fishing guides

[viet]

how does one become a fishing guide? i've never been fishing with a guide before, but have always dreamt of becoming one. i know i dont have the knowledge and skill right now, but i'm willing to learn. anyone know where i can start?

[A9]

You not only have to have the skills and personality, but you have to pass numerous coast guard and state tests, as well as forking over a gigantic sum for insurances...

[fishnislife]

Exactly what Sam said plus you have to know the water you are guiding on personaly. You must know every square inch of the water plus the bottom. You must know exactly what the fish are doing on that water at that exact time that you are guiding. Not only do you have to be a great angler but you must be personal as well. No one wants to learn from a screwball and you have to have fun as well. I hope this dream comes true for you but it will take tens of thousand of hours on the water that you want to guide on. Plus a little money to get you going.


fishnislife

[A9]

It also takes a ridiculous amount just in startup costs... You have to be able to guide on more then a single river or body of water or species of fish. Most guides either go on multiple rivers/lakes/marine areas and/or multiple different species of fish. Many do it year around. I'm not saying it's imposssible, but if it was as easy as getting a license to be a guide, setting up a boat and then getting paid to guide people to fish, there would be a lot more people doing it. Not to mention how hard it would be to get your name out and advertise yourself to fill up 5 days a week of clients.

It's all fishermens dream to get paid to go fishing and take people out with you, but unfortunately it's not that easy and it's also a customer service business.

Good luck though, I hate to sound negative about it, but anythings possible with the right mindset and determination.

[EastsideRedneck]

If you are serious about becoming a guide you really need to look into National Outdoor Leadership School (better known as NOLS). Google it...

[A9]

If I were you, before committing to spending time to try and become a guide, I'd suggest going out with one (or a few) and seeing what there job is like. I know it is expensive to go out with them, but you could probably get out on a half day trip somewhere for around $100-$150, and that money spent might save you a lot of time down the road.

[kzoo]

You can really get burned out being a guide. You really need the patience to deal with people who really can't fish or the diffrent personalities you run through.

I know it sounds like a great idea, getting paid to fish. My fear is that you might lose the love for fishing because of it.

[A9]

Yea imagine not getting into fish with customers who don't fish much and EXPECT you to get them limits. I can't imagine how many times you would get asked for refunds and/or another free trip..

[Marc Martyn]

Along with the above mentioned, it is a great deal of physical hard work. I was getting off the Clark Fork River one evening after floating it and there was a guide boat with two "clients" at the take-out. The clients were sitting on the shore complaining how bad the fishing was while the guide unloaded all the gear from the boat into the truck and then loaded the boat onto the trailer, all by himself.
Yes, it was a tough day on the Fork, they just weren't biting. Many clients feel that since they paid "so much" for a guided trip, that all they have to do is eat and fish.
Guiding is really not as glamorous as it looks.

[Gringo Pescador]

When I was in Puerta Vallarta I hired a guide for two trips, 1 to surf fish and another to go out and light tackle fish from a boat. This guys was a fisherman of course (and very knowledgable) but he was as much a salesman too. As far as I could tell he basically had a website, three surf setups, and a network of boat guides. He personally took me on the surf trip - it was just he & I on the beach. But for the boat trip he basically hired somebody else to take us both out. After talking with him a bit it seems he just made deals with a bunch of the local boat owners and when he gets clients, he just hires the boat to fit the clients request. In fact when I paid for the boat trip, he kept his cut and turned around paid the captain right there. I have no idea if something like that would work here or not - I am guessing there would be license issues.

[gpc]

They had an article, I think it was in STS, but anyway it was a day in the life as a guide. I think what a lot of people don't realize is being a guide is only a part time job. This guide was for coho, but they only run for a few months out of the year. (But I do know that the guide out of potholes, guides for walleye and bass during the spring and summer and then runs a duck hunting guide during the fall, so maybe this is how most guides work) So for those few months it said the guide got to bed at 12:30 and woke up at 2:45. Then you have to take care of all the worst parts about fishing, baiting, netting, tying knots, undoing tangles and so on. I think the best way to get your foot in the door is become a deck hand at west port. Its kind of the same deal though, for 100 days straight you get little sleep and have to take care of all the bad jobs, w/o getting to fish your self. And most deck hands work off tips only. But good experience none the less.

[crappie007]

I've been on a few guided trips, somthing for you
to know is, on some lakes and rivers in Washington, as a guide you
need to pay a yearly fee in order to operate your guided service
on those waters.

[Derrick-k]

They had an article, I think it was in STS, but anyway it was a day in the life as a guide. I think what a lot of people don't realize is being a guide is only a part time job. This guide was for coho, but they only run for a few months out of the year. (But I do know that the guide out of potholes, guides for walleye and bass during the spring and summer and then runs a duck hunting guide during the fall, so maybe this is how most guides work) So for those few months it said the guide got to bed at 12:30 and woke up at 2:45. Then you have to take care of all the worst parts about fishing, baiting, netting, tying knots, undoing tangles and so on. I think the best way to get your foot in the door is become a deck hand at west port. Its kind of the same deal though, for 100 days straight you get little sleep and have to take care of all the bad jobs, w/o getting to fish your self. And most deck hands work off tips only. But good experience none the less.

Whem I read that article in STS I immediatly droped all thoughts of being a guide. lol.

[viet]

hey thanks for all the great info guys. i've been sick the last couple days so havent' signed on. i'll definately read up on everything and go on a couple trips first. you guys did open up my eyes to things i had not thought of before. my dream is to own a little bed and breakfast resort in costa rica that i can operate a little fishing guide service out of. of course right now its only a dream... i appreciate all the info!

viet

oh and if anyone needs a deckhand pm me.

[cavdad45]

hey thanks for all the great info guys. i've been sick the last couple days so havent' signed on. i'll definately read up on everything and go on a couple trips first. you guys did open up my eyes to things i had not thought of before. my dream is to own a little bed and breakfast resort in costa rica that i can operate a little fishing guide service out of. of course right now its only a dream... i appreciate all the info!

viet

oh and if anyone needs a deckhand pm me.

That's a good dream to have. Costa Rica, one of my faves!

[viet]

yeah when i was little other kids would sleep in on saturdays and watch saturday morning cartoons. me i would get up at 5:00 am so i could watch the fishing shows on espn outdoors :colors: my favorite was walker's cay chronicles. ever since i've wanted to be a guide in the tropics. hopefully one day.

[The Quadfather]

yeah when i was little other kids would sleep in on saturdays and watch saturday morning cartoons. me i would get up at 5:00 am so i could watch the fishing shows on espn outdoors :colors: my favorite was walker's cay chronicles. ever since i've wanted to be a guide in the tropics. hopefully one day.

Now it's stuff like that, which is the mark of a true enthusiast! when all your peers are doing the "Norm" and you've got your attention on something out of your age bracket. I have a friend who's 5 y/o watches nothing but golf..... I say watch that kid 10-12 years from now. ( I like hearing stuff like that... it makes me think maybe I'm not so overly focused on something like I sometimes think I am)