Will a 19' with a 175 or 200 do for guide work, or do you have to step up to a 20'? I'd rather hear what those of you who are guides actually have, or what the guide that you fished with had rather than simple things like "bigger is better."

I know some guides that started with 19' boats.Not a problem just don't let clients have crank baits.

I know of guides who fish out of anything from a 17' to 24' boat with motors ranging from 90 to 200 hp. It all depends on how many people you plan on taking out. John Varner, one of the best guides in this area, has a 20' Sea Pro with a 115 Yamaha 4 stroke. He doesn't seem to have any problems that I know of and his boat is great.

20' - to 21' is the norm. for most of the guides here on Fork for Bass Boats. They fish easier with 3 people in them. There are some using smaller boats tho. I myself would just prefer to be in one at least 19.5' just for the ride and stability in a little rough water. Remember if your customers get beat to death on the trip, they probably won't come back. JMO.

Depends on what you are mainly guiding for. I started for bass and have always used bass boats. I wouldn't go any smaller on bass boats. Now I mainly do striper and hybrid and am looking at a center console. You have a lot more room to move around in them and can get away with a 19' and have pleanty of room for you and a couple guys. But if you fish rough waters or want to carry out four guys, I'd definitely go as big as you can afford. The money in revenue will pay for the length. Also to consider is how many days a year will you be on the water, boats are like shops - you will always want one bigger after you get one.

I wouldn't go anything smaller than 21 feet. If you go smaller, that may limit the number of clients you take out.

first thing what are you guiding for?

i would thing 20'-22' would be good.
i am good friends with a Guide that has a 24 foot Seacraft with twin 150 Honda.
but all he guides for is Hybrids on Belton Lake.

It's been said but alot depend on what you guide for.
I started out in a 16 ft flatbttm , no kidding. Ran 20 trips out of it until I got tired of turning down busines for 3 or 4 people.
When I did use it clients said they could care less if they were fishing in an innner tube, long as they were having fun and catching fish.
Duck Jerky , brian carter, also started with a small boat for crappie guiding and was successful.
I now run a 20FT CC but loved that little boat for it's simplicity.
Food for thought

Here's the reason I ask...
I am considering buying a property that has a ten room hotel, two cabins, and an RV park on the lake. I fish 60 days a year already, and feel like I could do a good job as a guide. I'm in customer service right now, have been in church work, and I usually don't have trouble finding fish. Problem is, right now I only have a 16 ft bass boat. If the deal goes through, one of my consultants is telling me to just wrap a new boat into the SBA loan. My personal philosophy is to borrow as little as possible. I suppose I could take folks out one at a time, two at most, in my little boat until I got established, but I'd rather be able to go all in. The plan would be to focus mostly on black bass, but I am also capable of finding crappie, hybrids, or catfish. With one or two weeks lead time, I think I could find suitable fishing for any species, depending on time of year.
Thanks for the input. Any more suggestions about boats before I move on to other topics about starting and building a guide business?

after saying that.
i think a 20-21 foot Glass CC would work for what you are wanting

jkf96a,

Disregard everything you have heard on here, considering it is a SBA loan, Consult your SBA advisor, and if you dont have one, GET ONE, they will not lead you wrong, and remember its not a gift, SBA's must be repayed, Dont gamble on if's!!!!!!!!

Exactly, hooker... That's the hang up. The whole giant thing's a gamble, much less 25k for a good used 20 footer. I was content to think about fishing out of my little boat for ten more years. I am not far enough along in the process to have an official SBA adviser, but the guy I'm working with has done 3 SBA's in the past and has experience in marketing and real estate. It was his idea to go all in and get the big boat lumped in with the SBA loan b/c of the lower interest rate available. That part makes sense. What I wonder about is if I'll be able to generate the income to pay off the whole thing as it is, without even adding a boat. Eventually, yes, but I'm not sure I have the money up front to get over the winter into the second summer, or over the first three months until the first fishing season hits. Marketing isn't everything. It helps increase business, but ultimately, I've still got to pay the bills. Guide revenue wouldn't hurt if I could get it off the ground. I suppose two clients a month would make the boat payment, a third would cover expenses. Looks like five a month would have to book, average, not just in spring/summer, to break even and start producing income for the business or my family. Does that jive with the experience of other guides?

I would try to stay with a 20'-21' boat. With a big deck. Enough from to fish 3 comfortably.

For me guiding is all about repeat business. It took a WHILE to get to where I am now. I see some customers 3 or 4 times a season. My average now is 20-30 trips a month Feb thru Oct, with five to ten a month during the winter. Trips are never a given and never really be counted on, make them count!

In other words I would have side income to keep you going until guiding starts to pick up. You can get by with a smaller boat, but have the very best elctronics and equipment you can afford.
You will have all kinds of people on the boat, first impressions are everything!
Give 100 percent every time out! Whether you do well or not, people will notice! They will come back despite a less than stellar trip.

I get asked alot if I get "tired" of fishing. I don't, but I get wore out. This is a very physically and mentally demanding thing to do.

Good Luck

Keith Bunch
http://www.lakebridgeportguideservice.com
http://www.barblessshadslab.com

I'm not a guide but I wouldn't cram 3 people in a 16 foot boat. First off you have to think about safety. Someone will get hooked and not on fishing. Also rod length comes into play. 2 guys using 7 foot rods will not be good. I think there is alot to consider in the length of the boat.

I will add that I have a 22 foot CC, Bassaholic is right about boat length. I only let people chuck and reel of there are three or less and they have some experience.

Keith

bridgeportguide,
You sound like you're doing plenty of business. My main business would be the motel/cabins/RV park. Guiding would be "on the side" for a while. I'll probably have my hands full with the other parts of the business. I could handle one or maybe two at a time depending on the kind of fishing we're doing. Am I close on the break even point?

20' or better. Most trips have 2 customers plus the guide.

I am not a guide, but I have been fishing all my life and I do own a business. With any business, word of mouth advertising can make you or break you. If a client has a good experience in doing business with you, he will tell a friend. If he has a bad experience, he will tell all his friends. Consider how many clients you will need in a given month to meet your financial goal. Consider the type of water you will be fishing. Will your current boat support these? Also consider the bigger the boat, the more clients you can take per trip which multiplies the income per trip. I would think that most clients come in pairs at least. I personally think a 19 footer is large enough to get you started.

20-24ft depending on the style of fishing you're doing.

If your going to fish Texoma 22-24,bass fishing 20-21 will be large enough to be safe on those windy days.

From all the past guided trips I would say at least 20' with dual console and a larger rear deck.....

Depends on the lake your guiding on and how many people you want to take out. Taking big parties of people or fishing on open water on big lakes you would be better off with a 21-24ft CC boat. Also unless your bass fishing I wouldnt suggest a bass boat. They are the most uncomfortable and unsafe boats compared to CC and deep V boats. With the low sides,high decks and uncomfortable seating bass boats are terrible for guiding any more than 2 people. Your customers are also more likely to return if you have a comfortable & safe boat. Kids are unsafe on bass boats and everyone including the guide is always at risk of falling over board while fishing in rough waters. If your fishing calm waters and only taking two people I would suggest no less than a 17 ft boat & not a bass boat! Get a wide deep V or CC boat.

I get the feeling Chuck don't like Bassboats.

Maybe he doesn't, but he's well respected on these boards and I appreciate his opinion. I still am leaning toward a bass boat in the 19 or 20 ft range because I also want to use the same boat to fish local tournaments. I see what the guys are saying about the cc boats, especially for crappie, white bass/hybrid or catfishing. I've been in some cc's before and they are certainly much better for parties fishing for other than bass. The lake in question is hubbard creek, what I consider a medium sized lake. It can get rough, but it's no texoma, big sam, or amistad. I've been on it in my 16 footer in 20 gusting to 30. It wasn't comfortable, but I made it OK. Wouldn't feel good about clients in my short boat on a windy day though.