I dont know how the guides do it for 450 and make a living.

If they are a good guide that stay booked, that's a pretty dang good living. $450 and say $50 in had that's $400 for a 9 hour day is $44/hour. We aren't even counting tips. That's over 100k per year if they start booked Sure they have to pay for a guides license and insurance but that's a pretty good living at something that you enjoy plus the cost of living out there isn't bad.

I wouldn't want to do it nor could i.

Guide's license
Insurance
Fuel
Maintenance
Equipment
Boat
Health Insurance

I don't think guides net near what you think, Bobby. I've known a ton of guides past and present and none of them have gotten rich. Most barely get by.

Some of those guides are making over $100k but as mentioned above, you have to take out a lot of expenses. And if you think $600 is expensive for a guide, go check out the saltwater guides.

This!

Being a guide doesn't come with a pension plan or retirement fund... granted some guides out there are much better than others and worth the 450-600... and there are few that aren't worth 200-250.

Agree with this...

I wouldn't want to do it, first you have to be fairly decent at catching fish, or putting clients on fish. Then, have some sort of personality that's appealing.. With stand the riggers of your equipment being abused by total strangers. Ability to go out in some horrible conditions, and still catch fish, no thanks I'm turning wuzzy at my present age...
And that's just a small pinch of the profession, most of these guys guide hunting trips as well. Like Fouz said, health insurance etc... ain't cheap.. It looks exciting, might sound glamorous, but those guys deserve every dime they get and then some ...imo

I've been catching fish deep on or very near steep drops, with timber, I'm having to have timber for the bigger fish. They are in great shape, the fish I'm catching are in fantastic condition, mean as heII too, pull HARD..
Mag trick, Mag Finesse, drop shot, big shaky head pick your color... Not catching big numbers, but, man their studs right now..

I didn't mean to imply they were getting rich. I was simply responding to the statement that someone made about not knowing how they made a living at $450. Some of the things like equipment and the boat, like most of us, they are going to have an expense for anyway if they are into fishing. There are some really good ones out there and they work hard for their money, no doubt. I'm not even arguing that they charge too much. I just find it a little humorous when the subject comes around how many will talk about how they charge too little when there are so many occupations out there that people are making a living on less.

Anyway, my comment was never meant to be bashing towards guides at all. I use them occasionally and will in the future. Their rate is what it is. I'll either think they are worth it and pay it or won't.

You would figure if it was as easy as some on this post make it sound they would quit their jobs tommorrow to run out and get rich guiding.

The one thing rarely thought about on these types of posts is not only do they have to find fish but they gotta find fish that their clients can catch. Sometimes you have fish found but skill level of clients might make it hard to catch them.

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions.

I don't think most people on here that discuss this topic today or in the past have ever said guides are getting rich. Most have said guides make a very nice living and nothing more Charging 4-500+ a day.. Which some do. Look at their house, their rigs, their truck and some have additional toys all from guiding. Not sure I agree with barely getting by.

They deduct underwear purchases too, lol... It's a tuff way to make a buck... Vick used to guide hog hunts, ducks, and work at Lake Fork Firearms as an LTC instructor.. The ones that can find those nitches, fair better than most...

Man the last time I brought this topic up I thought there was going to be a contract put out on my life. It dam sure is not what it use to be. I have fished it several times a year ever since the eighties. I find it a tough lake to fish anymore.

I've noticed this the past few weekends, I'm not sure why people do it.

truth