Using guides for prefishing...

[Tin]

A spin-off from another thread. So what do you guys think od hiring a guide to help you prefish?

Personally I look at it as cheating and you should put your own time into the lake, find your own areas and patterns.

[fishfordollars]

You don't do it down here. Instant DQ if caught. Guides can fish but they are required to follow the off limits and have not guided on the tournament waters usually for the last 30 days. Some require longer.

[Grey Wolf]

Only a low life would do it.

[fishfordollars]

There are a couple of large circuits down here that allow it, but as a rule most do not. The larger circuits(150-250+ boats) will allow some leeway, but the others, other than a few in the area do not.

[oteymc]

Just a hypothetical question - What if you knew you were going to fish a lake, and hired a guide three months before the tournament?  Is this a DQ?  If not a DQ, is it still looked down upon?

I am totally ignorant to tournament fishing, but it really intrigues me.

[Flips]

You would be surprised of how many tournament pros still do this. However, the resources and information handed to top pros is incredible. They may have never been to a body of water and they will have waypoints, custom lures, and the winning pattern in their back pocket.

What do you guys think about helicopter rides over tournament waters and just recently renting of air boat guides on Okeechobee to find hidden ponds? Today's pros are very very clever...

[etommy28]

see, I feel differently. I have never hired a guide but I have tought about it several times. I dont see any thing wrong with it unless it is out lawed in the tourny rules.

[JohnnyBigger]

see, I feel differently. I have never hired a guide but I have tought about it several times. I dont see any thing wrong with it unless it is out lawed in the tourny rules.

I agree, if there is no rule saying no than why not, follow the rules

[Keri]

All I can say is if you're a boater and it's a new lake/river and you get the chance to take someone/guide who knows the lake/river it's worth it. I'd much rather spend $300.00 than buy a lower unit. I mean getting help with the navigation is crucial, not the fishing. I can do that part myself. Navionic chips are not always correct and some hazards are not shown. The key is to take your boat so you can mark the channels and key prop busting obstacles. I know the chip for the Wallula Pool on the Columbia River has one miss-marked channel and is missing a lot of underwater structure.

[Bassn Blvd]

Have you ever asked your friend where the fish are biting in a particular lake before a tourny?  Have you ever asked the locals in a bait shop what baits are producing?  If you answered yes, then what's wrong with hiring a guide?  Although the  guide might not like it if he shows up to fish the same tournament and sees you after he just took you out.

[George Welcome]

In any of the major tournaments the rules are relatively the same. Prior to off limits, practice, and event periods there are no restrictions. Once into the off limits, practice, and event periods, anything that isn't publicly available is not allowed.

Aircraft and guide usage are common prior to off limits. However, these are not for fish location; as we all know what's happening today with the fish is history tomorrow. 

[Catt]

If you have to hire a guide to pre-fish a tournament you're only donating your entry fee cause you can't fish.

[fishfordollars]

If you have to hire a guide to pre-fish a tournament you're only donating your entry fee cause you can't fish.

Or locate...

[etommy28]

If you have to hire a guide to pre-fish a tournament you're only donating your entry fee cause you can't fish.

WOW thats an interesting statement!

[Glenn]

Catt, you might want read Keri's comment - then yank your foot out of your mouth.  ;D

[Catt]

Catt, you might want read Keri's comment - then yank your foot out of your mouth. ;D

Excuse me Boss but I believe the original intent of the question is hiring a guide to locate fish while the person secretly puts in GPS coordinates & that sir is cheating plain and simple.

So Tin correct me if I'm wrong and your intent was to hire a guide to show you how to safely navigate a body of water.

[Tin]

I decided to make this thread after someone on another thread asked if guides were cool with someone bringing a GPS unit on to mark spots. I would never hire a guide to lean how to safely navagate. In my book run it slow first if you cannot follow the GPS or channel markers then follow your path the next time through according to the previous track. If you can't figure it out you shouldn't be driving a boat. I have just seen and read about lots of nasty accidents on the Connecticut River.

Plus watching someone drive and doing it are completely different when 20' makes all the difference.

[Glenn]

I think you misunderstood.  Keri and I are talking about taking a friend/guide with you - in your boat - to learn how to avoid dangerous obstructions and situations on a new body of water that has such hazards.  That way you're driving and mapping trails on your own GPS.  It's even more important when traveling to/from the channel and from the bays and shoreline, where most hazards lay and aren't marked.

I know of a few places on the Columbia, for instance, where the GPS mismarks the channel.  You can destroy your lower unit and risk serious injury if you follow it.  You'd think following the channel markers would avoid that, but it's not marked well, and many boaters every year run up on those places.  There's also places where obstructions are IN the channel, and not marked on any map or GPS unit.  If you look at them, you'll see marks on the rocks from all the prop strikes.

Those are the guys spending their summer off-the-water while their boats and bodies are being repaired - the ones who have expensive repair and medical bills now.  You know, the guys who thought they were smart enough to "figure it out" themselves.

[Tin]

I figured you meant going out with a guide, not a guide going out with you.

[Bassnajr]

Safety is one thing, and I believe that is what Glenn and Keri speak of. I would have no problem with that. If you were to hire a local guide to show you the best places on a certain body of water, I think goes more to being lazy more than cheating. Although if it is a violation of the law or tournament rules, that is different. A "fly over" is no different than a good Google Earth for the most part. I have heard a "story" of a pro who has others pre-fish for him, gather information and spots, areas that are hot etc. Would he be lazy or just a loser??

PS Someone can give you all the GPS marks in the world...you still have to know how to catch the fish.

Alan (bassnajr)

[etommy28]

here is a time where I really think Glenn and Kerri are right, I fish Rodman Res. alot. by alot im mean at least once a month for the last lets say 15 year. It is not a place you can just run with out every being there, if you go a foot out side the channel you will become good friends with a log and some times floaters make it into the channel and there are logs in the channel you cant see expect in low water. but then you see guides running through the stump field like its nothing, so i would love to know where these running lanes are.

[Tin]

Personally I look at it as cheating and you should put your own time into the lake, find your own areas and patterns.

I was wondering about the fishing and spots, not driving a boat. If you don't know how don't run it, or drive it at headway speed.

[fishfordollars]

Prefishing is about learning how to navigate new water, locating fish, setting patterns.

It should not be about:

Hiring a guide to put you on fish.

Following a guide.

Having a local prefish for you(For pay of course).

Acquiring GPS cordinates and having them checked daily.

Who can pay the most for information.

Who has developed the group with the most current data.

Unfortunately it is done regularly on all the circuits.

[TimJ]

Im not arguing legalities or morals...but, a flyover, especially in a helicopter, would be way more detailed than google earth. with clear water and a high sun, weedbeds, sandbars, etc would just jump out at you. hovering the chopper would grab some nice waypoints.

[Gatorbassman]

I don't agree with hiring a guide at all. But if any of you ever come to Clarks Hill to prefish you better be getting in touch with me. That lake can tear you to shreds. A lot of the bottom is only 2ft deep and you will still be in the middle of the lake.

When I'm preparing for a tournament I do call guides that I know. I'm looking for general information so I don't have to pack a garage of tackle into my boat and truck.