|
|
Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I like to hire a local guide mostly when I travel to a new lake or area and when on vacation. I have also hired a guide to pre fish for big tournament.
Fishing with a guide will allow me to learn certain important things from him/her: The local hot lakes, current patterns that are working, lures to use (when and how), and everything else I can ask him/her while we are out on the water.
I have lots of clients that just want to come out and catch fish, some want to learn the lake, some just need to get the hot pattern so they can repeat it in there own boat with friends or family, some just want to get away from work and enjoy the moment with a freind or kid.
Plenty of great reasons to hire a guide.
What is your reasons to get into the boat with a guide? | |
| | |
| I don't have the first clue why one would hire a giude. I have never done it. Seems more rewarding to take a lake map and what you already know and give it a go yourself! Looks like most of the guides take credit for the fish their clients catch anyway. I am never really sure who gets credit the guy/gal who caught it or the guide? | |
| | |
| I am in sales. I have all the gear and know many good lakes and river stretches. Often times my business customers are in my boat. However, sometimes it just makes good business sense to treat my clients to the expertise of a professional in the musky fishing business.
| |
| | |
Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | As someone new to fishing muskies, I will hire a guide as a tutor. I'm not some kid. I need a professional to shorten my learning curve before I head to Eagle Lake and AML in August. After several trips I'll be more comfortable trying to accomplish something on my own.
I also don't have a boat.
Kevin
Guides = Successful completion of the plan. | |
| | |
Posts: 1516
| I hire a guide for a couple reasons the 1st is to try an learn a little more a little faster. I don't live near alot of musky water so when I go I like to up the odds so to speak. The other reason is I get to fish more if I'm not running the boat and all the stuff a guide does for you. the 3rd reason is most of the guides I have hired are pretty good guys to spend the day fishing with | |
| | |
Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | To LEARN! the water we are fishing, or just new tactics. Period. | |
| | |
Posts: 70
Location: Mapleton,IL | It is rewarding to catch a muskie your first time out on a body of water by yourself. But if you spend a whole year planning a trip too some far off musky heaven why would you want to spend half your vaction learning what color they want let alone a pattern. If you hire a guide for a day or two you can expect to get a crash course on the body of water your fishing and get thrown into proven patterns. You may be the greatest fishermen on your local lake , but how do you know whats going on 500 miles from home if you never been there before. It just makes sense in my mind | |
| | |
Posts: 376
Location: Lake Vermilion Tower, MN | A number of my guide clients just don't have the time to go breakdown a lake,
especially one the size of Vermilion.
It just makes sense to them to go hire a guide for their first day. It gives them a much better chance for success, when they don't have to waste half of their vacation looking for the right places to fish.
"Ace" 
Edited by guideman 2/21/2006 9:07 PM
| |
| | |
Posts: 201
Location: Stevens Point | I agree, the reason to hire a guide is to learn everything you can from them. Especially when on vacation you want to make the most of the time you have. Hire the guide for the 1st day or maybe two and get a lot more out of a trip. Although it costs extra $$ you will more than likely have a much better trip. | |
| | |
| I hire a guide to learn. Plain and simple. I want them to show me something that I didn't know. In most cases I've hired a guide I want to know about a new body of water I'm fishing. What are the seasonal patterns? Predominant forage? Productive baits? Whatever. Its NEW and I may not know much about it. Its awesome to get to a new body of water and stomp around. Of course it is great to get out there and do it myself and can be very rewarding. Done it plenty of times. But to think I can go out there in a few trips and learn what a guide may have learned over 5, 10, 15 years or a guide who spends an entire season on a single body of water? They shorten the learning curve tremendously. Being a guide is their job and most know how to do it well. I look at getting a guide on a new water as someone coming to do my job. Yeah, they might be able to the job done but not to the extent & magnitude that my experience allows me to get the job done. I hire a guide for their experience and knowledge.
For me catching a fish with a guide is secondary. Learning something about the lake, a pattern, a spot, etc. is what I have hired a guide for. Fish are a bonus. | |
| | |
| Funny no one mentions BUY SPOTS.
Large number of people only want your locations, fave lure, Bla, bla, bla...
Now and in resent past we get large numbers of calls from people who only want to know if they hire up will the places we go to hold fish come September when some Tourney is going to happen?
Weird.
| |
| | |
Posts: 1316
Location: Madison, WI | 1st reason to learn! Lure Techniques, lure selection, boat control, proper releasing, reading structure, oh the list goes on.. ..Second i don't own a boat... | |
| | |
Posts: 5874
| I have hired several guides in the past, and have fished with many more as friends. When I want to be abused, I'll hire a guide. While I haven't hired Dorazio in a while, I think I may have to get out with him this year. I just didn't get my share of abuse at the Milwaukee Expo this year!
Seriously, though. I'll hire a guide when I'm on new water, especially big water, or dangerous waters. The Chip is big, and has it's areas to be careful on. I hired Wayne Gooch the first time up, and learned alot. On LOTW the first time, I went out with Brian Major, and learned a ton. Also, he helped me to use the map up there to avoid hazards. Dave Dorazio was hired when I went to the Fall Musky Hunt with friend Bud Mielke. I learned Big Siss, and it's one of my favorite lakes. Also went out with Dave several times since, and we've fished many lakes in Sawyer County area, and it's always a lot of fun, and I learn alot every trip. Lake St Claire, I hired a guide and we went 4 for 5 or something like that. Had a customer with, and he got his first muskie, a obese 45"!
When I'm with a guide, I don't bring my handheld GPS, although I could. I don't hire a guide for "spots", but I do pay attention to the type of water we are fishing, what the wind is, temps, moon phase, etc. I know I should take better notes whenever I fish, but I just don't, even when I'm out with guides. I guess for me it's as much of a social outing as it is just a fishing outing to get information. I will ask how to fish a specific bait. I was taught how to fish a suick, and I still think I am pretty good with that bait. Same with the Reef Hawg. Maybe some day, I'll have someone get me better on the walk the dog style baits!
| |
| | |
Posts: 2089
| Doesn't matter who catches/boats a fish, it's a team effort.Will I use the photo of a clients 40lber to promote my service?You betcha.I've hired 2 guides in my life and learned a lot from each of them.They're now my friends and I STILL learn from them.Great investment in MY future. Steve | |
| | |
Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | I get guides to learn new waters and patterns on those waters for future days without a guide. | |
| | |
Posts: 238
| This seems like a good topic for those that have not hired a guide. I've gone out with only 1 guide in the past and learned a new technique on local water that really proved itself on later trips. We only had 1 follow with the guide, but using the technique I learned I boated muskies on 4 of the next 5 trips out on that water - all using the technique the guide taught me.
Lots of excellent ideas for hiring a guide have been posted here. Most comments pertain learning something... Techniques, patterns, lures, lakes (that kind-of means spots, doesn't it?), structure, forage, etc. As a client I would hope to learn as much as I could - and also to enjoy the day. And for me, catching a fish, whether out with a guide or not, is a bonus.
Since I'm pretty new to being a guide client, I wonder if you can help me with some client etiquette. On another thread someone posted that it might be in poor taste to even ask if the guide is ok if I bring my gps. I don't understand. A gps used on a guide trip can for sure bring you back to the specific spots you fished, but can also help with navigation thru some tricky reefs. If I ask a guide and s/he would prefer that I don't use my GPS, then I would respect that. If the guide is ok with that, then why not? If you hire a guide for the first day of a fishing trip, should a client avoid spots that you and a guide fished? If the guide and I raised a big fish that first day and I could find that spot again, wouldn't I be silly not to see if she was hungry later in the trip? If the guide asks me to avoid the spots I learned, then I'd respect that. (I'd have a hard time understanding a guide that was like that, though.) Most guides I've talked to at shows, seminars, etc, are very open with their info -- including some spots. I spoke with a famous bucktail maker at a show a number of years ago and once he learned I was going to be fishing his home canadian water, he asked me to bring me my hydro map so he could mark it up for me. That was awesome and I thanked him by purchasing some lures from him. I also thanked him after the trip especially for one of the spots that showed lots of big fish including a true horse. I also shared spots with him that I learned while I was there.
A few other questions... Is it ok to take notes while fishing with a guide? Is it ok to refer to lake maps while on the water with a guide? If anyone has any other dos and don'ts when out with a guide, please share those ideas with us.
Thx,
D2Bucktail | |
| | |
Posts: 8865
| Hmm...
I believe the reasons for hiring a guide evolve over time.
It's always been about learning on some level, but as your skills and knowledge improve your expectations change, or at least mine did.
The first time it was "take me fishing"
Then it was learning how to present lures effectively
Then it was choosing lures
Then it was learning spots
and I guess now when I hire a guide it's more to gain an understanding of that body of water from someone who knows it very well and fishes it all of the time.
As for etiquette? I just ask myself how I would feel if I was the guide and a client asked me that. I would never ask for marked up maps, but I have had them offered to me.
Asking for GPS coordinates? That's a little over the top in my opinion -- your guide makes his living out on that water and probably spend years and years learning that "secret spot"...
It all depends on your relationship with that guide I guess. One of the guides I fish with found out I was going up to Eagle and he said "You have to come up before you go! I'll give you my map! I've been marking that thing up for 20 years, and its pretty beat up but its got every fish I ever caught marked on it"
Guess that means I'm a good client?
Edited by esoxaddict 2/22/2006 3:44 PM
| |
| | |
| Bit different musky guiding then on the coast but in San Diego I have been on many day trips.
At dack and in office their are huge RED signs: NO GPS.
Your's and everyones trip ends if you are found to have a GPS in your postion.
Off coast of Alaska when I was younger I seen more fights in bars over people not respecting other areas.
Be it off the coast or on the mainland.
Be it fishing or hunting.
Not good to carry a hidden GPS.
Musky waters can be the same to some.
Some guides I know don't like the GPS questions.
I don't care as long as I know the people have it.
Shoot I so handsome I'm a dead give away in my big black boat.
Plus I fish in spare time also and have two to four golden Reterivers with me at all times.
Kind of tough to hide spots.
Wish people would not pound spots I take them to as we go to them for the conditions of the day.
Not fun or good pratice to simply pound locations cause we went to them.
Time and again I say: If it looks fishy, you feel good about it.
Go up and fish it.
At the very least you will learn the area and have one more spot to hit on your own.
Shoot most people don't even hire ya.
They come on by and ask for fake directions and pop in location to the GPS.
Others glass ya from afar, then run over when you leave.
Silly really.
Marking maps is OK in the boat for me.
But beware of who is marking what for you.
Might just send ya to no mans land.
Good bunch of questions.
Best advise is to simply ask the guide your talking to UP FRONT.
More you lay on the table the more you will learn, more fun you will have and maybe make a life long friend.
Best of luck.
T.
| |
| | |
Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | D2Bucktail,
I don't know who you hired or where most of your info came from but most guides will give you anything you ask. I feel if you hire a guide, they are there for you to learn from. This includes spots, baits, patterns, marking maps, yes even GPS in my boat.
As for fishing spots you were guided to the day before or whenever, hell ya. You hired the guide for that info, use it. I used to think all my clients would be back to pound my spots. Actually most of the time I would see them all over the lake and once in a while in the zones I showed them.
As for GPS, well thats a touchy subject with some guides. I feel with all the new maps out that have GPS'ed spots marked why not let them use whatever they want to remember the spots. I will usually mark their maps as we fish the spots anyway and give them some land referances to keep them close to the areas when they come back. Maybe I am too nice with the info, but I have not seen any affects on the lake in the last 5 years. Just very happy clients going home with the feeling of money well spent.
" If you hire a guide for the first day of a fishing trip, should a client avoid spots that you and a guide fished? If the guide and I raised a big fish that first day and I could find that spot again, wouldn't I be silly not to see if she was hungry later in the trip?" D2Bucktail, I would expect to see you back at that spot. If I was working it with other clients though, I would expect some consideration and fish it after we finished. Thats just respectfull and good sportmanship.
I have took clients out on a Monday afternoon and fished a good West wind milk run with them. Tuesday I headed out with more clients and noticed my Mondays clients working just ahead of me doing my exact run(same wind). I just jumped to the next spot and continued on from there. At the launch we talked and they said they were sorry. I told them to feel free to fish any where anytime. I just worked around them like I would anyone else. We talked some more, they raised a few and my clients scored two and raised a few more. We compared info and everyone was happy. All 4 of the clients from both days. Everyone wins.
The worst thing to do with a guide is to not ask questions. Feel free to ask anything while in the boat or at the launch. You can learn so much in conversation. I think that is the most under used resource a client has. Ask questions................
I hope this help you some. Anymore questions I would be glad to help you out.
| |
| |
|
Why do you hire a guide?