Today we’d like to introduce you to Rutledge Godley
Hi Rutledge, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in the old village of Mt. Pleasant and being around the water was a part of my life from a very young age. My dad is a long time surfer from Charleston so going to the beach and surfing was something we did. Growing up, my friends and I would swim in the creeks behind the old village and wakeboard in Hobcaw Creek. I started getting into bass fishing in high school and then a few years later I started saltwater fishing. Specifically for seatrout with top water lures. I loved when a seatrout would blast out of the water at a lure! I still do. I started fishing flood tides shortly after with my friends Danny and Sean. That was something I had never experienced and to this day is my all time favorite type of fishing. I caught my first tailing redfish with a spinning rod and the obsession began. A year later I could my first redfish with a fly rod with my friend Wilds and that’s how I fish for redfish in the floodtides these days. I have spent countless hours in the marsh searching for tailing redfish and I’m just as excited as the first time when I see one. I’ve been a fishing guide/naturalist with Barrier Island Eco Tours for 5 years now but just last year started my very own guide service specializing in fly fishing and light tackle.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s easy to get in a comfort zone and want to stay but running a business takes a lot of effort and involvement for it to grow. Some struggles would be getting all of the licensing and forms filled out correctly and running a social media account. Most of my charters are word of mouth but engaging people through social media I think is important for the sake that almost everyone has a social media. I also enjoy posting cool things I get to see out on the water on a day to day basis.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I specialize in fly fishing and light tackle but conservation is such an important aspect to running my guide service. Most people that come to Charleston to fish don’t know much about the tidal salt marsh and I’m very passionate about sharing facts and the importance of promoting catch and release to ensure future generations can enjoy these waters. I am equally as passionate about teaching people about the eco system as I am getting them on their first redfish. I don’t want to just take people fishing, I want them to have an unforgettable experience that the beauty of the salt marsh has to offer. Seeing someone catch their first redfish on fly or develop a newfound respect for the tidal salt marsh reminds me of why I started this business.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Adaptability is something that is very important. Conditions are always changing on the water and being able to understand and adapt to what’s going on helps to be more successful in catching fish. Building relationships and making each trip feel personalized and special is something I put a lot of effort into as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://letitflyguideco.com
- Instagram: @letitflyguideco @rutledgegodley
