If the guide shows up on time and makes a good effort, I do not believe he has earned a tip. If he shows up on time, works hard to make sure you received what you asked for in the trip and maybe stayed a little longer, then I believe he has earned a good tip. However, does not really matter what me or anyone else on here thinks, it is what you are comfortable with.

No kidding. . .some people on here need to learn the right way to treat people who are working for you. . .

It's really simple. If you appreciate something someone does for you, you should offer some kind of a tip or compensation, beyond the agreed rate.

I'll tell you anti-tip guys something else. I fished a couple of times with a guide on Fork, both times I tipped him well because I really enjoyed the experience and really liked the guy. Now when I fish with him he charges me $100 less than his usual rate, because he appreciated MY appreciation. I won't name him because I don't know if he does that for many other guys, maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. But when you go out of your way to be nice to people and show them appreciation, you usually will get it back in some form or another.

I agree. Do you tip the plumber?

I got my oil changed the other day, should I have tipped him? To each his own, but we live in a world where everyone expects to be tipped. There's a jar at the cleaners, there's a jar at the pizza joint and there's probably a jar at the DMV (if there isn't just give it time). A tip used to be earned and was reserved for people in the service industry that were working for tips alone. Now you are a d wad because you paid someone exactly what they chose to charge you. How about when I show up for my guided trip I bring 7 buddies so my guide can just add on the 18% to the bill and I don't have to worry about how much I should have tipped.

If I hired him to teach me how to sweat a joint and he was a great teacher, yes.

I will usually tip for a good experience. Maybe not 20% but 15% is adequate IMO. A $400 guide trip will generally get $50. I had a guide basically tell me that he expects tips from his customers....guess what? He got notta from me. I told him that I'd catch him on the next trip. He's still waitin.

The last guide trip I took was a half day trip for sandbass with my two young sons.

I had to call the guide from the ramp and remind him that we had a trip scheduled. He was over an hour late. He was very apologetic and said the trip was going to be free. Pretty soon, the boys were having a blast, catching doubles and the guide and I were kept busy taking fish off. He gave me plenty of bass tips about the lake and didn't mind that I was snapping Navionics screen shots and picking his brain.

At the end of the trip, I tipped him $100 on a trip charge of $0. I felt that he earned it.

let me try to put some perspective on what a guide goes through, while not a lake guide I did guide for a number of yrs in colorado and new mexico both river fishing and high country hunts.

1. spend the night (or more) before to get gear all gathered and check 2-3 times to be sure it is all in order.
2. make sure your boat is always in top shape (in the case of a bass boat gas/oil etc.)
3. get up early and go meet client/clients, make friends (hopefully) in less than 5 mins. and go.
4. here comes the tricky part, you get to spend a day or a half day with someone you know almost nothing about while trying to be sure they catch enough fish/that pb/learn electronics/listen to the stories etc. this can either be a grind or great ya got a 50/50 chance for either.
5. when the trip is over you now get to go clean up your gear, fix anything broken, be sure you are ready for tomorrow, resupply drinks, lost lures, gas/oil, etc.
6. last but not least stop and figure the yrly costs to guide, license, boat payments, insurance (I would imagine this is not cheap due to the nature of the business), lures clients lose, rods broken, reels broken, oil for boat, gas for truck, gas for boat etc. (I probably left some out).

I used to spend nothing but full days due to the type of fishing we could do on the quality waters in new mexico, got some good and some bad and got tipped sometimes others not. the one thing I can assure you of is that if any of my clients that tipped came back I remembered them. not that they got any better service but I did remember them much easier and this helped me give them a little better trip since I knew what we did last trip for the most part.

so tipping is not mandatory but I for one would tip based on my level of enjoyment/success and how I perceived the guide trying.
it is a thank you of sorts and I always appreciated mine greatly (I made about 450.00 a day with my raft in base pay)

side note, a tip could also be buying lunch or some lures etc.

A lot of you guys just make it clear that you don't care about what the guy goes thru to give you a good experience on the water. And I think that says a lot about your character. Being cheap and unappreciative isn't a pretty thing. I do NOT have a lot of money, but I'll never hesitate to show some appreciation when it's deserved. It's really sad that some of you just don't get it.

I think everyone gets it, some just don't agree with your thoughts. That is their right. Yes a guide goes through a lot, but so do electricians, AC techs and anyone else in the service business. Just because someone goes through a lot to be prepared to operate their business does not automatically mean they warrant a tip. When they go above and beyond with their clients when conducting that business is when a tip may be earned. I personally tip for service above and beyond expectations, but that is my choice. If someone else feels differently, that is their choice. I know a few guides but can't say that I know any guide that "expects" a tip on every trip. But all of them are grateful when they do receive a tip.

Based on the premise that a guide should always get a tip if he shows up and takes a client out for the day, then if the guide does not provide expected or agreed upon service, then XXX amount should be deducted from his fee.

I have actually been on a number of trips with guides, rather than buying a $200 - $500/ month boat, I do 4 a 8 guided trips a year...

I never tip based on # of fish caught, any guide worth the fee will invite you back if you did not catch fish BECAUSE of something they did. Most will work with you for a return trip if the weather sucks or the fish were off that day. None of these guys stay in business by disapointing you... They want you happy and eager to come back.

As said before, if I walk off a guides boat at Fork after catching 1-5 fish, no DDs, but laughing my a$$ off. The guide did his job, he kept me afloat, took me to all the spots that were producing yesterday, and took my mind off the office.

I typically will tip 25% for a half day trip and 20% on the full day. I always assume they work harder on a half day since they still do all the same upfront and shutdown for less money overall.

Another thing to note, you and your guide should talk at the very least the day before so you know what to expect (fish have been slow, morning bite is hot lets go early, etc...) and he needs to know; do you want numbers, DD? PB? A good guided trip is a living thing of absolute joy!

Have fun!

DD's $1,000 + $1 for every 0.01 over.

Certified, Cul-m-rite, or Boga.

How about a plumber that does a good job at the job he quoted you? ...like a guide would for the job he quoted.

What about the other people I come across on daily basis, usually several a day that do a good job? I don't want to be partial to just fishermen. Can someone give me a list of who to tip?