Tipping a guide

My thought on this topic are like this! If your on a trip that might have your guide or captain, and a first mate. I would think a good tip to the first mate would be something you would definitely want to do but still your choice. the captain would not get a tip regardless his pay should have been in the cost of the trip!

on trips where its just you and the guide then I would tip well to the guide that made the extra effort to say help my kid catch more fish so I could focus more on fishing myself. This guy gets a good tip!!

otherwise I say do what feels right. If you feel obligated to tip but dont think one is necessary then dont tip.

Like some of the guides have stated tips are always something anyone would appreciate but I think most small guide dont expect you to fork out extra.

Heck most of us are on tighter budgets these days, If a tip is expected that just may mean the guides wont be working as much..

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Yep. Its funny but the trips where we catch a lot of fish are the easy trips and usually end up with a good tip. Its the days that the fish dont want to bite that I have to work my but off and many times get very little in tips.

Isnt the standard that you tip any time you get personal service? Maybe thats a old school train of thought. Wait staff, bar tenders are a given for tips. The barber gets a tip. Room service or cabin service people get tips. Launch captain gets a tip. Service people that work on my home get a tip. Some times they even get fed if working on larger projects. My vehicle mechanic has been known to get a tip every now and then.

If you get good service they should get a tip. A common guide tip for me is $20 to $40 a person. Not every one tips but it is appreciated when they do.

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Excellent point Mike…especially the first paragraph…When the bite is good, we don’t have to work nearly as hard.
I also know that myself and other guides will offer to extend the day w/o charge if its been a tough bite. The first time I fished Lake Pepin I hired James Holst (Moving Waters)
We encountered flooded conditions, 100+ temps and no wind… James stuck it out for over 10-12 hours until we finally got some wind and scored some nice eyes on a weedline point.
I bought him a burger at the Pickle Barrel and tipped…he worked his off for me that day.

Whiskerev… I’m funny and I sing too!

I think the times have changed a little bit… TIPS = To Insure Prompt Service.

As a hospitality manager over waitstaff and barstaff, the gov’t bases taxation on 8%. In WI if a waitperson is being paid less than minimum wage and does not make minimum wage including tips during their 40 hour time period the owner is supposed to make up the lost wage… Generally I feel for me its easier to work the math in my mind by using 10-20%. 10% covers a not so good experience, 20% is good for a pretty good experience. Depending on exceptional service, I may go higher, but it would have to be pretty exceptional.

If you didn’t get a very good tip, look at your own service or sometimes that person just doesn’t tip good or bad service.

As an old bartender, I wax poetically when a “thank you” was as much as you would get. Considering that I am bartending for part time cash in our wonderful economics, I still don’t expect any more than the “TY”, but will tell you that I didn’t have a very good night if I don’t add another $8 -$10 an hour to my wage and that is in the sticks of N WI mind you.

For a guide, generally unless predisposed during prep conversations, I am tipping 10% to maybe 20%. During our session with saltwater FL guides, you very well could be paying a minimum of $600 for 6 hours. On an exceptional day I would still only tip $100.

Mark

As a Guide here is my say and Guarante. I will Bust My Rump to get you Fish or Teach YOU what you want to learn.! Thats my JOB. I will know were to go and what to do. After that its all up to the FISH.. I will have the Boat Bait Tackle Riged and ready to fish 3 to 5 different presentations for everyone on board. We will fish 7 to 11 hours depending on how the day goes. The Guide Trip STARTS way before you leave the dock. With prefisfing and makeing sure everything is Riged and Ready to Go…As far as Tips go i have seen the Whole Spectrum. From one end to the other and everything in between….I once had 2 guys out for a gruleing 9 hours of hardcore fishing. I know for a fact that these guys had to save up the money for the trip. We came in with ONLY 2 walleyes for the day…$50.00 Tip…..I had 2 guys out that have WAY More money than most. It was a Awesome day on The Big River. Came to the dock with 11 eaters and a 9 Plus for the Wall. One of these guys had 2 PBs. The 1st one being a 7lber. This guy was so excited i thought he would PEE his pants.! 45 mins. Later he hooks up with a 9 plus. Now i think he is going to jump out of his Skin with Excitement.. Zero Tip. You just never know… I am Lucky enough to work with 4 other independent guides. Who are all Stright Shooters.!! We share ALL info on the Big River pools 3 and 4. Even customers from time to time… Tips are what they are. But All tips are appreciated Big or Small……rrr RIVER RAT GUIDE SERVICE .. PS. All fish are cleaned packaged and BONE FREE>

Assuming $250 for a 1/2 day trip. If the guide was professional, responsible, personable and you felt satisfied with the effort they put in (not the amount/quality of fish caught) then I would say $40-$50.

That can be a tough question since most guides are owner/operators and I hate tipping owners vs. employees.

Thank you for all your responses and pov.

I have passed this thread to him to help in deciding what he should do.

Good fishing

If you took me out fishing, thats what I paid for. If you burned half a tank, trying to catch fish on a tough day and then cleaned my catch too, your in for at least a 20% tip A tip is for above and beyond service

I know a guy that tips prior to the trip. And he tips well. He does about 6-7 guided trips per year and says this is the best way for him.

He always says, it’s not much use to tip a cook after you eat the steak!!

I think for him this takes the anxiety away from the tip, takes the anxiety out of whether or not the fish are biting,and everyone can just have a good time. The guides treat him real well with extra time if necessary.

Interesting way to do it. I would guess on a $500 trip with two guys fishing he’s giving $100 per person.

ET

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I know a guy that tips prior to the trip. And he tips well. He does about 6-7 guided trips per year and says this is the best way for him.

He always says, it’s not much use to tip a cook after you eat the steak!!

I think for him this takes the anxiety away from the tip, takes the anxiety out of whether or not the fish are biting,and everyone can just have a good time. The guides treat him real well with extra time if necessary.

Interesting way to do it. I would guess on a $500 trip with two guys fishing he’s giving $100 per person.

ET

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..Send HIM my way. ……rrr.

First and only time with a guide he drank our beer, eat our lunches and had a hard time staying awake during the day, we dumped him early afternoon before our time was up…no tip.

Tips are for service above the norm imho, whether it’s in a resturant or elsewhere.

You drag me off to some spot and we spend 4 hours there with out a bite I figure you don’t know anymore than me so why should I tip you?

You want me to use your equiptment, better not be a handful of worn out cheap crap, boat better run and basicily the trip should be one I’ll remember and enjoy for a long time.

No, you don’t have to put me on my PB, but you better put me on something, I can not catch fish just fine without your help.

If you want a tip, make sure you deserve one, I tend to over tip, but only if they deserve it. (or are really good looking waitress’s)

So if you posted that with out a tip, there may not be a next time, don’t bother taking me out the first time, I tip for service done, not because you call yourself a guide.

Al…who also thinks tipping has got out of hand.

Was the guide uncle Joe from PettieCoat Junction?

I would not tip that situation, luckly I have had good to great fishing with the guides I have hired.

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Was the guide uncle Joe from PettieCoat Junction?

I would not tip that situation, luckly I have had good to great fishing with the guides I have hired.

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No, was reccomended by a resort in Canada many many years ago, lots of good ones out there I know, we just found one of the few bad ones and it sour’d me for years.

Al

I took a deep sea charter out recently and tipped the captain and mate in advance because I had to charge it all at once on a credit card for business purposes. I never would have thought tipping in advance was a good idea until I saw how hard they worked. Best part was when we were headed in after a tough day of fishing and ran across a big school of baitfish. Mate says to captain, “Maybe we should stop and fish this school.” Captain says, “We gotta get back, it’s after 4 already. [The charter owner] wants us back by 4:30.” The captain then thinks for a second, looks over at me and says, “Screw it”. We spent almost an extra hour working over that school and I’ll guarantee we wouldn’t have if I hadn’t given that tip in advance. I don’t know if I’ll start tipping in advance all the time, but it sure didn’t hurt in this case.

If you refuse to tip because of some principle you came up with, you should understand that you’re in the minority. I’d also suggest telling your guide in advance … that way he’ll know to think twice before using extra bait or gas, and to come in promptly at the 8 hour mark. You should get only what you pay for instead of freeloading on the expectation created by those of us that do tip.

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I know a guy that tips prior to the trip.

He always says, it’s not much use to tip a cook after you eat the steak!!

ET

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and have fun chewing the steak after he over cooked it because the waiter pocketed his tip. As far as tipping up front because of payment, that is what ca$h is for guide to tax man… “what tips ?”

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I took a deep sea charter out recently and tipped the captain and mate in advance because I had to charge it all at once on a credit card for business purposes. I never would have thought tipping in advance was a good idea until I saw how hard they worked. Best part was when we were headed in after a tough day of fishing and ran across a big school of baitfish. Mate says to captain, “Maybe we should stop and fish this school.” Captain says, “We gotta get back, it’s after 4 already. [The charter owner] wants us back by 4:30.” The captain then thinks for a second, looks over at me and says, “Screw it”. We spent almost an extra hour working over that school and I’ll guarantee we wouldn’t have if I hadn’t given that tip in advance. I don’t know if I’ll start tipping in advance all the time, but it sure didn’t hurt in this case.

If you refuse to tip because of some principle you came up with, you should understand that you’re in the minority. I’d also suggest telling your guide in advance … that way he’ll know to think twice before using extra bait or gas, and to come in promptly at the 8 hour mark. You should get only what you pay for instead of freeloading on the expectation created by those of us that do tip.

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You order a steak med rare and it come raw, and the waitress says, I didn’t think you’d like that… you tip?
You sit there for 35 mins waiting for your bill you tip?
You tip when your guide shows up drunk and gets even drunker?

Maybe you do, but I don’t, neither do most the people I know.

I think those that don’t tip for poor service are not the minority as you seem to think.

As far as guides go, if they do their job they’d get a basic tip, they go above that, tips increase.

Maybe you tip for just being there, I tip for good service.

I don’t think I’m in the minority.

Al

Hired a guide twice one I tipped one I didn’t.I agree if he does a good job and you catch fish, ya tip. But what about the carpenter, plumber, lawn service, mailman does anyone tip them? They all provide a service. All have money invested in equipment and gas.

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But what about the carpenter, plumber, lawn service, mailman does anyone tip them? They all provide a service. All have money invested in equipment and gas.

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Local Police Officer… Oh wait, would that be a bribe?

Most definitely tip you plumber.

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I took a deep sea charter out recently and tipped the captain and mate in advance because I had to charge it all at once on a credit card for business purposes. I never would have thought tipping in advance was a good idea until I saw how hard they worked. Best part was when we were headed in after a tough day of fishing and ran across a big school of baitfish. Mate says to captain, “Maybe we should stop and fish this school.” Captain says, “We gotta get back, it’s after 4 already. [The charter owner] wants us back by 4:30.” The captain then thinks for a second, looks over at me and says, “Screw it”. We spent almost an extra hour working over that school and I’ll guarantee we wouldn’t have if I hadn’t given that tip in advance. I don’t know if I’ll start tipping in advance all the time, but it sure didn’t hurt in this case.

If you refuse to tip because of some principle you came up with, you should understand that you’re in the minority. I’d also suggest telling your guide in advance … that way he’ll know to think twice before using extra bait or gas, and to come in promptly at the 8 hour mark. You should get only what you pay for instead of freeloading on the expectation created by those of us that do tip.

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You order a steak med rare and it come raw, and the waitress says, I didn’t think you’d like that… you tip?

You sit there for 35 mins waiting for your bill you tip?

You tip when your guide shows up drunk and gets even drunker?

Maybe you do, but I don’t, neither do most the people I know.

I think those that don’t tip for poor service are not the minority as you seem to think.

As far as guides go, if they do their job they’d get a basic tip, they go above that, tips increase.

Maybe you tip for just being there, I tip for good service.

I don’t think I’m in the minority.

Al

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Al,

The answer to your question is no, of course. I was addressing the people who refuse to tip even for good service because they think they shouldn’t ever tip a guide.

John

Edit: I see that I responded to your post earlier so perhaps you thought I was responding directly to you. That wasn’t my intention — I just clicked “respond” on the last response in the thread at the time.

I think everyone should do what works for them. I have never tipped in advance, but may try it sometime.

My question, there’s alot of replies here about drunk or poor service fishing guides. Would it be fair to say that the new rules requiring the 6 pack licensing of guides cleaned this up? Seems that prior to these licenses anyone could guide. Now, you have to have some significant investment in the deal.

Thoughts?

ET

Yeah, when we do a good job repairing a vehicle, we still get about the “opposite” of a tip at pay up time…

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Yeah, when we do a good job repairing a vehicle, we still get about the “opposite” of a tip at pay up time…

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I have to say there have been times I have gone in the backroom and tipped a mechanic when I know he has put out the extra effort to solve a problem, or busted a nut to get it done as soon as possible.

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Would it be fair to say that the new rules requiring the 6 pack licensing of guides cleaned this up? Seems that prior to these licenses anyone could guide.

Thoughts?

ET

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Hey Stadium Man, anyone can still guide and they do. Just not on federal waterways and that’s an awful lot of inland water!

I’ve only hired a dozen or so guides and have checked them out on the net prior to contacting them. I don’t think a guide would last very long if they continued to mistreat their customers now that the information super hiway doesn’t have a speed limit.

This is a great thread! I’ve thought about this a lot over the last few days. I came to the conclusion that a tip is the last thing that’s on my mine when we go out at night.

‘ell, with my jokes I’m just happy I get paid.

don’t they pay you BEFORE you tell your jokes???

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don’t they pay you BEFORE you tell your jokes???

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….. …….rrr

Sounds like a decent guy.. PM me his info if you have a chance. It will get zapped in the open.

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I know a guide that turns down tips… unless it is an agreed to amount over an original fee for extra time, or added adventure… say a unplanned, but requested trip way up river to sightsee or something, then it really isn’t a tip, but an adjustment of a predetermined fee. His thought, my fee is the cost, I don’t want anyone feeling uncomfortable about having to tip, at any time during or after the trip, and I make it known right up front at the time we start any trip. His request… come see me again, or send someone you know. A referral is the tip he says is the greatest compliment, and after all, that is what the tip is sort of about anyway. He says works much better in his opinion.

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BK I thought most people would pay you to not tell your jokes.

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Most definitely tip you plumber.

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X2

Thats a no-brainer right there

Al,

The answer to your question is no, of course. I was addressing the people who refuse to tip even for good service because they think they shouldn’t ever tip a guide.

John

x2

Al

I’ve casually guided some anglers on Mille Lacs over the years while open water trolling for walleyes and most have left a tip. I learned that it’s not always the amount of fish you put in the boat that determines the size of the tip or if you even get one. It’s more about “the list”.

Before I even accept to take someone out fishing, I always ask them several questions about why they want to go fishing in the first place and what would they like to accomplish. The answers vary greatly and some are – to learn a different fishing technique, how to locate the fish, their habits, their diet, habits of the forage base, they want to learn about my boat, the fishing equipment, tackle, fishing strategies based on conditions and catch some fish is usually last. I ask them to rank those things on the list in regard to what is most important. It’s amazing what some people will tell you if you ask the right type of questions. I had one guy tell me “it’s the only way my dad will fish with me”. I realized right there, that catching fish was not the most important thing on that day. After I get the list, I lay out crystal clear expectations on what they can expect from me – my strengths and areas where I’m not as strong. Depending on what they say, I may and have recommened them to someone else who’s better equipped to accomplish their goals versus me.

About half way through the trip, I will then ask them for a review to make sure that I’m hitting the mark or if we need to adjust or spend time on something else and react accordingly. At the end of the day, I will ask them for a honest review and go through each thing on their list. I then ask them if they could please give me a few tips so I can become a better guide and friend in the future. My attitude is I love tips, especially if they are not in the form of money.