Tipping a Fishing Guide

[jimmieO]

Going on a guided trip this week on Lake Fork in Texas. Is it customary to tip your guide?

[Nitrofreak]

Are you paying him for his services?

If so is it expensive? If he is reasonable then yes especially if he or she shows you a lot.

And if he or she has ship mates that help out I will usually tip them since thats how ship mates get paid here, Not sure how it works where you are.

[NBR]

Yes it is customary. A good guide does a lot more for you than a good waitress or waiter over a longer period of time. I tip according to the job they do. Even if we catch few fish if the guide puts forth the effort and is pleasant to be with he earns a 10 to 20% from me.

[wisconsin heat]

sure, i tip the guides all the time, i tell em where to go, what lures to fish, what colors to choo.....

[Chris at Tech]

Yes, I believe you should tip.  I based it on the following:

1) punctuality and professionalism

2) knowledge

3) effort expended to meet your fishing goals for the trip

4) personality

[southtexasbassin]

Should a guide be mad for not receiving a tip?

[Dr Pigg]

YES AND NO. iF I CALL AND MAKE RESERVATIONS WITH A Marina(Example) and they get a cut of the fee--I usually tip the guide extra for good service.  If I get the guide personally and his daily charge is say$75/hour for either 1 or 2 fishermen, I usually don't tip.  It's like paying anyone an hourly wage--There set the rate,and it's  what they expect to make!

I don't get tipped at work 8-)

[salmicropterus]

Yes, I believe you should tip. I based it on the following:

1) punctuality and professionalism

2) knowledge

3) effort expended to meet your fishing goals for the trip

4) personality

Agree and good post. Another factor to consider along with the above is whether or not there is a booking guide service involved. If the above criteria are met, then I would go 10-15% which will make the guide "whole" net of the spiff they pay back to the service

[Mike Z]

If I get the guide personally and his daily charge is say$75/hour for either 1 or 2 fishermen, I usually don't tip. It's like paying anyone an hourly wage--There set the rate,and it's what they expect to make!

I don't get tipped at work 8-)

QFT

People charge what they charge because they know this is their livelyhood and that is what they can charge based on their knowledge and experience. these people should be looked at as any other business or storefront in my opinion. When you go to the restaraunt, are you tipping Bob Evans? No, you are paying x amount for their product and figure that once you pay the bill, your tab with Bob is settled.

I personally think that these days people are too tip happy. People now say you should tip the mail man, the trash collector and everyone else under the sun. I also take exception with people who say you should tip the waitress 15% even when you have poor service and more if it is good. Sorry, why the heck should I tip the mailman for not getting my mail wet in the snow? You want me to tip a guy for doing his job?

I don't get tipped at my job when I do something good, so why does everyone else expect it?

[stratos 375]

Not too many years ago you could get a good bass guide for 150 or 200 a day, & I usually always booked for 3 or 4 days.

I didn't mind coughing up an extra hundred or two for a tip.

Nowadays, with the fees some guides are charging, I'd find it extremely hard to be as generous as I used to. That said, I've always tipped a guide, and a few really didn't deserve it.

Even though I'm semi-retired, I run a consulting business and charge an hourly fee. My work is a lot more techincal and challenging than driving a boat and finding fish, and the consequences of an error can be dire. I'm trying to think of the last time someone tipped me for doing my job. NEVER.

[jimmieO]

If it helps the debate any....

We will be buying his lunch and paying him the going rate for a day on that lake which is between 375 and 400.

[Mike Z]

Just remember, he is an independent contractor/business owner.

Do you tip your plumber who charges you $95 an hour? Electrician? HVAC specialist? Do you tip your lawyer? Why is the fishing guide any different? (they do work for more than the minimum wage entitles to servers and wait staff if they are employed by others)

[Under the Radar]

It's pretty plain to see that by the sounds of the posts here, that no one has run charters or guided as a business. After 20+ yrs running charters & private yachts etc.

So in a nut shell. I tip. Their expenses are more than you think and their net is a lot less. Not to mention the total days on the water doesn't equal 5 days a week 50 weeks a year less holidays. Hell, most holidays they're taking clients out.

Rant over.

Capt. Nick Ochs Ret.

[SirSnookalot]

For some reason tipping a fishing guide, whether he or she is an independent contractor or not is customary.  In my mind the guide is always hoping to get a tip to increase their income, charging more for the day  may be a deterrent, people are always looking for a deal.

It is also customary to tip your barber for example, but if he or she is the shop owner, then the tip is out, many tip anyway but you shouldn't.  I do not see the distinction between the guide and the barber or any other business owner.

So in a nut shell. I tip. Their expenses are more than you think and their net is a lot less. Not to mention the total days on the water doesn't equal 5 days a week 50 weeks a year less holidays. Hell, most holidays they're taking clients out.

Every business has expenses.

[onefishtwofish]

It has been touched on by some of the other posts, but I'll say it plainly- there is a difference between a guide and an outfitter. I've guided in Alaska and Montana- and the other states are the same from what I've heard- you either get a guide license through an outfitter or you are an outfitter who can hire guides and book trips- guides can't book trips and don't set the rates you are paying and don't get the amount you pay. In Alaska, the guests paid $5000 a week and I got 500 (six days guiding) in Montana, outfitters charged 375 a day and paid 175 but you paid for lunches and shuttle fees.

Fishing is a leisure activity and we do it for fun- a good guide will work hard to make sure you have the best experience possible. You will know if they're working for you or not and don't let good or bad fishing be the indicator because we all know there is not a lot we can do about that. If you want to use the guide again, tip him or her and consider it insurance money for getting booked next time- good guides are popular people- or if you used them to shave valuable time from your learning curve and you feel that the guide gave you valuable insights, how much is that worth?

[Sfritr]

I don't want to start a war here but...

As a restaurant/bar owner and worker for over 16years I still cannot believe the mentality of some people who refuse to tip.  A guide is no different.

TIPS stands for To Ensure Prompt Service. 

Was your guide on time

Did he/she show you a good time

Did you catch fish and learn something during the trip

Were they curteous and accomodate your needs

If these were "yes"  IMO a tip is required.  These people work for tips.  The cost of your booking is to cover gas, expenses, insurance, licenses etc.  Yes there is room in the fee for profit but they aren't any different than a $2.65 per hour server who is paying their bills based on your tips.  Yes, that is correct, $2.65per hour.  So, when you fail to tip your server, bt, and guide for that matter, consider that little tidbit of monetary information.   

Please tip your waitresses/guides!!   We are here all week folks, try the veal..........

[Dr Pigg]

I don't want to start a war here but...

As a restaurant/bar owner and worker for over 16years I still cannot believe the mentality of some people who refuse to tip. A guide is no different.

TIPS stands for To Ensure Prompt Service.

Was your guide on time

Did he/she show you a good time

Did you catch fish and learn something during the trip

Were they curteous and accomodate your needs

If these were "yes" IMO a tip is required. These people work for tips. The cost of your booking is to cover gas, expenses, insurance, licenses etc. Yes there is room in the fee for profit but they aren't any different than a $2.65 per hour server who is paying their bills based on your tips. Yes, that is correct, $2.65per hour. So, when you fail to tip your server, bt, and guide for that matter, consider that little tidbit of monetary information.

Please tip your waitresses/guides!! We are here all week folks, try the veal..........

I still agree as my original post-  I don't tip the bar owner, just my server.  I don't tip the guide if he owns the business and sets the fee.  I tip the guide if he works for someone else!