ok only experience guides please answer need to know facts.....ok a couple of questions......


1.What do i need to be a fishing guide?beside rods reels boat ect.please no smart a**** lol....

2.what will i have to pay to start guiding?

3.i heard i dont have to be coast guard approved only for salt water right i am only gonna fish fresh.......


4.and do i need insurance for the people on my boat or can i have them sign a waver or something????

Depends on what part of the country your in. Each state has different rules. If it's "navigatable waters"... I understand that means navigation bouys or under the authority of the Coast Guard... you need to be CG Licenced. Saltwater for sure.

Different states have different rules on freshwater guides.
Check with your state fish and game dept.

I have a minimum.... 1 million $$$ liability insurance policy.
Thats for my protection.

More than your skill as a fisherman, is your skill with people.
Not everyone you take fishing will know how to fish. LOL
Last month I took out a father and son... (the son was in his 30s) I had 7 spinning rods and we were using live bait....
At any one time all morning, 5 of those rods were out of action.
My time was spent re-tying hooks, untangling lines, taking the reels apart to untangle line, cutting back twinsted lines and re-rigging. Baiting hooks, taking fish off the hooks, taking pictures..... One rod was steped on and broken, and another rod was lost over the side. Imagine the tangles if I had been using casting reels.
LOL (I did get a $10 tip) LOL

You'll meet al kinds of people. Some are happy to catch anything. Others want huge numbers of fish. Some want only a trophy fish. Some will take your advice and others think they know it all.(they usually don't catch very much) Some people, like me, just enjoy being out on the water and don't care if we catch a fish. And a few people are not happy with you no matter what they catch.

I would suggest taking some of your non-fishing friends,(and their kids)out fishing and see how you like it. Remember now... YOU ARE NOT FISHING... you are there to see that they have a fun day on the water and hopefully catch some fish.

There is a pressure on you to produce fish, that you don't have if your just out fishing with your friends. They are paying you good money and you want them to catch a fish. On the positive side... there is nothing like the smile on the face of someone who catches his first fish.

Go for it......

You have to have a freshwater guide license. You should have insurance. A waiver won't cut it. If anything ever happens, you'll be glad you had it.

Coast Guard Captains license is not required for a fresh water guide. Check TPWD website for details, some freshwater is within the boundary for Saltwater license.

The only other thing you need is a wife with a good job. LOL


Good luck.

ditto on the wife with a GOOD job part. If you are looking to make alot of money, you may want to reconsider this as a career choice. This is a job you do for the love of the sport, not for big paychecks!!!!

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