This sure was an interesting thread to read. I have personally never hired a guide, but it will give me a better appreciation for it when that time comes. I am not a guide, but if you decide to go with this venture best of luck.

Whitewetahook I live 30 mins.from Lake Ouachita I know from experience These lakes are full of guides.Ouachita is known for its big stripers,80% of them are caught in the winter months.You have a few of your TFFers that come up here and fish and they do it in the winter months.Most of the sucessful guides here have a list of faithful clients.That is how they make it thru the summer months.That is just my opinion.This is a tough lake to try to start a guide business on. Arkansasrob

Arkansasrob,

Thanks for the bit of info. My brother lives in the Cabot area and my cousins have a lake house in Crystal Springs right near Burls gas station. I figure you are quite familiar w/ that area if you run around that area of the lake much. I have heard and experienced the same thing fishing on those waters it often seems very difficult to fish.

Thanks for the reply, and thanks to all for the input. Much appreciated.

-Kelly

Top Ten Things said to this guide this year:

10. Where can I find Shad?
9. You Guides ruined the Hybrids in the lake!
8. You Guides have saved the Hybrids in the lake!
7. Hybrids eat all the Crappie!
6. You Stink! (From the pretty girl at the bank)
5. There are Shad scales in the bed (wife)
4. Thats not how they do it on Texoma
3. I've never caught anything in this lake!
2. Do they bite when it is this hot?
1. Where Can I find Shad?

Keith

www.lakebridgeportguideservice.com

I would be surprised if their are more than a handful of guides really making enough of an income to raise a family with. I know of a few but for the most part it's a way to help supplement you're own fishing habit. I am licensed and I take clients out as part of my fulltime sales job but I would never quit my day job in hopes of making a living at it. I think to be a good fish producing guide you need to be on the lake a lot and gas isn't getting any cheaper. Best of luck if you decide to do it.