Guides will be the first to tell you that women anglers are best to have aboard because they listen and ask questions (Mistake No. 7). Photo courtesy of David Johnson.

Fishing guides are on the water every day. They see the best -- and the worst -- modern-day anglers.

The editor of this magazine gave me an assignment to write about the worst mistakes that guides see angler make. The idea is to help anglers get the most out of the good money they pay for guide services.

I decided to start off by brainstorming with a few of my guide friends. Many of our experiences were the same: We are used to seeing a lot of people who have very little or no fishing experience.

And their limited experience means they'll make mistakes. Here are some of the most common:

MISTAKE NO. 1
8:00 Means 8:00!
If your guide tells you to be there at 8 a.m., be on the boat at that time. If you are late, he may smile and tell you, "That's all right." But inwardly, he's probably thinking, I didn't get up at 3:30 a.m. to sit around waiting while we could be catching fish!

Sometimes on a slow day, the first bite of the day may be your only bite, and getting to the hole first can put you into that one fish.

Make sure you have the directions down clearly. In case of fog or ice on the road, give yourself extra time -- and get there early enough to use the rest room, put on your rain gear and take care of anything else you need to do before you get out on the water.

Countless times, my clients have arrived late because they didn't take into consideration the road conditions and didn't give themselves any extra driving time. It's a good idea to scope out the boat ramp the day before so you know where you're going.

MISTAKE NO. 2
Dress The Part
Nothing's more miserable than spending all day cold and wet.

No matter what the weatherman forecasts, bring a set of rain gear, both top and bottom. Even if it doesn't pour, rain gear will cut the wind, and there's always that chance of a wet seat on board.

Be smart and dress in layers. Even in summertime, it can be cool out on the river during the mornings. And if you get warm, you can always take off a layer. Waterproof shoes are a must, and it's not a bad idea to have dry clothes in the car -- especially an extra pair of dry socks.