i was thinking of maybe someday soon becomeing a freshwater lake guide...and was just wondering about the job...first thing is what all it takes...liscence?, insurance? a certain size boat..you know.. the basics...thanx in advance for the replys
daniel

cde,
Being a freshwater guide takes alot of time,yes it takes a boat ,
insurance,tackle, lots of gas,and more time.The time comes in many forms you are a one man band, that means you build your entire business yourself years of promoting at boat shows and now years of promoting on the internet.ANd it takes afew years to get enough regulars to keep a steady business, YOu can do it
a yu will be suscessful but all thte years you put in to it
to make once you do you willl still be making the same money at the end of 15 yrs with no grow in your pay check .
YOu can only work so mnay days a year and you have to work
to get a check.IF you still would like to guide the I would suggest starting a business that with grow you can make money
while you are not there then go guide so that you have a future
income not depending on guide money and you can slow grow your
guide business,and you will have a real income.
Guiding is a tough business to be in, but I would not trade it for all the great people I have over the years .I would however
would do it differently next time around for financial reasons.

thanx, i understand what your saying, i was thinking of starting out with it as a hobby and see what happens.......daniel

It helps to be able to catch fish under all kinds of conditions year round or be a real good story teller.

lol....thanx any thing else like what type of liscence or what kind of insurance...or minimum size boat...?...thanx

YOu need a guide liscence from the state ,you can get extra liability insurance on your policy you have now
you would be best with at least a 20ft bota with a 225 motor.

hmmm, thanx for the help

Guiding can be a tough, mental and physical grind. It took me about five years to get a good repeat client base (I have been guiding for 12). You had better learn real quick how to interact with all types of people in all kinds of situations.

Then, There is that undercurrent of pressure to produce, that can bring you down quick. I know that I still take it hard when I have a bad day. People are investing their MONEY in you to produce for them.

The weather? You are dealing with wind, rain, heat, cold, that can limit your days out.

I'll add one more thing, If you have a wife or girlfriend, I hope your relationship is a strong one. You will most likely be gone all weekends and most weekdays. The strain can be a dealbreaker.

Kieth said it right. being a full time guide is tough work. I with out a doubt work harder than most people do at there jobs. I put in way more hours, and I work outside in the weather everyday. I work on the hottest days of the year and on the coldest. My body takes a constant beating from the elements.

On a good note, I love my business. I work my tail off 10 months a year and get about 6 weeks off in Jan & Feb. It takes a lot of time to build a business. You have to be honest with your customers, and treat them the way you would want to be treated. You have to be willing to work hard and work under pressure.
Oh yea, you need to be able to put fish in the boat too. Good luck!

Knowledge
Personality
Equipment
Boat (not a klunker)
More Personality
More Knowledge

Oh...and don't for get the most important thing....Money in the bank because you are not going to make much guiding. the only reason i do it is for the fun of it. I tried to live off guiding and it was a mess. Many of my friends who are guides either have a wife with a great job or have retired from a previous career.

Yes, boat, license, insurance, yadda yadda yadda, !!! Let's see, I get up at 1:30 in the morning pull the boat 15 miles to another lake, get the bait tank ready, throw the net, catch bait. Great bait I might add! drive back to lake Whitney, clean me and the boat up, launch, pull around to dock, fish all day, clean fish, clean up boat, eat, nap. ALARM!!!!!!!!!!!!! dang i'm ready to shoot that alarm, 1:30 AM, who in there right mind!!! Just kiddin, I love it. All alone, dark, peaceful, I hate gettin up after several days in a row, dog tired and all, but once I throw that first net and take everything in, I love it. Then take in all the folks you meet and get to know over the years, the excitement in a childs eye of catching there first fish, a Husband coaching his wife while a big fish is peeling drag out, or vise versa! The money is ok during the busy season, the hours suck most of the time, the maintenance never ends, but when you get home and look at the pictures and reflect on the good times spent on the water and the memories you have helped someone take home with loved ones. It makes it all worth while. BTW, will someone go throw the net fer me in the morning so I can sleep in. Oh, BTW. To answer your question in my opinion.... ability, ability to get it done no matter the sitution, ability to entertain on the slow days, ability to smile and have a good time no matter the situation, ability to put fish in the boat, ability to maintain a home life even though your never home. Ability is my answer in a nut shell! Good luck and as always hope to, " C Ya on the water."

Man if ya take what keith, lance, Chuck and High tech said .. there aint nothing left to add they pretty much cover all the bases.

becomming a guide is easy.. staying one is the hard part
If all that dont discourage ya and make ya wanna keep your day job then maybe your as nutty as ya need to be to become a full time guide