Just hired Gene for a Friday morning excursion on the 23rd.
Anyone ever used his services?
Thoughts, Comments, Warnings?
Not going to cancel or anything I like to draw my own opinion first hand but if there are things I could bring to better the trip or look out for I’d like to know now.
bring beer and sunscreen. camera.
I never have, but know a few guys that have multiple times. It will be a great trip and you will learn a lot…not all of it about musky fishing though 
Got a trip booked with him this Saturday!! I’m pretty pumped! 
Its one of the few species I have yet to catch. Hopefully the weather holds and someone in our group gets the chance at a beast!! I’ll be happy with whatever happens. I’ll never complain about drinking beer on a boat. He seems like a fun guy! 
I hear he is supposed to be taking the Governor out later on this summer. That could be an interesting trip for him.
I hear he is supposed to be taking the Governor out later on this summer. That could be an interesting trip for him.
Gene or the govenor? I think the govenor is going to learn quite a bit too 
That’s great to hear guys. Gene sounds like a great guy over the phone. I’m really looking forward to it.
IceNeyes… Be sure to report back with us after your trip. And post any pix if you hook into a monster!!!
Mike… I noticed on his FB page that on every video he has Thunderstruck playing in the background. Hilarious. Good thing I like that song. My favorite pic on his FB is this one…
Muskie-w-a-Northern-in-His-Mouth.jpg
I missed that photo of his. Cool picture. He owns the liquor store in Malmo and has a number of photos of big pike with ducks they have eaten on the walls there. Wouldnt say trolling for pike and muskies is the most exciting trip Ive been on but it is a good relaxing trip.
Ducks!?!? That’s just insane!!! Oh man… I hope one of us in our group lays into a nice monster… My wife who doesn’t have any experience in this sort of stuff asked me if Gene guaranties fish. I laughed and said the Muskie is the fish of 1000 casts. The odds are greater that we’ll get skunked then catch one. But if we catch one… Looooooook out.
Pics like this? Poor little ringbill
duck-in-pike.jpg
Wow… that is just crazy!!!
I remember as a kid we were in Canada at a souvenir shop and it had a lure the size of a small duck and I remember thinking. Nothing would bite that.
Growing up in Malmo I know Gene well. He’s a little crazy but in the best way possible. You will be entertained from the second you leave the dock and will have a great trip whether you catch a fish or not.
Last year when the Bassmaster AOY tournament was there he had a couple of the event emcees on his boat while the anglers were on the water and they boated a pike or muskie each time they went live to his boat… Plus it happened to be on his birthday. Pretty cool video that I think he’s got up on his FB page.
Will
I took my daughter and son-in-law out with him a couple years ago and yes he is an entertainer. Once you get him going though he can forget some things. I had to let him know a few times that his lines picked up a weed and the bait was skipping across the top while he was story telling. Never know, you might get a muskie but a couple nice northerns kept our outing from coming back in with the “skunk flag” flying. FWIW, last fall I heard he was turning the guiding over to his apprentice although he would still own the guide business. Maybe he changed his mind for this year??
Dont forget to let us know how it goes.
I was suppose to go Last Saturday but had some stuff come up and couldn’t make it.. My buddy and his family went but only for a short time. They only fished for an hour and half and got rained out. They had one hit but missed it, they think it was a pike. Sorry I can’t tell a more exciting story.. Maybe next time. We are going to try to go again late summer early fall.
Dont forget to let us know how it goes.
IceNEyes1986 supposedly went out last Saturday, any reports @IceNEyes1986?
I was suppose to go Last Saturday but had some stuff come up and couldn’t make it.. My buddy and his family went but only for a short time. They only fished for an hour and half and got rained out. They had one hit but missed it, they think it was a pike. Sorry I can’t tell a more exciting story.. Maybe next time. We are going to try to go again late summer early fall.
Ha…looks like you chimed in right at the time I posted too. Anyway, do you know if Gene himself was the guide?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>IceNEyes1986 wrote:</div>
I was suppose to go Last Saturday but had some stuff come up and couldn’t make it.. My buddy and his family went but only for a short time. They only fished for an hour and half and got rained out. They had one hit but missed it, they think it was a pike. Sorry I can’t tell a more exciting story.. Maybe next time. We are going to try to go again late summer early fall.Ha…looks like you chimed in right at the time I posted too. Anyway, do you know if Gene himself was the guide?
Gene was their Captain with one deck hand.
You cannot go wrong with Gene Miller. This guy is a hoot and can get you in the fish. We were a party of 5 and 4 of us caught some monster pikes. No Muskies but for a group that has never caught a fish longer than 3 feet the pike more that made up for it. We will hire Gene every time we go to Mille Lacs from now on. Great time was had by all.
Matt is his deck hand and he was great as well since Gene drove and Matt set the rigs and landed the fish. Good team.
Thanks guys for a great trip.
They set the rigs & landed the fish? What did you do just write the check and ride around? Not ripping on you just curious.
You show up with rain gear, life jackets and beverages of choice. You use his rods, his lures. Matt rigs them and gets them in the water. You just sit and wait for “fish on!!!” You get up from your seat, take the rod out of the holder and start reeling them in. You get near the boat and Matt lands them in a net. He takes the hook out and holds them up for a quick pic before they go right back into the water. And then your off for your next one. We had two in the boat in the first 30 minutes of our trip.
We were the morning group. The afternoon group came back with the skunked flag flying which means they caught nothing.
Cost is $50 per person, minimum of 3 people for 4 hours. You troll two hours north, turn around and troll back. We were staying at Fisher’s Resort. He came and picked up at their dock and we were off.
It was awesome.
He’s on facebook. Go to Gene Miller Muskie Trips and check it out.
Oh… and you write the check. LOL…
OK, got it. It’s just like the great lake charters then. Glad you had fun. 
More or less like any private guided trip or launch boat outing. They basically rig up your rod, you reel in the fish and they net it and usually unhook it for you as well I’m sure for liability concerns. Actually the Gene Miller outing is a fairly reasonable price when compared to hiring a private guide or even relative to what you get on a launch boat for $35-$40 per person.
More or less like any private guided trip or launch boat outing. They basically rig up your rod, you reel in the fish and they net it and usually unhook it for you as well I’m sure for liability concerns. Actually the Gene Miller outing is a fairly reasonable price when compared to hiring a private guide or even relative to what you get on a launch boat for $35-$40 per person.
Not to hijack your thread but what do people think a reasonable price is for an 8 hour guide trip for 2 guys walleye fishing.
Inland waters ? $$$
Great Lakes ? $$$
I think a lot depends on if the guide is a full time guide or a guy looking to get his fishing paid for.
If a guy only books weekend or after work trips I would guess $20 to $30 a hour.
If the guy is full time and feeding his family and goes when the client wants to go i’m good up to $50 a hour.
BTW, if I hire a guide I’m reeling in and fighting my own fish. There is a huge difference between a guided trip with 1 or 2 guys and a pontoon or charter boat full of people where they won’t take the boat out of gear for fear of tangling and needing to reset lines.
Not to hijack your thread but what do people think a reasonable price is for an 8 hour guide trip for 2 guys walleye fishing.
Inland waters ? $$$
Great Lakes ? $$$
Here are sample rates from notable Minnesota guides for inland waters. Didn’t get a chance to look up Great Lakes, although they typically target trout and salmon.
Tony Roach- Mille Lacs
Premiere Package
Full Day (8 Hours) 1 to 2 Clients
Rate: $400.00
* Additional Client: $50.00
Super Half Day Package
Super Half (6 Hours) 1 to 2 Clients
Rate: $350.00
* Additional Client: $50.00
Half Day Package
Half Day (4 Hours) 1 to 2 Clients
Rate: $300.00
* Additional Client: $50.00
All packages include:
Rods/Tackle
Bait
Fish cleaning/Packaging
Tom Neustrom- Grand Rapids area
2017 Guided Fishing Trip Rates
Number of Anglers
Full Day Trip (8 hrs)
Half Day Trip (5hrs)
1-2 People
$420
$380
3 People
$500
$440
Tag Boats
$100 per boat
Deposit: A $200 deposit ($200 per boat for group trips) is required to hold your reservation for a guided fishing trip with Tom.
Tim Chapman- Mille Lacs
4 Hour Rate
2 People
$225
3 People – $255
6 Hour Rate
2 People
$295
3 People – $335
8 Hour Rate
2 People
$360
3 People – $410
Guides i’ve used and talked to also charge for gas & bait on top of the rate.
Guides i’ve used and talked to also charge for gas & bait on top of the rate.
Argh…? Which one’s? I have been out with many guides over the course of my lifetime and have never been charged for gas or bait above and beyond the rate. Tipping however is something I’ve always done, typically 20% if they gave good service and effort.
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