jkf96a,

Good luck in your SBA experiance, been there, done that.

" I am not far enough along in the process to have an official SBA adviser"

Havent they made the offer yet ? You do realize it is no cost to you ? Lots of experiance there to pull from (actually in one of my loans, the Advisor suggested that we not need a National Sales Manager and to get rid of him) It was me, ouch!!!

Very well said KatMan.

Keith
www.lakebridgeportguideservice.com

Where is this property located? You mentioned there are no other guides on the lake. That's odd these days, what lake is it?

The lake is hubbard creek.

KatMan, aren't you my uncle Clayton's friend Charlie? If I live at the lake and work the park, I expect I'll have plenty of chances to make time on the water, since the water is 25 yards out the back door. You're right about guide experience... I guide lots of folks, just not for money. I fully believe that at least 60% of successful guiding is not about the fish. If you can't give the customers good service, they won't come back. If they have a great time and see you struggle to put them on fish but fail, they just might come back in spite of your fishing record.

I guided for 5 years out of a 518 ranger and found that it was OK but the bigger you can afford the better. The room only became an issue with two complete novices and then I would ask which one was least likly to not hit me in the head while casting. That person got to stand up fron with me.

Remember in most cases these people will not be as good as you and they will NOT want to see a fishing demonstration they want to catch fish. So if you do fish save the best cover for them. Also if you guide on water that you fish tournaments on do not expect to save your best tourny spots for the touneys, unless you don't take your clients to them. Any one of your clients that has a boat and lives in the area will be back in your holes.

It is fun and rewarding and sometimes you get fish with some cool people. Other times you get Butt-Heads. It is your boat and you are reasponsible for them so you have the say. If they are unsafe or won't act reasonably just take them back to the dock.

Make sure you have insurace that cover guides and I highly recommend a coast guard captians license (required on navagable water).

Good luck