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| what do guides charge for a half day or full day, one or two people?
do guides have "cheeper" "nice" rods and reels or $500+ outfits?
do lost lures or broken rods get added to the bill?
do guides supplie drinks or snacks?
do guides run wide open or at some more ecconomical speed?
is a radio a must?
have a sucker onboard for taking a break?
anything else you want to add that i may have missed?
i belive i have enough passion and skill to start guiding randomly in west cetral MN, it is my dream to spend most days on the water, mixed bags, musky, bass, pike and walleyes. | |
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | in order...
the norm I have seen (again a lot of this is depending on skill, boat type, gear type and word of mouth) but $250 - $350 for a half day is pretty good. $400 - $550 for a full day is about as high as I personally would pay. The most I payed for a full day is $460... not including the sick tip I gave that guide for not only teaching me a bunch of stuff. But he was just a flat out awesome dude
Generally guides have decent to really nice gear. I've been out with three guides. One used shimano TE's, one used Abu garcia NACLs, and the other had Calcutta D's. Everyone had Legend Tourny St croix rods.. All in all nice gear.
Lost lures and broken rods is part of being a guide. Sh*t happens from time to time. Thats why we pay what we do. I've had this convo with two of the guides I was with. They have never charged anyone for a broken rod or lost bait. One guy said he lost over ten rods just last season... But no, generally no charge is added. They should not charge either. You get to fish for a LIVING!!! If a rod breaks you buy a new one and move on. part of the hazard of being a guide IMHO. You can however talk to your clients about being careful with your gear and make sure they are 100% comfortable with using everything before you start spot jumping like a bat out of hell.
Some guides supply drinks, some don't. but never have any had food. But I prefer to bring my own stuff and usually will bring the guide food or make them a sandwich for the trip. just my 2 cents.
Guides do what they need to do to get from spot to spot to give their client the best chance at a fish. Whether that be trolling from spot to spot or dang near flying there. WHATEVER IT TAKES
I'd bring a radio, but leave it up to your client if they would like to listen to music. If they do, GREAT! If not. at least you gave them the choice instead of making it yourself.
Suckers are always a good option. Depending on where you fish, you may be able to have the sucker plus both casting... IMO. If the guide really wants to put their client on fish and you can have both suckers and casters. When the guide figure 8s, lead the fish to the sucker, and let the client take the fish. Trolling is another good break time option
When guiding you have to ask yourself if you are going to fish or not. I fished with both types, guides that do fish and guides that don't. I prefer the ones that do, only because guides are generally much more skilled and talented sticks then I am, especially on their personal waters. So I like to watch what they do and add it to my arsenal of techniques. BUT if you are going to be a guide that fishes with your client. Understand that they are paying you, and should have the best option or chance at catching. I.e. Let them fish from the front and you drive from the back. or have them up front with you. Guides IMHO have to be completely unselfish when it comes to catching. If you think blades are the way to catch on your water, then the client should throw blades and you choose something else to cast. The client is not paying you so you can go and catch all the fish. They are paying you so they can. guides are 'on the water' coaches. You are there to teach your client, not out fish them.
What you should do, is find what most guides DONT do. and figure what can make you different as a guide to get ahead in the game. Obviously your catch numbers are the most important... but what else? or your clients catch numbers that is. No client really cares how many fish you can catch. They figure your a guide so you have to be good at it. They care how many fish they can contact while with you. The more they catch and the more professional you are as a guide. the bigger your tips will be. Trust me.
If you look at it from a business stand point. Its just another form of customer service. Serve your customer and you will never be wrong
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Posts: 270
Location: SE WISCONSIN | All the gear should be a write off for full time guide's | |
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Posts: 791
Location: WI | Brent is right on. One other thing that people don't think about is all the legality that goes with guiding. You must be liscensed. You must have insurance which is very expensive. God forbid something tragic happens and you can lose everything. | |
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what is the norn?