Guide etiquette?

Question - when you hire a guide how much fishing should they be doing?
I've had an experience that the guide was up in front of the boat running
the trolling motor and I found nyself fishing used water quite a bit.

My answer is simple.... NONE...

One of the reasons that I gave up on guides was their insistence on catching
fish instead of paying any attention to the fisherman. Hell, if I wanted to
pay somebody $350 to watch him fish..I must be nuts. Down here in So.
Texas, some guides fish to catch the fish that the client wants to take
home. Apparently teaching the client something is a forgotten talent.

I'll catch ( or miss ) my own. I always caught more fish with a guide (
they know where the fish are/were ) but...it just p%$#@# me off to watch
them jerk fish in the boat from the bow. Who needs an expensive day of
aggravation. I could tell you lots of "crummy guide " stories. I'm certain
that there are a similar number of "crummy client" stories to be told,
too...
--
RichG manager, Carolina Skiff Owners Group on MSN
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners
..

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Question - when you hire a guide how much fishing should they be doing?
I've had an experience that the guide was up in front of the boat running
the trolling motor and I found nyself fishing used water quite a bit.

Steve wrote:
Question - when you hire a guide how much fishing should they be doing?

A good guide won't fish at all unless the client issues
the invitation.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Steve" wrote in message: "Question - when you hire a guide how much fishing
should they be doing? I've had an experience that the guide was up in front
of the boat running the trolling motor and I found nyself fishing used water
quite a bit."

I been on several guide trips before. I have had guides work the trolling
motor and fish from the front and even had some that had a transom trolling
motor and controlled it from the rear while fishing. If you book a guide
make your expectations known and come to an agreement before you book.

I have had only one bad trip with a guide and it was not his fault. He
tried to put us on fish but the wind and water conditions would not
cooperate.

Sarge

My son and I fish with a guide on the North Fork of the Susquehanna, a small
PA river with a lot of fast water. My son and I work the bow all day long.
Our guide (who has also become our friend) works the gas motor, the stern
mounted electric motor, and the oars when in the fast water. He fishes, but
only when our needs are fully addressed. We have learned a lot from watching
him and listening to him. It never occurred to us that he should not fish,
but this is probably because he knows how look after us first, and himself
last.

I don't think there are hard and fast rules regarding "how to guide" other
than the customer should be happy with the trip. Sounds like your guide put
himself first. I hope you did not tip him, did not refer him to others, and
I also hope you expressed your concerns to him regarding his treatment of
you.

Sorry you had a bad day. We look forward to our guided trip every year as
though it was Christmas Day looming.


"Steve" wrote in message
...
Question - when you hire a guide how much fishing should they be doing?
I've had an experience that the guide was up in front of the boat running
the trolling motor and I found nyself fishing used water quite a bit.

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Question - when you hire a guide how much fishing should they be doing?
I've had an experience that the guide was up in front of the boat running
the trolling motor and I found nyself fishing used water quite a bit.




I am a registered Maine Guide. I guide for
smallmouth and stripers on the Kennebec River.

My position is that a guide should not be fishing
unless an invitation is offered by the client and then
never from the prime seat or into the prime lies,
those are for paying clients, period. I spend time
prospecting for the right places to put my clients
on when I am out alone or with my partner.

The guides job is to put the clients on fish, not
get paid to catch fish when out with a client.

Guides need to be watching the water, following
the fish finders, managing the clients selection of baits,
leaders, rigging and presentation so the clients gets on fish.
Guides need to do the thinking part so the clients can do
the enjoying part. Spinning a amusing story or two during
slow times is the guides job, not actively fishing.

I operate my trolling motor from the center of my
boat with clients on both the fore and aft platforms
and when trolling run the kicker from the drivers seat.
That way I can get to either client quickly if needed.

Any guide that does differently is not doing what
your paying them to do, put YOU on fish.

Tight lines:


--
{{Kennebecriverguide{('
wwwdotkennebecriverguidedotcom
"Careful with that Axe Eugene."

I had a guide once on Lake Seminole that was more interested in fishing than
putting us on fish.Plus he was late to show up and had all his rods rigged
on the front deck.When I questioned him about that before we left the ramp
he told us he was "looking" for fish for some friends of his in the next
weeks Redman Tour.
I told him we couldn't go out with him if that was the case and he was
****ed.We had a boat with us and decided to cancel on him on the spot and
fished from our own boat.When we came into Wingates for lunch he was still
sitting around steaming,and it got worse when my partner weighed a 7+ on the
scales there.


"Mudfish(Co30)" wrote in message
...
"Steve" wrote in message
...
Question - when you hire a guide how much fishing should they be doing?
I've had an experience that the guide was up in front of the boat running
the trolling motor and I found nyself fishing used water quite a bit.




I am a registered Maine Guide. I guide for
smallmouth and stripers on the Kennebec River.

My position is that a guide should not be fishing
unless an invitation is offered by the client and then
never from the prime seat or into the prime lies,
those are for paying clients, period. I spend time
prospecting for the right places to put my clients
on when I am out alone or with my partner.

The guides job is to put the clients on fish, not
get paid to catch fish when out with a client.

Guides need to be watching the water, following
the fish finders, managing the clients selection of baits,
leaders, rigging and presentation so the clients gets on fish.
Guides need to do the thinking part so the clients can do
the enjoying part. Spinning a amusing story or two during
slow times is the guides job, not actively fishing.

I operate my trolling motor from the center of my
boat with clients on both the fore and aft platforms
and when trolling run the kicker from the drivers seat.
That way I can get to either client quickly if needed.

Any guide that does differently is not doing what
your paying them to do, put YOU on fish.

Tight lines:


--
{{Kennebecriverguide{('
wwwdotkennebecriverguidedotcom
"Careful with that Axe Eugene."