questions for guides/professional fisherman

I have been throwing around the idea of getting a guide lic once I retire from the Military this next year. It would be a part time thing for me. I fish a lot and i’m on fish 99 percent of the time. I thought that way I could write off gas/boat ect for taxes since I’m on the water with my free time. My only worry is that it would seem like a job and I wouldn’t enjoy it. What are the down sides to this kind of work? Like i said I’m on fish 99 percent of the time, but I’m not on big fish all the time. another thing that cross’s my mind is that clients expect big fish and I don’t know if I could produce that all the time. Any info would be great

I am not a guide, but I have paid for a number of guides. I think it is important that you are a great communicator. Someone that is able to teach and help explain why. You will have days that the fishing is really terrible, but I have been with guides that were able to still make it worth my time and money due to the knowledge I was able to learn form them. Being timely and trustworthy go without saying.

Just by 2 cents.

FDR

From a business stand point. The IRS will expect you to start making money at some point.

FDR

If you want to guide to write stuff off, I would reconsider.

Where’s that thread from Gabriel, pretty much covered this topic if I remember correctly?

Guiding can be very stressful. You can’t always fish the way you’d like to, sometimes clients want to learn a technique that may not be the best at that time. You may have clients who expect limited of fish. What I’m getting at is, every client is different, and you’re responsible for their safety and to make sure they get value out of the money they spent too hire you.

I have done some guiding and found that it isn’t right for me. I’ve met some great people and had some good times, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me. If you have the right personality and a great understanding of the bodies of water your targeting, you can be successful, but it will be difficult. I have some buddies who guide still, and they all say it’s a daily grind, but the good days make it fun.

Take a pencil and paper and start writing down your expenses and how many trips you’ll need to make to break even. If you’re guiding on the Red River, don’t forget to toss in the Coast Guard Six Pack license.

You’re insurance will be going up because your home owners insurance won’t cover fishing for hire.

If you are only in it for a tax break or “the money” find something else. I guide for big smiles on my customers face. Don’t always happen where I get a BIG smile, but I don’t expect to catch ever fish in the river either.

One thing I did to see if it was a fit for me is to guide for a summer with out charging. Just took out friends fishing.

I think a close personal friend of mine that was guiding summed it up pretty good.

“Getting ready to go out sucks, the time on the water with people is what makes it all worth it.”

Even if you are on fish all the time, doesn’t mean your clients will be on fish all the time. I’m not a guide but have taken many people fishing. They don’t all have the same skill level and can’t catch fish the same way you do. I’ve seen people in my boat hold their rods upside down, use a spinning combo like a fly rod, and cast all over the place. If the presentation that has you on fish is too complicated, your clients will be fishless and complaining to you on why they aren’t getting anything.

http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/fishing-into-career/

This was everyone’s two cents a few months ago.

BK,
When you started off and were guiding for a summer at no charge were you required to have guide insurance and a guide license?

Thanks for the info. Everything that was said was what i was thinking.

no guides ever make money, they just get paid to fish

nhamm wrote:

Where’s that thread from Gabriel, pretty much covered this topic if I remember correctly?

Which one…………..

Joel VandeKrol wrote:

Which one…………..

This One
http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/fishing-into-career/

Tim Reszler wrote:

BK,
When you started off and were guiding for a summer at no charge were you required to have guide insurance and a guide license?

I can’t speak for Brian, but can tell you to have a conversation with your insurance agent first. Compensation or Reward is a vague term.

WI guide license = “No person may engage or be employed for any compensation or reward to guide, direct, or assist any other person in hunting, fishing or trapping unless the person is issued a guide license by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) subject to s.29.512,Wis. Stats. “
Its a stretch of the law, but the “reward” can be word-of-mouth advertising.

The only person that knew I was guiding was me. There was no reward monetary (few if any paid for gas) or otherwise. No website…notathing.

There were many posts here on Ido showing friends fishing with friends.
No license needed and my home owners insurance covered friends going out fishing.

Mention “guide” “fee” “check out my website” “SPONSOR” and shtuff changes quickly.

What that did do for me was when I hung up the guide sign, I had instant testimony from many Ido regulars. I wish I could say I was smart enough to plan it that way.

I don’t know if a person has to pretend for a full year… then again, I’ve been pretending for close to 10 already.

“Dennis” and one of the first better fish of this year.