Cap'n Chuck Duggins is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed smallmouth bass guide in Maine (Record Quest Guides), guiding mostly on South Branch Lake out of the sporting camps of the same name. He also guides on the Penobscot and Piscataquis Rivers for Smallmouth with an occasional trip for either Largemouth or Stripers, inshore, on the coast. Most years, he spends between 100 and 150 days in a boat.
Many years ago, he read a book by Buck Perry in which he said not to worry about why you are not catching fish because that didn't matter. Instead, figure out why you were catching them because that did matter and would tell you how to catch more of them! He took it to heart and learned from that.
Many years later, he was fortunate enough on several occasions to share a boat with the legendary Billy Westmoreland, the Godfather of Smallmouth fishing. The latter taught him the intricacies of smallmouth bass fishing. Chuck's knowledge and skills accelerated well beyond the average angler.
In all of his fishing, the economy is a consideration. Both his economy and yours. He has purchased over the years, a lot of years, several hundred fishing rods, at a guess. He claims he "paid dearly" for the knowledge of fishing rods gained in the hopes you could learn from his experiences and save some money. His basic philosophy would best be summed up this way: buy value, not price, function, not fancy.
Duggins sees things from the viewpoint of a working guide. What does that mean? They are NOT paying him to catch fish, but to HELP them catch fish! And that philosophy transcends his writing style.