I agree with communication as the biggest key. It’s that simple really. Some of us forget that inexperienced clients often just need to be shown how to fish and guides have to fish to show them. Good guides know how to help all different kinds of customers. It’s a tough job for sure.
Also, once you find a guide you like, stick with em. My guide is now my friend so if he fishes and catches a big fish then I’m just as excited for him as if I caught it. Makes the trips more meaningful and worthwhile because it’s fishing with my buddy rather than someone I don’t know.

I always ask my guides about the worst clients they've ever had. It'll give me some insight on pet peeves of the guide and also makes for some great conversation. On of my favorite stories I've ever heard is that a guide had a husband and wife out on the boat... Wife tells the husband she has to "go" but is too embarrassed to say anything to the guide. Husband eventually goes up and tells the guide his wife has to pee. (They were off shore walleye fishing on Green Bay early season). Guide says, no problem have her squat and go in the live well. Wife goes in the live well, the gents move to the front of the boat to give her privacy... the group catches a bunch of fish, great trip. Later that day the guide is back home cleaning the boat and opens the live well and see's some giant "floaters" in there. Apparently the wires got crossed on what "go" meant.

A guide can be a hero to some and a zero to many or vice versa!

The biggest connection between a guide and his clients is talking before the trip. Questions are always welcome and it let’s us know what you are wanting to get out of the trip.

Believe it or not that guide is wanting to make you have the best day possible I promise you! Just read this thread on how many were once guides or tried it. It’s tough, I tell people it’s good when it’s good and bad when it’s bad. We aren’t in it for the money, the long hours, wear and tear on the body, away from home all for what......? To see the smile on yalls face and to hear man o enjoyed my day.

In my opinion a good guide will fish til fish are found and biting, then lay his rod down and let clients go to whacking on them. Like some have said above, bass are a fish you have to figure out from day to day. But once figured out, all the guides I'm friends with and know will drop that rod and let their clients go to work on them. And that's how it should be.

I've always believed you can tell a good guide by his pics. If its his clients holding big fish, that's how it should be. If the pics are always the guide holding big fish, then he's front ending his clients.

I guide on Toledo and Rayburn, but I have found more of a niche rather than catching fish. Some guys want to go catch fish and have fun and if that’s the case, I always try and let them catch them. But the vast majority of my trips involve me being in my clients boat, setting up their electronics, and teaching them how to locate fish. When we find fish on them and they are able to see them we may stop and catch a few just to build confidence in offshore fishing. Most have never caught fish deeper than 5’. I fish to help teach deep water techniques and allow my client to see how I work a bait and see fish caught. Of course, I’d rather my client catch more and bigger fish, but many times it’s more of a learning experience rather than about who catches what. The key is to discuss expectations before heading out.