Howdy all! I'm just seeing what all would be required to become a freshwater guide using my kayaks rather than a boat. What kind of registration, liability, etc. Just thinking of ways to maybe make a little extra money on the side by getting to take people fishing! Living as close to a lake as I do it seems plausible atleast! Thanks in advance for the feedback!

Start a business (I'd incorporate it for liability reasons), get your insurance, pay your fee to TX for a guides license, and then figure out how to get enough clients to cover those expenses so you are at least not operating at a loss.

If you are serious about it, I'd probably take a legit Wilderness First Aid course as well. If you are going to be guiding moving water, swiftwater rescue training is a huge plus.

I would strictly be on a lake and I have most of the gear required to start, just would have to keep it maintained and keep myself stocked up on bait and tackle. How would I go about getting incorporated? Just a small business type of set up?

An LLC or an S Corp would be what you're looking for. I'd probably go the LLC route since your guide income would be taxed on your personal tax return - no need for a corporate return. Both will shield your personal assets from liability, though. What you don't want is for somebody to be out with you, have a seizure or blackout from heat stroke, fall overboard, then drown. If you don't have some sort of liability protection, everything you own outside the business (your personal assets) would be on the hook for that in a lawsuit.

You can set up an LLC online. I'd bet you could get it all filed for under $100.

You don't want it to be a Sole Proprietorship.

Main requirement would be knowing how to put people on fish.

Thank yall for the info! I'm going to look into it for sure and see what comes of it, I could find fish, just have to have clients that aren't afraid to paddle far enough with me to get to them!

Are you thinking about furnishing kayaks for your clients? Doing so would probably expand your potential client base, but also brings some other issues like storage and transportation. You'd also have to think about training a novice to paddle and handle the kayak and probably limiting how far you could take them. It's not a bad thing, but is something to think about. Good luck with your decision.

What people forget sometimes is that having an LLC is not a guarantee of protection -- you also have to operate it as a company. If you don't -- there is a chance that "insulation" might be pierced by the court and your other assets will be on the line.

Also, consider DBA (Doing Business As) -- even easier to setup than LLC.

You're not getting any liability protection if all you have going is a DBA.

You could always go rogue - no license, no insurance, and don't report any income.

If there's any emergency while out on the water, finish them off with a paddle chop and make sure nobody finds the body. Bring extra rope to tow the empty yak back to the ramp.

There's more than one way to skin this cat!

Obviously, but (as I pointed out before) having an LLC isn't a guarantee either. It really depends what he wants... For example if all he has is a home, then he may not need liability protection -- your home is out of reach of creditors in Texas.




LOL. Bulletproof business plan!