That's what I was thinking.... You're gonna hire a guide for $400-$600, and make how much...?

I think it's a pretty weak move. But, if it's not against the rules do as you wish.

People hire tutors before a test. So why not if it doesn't break the rules. It's all a learning experience

If you spend $500 to win $300, it may not be cost effective.

Hopefully you want have to fight over the spots he took the other 8-10 people.

Good luck if you hire one!

Same here.

A guy in my club hires guides plural whenever we go to South Dakota.

Doesn’t bother me don’t care.

I’m going to grand this year and ozarks and mill lacs for club tourneys I wouldnt Mind hiring a guide for any of those. Especially ozarks I’ve heard it can be very tough. That said not sure if I will.

As for the cost effectiveness who cares if your going to a lake for 2-3-4-5 days the value is in having a good time.

The pros enter everything tournament knowing 120 out of 150 guys will lose money.

Why would you hire a guide if you wish to compete against other anglers in a level playing field? I think finding catchable fish and putting keepers in the boat was the major part of the competition. If you hire a guide to do all the pre tournament work in then I would feel like I had an unfair advantage over the ones who didn’t hire a guide to put them on fish to weigh in for a check. Maybe if you acknowledge the guide when you get a check would be the proper thing to do.

Makes complete sense. In the end a guided trip only cost $50

I think everyone should follow the rules of the contest they are entering first and then do whatever makes them happy with their hard earned money. If they are following the rules, good for them! Guide trips are a hoot! Tournaments are too unless you are so uptight about what others are doing you forget fishing is fun!

I think there are all different kinds of mentalities people take into tournament fishing. For me, 80% of fishing is figuring a lake out and figuring a pattern out for that particular day and that particular body of water. The remaining 20% is the technical aspects of catching. If I've outsourced 80% of the job out to someone else, and I win a tournament by doing 20% of the work, that doesn't really feel like a tournament I won. I also say this as someone who competes more for pride and the sake of competition than money.

That being said, fishing is also about an accumulation of experiences and knowledge, and good guides can be a good source of knowledge to plug into. So I don't have any issues with guys, tournament fisherman or not, hiring a guide to learn something new.

Like my wife always tells me "There is always a more positive way to look at things"

I think it is BS if it is within the week of the tournament. It SHOULD against the rules in all tournaments.
To me if you have to hire a guide for day before prefishing you should try crappie fishing instead.

Its not a classy move

I wouldn't do it.