Great answer. It cracks me up that people think when a guide enters a tournament that its an automatic win. They have to catch the fish too. If you arent good enough to fish against the locals on the lake, then dont donate.

That pretty much explains it LOL.

A guide puts clients on as many fish as he can that are easy to catch A tournament pro tries to catch the five biggest fish he can within the rules given.

You know what cracks me up? The ammount of great sticks here that I guess don't work and can spend months tracking fish all day, every day. I'm talking little 40 boat tournements. Again, I'm not complaining, but the average weekend guy doesn't have a chance, doesn't matter how "good enough" they are. And yes, it is our choice whether to donate or not. But KVD could show up the day of one of these tournements and not cash a check.

It's up to the organizer and his purpose for the tournement. Maybe it could be to throw a bone to the local guys who they get most of their business from. If that's the case, more power to them.

I think if its an open tournament then it should be open to everyone. I dont want to cash an easy check, I want to earn one. If I beat the local guide that makes it that much sweeter!

Good Point, RedRanger!

Hummmm I guess Cody M, Mark P, Lance Vick and Tommy Martin aren't true "Pros" ??? They all guide and they all fish the circuit. Their is many more then the few listed. I guess if you fished tournament you would know.

I guide and hate the local lake rule, but I guess it goes with the job. Why some guys don't want a guide to fish agaist them doesn't make sense in my book, and some of these guys are the same clients that fished with me before their tournament?? Does it make sense you can hire a guide to prefish but that guide can't fish against you?? I know at least three trails that allow this to happen, and at least 4 TFF's that have done it.

okay off my soapbox for now

JPost! Hope you wasn't implying i was calling you or anyone a whiner! I was simply asking and tried to make that clear so as not to offend anyone. I appreciate a difference in opinion!

Whether guides are allowed to fish on their home lake or not should only be taken into consideration if you are going to fish the tournament. I prefish once or twice for any given tournament because I flat out don't have the time since a desk job pays my bills. A guide on the lake prefishes every day. To say they don't fish for the right size fish while guiding is rather disingenuous. Your job as a guide is to put people on fish. A good full time guide will have a circuit of holes to run on any given day so they don't over-fish any single one. It's part of a successful guides job. A good full time guide will have them patterned extremely well on tournament day. Then it's just up to what size fish they get bit by. If you don't like the idea of fishing against guides on their home lake then don't. I have no issues with fishing against guides anywhere, anytime, although I prefer neutral lakes.

You fish against the fish! period! If your TD allows guides and its in the rules don't fish it if you feel it's unfair. It seems this always comes up, and it usually is from someone who got spanked over the weekend. They look for any excuse, instead of asking themselves what did I learn or how can I improve. Just my 2cents

No problem, I appreciate your response. If we all thought a like it would be a dull world.

you know, i never hear of people complaining about the ones that hire a guide the week before the tournament. why is this? its the same thing. either way, if you dont want to fish against a guide or his clients, then go play table tennis.

First off, there are lots of great guides who can't make it on the pro trail, for everyone that has succeeded, 20 more or so didn't make it. If they'd caught fish on the pro tour, most likely they'd still be there. It don't mean they can find fish in other parts of the country just cause they are a guide, but on a lake where they spend 300 days, they do just fine.

Theres a difference in the weekend warrior trails, those were created for the guys that work 40 hour work weeks who can't be on the water all the time. Letting guides fish these defeats the purpose of why they were created.

Theres also is a difference in charity events. But to allow a guide who works on that lake 300 days a year to compete with average joes is not on the same level in my opinion.

Theres no reason to debate this, if you are against, make sure you ask before hand if the rules aren't clear.

Either enter or don't, its that simple, if TD's think that entries are down due guides fishing, they'll modify their rules, pretty simple.

How many guides does the pro know on the lake they are fishing?

Seriously, without other guides to help them the Pro loses to the local guide.

In reality though he'll just call the other guides and they'll give the Pro some holes.

Sorry for the confusion. My question is if you let a pro fish, why not let the guide? That is the difference that i do not understand. I just do not see where one is special over the other.
I have no issue fishing with either one. I think fair is fair though and let both fish.

Kind of off the subject, but do pros actually consult the locals on a lake for spots, techniques, lures, etc.? I know they are always talking about "finding your own fish".