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View Full Version : Hire a Professional Guide!



christopherstellar
04-17-2012, 03:54 PM
This may seem like a no brainer but I figured I would share it with you guys anyway. Whenever I go to fish a new body of water I always hire a professional guide. The way that I look at it is I am paying for a professional consultation on a body of water. Unless I have been fishing that body of water and have the experience to know how the fish react under adverse conditions, I am probably not going to be as successful on my initial trip as I could've been. And besides, what a great opportunity to ask as many questions as I can think of to somebody that probably has a good answer! In short, do yourself a favor, pay a few bucks and absorb as much information from a professional, and in turn you will increase your own level of fishing knowledge making yourself a better fisherman in the long run. And for all you haters out there, no, I have never been a professional guide and I do not have any economic interest in writing this short piece. My goal is for all of us to become better fisherman, and I thought this nugget may prove useful to some of you.

Which Way Out
04-17-2012, 05:47 PM
Amen all that.

I hired a guide for 2 days this year. We fished 2 different rivers for Steelhead in early March up north. If I hadn't hired him, I might just as well of stayed home. Worth every penny.

WWO

sandtrout
04-18-2012, 09:14 AM
If you want to CUT THE LEARNING CURVE, hire a guide. I took TroutOnly for two days and it was an eye opener. Don't just go for the ride...gather info before you go. What type of guide is he, where does he guide, what techniques does he use, etc. Make up a list of questions of things that you DON'T KNOW and WANT TO LEARN and ASK QUESTIONS. I had a list of questions make up before hand and when I would ask the questions I'd record the responses with one of those digital recorders you get from FRYS for around $30. I now know how to use a downrigger! My second day was at Lake Piru and it was during the summer when they had STOPPED stocking trout and we still caught a limit...with a downrigger!

bass413
04-19-2012, 02:56 PM
I completely agree as well. I've had the pleasure of taking Pete Marino out twice on 2 different lakes (DVL in the spring and Perris during the winter). Using the techniques Pete showed me, I ended up winning a small tournament at DVL with a 22+ pound limit 18 months AFTER our trip. I have taken the techniques he showed me to other lakes and have enjoyed successes there as well. If you can scratch the money together, a guide trip can supply you with tips, techniques and KNOWLEDGE that will serve you for years to come.

smokehound
04-19-2012, 03:00 PM
I'd hire a guide if there was one that didn't charge absurd prices.

DEVOREFLYER
04-19-2012, 05:16 PM
During the past 30+ years I have hired a guide for a day on every trip out of state or to a body of water I was not familiar with. When factoring in the value of my time off work (self employed) cost of travel, lodging and meals it does not make sence to not spend money on a guide. I know friends that spent months planning an out of state fishing or hunting trip and then were too cheap to hire a guide. The difference between a successful trip of a lifetime and just another trip is often the use of a quality guide. The lessons I have learned over those 20 years with guides have been priceless.

With regard to the cost of a guide I find it not to be unreasonable as the craft is often seasonal and dependent upon the weather. A guide is self employed and the overhead costs (boat, maintenance, fuel, insurance, equipment etc, etc.) can often be up to 40 to 50% of his fee. A guide has no sure thing as the next paycheck only word of mouth and past happy clients. When the service is world class and the guide has busted his hump I have no problem tipping and additional 20-30%.

Some people think a guide is a commodity like buying bread. Well yes it is to a point, you can buy bread off the supermarket shelf, at the artisan bakery, at the day old bakery or you can go dumpster diving. I on the other hand believe that a quality guide is worth every penny it may cost me.

I have found in life that you never have to say you’re sorry or apologize when you’re the best. Your mileage may differ.

basscat
08-14-2012, 11:53 AM
For say the local lakes guiding trips from Castaic to DVL, is there a minimum % tip to the skipper?

LGHT
08-15-2012, 03:49 PM
I'd hire a guide if there was one that didn't charge absurd prices.

I agree it's one thing to pay for the guides help, it's another to pay him $50 an hour with a 8 hour min. Anyone know any guides for Irvine? Only fished the lake a few times and could use some tips on cat catching.

Leejahd
08-15-2012, 04:09 PM
You should hit up kewly he's a regular at Irvine..

TroutOnly
08-15-2012, 05:32 PM
Sorry leejahd hes not a paid sponser on this site ,if you leave his address on here the webmaster will delete it and maybe you,,,,,smokehound now youre being absurd,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Leejahd
08-15-2012, 06:39 PM
Sorry leejahd hes not a paid sponser on this site ,if you leave his address on here the webmaster will delete it and maybe you,,,,,smokehound now youre being absurd,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


Thanks for the heads up trout only!

DEVOREFLYER
08-15-2012, 08:03 PM
With regard to tipping I generally tip between 10 & 30% depending on how hard the guide has worked for me, his personality, what he has taught me and how well his boat and equipment is maintained. How many fish or quality of fish I caught have nothing to do with my tip amount. The guide can only take me to the fish and instruct me, it's my job to catch them, not his.

fishinone
08-15-2012, 08:25 PM
A day on the water with Trout Only will put you over the hump. He put on the fish at Castaic with a conversation then when he guided me for a day, I caught even more fish, that day and later.

muskyman
08-15-2012, 10:33 PM
I have done exactly the opposite, I have never hired a guide, ever. What I found is that growing up in So Calif really puts your average fishing techniques a little above the rest of the nation. I am not being big headed or anything, just plain reality. I just got back from a two week trip to florida, fished from shore in the keys, boca, charlotte ect. Used the same saltwater techniques employed fishing newport bay - one difference, tarpon pull alot harder than bay bass !
Same goes for lake michigan where I live, never hired a guide, first time out, put bigger spoons on, heavier leaders, and whattya know, 10lb browns, a few coho and some nice kings.
If you can catch fish in So Calif on your own, you can do well anywhere in the nation, hands down, no problem

TroutOnly
08-29-2012, 08:55 PM
Some people need help and thats what guides are for its teaching and catching,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

P.A.W.
09-02-2012, 05:19 PM
If I might add.... I went out with TO and it is true he taught me the basics of trolling for stripers, but he also gave me a more valuable thing. Confidence. Going out with confidence can make a big difference.

sandtrout
09-04-2012, 01:36 PM
I went out with TO to DVL and to Piru. I've mostly rented a boat and "fly lined" spinners, spoons, and plugs. I learned the "basics" of downriggers. I also learned you can use heavier line than I thought you could and troll A LOT FASTER than I thought you could. I steered the boat and he watched the rods but I took with me a typed sheet of paper with a ton of questions and got them all answered. If we hadn't caught a single trout, the money I paid + tip was WELL SPENT.