Tip for fishing guide

[reelon]

Is there a "norm" in the amount or percentage to tip a fishing guide (bass fishing)?

[Gatorbassman]

Good question. I always try to tip at least 20% with a min. of 50 bucks.

[justfishin]

First of all, a tip given to me at the end of the day was always a compliment as well as, a sign that your clients had a good day. Its not always about the amount of fish either, as you know they sometimes don't cooperate. I charged  250.00 a day for two for  8hrs. Most of the time each client would give me 25.00. It was rare to have a bad day on the Susquehanna. Some days were better than others and times of year certainly make a difference as well. Big fish times are late Nov up through Dec and mid April to mid May, winter being the best. I don't like to look at it as you would a restaurant bill like 15% but, more as a compliment. I don't think there is a set price for tips. Give him or her a tip according to how your day went. I always tried to laugh, smile, teach, eat well and work my butt of to make sure the day was a good one all the way around.

[reelon]

Thanks for the info, I think really think that it should depend on how your day went and like justfishin said we need to recognize that fish sometimes do not cooperate, but I guess that you could if the guide is really trying hard to get you to the fish.

[Guest avid]

I tip guides the way I do anyone else.

The formula goes something like this.

Always tip something.  Even if the service was poor and the equipment sub standard, any effort gets a tip

Exception - rude, abusive (yes guides can be abusive toward clients), lazy, hungover, or otherwise demonstrating clearly that my day on the water/field means nothing and safety is questionable.

I use $50.00 as my standard for a good effort with a hard working guide.

If the day is exceptional I will, and have gone higher.

One note that I'm surprised I've never seen guides mention on this forum, is that a "gift" is not a tip.

Meaning giving the guide a pocket knife is a nice gesture but a tip is money not things.

I have had one exceptional hunting guide experience in New Brunswick (no not New Jersey) bear hunting.

there were 3 of us in camp.  The other two guys were seeing bears and picking and choosing the one they wanted.  They were with the "other' guide.

I wasn't seeing anything except the scenary.   My guide, really worked.  He had a 100% record so far that season and wasn't going to let a klutz from Long Island ruin his record.  He made conitinuous scouting trips, put me in several locations, (more than they usual) in short he did everything he could to see me have success.  I scored on the last day of the hunt.

He had been complaining about his knife, it had been sharpened down too many times and was barely able to hold an edge.  So in addition to a generous monetary tipI gave him my almost brand new buck knife.  

That still remains one of the more challenging and rewarding trips I ever took.