mike rousseau Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Im wondering what kinda fishing you expect when you hire a guide... How many fish does it take to keep you happy... I'm asking this because I'm gunna be getting into guiding and I wanna know how close I am to being good enough... So basically... My walleye average size is about 3 pounds And musky average is 38-40 inches And carp average is 17-20 pounds So if you were to hire me for one of these fish... How many would satisfy you? And how many to get you to come back? Thnx... Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 For me a guide is never about catching fish, it's about learning the tools and techniques that will help me on my home waters. Fish are a bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Well I am pretty patient and don't mind explaining where and why fish are where they are... And why I use the techniques I do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Agree with BillM 100% . Learning is the key behind hiring a guide.But everyone is different Mike. Some will never be satisfied with what they catch, and never happy with how they are treated. The weekend warriors all want the biggest fish, no matter what it takes. For me, a day on the water with someone who understands fishing is important, but you will have to understand people too, and be able to read them by just talking to them. I think you would be an excellent guide, especially for Muskie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutologist Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Can you put SOME fish in the boat everyday regardless of weather and other natural factors. Also accounting for widely varying skill levels that may comprise your sports. Average sizes mean very little, consistency, being dynamic and being able to make it fun in 6' waves in a blizzard is what makes a guide. Also there are various insurances, 1st aid, MED A3 and things I would take into condiseration. Also being able to provide quality gear to clients. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbouck Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I want to learn I want to share some laughs I want steady action all day and I want it to not break the bank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 the bigger the fish the less quantity you need 1 big muskie is a great day of muskie fishing...2 smaller ones is a good day I think anything over a limit is a good day of walleye fishing it takes more carp to make me happy but teaching techniques and explaining why you are fishing where you are fishing goes a long way on a bad day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Cliff Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I have used guides a few times! It has never been about how many or how big for me, I just enjoy the opportunity to get out fishing some new waters or species with someone that does their best to make it as good a day as they can. For me, it is all about the experience! As for how much? It is really hard to put a value on something like that. I think it all depends on what is supplied. When I was much younger I use to guide in the French River mostly for American tourists. I always tried my very best to put them on fish and teach them what to use and how to use it. I always tried to make sure they had a good experience without leaving them exhausted at the end of the day. If it was hot or cold I took things like that into consideration. Hot tea, coffee, or hot chocolat on the cold days, plenty of cold drinks on the hot ones. I tried to plan shore lunches that would satisify all in the party and always tried to insure that there were no special needs (diabetic, food alergies, whatever). I made sure that the boats were always spotless and in good condition, was always ready to go at least 15 minutes before we were to leave so they didn't end up standing around waiting and wondering what was going on and tried to insure I was prepaired for the unexpected, first aid kit, toilet paper, plenty of bait. I always made sure their catch was well taken care of (packed on ice) and cleaned and taken to their cottage shortly after we returned from the day out. I guess it worked because many of them would ask for me by name and actually book me when they booked their trips. I also made some awsome tips, sometimes my tips were more than the lodge charged them for the service for the day. Did we always catch our limits? No, but when we didn't no one else was either but for the most part we did as well as or better than most and I would always help anyone that asked. In fact, that is how I met Rick, he was fishing up there one spring, I was acting as a guide for 3 fellows, we kept coming in with nice stringers, no one else was catching much, I quite happily told him where we were fishing and what we were using and how. Never realized we'd both meet up here on OFC one day LOL. Good luck with your new venture, best advice I can give you is do your best to make sure that you give your customers, above average service. Think that if you were the customer, how would you like to be treated, and base your price on providing good value for the price you charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Do you mind showing people your best spots, then coming back the next day and they are sitting on your spots in there boat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 well... i have 3 boats to chose from to battle weather... the biggest being a ranger 620T wich is a very deep and wide 20 foot boat with a 115 tiller but on most days i would use my 16 foot lund and if things go well im looking at a ranger 618 tiller to replace that boat... and i also fish in an area with lots of open water as well as an area with lots of islands to block the waves in bad weather... this saturday im fishing perch with mercman... and the bite has been slow this year... so i guess we'll see how my personality is as well as my entertaining... and hopefully hes got time for a fish fry at my boathouse... this info you guys are giving me is great... keep it coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Be prepared to fish a LOT LESS than you do today and that's a fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Do you mind showing people your best spots, then coming back the next day and they are sitting on your spots in there boat? most people paying for a guide arent from the area... and most people couldnt find my spots unless they were carrying a gps with them while they fished with me... and if they did find the spots... good luck fishing them correctly... my father was a guide and my grandfather was a guide... and i catch fish on spots where other guys blank... the st.lawrence river isnt a cake walk.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplumma Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Have you found out legally what you need to be a guide? What licenses are required? What medical training do you have to have? What equipment is needed to comply as a boat for hire? Is a Captains license required for the area you fish? Cover all of these bases before you decide to be a Guide. I would also price out what it cost per trip including all of the insurance , advertising, give aways and expendables like bait and tackle that you will replace on a time bases. I am not trying to talk you out of it but go into this with a budget and plan to cover slow times and down times when you can't be on the water. I did the math and found I would be better off working for $15.00 an hour ( that was with a $1.00 per hour profit after expenses) for a large guiding company than going at it as a single guiding service... the overhead was just to much to make a year round living with a 8 month fishing season down South. I decided to keep the fun in fishing and while I guide people it is for free and I chose to make my money as I always have doing Plumbing. Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Be prepared to fish a LOT LESS than you do today and that's a fact. the local guides in the area all fish when theyre guiding... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 ''this saturday im fishing perch with mercman... and the bite has been slow this year... so i guess we'll see how my personality is as well as my entertaining...'' Hey !!! You said they were just waiting for me to dip my worm in the water up there If you can sing and dance, that might make it alright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 im not talking about a year round full time career here... start off with trying to do say 10 trips max next year... see how things go... and see what the feedback is like... then go from there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanT Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I would just want to catch some fish. I would like the guide to guide me to the fish... I assume he would be like an 'expert' for these waters and should be able to put some fish in the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 the local guides in the area all fish when theyre guiding... That's something your guests should make the call on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Mike, i think the more experienced members here are just letting you know some of the things you should be aware of if you are serious about starting a guide service. Things like insurance, and such. Especially liability insurance if someone gets hurt while in your care. I think if anyone can make a go of it in your area, you can. Just be sure you look at all the possibilities first. And to show faith, i will be your first customer. A full report will be posted here next Saturday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 the local guides in the area all fish when theyre guiding... That's something your guests should make the call on. Mike, if you ever get big and need some promo photography, let me know! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeter Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I will reserve my comment until mercman does his post WITH pictures. BTW mercman, make sure you do a peace sign in all the pictures so we know they are real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigdritchie Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 (edited) I've fished with a LOT of guides, and all around the world. One thing I can't emphasize enough is how important it is for the guide to have extraordinary people skills. Every customer will show up with different expectations, and the challenge for the guide is to figure out what those expectations really are (often completely different from what the customer tells you) and then do whatever you can to meet them. Some of your customers will arrive with expectations that are completely unrealistic, and you need to deal with that too. You will meet people who will be disappointed that they didn't catch a half-dozen 50-inch muskies in an afternoon. You will meet people who say they are lifelong fishermen, then they break your gear or don't know how to cast. You will have customers from "out of town" who steal your spots, and and from that moment on you see them out there every weekend in their own boat pounding the spots you showed them. Some of them may even wind up advertising as guides and competing against you! Get used to it, because that's going to be part of your everyday reality. Most customers, however, will be just fine. I've always enjoyed when the guide could tell me all about the area we're fishing in, the history of the place, unique stuff about it, that sort of thing. For example, a guy on the St. Lawrence could talk about the history of the place as a muskie fishery, with all the world records that came from there, the way that fishery is different from others, how things like the Seaway and exotic species have affected it, etc etc. Make it more than a day on the water - make it an experience. It goes without saying - many customers will show up unprepared, so you better make sure you have extra rain suits, sunscreen, hats, bug spray, snacks and drinks in the boat. Oh yes - guides in your area may fish while they guide, but no one will pay money to watch the guide have all the fun. Your job is to put customers on fish so that they can catch them, and to do that properly, you'll need to stow your own rod. Edited July 19, 2011 by Craig_Ritchie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 it may sound strange but "catching fish" might be the least important part of guiding. if you are a good angler, the fish will come. hell, this forum is FULL of solid anglers that can consistently catch fish. the people skills, the business savvy, knowing the legal/insurance obligations, etc are all just if not more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforwalleye Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 im not talking about a year round full time career here... start off with trying to do say 10 trips max next year... see how things go... and see what the feedback is like... then go from there... Your either a guide or your not, not trying to be difficult but if you hire out your boat and services to the public then I am sure there are numerous legalities involved. I don`t think legally you just say okay I am a guide today lets see how it goes. I am thinking liability insurance would be very expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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