Guide line to a Guide
Victor Leake
 

Thinking of hiring a guide or just going out fishing with a friend?

When looking for a guide make sure that he or she knows what you want and expect. Communication is a must to be sure your outing is enjoyable. Remember that the guide can not control the weather nor can he make the fish bite. A good guide will know the waters that you want to fish and where the fish usually hold out. I say usually because even the best angler can not make fish bite when they don't want to. Be ready for bad weather, carry rain gear and if you have a drink you like bring it. That is as long as it is not alcohol.

Let the guide know if you are bringing your own fishing rods and gear or if you prefer to use his. Ask what kind of boat he has, and if he has extra rods and reels for you. Do you want to catch numbers of fish or go after trophy size fish. Will you want to take some home for supper or will it be catch & release only. For me when I take anyone out after bass it is always catch& release, but for sand bass; strippers, catfish or crappie the customer can keep some and I will clean them.

Do not expect to catch Large Mouth Bass, one after another like on some TV shows. Those shows are filmed over days and edited down to a half hour show. Going after bass with a guide, you can expect to have just a few bites each day, unless the fish are really on but I would not expect to catch more than a limit of five each day out. And if you hire a guide to try to win an upcoming tournament, remember that fish do move and patterns change, what you catch them on today may not work in two days or a week from now.

Going after sand bass and or strippers you can expect faster action and to catch more fish each day. These fish school up; find one and you can catch several, and they do move around but do hang out in known areas of the lake. These fish will feed at any time through out the year no matter what the
weather is doing, but they do like the wind best. Find a windy day and the sandies & strippers will be feeding somewhere on the lake.

Crappie are the home bodies of the fishing world, there are always some around brush piles, may not be the big ones but there will be some crappie in a brush pile where you caught them last year. For these fish most guides will bring live bait and tie off to sit over a known spot. This can be a relaxing time to sit and talk while catching some fish.

If you are going out with a friend and using his boat, please remember to at least offer to pay for the gas. For me when I take out someone I know and they don't at least offer some gas money I will not take them a second time. Running a boat and the up keep cost money, and it is just rude not to offer up a little gas money. The boater may not take it but at least offer. Also help in backing the boat into the water or pulling the boat back out; don't just sit and expect him/or her to do all the work. Even with a guide, offer to help with the boat, you may be surprised by the extra's he gives to a customer that is friendly.

If your guide at the end of the day has done you well, worked hard to put you on fish, rather you caught any or not, do not forget that tipping is not a French town.

Fish often, catch all you want; keep just what you need, and release the rest for the future.