has an estimated 14,000 fish per mile. Of those fish, 70% are estimated to be above 18” and there have been over 50 different brown and rainbow trout documented over 30” in the short 6 mile span.
What is a trick that you teach guests often?
There are many tricks I find helpful and share with my clients, but the one that is most useful to me is drop-shot nymphing. Instead of placing any split shot above or between your 2 flies, you tie in an extra 6-8” tag section of fluorocarbon to the bottom of your rig and pinch on your split shot below your flies. This method avoids lots of false strikes and prevents your flies from coming in contact with the bottom of the river or moss.
What is one tip you would give someone when they are trying to find a fishing guide for a trip?
Definitely talk to the guide or outfitter you’re considering on the phone prior to booking with them. Get a feel for their demeanor and feel out what kind of person they are. Not at all saying this makes a guide “good or bad” but, you are much more likely to learn and have a successful day fishing with someone that has a similar personality as yours.
I am a very talkative, energetic and enthusiastic person in general and when I’m guiding, I am going to talk, laugh, make jokes and scream if you catch a big fish! I try to get to know you on a personal level and make you feel important to me as a person, not just as a client that is paying me. However, I realize that not all people like that energy. Some people are very reserved and want to do nothing more than fish. I personally feel like this could be your biggest factor between having an awesome, memorable day and feeling like you wasted your money.
Fly fishing is NOT cheap! Guides are NOT cheap! Rods are NOT cheap! Reels are NOT cheap! Do your research, call around, feel your guide out!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a fishing guide?
You should first and foremost determine whether you are a “people person.” You will have a very hard time being a successful guide or any kind of instructor if you cannot be patient and personable. In addition to being personable, if you haven’t been fishing the water you’re planning to guide for years or have extensive knowledge of it, I’d highly recommend working under a fly shop or outfitter your first few years to gain that knowledge and to see how they operate.
What is your favorite fly to use on the water, not necessarily the best, but your favorite? Also, what is your go-to guide fly?
My absolute favorite fly to fish is a big foam body mouse pattern! It is absolutely insane to watch a huge brown come up from the depths and crush a mouse.
Realistically speaking, my favorite day to day fly is called an annelid. A smaller, fixed variation of the ever so famous San Juan Worm. Annelids are a staple food source for these fish and never fail, this is also my #1 guide fly.
Favorite piece of gear you could not live without, and why?
The Fly Trap Holder! This simple, multifunctional piece of art designed by my friend Phil is the single most important thing to my gear setup. It acts as a tippet barrel, a net holder (when needed), a multi-rig holding device and has made guiding sooo much easier.
Naturally, clients are going to break off flies on fish, trees, while casting, and bottom debris, so, being able to pre rig and have a new section of tippet with your flies already attached is extremely convenient to have!
Let’s talk about tippet: Fluoro or Mono? Why?
Both serve their purpose. I lean towards fluoro when nymphing and when water is more clear just so that fish cannot see the line or catch a glare. Mono is great when the water is slightly off color or on a cloudy day when the chances of the sun glare is less.
Do you prefer a specific rod manufacturer over others? Why?
I think there are a number of excellent fly rod manufacturers on the market, but I am partial to G. Loomis and Fenwick fly rods. My personal rods are G. Loomis and my client rods are the Fenwick Aetos line. Both are very lightweight and excellent casting rods, but in addition to performance, the customer service and warranty programs are unmatched!
What about waders… What brand are you rocking, and why?
Simms, of course! Comfortable, stylish and warranty program is exceptional!
What are you listening to on the way to the river?
My self-curated fly fishing playlist on Spotify! Thinking of all the good memories I’ve had while I get pumped up and ready to conquer the day.
How can people connect with you? (Retail store, online store, social media handles, etc)
Instagram: @outwestanglers
Facebook: @outwestanglers
Website: www.outwestanglers.com
The Guide Network Website: https://theguidenetwork.com/profile/117
Phone: (480) 234-0706
Fly Fishing Journey’s Podcast
Any parting thoughts you’d like us to add?
Should anyone choose to use me as their guide, I will do everything in my will to make sure you have a day to remember! Along with your trip, I will also provide you with all of the media from our day on the water which includes all professionally captured photos of your catches!
Thank you so much for taking the time to learn about Outwest Anglers and I look forward to serving you on the river. Tight lines!
