Edit. Done with this thing called tff peace

Paddlin', the topic comes up frequently & it's always a worthwhile discussion.

You are correct that a guide's advertised price is 100% fair compensation. I don't think a single guide here would disagree that they were paid fairly if they get their asking price without a tip.

That said, the initial question was about the appropriateness and amount of tip for guiding. It is appropriate to tip for excellent service - and does not necessarily have to be cash. The example given of providing a guide with a case of his favorite beer would surely be welcomed by many.

As the paying customer, you're not obligated or required to tip if you don't think the trip warrants it. The guide may or may not take that into consideration if you call to rebook with him at a later date. For a $500 day, you might wish to ask upfront about it with the guide. Alternately, you might want to split the cost of the trip with a friend & be able to tip for good service if you think the guide merits it.

Here is a good reason to tip
I wanted to catch a Permit.
My guide drove from Key West to Marathon to get live crabs, the
night before this trip ( I had booked for 3 trips, this was the
last day)

I would not have caught this fish without them. I don't think
my guide would have gone to the trouble, If I had never tipped him.



Mo

I have tipped up to 50%

It really is cheaper to take a guide than own your own boat....especially if you only fish once a month or so.

Most - not all- guides work hard....they deserve it

Well im just going to shut my mouth because my intention is not to disrespect guides or any person in general. Carry on...

I have to disagree with blindly tipping 15-20%. That's not the point of a tip. The point of a tip is to reward exceptional service. Number of fish caught being irrelevant, I agree that if the guide is working his tail off and seems genuinely concerned with how my trip goes, he deserves a tip. If nobody ever tipped guides, they wouldn't have much motivation to go above and beyond.

Paddling oars, I'll take you out on a trip and show you how to get skunked for free if you want. You can tip me if I manage to break one of your rods on top of that.

Edit.

Well I guess im lost. I have never been on a guided trip before. The price is why. If the guides negotiate a fee for their services that would be what I paid. Geeze. I wish life weren't so confusing. I do understand guides are very skilled anglers and work very hard therefore deserve compensation but if a tip is the norm, say so in your adds. There are many guides on this site that I would love to go with but I wouldn't want them to beat around the bush about price.

I never thought about tipping a guide because I assumed his price was his price. I believe guides work hard for their money and the majority due there best to put you on fish. Most times they are successfull and sometimes they are not. I have been on trips with guides and caught very few fish. I was not upset because they did everything they could to put me on fish. I rebooked trips with these same guides. Guided trips are not cheap for the majority of us and we work hard for the money we make. Should I demand a refund if I ride in your boat for 4hrs and catch 2 fish. I would never do this but I do no some anglers who would. As guide your expected to produce every trip and that in itself has to be a difficult task. I would think your original price would reflect the work you have to put in to get the job done knowing some days are going to be really good and some days will be disappointing. Frankly if I would not have read this thread I will have never known tipping a guide is something people do on the regular.


Reggie

tipping guides on fishin and huntin trips is typical when the trip turns out good , but to think a bad trip dosent deserve a tip is another story , I have guided before and been done terribly wrong by some folks and treated beyond nice by others ...
I suppose a lot of it depends on the operation , who owns it and the people involved as cutomers ....
I normally tip any guide I go with , I have went so far as to give up a really nice high end hat because I was low on funds/cash and he needed a kewl hat ....
I think tipping is a lot like going out to eat ...most of the time you leave a tip

I have always tipped guides and also offer/give gas money to someone nice enough to take me fishing even if not a real guide.

I normally give them a warm beer that's half full........ either that or a good stock market tip









NOT !!!!! .........................20% is a good avg, now I have a few guides that I went to school with and grew up with they get more, hey their my friends,but on avg about 20%

I am very fortunate to have many guide friends and I gave them tips on where get the best egg rolls, best sandwiches, (over the phone) where the fish were biting yesterday, etc. And oh yeah I give them tips too. lol. I like all my guide friends!

Everyone's financial situation is different so I say give tips if you can but not required. I grew up dirt poor in the ghettos so I know how that goes.

IMO the friendship with the guides is the best part!

Tip or don't tip, it's up to the customer. I'm grateful when I get one, and never give it a second thought when I don't. I'm just happy to be working in this economy. I've got regular customers that never tip. I give them 110% just like everybody else. I'd rather fish a guy twice a year than a big tipper once a year anyday!