How To Find A Good Fishing Guide?

[RollCaster]

Longtime lurker here looking for advice from fellow forums members. Does anybody has any advice on how to find a good, qualified fishing guide? Should I look at magazines, websites, or go to bait shops? None of my friends fish so I can't really get referrals.

 

I wish there were a Yelp for fishing guides!

[roadwarrior]

Post the question in our "Regional" section. I have lots of suggestions

for the reservoirs of the Tennessee River and one for the White River

in Arkansas. Other guys will have recommendations for the lakes they

fish.

 

 

 

 

[Felix77]

When I found my guide in Florida I did the following ...

 

1)  Browse the web for the guides in a particular area or lake of interest.

2)  Compared prices and then called each of them.

 

I essentially interviewed them to get a better understanding on how they would fish with me and what I could expect on that day.  Two key questions I asked are ...

 

1. What type of fishing do you plan to do?  Looking for live bait versus lures.  I preferred one who would do both.
2. Can you teach me a particular technique, explain why we are doing what we are doing?  Looking for some energy in their response.  In my experiences teachers love to teach and tell others they love it.  You will know if they are excited about the opportunity to tell you what they know.

3.  Lastly as RoadWarrior has mentioned use this forum to ask for feedback.

 

I have never tried this but you could also ask for a reference.  A prior customer if you are really trying to find out something before you go.

[Scott F]

I always ask a guide if he fishes while we are out.  If he expects to, I find someone else. If I'm paying, I want him to concentrate on making sure I am catching fish. 

[Bankbeater]

Same as any other contractor.  Ask for references.

[roadwarrior]

I always ask a guide if he fishes while we are out.  If he expects to, I find someone else. If I'm paying, I want him to concentrate on making sure I am catching fish. 

 

We're on the same page, but my take is a little different. We need to have the guide fishing, especially when it's tough.

The guide will always try to put his clients on fish, but their skills vary. The guide can fish for depth, technique and even

colors that are hot. There is no way for him to tell what is really going on if he isn't in the water with them.

 

That said, once we find a pattern, I don't want the guide making another cast! I have been on two trips in the last three

years when the guide caught most of the fish. I was with other BR members on both trips and did not want to cause a

rukus, but I will never hire either of those guys again.

 

 

 

 

[BrettD]

Where are you wanting to fish?

[Dwight Hottle]

Sometimes you will do better if you can hook up with someone from the area or lake you want to fish. Offer to pay their expenses for the day. It can be more rewarding, less expensive & you might make a new friend/fishing partner. That is the inherent beauty of this site. Lots of opportunity to meet other sticks of the same or better experience. Thank you Glenn.  

[Deleted account]

I go with one potato, two potato, and sometimes duck, duck, goose...

[RollCaster]

Thanks so much for all the helpful responses. I'm living in Boston right now, and would like to find someone who can put me onto stripers in the spring on fly.

I may be moving soon though, and the purpose of my post was to find out if in general, people have a certain methodology that would help them find good guides, regardless of where they're living. A foolproof method, basically, if such a thing exists.

 

I'm used to using online platforms like Yelp, Zagat, or TripAdvisor to guide my decisions around certain expenses (restaurants, hotels, etc) where quality really matters, and it doesn't appear there's any platform like this for fishing guides which is interesting and frustrating for people like me who just want an easy way to find a guide. 

[BrettD]

Knowing where you want to fish helps because you just ask locals that fish the lake. IE if you wanted to come down to Okeechobee I could help or if you wanted to fish on Lake Falcon you could ask someone that fishes the lake regulary.

[CoBass]

Post the question in our "Regional" section. I have lots of suggestions

for the reservoirs of the Tennessee River and one for the White River

in Arkansas. Other guys will have recommendations for the lakes they

fish.

 

 

 

 

Posting in the regional section of BR is a great idea. Another thing to consider is that most areas have local fishing sites/forums as well. Posting on a local forum can get you good info on who the good guides are and who to avoid as well. My area has two different fishing sites that have tens of thousands of members. Asking on either board would get you the names and numbers of guides that specialize in the type of fishing you want to do.

[tightlinesjax]

Longtime lurker here looking for advice from fellow forums members. Does anybody has any advice on how to find a good, qualified fishing guide? Should I look at magazines, websites, or go to bait shops? None of my friends fish so I can't really get referrals.

 

I wish there were a Yelp for fishing guides!

Funny you mention Yelp.  I have seen plenty of reviews on Tripadvisor and a couple on Yelp.

[George Welcome]

 

Selection of A Professional Fishing Guide

by George Welcome

 

QUESTIONS TO ASK A PROSPECTIVE FISHING GUIDE

 

* Ask for a list of references, including clients who have fished with the guide recently. Call the references.

*If required by locale, did the proper authorities license the guide?

* Does the guide fish full time? A guide who's on the water every day keeps up with productive patterns better than a weekender.

*Does the guide fish himself? Most bass guides do fish, at least enough to determine how the fish are biting. Your guide fishing not only shows you where the fish are but also allows for the opportunity to educate you further in techniques.

*Does the guide give instructional trips or is he simply a charter service?

* What does the guide furnish? Should you bring your own water or other drinks? What about tackle, lures or bait?

* Do you need to bring specific lures? If so, they are usually cheaper in the city than at lakeside?

* How much gear should you bring with you: tackle, poles, rain gear, etc?

* How much are the costs for the trip and ensure that there are no hidden extras?

* How many hours can you expect to fish for your money?

* Can you hire the guide for half a day? If the fish are biting aggressively, a half-day of fishing could be enough for some casual anglers.

 

* What about lunch? Does the guide furnish lunch or stop for lunch at a lakeside cafe or marina? Should you bring your own lunch?

 

* Does the guide practice catch-and-release fishing? Many bass guides on good fishing lakes discourage their clients from keeping any fish. If you intend to keep fish to eat, you need to have this discussion with your guide.

* At least have a telephone conversation with a prospective guide to try and determine if the two of you are compatible. If the guide is devoutly religious and your favorite shtick is dirty jokes, it's probably a bad idea. If the guide fishes strictly with live bait and you like to cast lures, you need to know before you go.

*What kind of boat and what age is the boat are things you should know. There are "guides" out there that have inadequate equipment for both safety and comfort.

 

*Do you need a fishing license for the fishing location and if so, how is it obtained?

 

HOW TO BE A GOOD CLIENT FOR A FISHING GUIDE Just as there are lousy fishing guides, there are lousy fishing clients. Those clients make the unwritten list of people who are not welcome in the guide's boat a second time. Some guides are vocal about their displeasure and others will simply be busy whenever the lousy client calls. Here are tips for being a good fishing customer:

* Be honest about your fishing skills. Don't pretend to be an expert angler if you're a novice. After watching for a few minutes, the guide will know the truth, anyway.

* Never book fishing guide and simply fail to show up because you changed your mind at the last minute. The guide may have turned down other clients because you had him booked. If there's a last-minute emergency, at least call the guide and let him know you won't be there. Offer to pay a portion of his fee for costing him a day's income.

* Don't try to tell the guide where and how he should be fishing. He is the professional, and that's why you hired him.

* If you enjoy fishing with a guide, become a regular client. By developing a long-term relationship, you'll get calls when the fishing turns on.

 

HOW TO LOCATE A FISHING GUIDE

* Call marinas at your favorite fishing lake. Ask the marina operators to recommend a fishing guide. Marinas make money when you catch fish.

* Watch for guides who advertise in the newspaper or in fishing magazines. Ask any guide the usual questions and check his references.

* Ask fishing buddies to recommend a good fishing guide. Word of mouth recommendations are often the best.

 

George : retired bass guide

[Sam]

I had a great post going but hit a wrong key and once again the entire post, which was long, disappeared.

 

WORD OF ADVICE: Use a Word Document to type your response and past it to the reply section to post it.

 

Losing the post seems to happen when you hit a key by accident and you can't get it back.

 

Sorry, I had some great advice and a story about guides.

 

I defer to George above.

 

Sorry.

[bassflyfisherman]

Sorry to dredge this up from the past, but did you have any success finding one? Any recommendations on who to use from your research?