The isotropic to nematic transition in solutions of linearly associating semiflexible polymers is studied at the level of the second virial approximation. It is found that, provided the polymers (or aggregates of polymers) are sufficiently long compared to their persistence length, the end-to-end association does not appreciably influence the transition. Strong coupling between the self-assembly and the nematic ordering has, however, to be expected when the polymers are very stiff and the tendency for aggregation is (in the isotropic phase) relatively weak.