Choosing
a guide is tricky.
I get asked a lot of questions from prospective clients. They
usually focus on the fishing and maybe the type of gear, including
boat I run. I think the most important question they should
ask...it might not be the first, but should be the deal breaker...What
form of liability insurance coverage do you have? If they
do not have a 'commercial' policy, then you might run into
issues if there is a problem. Many guides try to cut corners
here because complete insurance coverage costs about double
or more. They will try to cover their guiding business with
a regular policy...if a company finds out, they will deny
claims in most cases.
They should also ask about the level of skill required for the
techniques being used. Some guides are not very good teachers
and are not able to teach learnable techniques to new clients.
Knowing the range a guide can cover might help as well. Some
guides might not be able to communicate this, so it is up
client to ask sufficient questions to determine whether a
guide will be able to accommodate the skill level of their
trip.
Alcohol or no alcohol? If alcohol is important to your trip, you should
ask about it. I do not allow alcohol on my boat, period. Some
guides do. That could be very dangerous, especially if the
guide joins you. If a guide allows alcohol, even if you have
no interest in drinking on your trip, this might mean they
will be indulging and you might want to find another guide.
Find out about the boat and equipment. A new boat offers the latest
in comfort and features. Older boats can be fine too, but,
a really old boat might be trouble! Ask about gear too, like
spinning or bait casting reels - a good guide has both and
will teach you if you like on how to use either!
Find out how to identify your guide once you get to the ramp. Sometimes
cell signals don't work at marinas and you could be asking
around for a while to find your guide. Ask the guide what
color boat is being used. Maybe other identifiers to make
sure you can find each other.
Some guides add "extras" - find out if they do before
you book! This could be a charge for lost lures, or for using
equipment. Gasoline charges are ones to watch for too! This
should be determined before it creates a problem. Of course,
you might be charged if you break a rod or drop one overboard.
Ask what you need to bring. Sunscreen, food
and beverages are often not included. Bring plenty. Offering to share
with the guide might make the guide more willing to share with you too!
Lose a hat or need sunglasses or something else, some guides will supply
these. I supply Maui Jim polarized sunglasses for my clients along with
Frogg Toggs rain gear. I always carry extra hats from my sponsors in case
one gets blown overboard or someone forgets theirs.
A question I get asked a lot is whether I guarantee fish. I
end up at 'no', but let them know I will do everything I can
to put them on fish with the proper techniques. If nothing
else, we are out to have a good time and I will do all I can
to at least teach them something they will be able to use
on other trips. It is very seldom we don't catch something.
Find out where the PFD's are located, including the throw cushion
and fire extinguisher. Also note if the guide wears a kill
switch lanyard. If not, you might be in danger. I would ask
about it. I also would ask if I could bring my own PFD if
I have an inflatable. Charters are required to carry TYPE
1 PFD's. These are the best for safety, but awful for fishing.
A TYPE 3 vest will keep you afloat, but will allow you some
comfort while fishing.
Always ask what you can bring. If not mentioned, ask the guide before
you bring a lot of tackle or gear. Clients have shown up with
changes of clothing, extra shoes, tackle boxes, nets, boom
box radios, and more. This is all unnecessary in most cases
and takes up a lot of space on a boat that is full of gear
for three people. Remember, you guide has to carry a lot of
"extra" stuff to accommodate the needs and skills
of a variety of anglers.
Be on time! Most guides will be at the ramp early. With the boat
out of the water, it is easier to load and there is less risk
of dropping items overboard when loading. If this is the case,
offer to assist your guide launching the boat. Know your limitations.
Don't offer to back the boat in if you aren't an expert. Your
guide shouldn't expect you to be anyway. Holding a rope is
sufficient.
Same goes for the return. Offer to stay with the boat until the
guide comes back with his trailer. It will be easier to unload
with your boat on dry land.
Check all compartments where you might have stowed your personal
items. If you leave something on a boat, it might be several
trips before the guide even notices! It might not be worth
the trip to meet up with him to retrieve your lost items!
Try to find out how you might be fishing before you go. This will
prepare you better for the day. Most guides will be happy
to chat with you to get you on the same page. This might be
the time to ask about gear you might want to bring along.
It is always best to fish with a guide who you are referred to!
But, the Internet is a good place to look for a guide. Once
you find one, GOOGLE the name to see what has been written
about them. Guides with better reputations might have been
written about by magazine writers. If they haven't, it doesn't
mean they aren't a good guide. It means you will have to check
around to find out more about them.
You might also ask how far you will be traveling on the water
during the course of a day. In some areas, like the Potomac,
you can go 15-20 minutes to get to a spot and then another
15-20 minutes to the next spot. At the end of the day, you've
been boat running for over an hour or so! If you don't mind,
that's OK, but if you want to spend more time fishing, this
can be an issue.
If you are taking one of your clients on a fishing trip to discuss
business, you might want to let your guide know. If you end
up with a "chatty" guide, this might interfere with
your business relationship. A good guide will "know"
when to invite himself into your conversations.
If you have any physical or medical issues, ask your guide if
there is going to be a problem! If you have to use the bathroom
frequently, let him know! He might be able to fish near a
marina. I know a lot of people who live on the water where
I fish. One day I had a pregnant woman on board. I knew "potty"
breaks were going to be an issue, so I called one of the people
on the water and asked if we could use their bathroom. This
saved us a trip to the bank or back to a marina!
With medical issues, an observant guide will know what to do if
you need assistance. Most of us are trained in Red Cross First
Aid and CPR.
I have had client show up with an extra guest! This is a no-no!
Some guides will take 3 clients out! I do not! Seating and
safety is an issue and most licenses do not cover the extra
passenger! Not to mention how difficult casting will be with
the extra person. And you will be limited as to where and
how you can fish due to space! I make it a policy to only
take 2 passengers! No matter how big the boat, I recommend
only 2!
Some single clients want you to set them up with another person
so they can split the cost of the trip! This can be a huge
disaster! Don't even ask for it!
Ask about the length of the trip! I offer a 4, 6 and 8 hour trip!
I suggest going with a 6 or 8 hour trip. This will allow you
to fish through various parts of the day to learn how your
guide adjusts to changing conditions.
The biggest misunderstandings surround what is included and what
is not. I have had people show up with nothing to eat or drink,
believing this was similar to a bay charter with food and
beverage included. I have had others thinking we were going
to keep the fish to eat. This turned out to be a disappointment
when I told them this is a sport trip and there are health
advisories limiting intake of fish on the Potomac.
Others wanted to use live bait only, but never mentioned it when
they called, only to be very disappointed when they had to
cast a crankbait all day! Some guides will use live bait.
Others never. If it matters, find out when you call!
Call the marina and ask for the names of a few guides and what
they charge. They might even recommend one. You can ask how
often they are out, and if they know anything else about them.
The marina is a great resource to find out who is doing this
full-time or free lance!
Plan your tip well in advance! Go to fishing various fishing web sites to see postings
by guides. You can learn a lot about them by how they communicate
in their reports! If they are too brief, they may not be good
teachers! You might even be able to find out a bit about their
personality from their reports!
Steve Chaconas is a former radio and TV talk show host, who has been fishing
on the Potomac since the mid 1960's. Steve fishes local tournaments
and writes for several publications covering the BASSMASTERS
Tournament trail for radio and newspapers. He also hosts
The National Bass Fishing Show. Steve has been featured in
the Washington Post, The Washington Times, The LA Times, ESPN
BassCenter, BASSMASTER Magazine, BASSIN Magazine, Boat US
Magazine and many other radio and print media outlets. His
website: www.NationalBass.com
Need more information? Use our 20 Questions Checklist checklist when researching or contacting a potential Fishing Guide or Charter.
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