|
Forums59
Topics1,039,595
Posts13,967,223
Members144,208
| |
Most Online39,925
Dec 30th, 2023
|
|
 Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ken A.]
#12322115
07/03/17 03:49 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,294
mudd
TFF Team Angler
|
|
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,294 |
Was thinking about hiring a guide for bass/crappie but have any of you hired a guide and can say it was worth it?
Is it worth 300$? I guided full-time for years on Fork and lived there. Now I book guides and hire their services so I have been on both ends of this equation. It is absolutely worth every penny if you get a good one. There are a bunch of good ones on Fork. I have said this before and I will say it again, You will learn more in one day with a good guide then you will in a year by yourself. However, you will be hard pressed to find a good one on Fork for under $450 a day. Do a search on here and you will find a LONG list of them. Also I read about bad experiences with a guide on here occasionally and I wonder if the guy that booked the trip did any homework at all before booking. All anglers have their strengths & weaknesses whether they will admit it or not. You need to call the guide and talk to him before you book it. You need to have expectations and they need to be realistic. Don't hire a guide at Fork (or any other lake) thinking that a DD bass will be automatic. There are a few guides that will call pretty much any fish you catch on their boat over 7 pounds a DD then throw it back after a few pics. Beware of these. If you truly want some help choosing one I am happy to assist you. PM me.  Ken is the man. Lots of time spent on lake. Offered some good advice. Specially on the highlighted part. Seems it's common practice or was.....
93 Ranger 482vs
95 Bullet 20cc
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Andrew Y'Barbo]
#12322160
07/03/17 04:16 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 459
Swimbaiter
Angler
|
|
Angler
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 459 |
I would recommend a guide that charges 450-550 a day. Unfortunately you usually get what you pay for. 550 IS NUTS.
Blake
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12322440
07/03/17 07:59 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,340
Bobby Milam
TFF Team Angler
|
|
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4,340 |
It depends on what you want to learn and what questions you ask. The guide themselves will be a huge factor. I've had some that are just there to help you catch fish that day but not let you have too many secrets, some that would rather you just hand them their money and drive away because they weren't interested in working and others that try to teach you every detail so you can duplicate your trip when you are alone. Most of the good guys are busy and harder to book. I've learned you get what you pay for.
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12323125
07/04/17 04:13 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,989
SAKS
Extreme Angler
|
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,989 |
It is very tough to find a guide you gel with. You definitely want to talk to one first about what you expect from your trip. What you want is every bit as important as what he wants to give you. The trick is to find one that will give his full attention during the trip and actually seems to want to be there. They have bad days like everyone else but that has to be set aside when entertaining a client. Hired one once that talked the talk but that was about it. Once on the water his attention was everywhere but fishing. Not a good day.
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12323349
07/04/17 02:05 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 863
tx2va07
Pro Angler
|
|
Pro Angler
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 863 |
I recommend James Biggs if you want to go out and learn. Well worth what he charges.
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12323475
07/04/17 03:39 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,385
Fishbreeder
Extreme Angler
|
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,385 |
Was thinking about hiring a guide for bass/crappie but have any of you hired a guide and can say it was worth it?
Is it worth 300$? Yes. No. Most of the guides I've hired, for whatever reason, fishing, snow skiing, kayaking, buggy riding, four wheeling, snowmobiling, hiking, prospecting, you name it facilitated meeting my goals, educating me, keeping me safe while providing excitement, and providing me with the experiences and memories I went to the place to do what they do there for. Most, but not all. Yes, it was worth every penny I've spent on guides. My theory, why spend all the time, effort and money it takes to get to wherever you are to do the thing they do there, then scrimp on the one thing that can help you get the most out of your limited time and money? Do some research first perhaps, but hire a guide if you want to learn.
Fishbreeder
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12323484
07/04/17 03:46 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,853
catslayer
TFF Team Angler
|
|
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,853 |
Depends on the guide and you...
If you dont ask questions and make it clear you want to learn then they may just stick you on a spot
"I'll never mess with bee's or wasp anymore, and I'll never gig another beaver..." Words from a man who learned things the hard way
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12323542
07/04/17 04:40 PM
|
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 40,489
WAWI
TFF Guru
|
|
TFF Guru
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 40,489 |
Was thinking about hiring a guide for bass/crappie but have any of you hired a guide and can say it was worth it?
Is it worth 300$? If you get the right guide, have realistic expectations, let him know what you are trying to accomplish I think you can cut the learning curve down. Is it worth $300? That depends on how you feel about the $300. It doesn't take long to run through $300 in gas etc, running back and forth to the lake being unproductive. I have done the Clark Rheem class, do to timing we didn't go out on the lake strictly did class room. It was a good expenditure in my mind. I'm sure Biggs would be money well spent, Caldemeyer at fork is great deep water guy, and with a little arm twisting I believe Pete Hernandez out here on the west side is doing some instruction here and there.
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12323655
07/04/17 05:59 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 917
C130
Pro Angler
|
|
Pro Angler
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 917 |
Any good bass guides for Lake Livingston? My biggest concern for Livingston is running it safely. I've been on it a few times and it's still my least favorite lake due to the stumps.
Last edited by C130; 07/04/17 07:28 PM.
Bass Cat Eyra
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Swimbaiter]
#12323660
07/04/17 06:03 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,588
kcb
Extreme Angler
|
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,588 |
Blake if that sounds high check saltwater guide rates. Many are in this range for 1/2 a day. Hmm
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12324000
07/05/17 12:16 AM
|
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,780
northdallasfisherman
Extreme Angler
|
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,780 |
Yes guides help. Most important thing is to make the decision do you want to learn or just catch fish. The key is to let them know which one you are there for. If you communicate upfront that you want to learn something specific they will teach you, otherwise they are just going to be focused on putting you on fish....
2013 Ranger Z118 45th anniversary
Mercury 150 Pro XS
Double digit with Mark Pack LAKE FORK 11.57lbs 6/21/2013
LAKE FALCON 9.3lbs 2/4/2019 with Dannie Golden
Today’s Forecast= 100% chance of WINNING!
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Swimbaiter]
#12324580
07/05/17 02:12 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 219
Dbranch3
Outdoorsman
|
|
Outdoorsman
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 219 |
$450 is nuts for my pocket!
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12324604
07/05/17 02:26 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 116
aggieman775
Outdoorsman
|
|
Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 116 |
Yes. Especially if you tell him I am hear to learn
Tight lines and god bless
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12324879
07/05/17 05:09 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,033
danceswithbass
Extreme Angler
|
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,033 |
To OP - since you are open to Crappie or Bass, assuming you just want to catch fish? If that's the case, on bass anyway, you will most likely catch more with a guide (esp this time of year) than going out on your own, so the $300 to $400 will be if how bad you want to catch fish.
If you are wanting to elevate your game, then the feedback the other posters gave is good advice. I would bring a little yellow notepad and come armed with 20 questions. I did a trip with a guide recently (and wished I had done it five years ago) and blitzed him with questions like "how much do you pay attention to channel swings" or whatever, and that was probably the highest value to me.
|
|
|
Re: Do guides really help teach you?
[Re: Ltcm09]
#12325118
07/05/17 07:15 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,273
tsspencer2887
Extreme Angler
|
|
Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,273 |
In my limited experience with guides, they'll tell you whatever it is that you want to know. So much of their business is based on word-of-mouth so they tend to go above and beyond simply trying to catch fish. Catching fish is never a given but a good guide will make sure that you get your money's worth.
|
|
Moderated by banker-always fishing, chickenman, Derek 🐝, Duck_Hunter, Fish Killer, J-2, Jacob, Jons3825, JustWingem, Nocona Brian, Toon-Troller, Uncle Zeek, Weekender1
|
