Let em fish! To be the best you must beat the best. Plus having a guide in the field makes everyone raise their game.

I personally do not think a guide should be allowed to fish local or trail tournaments. They are pro's, receive money for fishing, so go fish the opens, flw, all american, etc. I believe that a guide could be the ultimate jackpotter.

This question is raised at least twice or more a year. Can get heated both ways. I have mixed feelings. Give you a prime example. Biffle just won the tournament in Oklahoma. Do you not think he was about to burst when he heard they were moving the tournament to that lake. He had guided and won many tournaments on that lake. So did he have an edge, I think so. Even though it was from years ago. I always here that you are competing against the fish. Bull!!! It all depends on the type of tournament in my view. If it is an open, then that is the way it should be. Open to everyone. If it is a Tournament series set your rules to have the type of tournament that you prefer. If it is a club then the memembers should vote on their rules. Then fish which ever tournament that makes you happy, whether it includes guides or not. I personnely think it is pathetic for a guy who guides to jackpot small club tournaments or workingman tournaments. To me it is the same as a pool shark, or a hustle on the playground parks. But that being said, it is very sweet when you out fish those guides.

People don't realize that a local jackpotter spends more time prefishing for tournament fish than a guide ever thought about doing.

I don't think a guide should fish he is on that lake everyday most of them not all plus he has a ton of brush spots or humps and so on so if you are fishing against the fish then give me those GPS cords and we will see. Plus I don't think a guide on X lake will follow that trail and fish other lakes besides his own why to Jackpot so the whole local thing and you don't have the Advantage is stupid you do and if you say you don't you are just talking smack... I can go on but just my two cents I don't have a problem if a guide fishes a tourney just not on his home lake where he get's paid to guide.

It does'nt make a difference on working man tournys. If you only have 3hrs to fish they are either gonna bite or not. And you don't have much time to run around looking for fish. I've fished against a iocal pro several times and my wife has out fished us both.

If they've got the money... YES... dan

yes, let them fish..same rules,same money..let's go...rick

I think they can fish too, all they guys fishing a tournament for one lake have pretty much spent a lot o time on the same water. Indont think they should be asked not to fish because some get angry becuase they did not get on the winning fish.

No difference between guiding on a lake and living waterfront and being able to go every night. Let em fish, its more of a challenge and a confidence builder if you can get close to or do beat them. If someone is going to be good they need a measuring stick to compare to.

OK heres a question or a different way of lookng at it.

Would you want to play in a Baseball tournament against the yankees in New York for money. You weekend baseball guys think you can take em - doubt it.

If you were that good you would be playing in MLB, and playing baseball everyday.

I personally do not mind fishing against a guide in non home lakes. However, I do not want to compete against a guide on his home lake. He has twice the amount of time spent on that lake and gets paid to do so some times. Time on the water does mater, and I have to work and only have weekends to practice. A guide can practice everyday for months leading up to an event at his home lake.

If its not his home lake then bring them on - becuase just like me a guide has to make a living and is not going to travel all over Texas guiding. Odds are if guides are available at his home lake he probably will stay home work and take the money, and only practice when he can out of area.

Just my .02

Workingmans really shouldn't allow guides.Thats not what they are for. That being said I guess it is up to the people that run the tourneys to set the rules and you choose if you want to pay to play. I'm not sure that alot of the top guides would be interested in the smaller events anyway. Possibly could have a negative impact on their guide biz.

+1

Does the night fishing part of the scenario come into to play?

they need to put a handicap sticker on tournament entrey fees that dont allow guides, same concept as the special olympics.... age limit for little league... ect. if you dont think you can hang with guides then dont fish tournaments they enter and make your own kitty pool tournaments.