SRQAlex Posted January 4, 2022 Posted January 4, 2022 My wife got me a guided bass fishing trip for Christmas. In the reservation it says all gear is provided. Would it be rude to bring my own gear? 1 Quote
LCG Posted January 4, 2022 Posted January 4, 2022 I don't think it would considered rude at all. It's your gear, it's what your comfortable with, and your wife paid for it. Can't imagine a guide would care unless your gear is not up to what ever species your after. Sounds fun. Enjoy 2 Quote
SRQAlex Posted January 4, 2022 Author Posted January 4, 2022 Just now, LCG said: I don't think it would considered rude at all. It's your gear, it's what your comfortable with, and your wife paid for it. Can't imagine a guide would care unless your gear is not up to what ever species your after. Sounds fun. Enjoy Thanks. That’s pretty much what I was thinking. I just wanted to hear some other’s opinions. Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted January 4, 2022 Super User Posted January 4, 2022 24 minutes ago, SRQAlex said: My wife got me a guided bass fishing trip for Christmas. In the reservation it says all gear is provided. Would it be rude to bring my own gear? First Off - contact the guide in advance of your trip. Knowing ahead of time if you have the proper gear for how/where the guide expects to be fishing that day, could be helpful. Or you can take all the guesswork out of it and use the gear provided. Very good chance it will be exactly what is needed for whatever you're doing. Good Luck & have fun A-Jay 5 1 Quote
HaydenS Posted January 4, 2022 Posted January 4, 2022 22 minutes ago, SRQAlex said: My wife got me a guided bass fishing trip for Christmas. In the reservation it says all gear is provided. Would it be rude to bring my own gear? Sweet gift! Where are you headed? If you don’t have the right gear for the job/fishing you’re doing, it wouldn’t make a ton of sense to bring anything. I bet guides have some pretty good stuff too. Quote
SRQAlex Posted January 4, 2022 Author Posted January 4, 2022 11 minutes ago, HaydenS said: Sweet gift! Where are you headed? If you don’t have the right gear for the job/fishing you’re doing, it wouldn’t make a ton of sense to bring anything. I bet guides have some pretty good stuff too. We are headed to lake istokpoga. Quote
EWREX Posted January 4, 2022 Posted January 4, 2022 i went on a guided trip on chickamauga couple years back and used some of my own gear, and the guides gear. he had no issue with it and encouraged me to try my own stuff in certain situations. 2 Quote
OldManLure Posted January 4, 2022 Posted January 4, 2022 That would be like bringing your own silverware to a dinner party. The guide is being retained to ensure you have the best opportunity to catch fish. He can best meet that expectation only if he is certain that the equipment matches the conditions he anticipates encountering. Let him do his job. Leave your stuff at home. 2 2 Quote
FishinBuck07 Posted January 4, 2022 Posted January 4, 2022 Went to Chickamauga in May of last year and took all my rods and reels, used his baits so I didn't take all my stuff! Like someone said above call and have a chat with the guide! Quote
Super User TOXIC Posted January 4, 2022 Super User Posted January 4, 2022 Depends on who has the best gear?. I never minded when a client brought their own gear but if we were finesse fishing and you brought rods rigged with 65lb braid, you weren’t going to have a very good day. Call the guide. 6 Quote
avid Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 I always bring my own everything but I have been an avid fisherman for over sixty years and have multiple rods reels lures flies etc for any inshore or freshwater application But if the guide says “use this” I’ll use it but do your research All guides are not created equal Quote
Super User Deleted account Posted January 5, 2022 Super User Posted January 5, 2022 "All gear provided" is intended for the casual angler, which makes up most of the clientele. The guide is going to bring his gear whether you bring yours or not. Most will have no problem with you using your stuff, assuming it is remotely appropriate. As suggested by others, a call ahead of time will help with coordination, as well as informing him as to your expectations and angling level. 1 Quote
cyclops2 Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 Guides do that service...........in case........... A reel dies or just acts up. Why calling way ahead is needed. He may be short on a fly setup you use. Quote
rtwvumtneer6 Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 @A-Jay nailed it. I've had trips that I took my own gear and never used it, had my own gear and that's mostly all I used, and I've traveled with zero rods and used the guides equipment. All three scenarios worked fine. As many have mentioned, call the guide and have a chat. Ask questions. I had one guide that sent me a questionnaire ahead of time. Could I throw a baitcaster? Right/left hand retrieve? Favorite style or technique to fish? Etc. It makes it more comfortable when you establish some sort of relationship before you spend a day on a boat with him/her. *Make sure you hash out whether you want to use artificial or shiners. That's a big thing in Florida. I'd also be sure it is clear who is responsible for water, Gatorade, etc. 1 Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted January 5, 2022 Global Moderator Posted January 5, 2022 Like others said, call the guide. You're going to an area were you may need very technique specific gear. Lots of very heavy vegetation in Florida, how many folks own the right rod/reel/line setup to work in that situation? I provide the gear on my trips, but I've had people bring their own lots of times. Usually it's okay, but sometimes it's a major hinderance. I make sure all the gear that they're getting is in good shape and ready to handle whatever we may encounter on the water that day, I can't do that with their gear. I've had people show up with very under or overpowered equipment, and the worst was one that had braid that must have been on his reels in the sun or something because it snapped like sewing thread every time he got bit. He was so determined to use his own gear though, it made the trip feel like a failure when it was out of my control. 2 Quote
Jaderose Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 21 hours ago, A-Jay said: First Off - contact the guide in advance of your trip. Knowing ahead of time if you have the proper gear for how/where the guide expects to be fishing that day, could be helpful. Or you can take all the guesswork out of it and use the gear provided. Very good chance it will be exactly what is needed for whatever you're doing. Good Luck & have fun A-Jay This. Just ask. It may be that you have better gear than the guide. Or you might NOT. Why travel with gear if you don't need it/can't use it? 1 Quote
cyclops2 Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 As Blue basser said................Sunlight & U V rays WILL KILL Braided VERY FAST. Those super fine STRANDS have no way to resist wearing out in day light. I left a coil of 4 # test on the outdoor table. From May to September. Could break it bare handed. If tied to any lure ring or swivel ? Useless. I carry to & from the boat every day.. It is in a bedroom dark corner. No weakening from Oct 1 to May 1. Quote
Captain Phil Posted January 5, 2022 Posted January 5, 2022 By all means call the guide before you book your trip. Many Florida bass guides only fish with live wild shiners. If that works for you, he will have the right tackle for the fishing he is going to do. If you only want to fish artificials, he needs to know in advance. Shiner fishing is preferred by guides as it requires little skill on the anglers part and you are almost guaranteed to catch fish. Quote
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