I want to speak from a guides point. We do not expect tips but they are greatly appreciated. They should not be given just on the catching fish part. There is alot that goes into helping the customer to catch fish but sometimes the abilities are not there. Expectaitions are high and abilities are low makes it very hard to make it happen. I see this alot. Now we as guides, can catch fish in alot of ways but, if the customer cannot set the hook hard enough to hook the fish and keep the fish on you then you have to try and find a fish to catch a customer on a short clock ! Again very hard to do. Why should the guide get the blame for not producing when it is not his fault ? How many bites did the customer get that he did not close the deal on ? We have to figure out what the best chances are for our customers to catch are and if it is a moving bait and all the fish are on bottom, that it is TUFF.Getting back to the tip part. I have had many people that who have taken a trip and what they have learned while on my boat on days we may have not done well, and applied it to their way of fishing and have won up to $5,000 dollars doing what I showd them. Now who tipped who ? No one ever looks at that part of it. In fact, this same thing happened just last week, the money the guy won was not $5,000 but the guy made enough to pay for his trip he took with me.Now as a guide we take it hard if we do not have a good day, I know when I struggle I take it very hard. I beat myself up for it, but in all honesty I cannot make fish bite if they do not want to bite. I am a guide not GOD !! We do not get rich and we put in a lot of time on the water to help, so the trip can be a good one. Catching is a plus but it should not be the whole purpose of taking a trip with a GUIDE. Just part of my 2 cents worth. Have a great day !

Marc, well said. I have always taken pity on Lake Fork guides. I grew up fishing Fork when it opened in the 80's and we would catch a hundred a day. Those days are long gone and FORK is a flat out tough fishery these days. It still has lots of big fish but the numbers are way down and you have to be a skilled angler to succeed. I really feel sorry for you guides when you have someone that shows up with a Rhino rod and Zebco 33 spooled with 25 lb mono because they hear Fork has big fish. I really respect you guys these days when people show up expecting to catch tons of fish and lack basic ability.

I think you should tip anyone in the service industry who performs their job beyond expectations. The fishing guide, plummer, yard man, delivery guy, waiter, pizza boy, barber, whomever the hell it is that performs their job well. It's because of guys like you that the service industry isn't what it should be, because people don't think they will we rewarded for excellent service so they don't try.