How to find the perfect sturgeon, salmon or steelhead guide...
Tips to evaluate fishing guides and outfitters. It makes no difference if you are fishing a lake in Oregon, a river in Washington or a bay in California The quality of your trip is in the hands of your fishing guide.
Sometimes finding a guide is not as easy as it might be…There are a few basic items to look for and ask about. I am always surprised that people don’t ask more questions.
Experience is good and generally a full time guide will be more in tune with the river and fishing conditions. Usually the person that is a full time professional is your best bet for a truely successful day.
However; a guide doesn’t have to be a lifetime or even a full time guide to be a talented fisher and great guide. Listen to what he says and how he explains things. Good knowledge is hard to hide and a congenial personality will also make the day a lot more fun.
Another thing to mention is not all good fishermen make great guides. A really good guide has the ability to help the inexperienced to catch fish, he is patient, observant and encouraging. This type person gains satisfaction when his guests are successful.
Marketing - Most fishing outfitters and guides have moved into Internet marketing and web sites are plentiful. View these sites as you would any other business advertising. These should be professional.
I’m speaking about the business presenting itself in a manner that says it takes everything about itself and it's clients seriously. Web sites full of bragging, exclamation points and poor english should not be considered the product of any professional.
I have a preference for any business that provides all the needed information for prospective clients to study. I do not feel that a phone call should be necessary to get rates or find out about services. Another problem are those websites that require you to fill in the boxes and wait until someone gets back to you? Why not simply post all possible information? The phone call or email should be necessary only to confirm dates, or get the feel for the business and its employees if you feel the need.
Photos…anyone can have a good day and we like to show them off; however, meat pictures (You know, those photos which show a group of guys, each holding up a limit of fish. This is supposed to convey that limits are common place) This type of picture may only represent a very limited portion of a season’s normal daily catch. This is another one of those things to take with a grain of salt. It doesn’t matter what one is told, this type of catch doesn’t normally occur every day. Irregardless what you might read on websites or be told over the phone...these high number days are not an every day occurence. If you buy into this sales pitch all too often at the end of a disappointing day one hears something like, “I don’t know what happened we've been, you should have been here yesterday, or last week or....”
Testimonials…I’d ignore these too - they may be real but then again creative writing can do wonders for even the poorest fisherman.
Check the going price of guided fishing trips in the area you want. Most reputable guides will all be fairly close in pricing. Beware of something that looks too much like a bargain….in the end it may be money wasted.
There are times that specials may be offered. This is usually during a portion of the year that an outfitter is trying to increase their client base. These can provide some great opportunities to try a new river, a new time of year or a new guide; but
remember, most good qualified guides pricing will be very similar in prime run times.
Looking for a guide is like shopping in a grocery store. Compare the services they are offering. What is provided and what is not, how many people will there be on the boat with you or is your charter private?
There is one other point I am going to bring up about guides, that is disrespectful or abusive guides. Over the years we have had a number of clients that have fished with various other guides and outfitters throughout the northwest. I am appalled at some of the stories that we have heard. Guides that have tantrums for lost equipment or lost fish. Clients having been ridiculed for inexperience. Not allowing a client to release harvestable fish or to take a break from fishing during the day because that might affect the body count.
There is no excuse for any guide to verbally abuse his clients...after all, it is the client that is paying for the trip. It is his fishing day, and it should be a pleasant experience. If you have used the services of this type of guide please do not reward him by continuing to do business with him.
Believe me, there are some really great people in the guiding business. People that want their guests to catch fish, learn something new and have an enjoyable experience to remember.
Ask questions - any guide should not mind answering pointed questions as to their licensing, boats, rivers they fish, and experience. If you have any doubts, then I think I would go so far as to ask when their Coast Guard license was issued. Match that up with what you have been told about their length of guiding experience...if the guide has be less than truthful or you just don't like what you have heard then I'd continue looking.
You are placing yourself in the hands of a stranger and you do have the right to know they have demonstrated specific skills or knowledge. Make sure your guide has the appropriate licenses. If the boat is powered he should be licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard (requires drug and alcohol testing and proof there of - which is required to be on the boat with the guide). In addition each state also has it's own licensing agency for guides and or outfitters. The guide should also have that license document with them. If a guide presented himself without these items ...I personally, would not leave the dock.
There is one other important point to make...you the client, are hiring a guide to take you fishing...You are responsible for catching your own fish, you are not hiring a slave for the day and no guide should be treated with anything less than respect. When drifting or other methods of fishing that require the attention of the guide you should attempt baiting your own hooks and taking care of your fishing needs if your guide doesn't mind. If the guide is baiting hooks for several people then during that time the rest of the boat may NOT be fishing well. Running that boat and presenting it properly in a drift is why clients catch fish. If the boats line is wrong then the baits are not in the high percentage waters.
Gratuities should never be a requirement after a trip. However, any guide that works hard and provides you a good trip (not dependent on having huge catches, as we know sometimes fish simply will not bite) will appreciate your consideration.
