Guided on Rayburn for years and my policy was as stated " no fish no pay" - if I couldn't deliver a fish then I was not on the lake enough to know the situation and I have seen many times when it was slow and I would encourage the client to put the trip off .

I wouldn't mind fishing with a guide I knew could boat fish and zeroing. I would learn more than if we just beat banks and caught dinks all day. I grew up beating banks and pond fishing so last year was my first year with my own boat and I sat around sucking my thumb looking at navionics wondering where the fish were with no idea how to catch a bass in deep water.

Driving around with a guide searching his rear end off for fish in deep water would be an ideal learning trip. Pulling up to a couple spots and landing fish after fish would suck.

Who do ya'll think would be a good fork guide to hire to learn some deep fishing techniques?

I have been on both sides of the fence here. I guided full-time at Fork for four years. Josh is correct when he says you need to do your homework BEFORE you hire the guide. As the old saying goes, "Bad news travels like wildfire, good news travels slow"

Said it before and I will say it again. You will learn more in one day with a GOOD GUIDE than you will in a year by yourself. As some have said, it is more than just slaying the fish. Yes that is a bonus but at the end of the day, if the guide taught you something useful and was a pleasure to be around, you got your money's worth.

I can't imagine where I'd be if it weren't for guided trips. I rely on guides to get good at different techniques. I pity anyone who thinks there aren't fishermen they can learn from. I've been on a few guided trips where we didn't catch anything but most were salt water trips.

I love fishing with guides, especially if you find a new one that uses a bait in a different way than you are used to. Last year I learned about punching mats up north on Pines. I didn't own any 2 oz weight and didn't want to. It's now one of my favorite things to do in the heat of the summer.

Bad trips are just part of the deal..... they happen to the best of fishermen.

Yes! On Pickwick...but agree with some others, I've been able to learn something on every guide trip I've been on! After all it is fishing, it happens to everyone at some point.

Went once with a guide n didn't like him throwing in front of me, of course he caught more fish since half the time I was throwing backwards

I've got my 4th trip on fork lined up next week. Slow on first 2 and smash fest on last one. Not expecting much with an east wind all next week

Fished with a guide in Maine once, good guy, neither he, my son nor I caught a bass. He offered to take us out on another day for free, which was cool. But I couldn't believe it -- Maine? The fish are stupid up there!