How to Select a Fishing Guide

If you’re not comfortable taking a fishing trip to an unknown body of water, do you know how to select a fishing guide? If the answer is “no,” this article will walk you through finding a guide service that maximizes your experience and increases your chances of success on the water.  

The first steps in the process of selecting a fishing guide are determining what you want to catch and the overall experience you desire. Do you want to catch a specific species, for example channel cats vs. blue cats, or would you be happy with a mixed bag? Would you rather fish a lake vs. a river? Are you expecting to fish from a boat, or are you looking for a more intimate “in your face” trip on a kayak? The answers to these questions add a ton of value to the process, and will help narrow your search for a guide.  

After deciding how and what you want to catch, the next step is to research where you have the best opportunities to catch fish. For example, nobody is going to hire a salmon charter on the Mississippi River or a catfish guide on Reindeer Lake. Instead, select a body of water that has healthy populations of the species you’re targeting, and then search the internet for local guides.  

Identify as many potential outfitters as possible in the area or on a specific body of water you want to fish. This is very important, because if your trip is to the Iowa Great Lakes, for example, there are likely guides that fish all of the lakes. However, there could also be services that specialize on one of the lakes, or even a particular species that is present in larger numbers or sizes on a specific lake. Moreover, some guides may prioritize filling the boat with keepers, while others focus on catching and releasing trophies. Once you have a list of names that make the first cut, it's time to narrow the field even further.      

Which of the guide services has been in business the longest? While longevity isn’t the only requirement of a good guide, it's certainly a positive leading indicator. Guides that have been in business a long time are typically very good at putting fish in the boat or they would’ve already sunk. However, this doesn’t mean you should immediately throw shade at the guys just getting started. In some cases, new guides may have lower prices and may also be a little hungrier for your business. In either case, always try to find recent online reviews for potential guides, and when possible, solicit feedback from former clients.  

Another good source for intel on guide services is local bait shops. Take the time to give local bait dealers a call and see what they think of the guides you’re considering. What have they heard about their success rates? Are there any guides they would recommend, and most importantly, are there any outfits they would avoid? Unless you have an unlimited budget, it's critical to push firmly and respectfully for honest answers. Half-day guided fishing trips can easily cost a few hundred dollars, and the prices only go up for full days. As a result, while the time invested doing your homework may not save you any out-of-pocket money, it can certainly add tremendous value to the trip.      

The next step in whittling down the list of guides is investigating their professional credentials and records. While not required in every state, are any of the guides licensed and are they insured? Do any of the guides have their captain’s license? Hitting the water with a guide that has a captain’s license is a huge plus, as having that license requires the guide to spend a tremendous amount of time on the water. For example, according to the United States Coast Guard, the first requirement for an inland captain’s license is spending 360 days piloting or crewing a boat, including at least 90 days in the last 3 years. This level of experience is invaluable and ensures that the guide has seen almost everything, and is prepared for anything.

Regarding business performance and record keeping, are any of the guides a member of a state outfitter and guides association? Are they listed in a local Chamber of Commerce? Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating, and do they have any history of complaints? Does the outfitter have a website, Facebook, or Instagram page with pictures and client reviews? Does the guide service respond to negative reviews? This information is at everyone’s fingertips in the digital age, and one would be a fool not to leverage these resources when selecting a fishing guide.    

It doesn’t matter how good the bite is if you're fishing with Captain Hook. In other words, it’s crucial that fishing guides understand customer service and know how to treat clients regardless of whether the fish are biting. This starts before a customer even steps foot on the boat. For example, what value-added services does the guide service provide? Do they manage purchasing required fishing licenses, or at least provide reminders about fishing season dates and deadlines? Do they provide all fishing gear and bait or at a minimum give recommendations or referrals? Can they manage local hotel reservations if you’re traveling to the destination? For example, on a recent trip my guide service managed hotel reservations and even negotiated a 30% reduced rate with a local hotel.  

Are the guides willing to clean and vacuum pack fish for travel at no additional cost (or at least for a reasonable fee)? Are the trips considered all inclusive, or do anglers need to bring their own food and drinks? Does the guide service have its own watercraft, or do you need to bring a boat or kayak? Do they provide a packing list for the trip for safety and convenience?  Do they offer convenient payment plans to finance the outing over time? When you’re spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a fishing trip, these perks can effectively mitigate bad weather or a mediocre bite. In other words, if the fish don’t cooperate, hiring a guide that makes your experience the top priority can still make the trip feel like a success.    

At the end of the day, most folks are on a budget and simply want to know how much it's going to cost. By now you know it's not that simple, and in my personal opinion the cost of a guided fishing trip, while important, should be the last consideration. In this industry you absolutely get what you pay for, and anglers that think otherwise often learn the hard way. For a guided fishing adventure, outfitters’ fees will likely be the largest expense, and individuals should expect to spend $2,000 and more for a 3 day outing. Moreover, many guide services will require a non-refundable deposit to reserve your booking.  

Selecting a quality fishing guide can make or break a fishing trip to unknown waters. However, following the tips in this article will help anglers do their diligence ahead of time to maximize the odds of a successful outing. While there are no guarantees, and fishing guides are well known for saying things like, “...you shoulda been here last week…” and, “...the fish bite better in the morning…”, hopefully following the process outlined above will help you put more fish in the boat.