Fishing is in Bill Murray’s blood, and has been ever since he first baited a hook at age five. Having dedicated both work and recreational time throughout his life to fishing, Murray was an obvious choice to serve as one of the first 10 Tidal Angling Guide (TAG) assessors, evaluating the skills and professionalism of challengers seeking TAG certification.
He was raised in Thunder Bay, Ont., where he fished fresh water. When he grew up and wasn’t out casting lures, he earned his living as a senior manager in the pulp and paper industry. Following its job opportunities, he moved to British Columbia: first to Gold River, then Powell River and now Courtenay. “I fell in love with the West Coast,” says Murray. “My wife and I bought a new, bigger boat and dedicated ourselves to saltwater fishing.”
When he was in his early 50s, and after 33 years of corporate life, Murray saw an opportunity to move on to a better lifestyle. He took a retirement package and went fishing, yet soon felt somewhat at loose ends and wanted to remain productive. His wife saw an advertisement for a fishing guide at the upscale Sonora Resort, north of Campbell River, and suggested he apply. With a lifetime of experience and an unmatched enthusiasm for fishing, he was hired. That summer, he travelled up to Sonora Island, in the Discovery Islands group where he enjoyed the camaraderie of other experienced guides and meeting fisher folk from around the world.
The Queen Charlotte Islands, or Haida Gwaii (as they are now called), are a haven for salmon fishermen, and when Peregrine Lodge advertised an opening for a guide, Murray applied and got the job. “The Queen Charlottes are the epitome of everything I’d ever heard about the West Coast in terms of big fish, lots of fish, great lodges,” says Murray. He was out on the water 117 days straight in his first season. After three great years at Peregrine and, having gained the necessary experience, Murray’s dream to work at Langara Island Lodge came true in 2011 when he was hired there as a guide. He now looks forward to returning each spring to guide at Langara Island and share his experience and passion with guests from all points of the globe.
Still, while high-end resorts always did their best to hire expert guides, there were no standardized qualifications. “A guy who just runs a boat but can't carry on a meaningful conversation with a guest is not good enough anymore,” says Murray. “Lodges want top-notch guest services. Can he talk on a radio? Can he save you if you fall overboard? Does he have any regard for the resource? Does he have any conflict-resolution skills? And that is where the Sport Fishing Institute of BC takes over. There will be no more of this business of ‘We hired him because he says he’s a guide.’ He’s going to have to qualify.”
Murray was approached last year by SFI to be an assessor for TAG certification. “It is the same principles as when I was an assessor in the pulp and paper industry. You break down a job into its competency components. SFI had 40 people working on this — from fish industry guides to lodge owners to Department of Fisheries and Oceans people. We worked out these core competencies and came up with 18 of them."
Such attention to the essential details makes Murray enthusiastic about the future of the TAG program and its impact on the sport fishing industry. SFI also issues a CTAG designation to successful challengers who apply for such membership status. "It will separate the wannabes from the professionals," he says. "Those that have all this experience will come forward and challenge and get the CTAG. This will add continuity and credibility to the certification. The lodges had representatives on the original planning group, so they want it, and I believe they will eventually make it compulsory. They want to put on their websites that their guides are CTAGs. Word will get around pretty quick.”
