Esox pro Posted August 27, 2020 Posted August 27, 2020 I was wondering what jobs and careers I could get that evolve around fishing as my ideal career is a fishing guide was wondering what starter jobs I should get that ideally involve sport fish o could get until i can become a guide 1
Super User MN Fisher Posted August 27, 2020 Super User Posted August 27, 2020 Starter jobs for being a guide? Not really. Learning things to become a guide: Take college level biology, limnology and ecology classes. Learn a lake - study contour maps, read DNR/F&W reports on the lake, be on the water as much as possible in all weather conditions without fishing...just wander around studying shoreline cover, weed types, etc - you're going to spend several hundred hours doing this. Fish the lake - pick a part and fish it under all weather conditions. use every rod/reel and lure in your arsenal, learn what the fish want and when. When you've got that part of the lake 'dialed in', pick another part and repeat - again, several hundred hours at this. Once you can consistently catch fish no matter the weather or time of year...then take out friends/family and practice being a guide for them. When you can consistently 'guide' them to the fish - then put your sign out... 1 1
Super User J Francho Posted August 27, 2020 Super User Posted August 27, 2020 Retail at a tackle store. Cook at a seafood restaurant. Dockhand at a marina. Mate on a charter. 4
Super User Tennessee Boy Posted August 28, 2020 Super User Posted August 28, 2020 The most fishing friendly job I know of is a Firefighter. Around here they work 24 hours and get paid to sleep if there are no fires. They get off at 6:00am and are off for 48 hours. Great opportunity to fish during the week. They also get to retire at a fairly young age. 2
Esox pro Posted August 28, 2020 Author Posted August 28, 2020 16 hours ago, schplurg said: Learn how to untangle those knots first. If you get a knot cut it the line is going to be compromised
Super User jimmyjoe Posted August 28, 2020 Super User Posted August 28, 2020 42 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said: They also get to retire at a fairly young age. Some do. Some don't. ???? jj 2
Super User Sam Posted September 1, 2020 Super User Posted September 1, 2020 On 8/27/2020 at 1:00 PM, MN Fisher said: Starter jobs for being a guide? Not really. Learning things to become a guide: Take college level biology, limnology and ecology classes. Learn a lake - study contour maps, read DNR/F&W reports on the lake, be on the water as much as possible in all weather conditions without fishing...just wander around studying shoreline cover, weed types, etc - you're going to spend several hundred hours doing this. Fish the lake - pick a part and fish it under all weather conditions. use every rod/reel and lure in your arsenal, learn what the fish want and when. When you've got that part of the lake 'dialed in', pick another part and repeat - again, several hundred hours at this. Once you can consistently catch fish no matter the weather or time of year...then take out friends/family and practice being a guide for them. When you can consistently 'guide' them to the fish - then put your sign out... Beautifully presented. Please follow this advice. Only thing I can add is to speak with other guides, in and out of your geographical area. Find out how they got started and their pros and cons of guiding.
Super User TOXIC Posted September 1, 2020 Super User Posted September 1, 2020 As a guide, the best advise I can give you is first and foremost learn how to run a business. Second, learn marketing. If you can’t locate and follow your target species of fish throughout the season, we shouldn’t even be having this conversation. Make sure your customer service skills are well polished because no matter how good of a guide you are, there are going to be days where the fish don’t cooperate. Your clients need to feel like they got their money’s worth even if they didn’t catch a fish. Whether that is teaching them now techniques, or how to read water, or to learn the lake or just being able to entertain them. I would suggest you go to work for an established guide while you learn the ropes. At the end of the day guiding is a low margin business and you better have your ducks in a row if you want to be successful. 3
Super User J Francho Posted September 1, 2020 Super User Posted September 1, 2020 Get used to Ramen noodles. 2
Super User Choporoz Posted September 1, 2020 Super User Posted September 1, 2020 28 minutes ago, TOXIC said: At the end of the day guiding is a low margin business and you better have your ducks in a row if you want to be successful. I've sometimes wondered if a guide couldn't greatly increase those margins by taking a cut from the local big sticks to avoid the better holes
Super User J Francho Posted September 1, 2020 Super User Posted September 1, 2020 I wouldn't count that out, but almost all the guides I know aren't even after the same fish the typical weekend angler, even a good tournament stick, are after. They're on fish that can only be found by being on the water all the time. 1
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted September 1, 2020 Global Moderator Posted September 1, 2020 30 minutes ago, J Francho said: Get used to Ramen noodles. And beans. I’ve dabbled in guiding for over a decade, still do it, but rarely does it make anyone rich. Most guides sleep on couches, winter is tough unless you are in Florida. Successful guides either work Alaska summer and Florida winter (or something similar) or guide trout in the Rockies and are skiing instructors in winter. Or they married up a tax bracket 1
Super User J Francho Posted September 1, 2020 Super User Posted September 1, 2020 I don’t guide, there’s way too much red tape here in NY. I have run kayak fishing classes, and part of the class is some on the water instruction. It’s a lot of work for not much pay. It is cool when a student catches their first whatever - from a kayak and their excitement is pretty good payment. It wasn’t putting food on the table though.
Esox pro Posted September 1, 2020 Author Posted September 1, 2020 28 minutes ago, J Francho said: I don’t guide, there’s way too much red tape here in NY. I have run kayak fishing classes, and part of the class is some on the water instruction. It’s a lot of work for not much pay. It is cool when a student catches their first whatever - from a kayak and their excitement is pretty good payment. It wasn’t putting food on the table though. Totally agree ny laws are asinine
Super User Catt Posted September 2, 2020 Super User Posted September 2, 2020 10 hours ago, J Francho said: I wouldn't count that out, but almost all the guides I know aren't even after the same fish the typical weekend angler, even a good tournament stick, are after. They're on fish that can only be found by being on the water all the time. Down guides are allowed to fish tournaments & your right they are on fish the weekend warriors don't exist. To be on fish every day ya gotta move with em or better yet slightly a head of em.
Super User TOXIC Posted September 2, 2020 Super User Posted September 2, 2020 Most all of the tournaments local to the lake i guided on did not allow me to fish the tournaments. It is up to the client whether or not they wanted to catch numbers or size. A lot of my business was taking tournament fishermen out before their off limits time frame. By the time you factor in business licensing, insurance, fuel, oil, tires and maintenance on both the truck and boat, gear, baits, Launch fees, and a 1000 other incidental expenses added to the fact that is also seasonal, you have to be on the water most every day. You can offset some of your costs with sponsorships but those too require time and commitment. Either doing shows or writing articles or finding some other way to show you are earning the sponsorship. It’s just like the old saying, “How do you make a million dollars guiding? Start with 2 million.”?
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