Veteran guide Steve Blake, the author, and his granddaughter, Caty Franklin,
were all smiles after a successful trip on Truman Lake in Missouri.
A Guide to Hiring a Guide
by Brent Frazee
Some of you have put your rods and reels away and closed the books on the 2023 fishing season. But it is not too early to start planning for 2024. In fact, if you want to hire some professional help to put fish in the freezer, right now is the time to start looking for a guide.
If you are looking specifically for a crappie-fishing guide, the first place to look should be on the CrappieNOW ‘Find a Guide’ web page.
The best guides routinely book their prime fishing dates months in advance.
Crappie guide (and CrappieNOW Editor) Capt. Richard Simms said, “It is not at all unusual for our clients to get off the boat after a successful fishing trip and say, “We want to go ahead and book the same date next year. I know that’s true for us and most of the other guides I know.”
If you wait until spring to try to book a trip, you might be too late.
Where Do You Start?
After almost 50 years of fishing with guides, I have a pretty good idea of what to look for. I’ve even done some guiding myself, donating trips to auctions for charities. So, I’ve seen the fishing-for-hire business from both sides.
I’ve fished with some absolutely entertaining characters – old-timers who were a mix of mentor, tour guide and comedian. And I’ve been out with guides who were arrogant, barely spoke and tried to make me feel like I was privileged just to be tagging along with them.
Hopefully, I can help you sort through some of the steps that will make your day on the water one to remember.
Have Realistic Expectations
I have heard so many casual fishermen talk about hiring a guide so that they can catch a fish big enough to hang on the wall, or catch guaranteed limits to fill the freezer.
But right up front, that’s the wrong expectation. Trophy fish don’t come along every day and limits don’t happen every day. The honest guides will tell you that up front. That 2-pound crappie, 5-pound bass or 10-pound walleye are the exceptions, not the rule.
A much more realistic expectation is a day of good fishing from an expert who knows the lake. He or she should be willing to share techniques, baits and mentoring – things that will help you catch more fish, even when you’re not with a guide. A guide’s focus should be on helping you catch fish, not fishing himself.
That is not to say they shouldn’t participate. Many guides start the day fishing alongside their clients, trying to establish a pattern that will work. Once they do, they often put down their rods and let their clients have all the fun.
“My customers don’t care if I catch a big bass,” one guide told me. “But if I can teach them how to catch one, I have a satisfied customer. And they’re going to come back.”
Making a Choice
Most guides talk a good game. They promote themselves on websites and make it seem as though they always put fish in the boat.
Nothing wrong with that. They are businessmen and they’re competing for customers.
So, how do you pick the best ones?
It might sound trite, but word of mouth is always the best option.
If you have friends who have used guides, get their opinions. Or ask around to find out which guide has the best reputation. If that doesn’t work, call bait shops in the area and get input from employees who deal with fishermen daily.
Another option is the internet. In the past, we merely asked a guide for references. But that wasn’t reliable, because you knew he or she was going to put you in touch with only the clients who found success.
In the digital age, we can ask fellow fishermen on Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) who they would recommend for a specific lake or river. If one name is mentioned consistently, you can assume he or she has made some happy customers.
Facebook pages also provide some clues. Guides post photos of successful clients posing with their catch. If you see a steady stream of happy faces, you can assume that the guide knows what he or she is doing.
Communication
When you are setting up your trip, be honest. If you are a beginner and aren’t experienced in casting or working a bait, the guide needs to know.
Similarly, you need to communicate your goals. If you are in search of anything that bites, tell the guide. If you just own some bargain-basement equipment, the guide might advise using his or her equipment.
If you want to get a stringer of crappies for dinner, that’s another factor.
Try to set up a date when you have the best chance for success. When crappie fishing, April and May can provide the best action, but those months also fill up fastest.
If you’re a hearty soul, late fall or early winter can be options. The fish often school up tight and can provide outstanding fishing at a time when the lake is uncrowded.
Conversely, the dog days of summer can produce tough fishing. Water temperatures are high, there is plenty of natural forage for the fish to feed on, and the hot, humid weather can make a few hours on the water unbearable.
Make sure you find out what you need to bring. It is usually up to you to buy a fishing license and bring something to eat and drink. Dress for the weather. Bring your rain gear if there’s a chance for precipitation and a jacket if the temperature is supposed to drop.
If this is to be a family trip and you will have young ones along, communicate that, too. The guide may have spots where little ones will get plenty of bites (but not necessarily big fish) to keep their interest.
A guide has a responsibility to communicate, too. If the fishing leading up to your trip has been awful, he or she should reschedule.
I’ve had guides who failed to do that, then I got down there and experienced a terrible fishing trip in which the guide seemed resigned to failure. Needless to say, that guide never got my repeat business.
Other Factors
If the fishing is tough, don’t try to guide the guide.
Nothing irritates a guide more than having an inexperienced fisherman try to tell him where to fish. Follow the guide’s lead and his or her advice. If they want you to be using a certain type or color of jig or to be working it a certain way, don’t be stubborn. They often know best.
If this is one of your first guide trips, four hours is usually enough time to book. The guide will probably keep you close to your launch site on those half-day trips, and there will be plenty of time to fish.
Costs vary widely according to the body of water and the region, but generally, you should be able to hire a guide for $350 to $450 for a half-day trip. Tips should range from 15 to 20 percent or even more if you had a memorable experience.
When asked, Capt. Simms tells clients, “Our guides don’t have specific expectations for tips. Anything extra we get is greatly appreciated. The only thing I tell folks when asked – and practice myself when I hire guides – is that you should tip based upon the attitude and effort of the guide, not necessarily based upon the number of fish caught.”
Brent Frazee worked as the outdoors editor of The Kansas City Star for 36 years before retiring in 2016. He continues to freelance for magazines, websites, newspapers and other outlets. He and his wife Jana and his two Labrador retrievers, Millie and Maggie, live on a private lake in Parkville, Mo.
