I've been fortunate to go on a few guided fishing trips in my life. Some have been the best times I've spend on the water while others were just short of nightmares. I guess you could say that I've learned how to pick good fishing Guides and which ones to avoid.
I'm going to give you a few tips on how to choose your next fishing Guide.
For starters, check the state regulations in the state you'll be fishing. Some states require fishing guides to be licensed, others do not. If the state requires that the guide be licensed make sure they are. Get a copy of their license number and check with the state to see if there have been any complaints against the guide. I know this may sound obvious, but make sure the number they give you actually matches the name the state has in its database. You'd be surprised at how many so called licensed fishing guides are not licensed at all.
Also, some states require these people to have general liability insurance. If the state you'll be fishing in requires this of the Guide, then check and make sure they have it.
Another thing you'll want to check is to see if they have completed a Red Cross First Aid course. All guides should do this out of courtesy to their Clients.
You can sometimes get good recommendations from online Fishing forums. Especially those that are state specific or species specific. Ask around about the Guide you're wanting to hire. They may or may not have a history locally. I once came very close to hiring a fishing guide on Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma. Luckily I asked around on the forums and several people told me that she had just moved to the area a few months before and hung her sign out. I politely canceled my trip and booked with an experienced fishing Guide.
It only takes a little time to research the guide you want to hire. Just make sure you do your due diligence before hiring one!
And while I'm at it, I might as well say that even the best fishermen have bad days. If you don't catch any fish, don't think that it was your guides fault. If you've fished any at all, you can tell if a person knows what he or she is doing. Also, don't forget to tip. Even if you didn't catch many fish, if you had a good time, tip and tip good.
I'm going to give you a few tips on how to choose your next fishing Guide.
For starters, check the state regulations in the state you'll be fishing. Some states require fishing guides to be licensed, others do not. If the state requires that the guide be licensed make sure they are. Get a copy of their license number and check with the state to see if there have been any complaints against the guide. I know this may sound obvious, but make sure the number they give you actually matches the name the state has in its database. You'd be surprised at how many so called licensed fishing guides are not licensed at all.
Also, some states require these people to have general liability insurance. If the state you'll be fishing in requires this of the Guide, then check and make sure they have it.
Another thing you'll want to check is to see if they have completed a Red Cross First Aid course. All guides should do this out of courtesy to their Clients.
You can sometimes get good recommendations from online Fishing forums. Especially those that are state specific or species specific. Ask around about the Guide you're wanting to hire. They may or may not have a history locally. I once came very close to hiring a fishing guide on Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma. Luckily I asked around on the forums and several people told me that she had just moved to the area a few months before and hung her sign out. I politely canceled my trip and booked with an experienced fishing Guide.
It only takes a little time to research the guide you want to hire. Just make sure you do your due diligence before hiring one!
And while I'm at it, I might as well say that even the best fishermen have bad days. If you don't catch any fish, don't think that it was your guides fault. If you've fished any at all, you can tell if a person knows what he or she is doing. Also, don't forget to tip. Even if you didn't catch many fish, if you had a good time, tip and tip good.
Billy Bob lives in Louisiana and considers hunting and fishing the only sport for real men. When he's not paddling his pirot through the swamps hunting gators and fishing. When he travels North to visit his kids in Oklahoma, he always makes it a point to take a day off and go fishing with his favorite Lake Eufaula fishing guide for a fun time and a full cooler of Crappie.
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