islander55
Well-Known Member
im off to prince rupert this sunday for 5 weeks guiding, super excited hopefully we land some monsters
finally got a guide job
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TheBigGuy
Well-Known Member
Good for you. I'm sure it will be a great learning experience. I think you will find you had no idea how much hard work guiding is. It's great being on the water. But it can be quite a grind. I totally give credit to the long time guides. It can be quite exhausting, but also very rewarding.
Good luck to you in your new career.
Good luck to you in your new career.
Congrats to you enjoy seeing new sites and new areas for you to fish. Beware though, as a guy that did it for years up and down the coast, for a number of outfits, I was happy to fish and have the challenge of new areas and Big water. Some of these outfits can USE you, you may bust your butt for your clients, get used by the boss as a new pee on. Beware of what some outfits call corporate tips. Money pooled then split with all staff. You can get taken to the cleaners with some of them. Have fun and get on the Big water for a wack at some Big fish. Just remember, your not there for the money. Be careful and enjoy ........ also dont put up with Prick Clients that think they may know more then you. Your the boss on your boat.
I hope it works out for you. When your operating your own boat and your own outfit, the money and tips are yours ........ Be safe.
Looking forward to your pics, get lots of sleep, your going to need it, you'll be sh__ kicked by the time your done.
Good luck to you.
HT
I hope it works out for you. When your operating your own boat and your own outfit, the money and tips are yours ........ Be safe.
Looking forward to your pics, get lots of sleep, your going to need it, you'll be sh__ kicked by the time your done.
Good luck to you.
HT
islander55
Well-Known Member
thank you, im use to bustin my butt for long days on the water , i worked on crab , prawn boats , i got to bring lots of bug spray
fshnfnatic
Well-Known Member
Happy for ya I55.This is something I wish I had done in my younger years.Good luck to you and let us know how it goes for you up there.
Tugcapitan
Well-Known Member
Right on and good luck.
Here's a few unsolicited tips that I wish I'd been able to handle better my first couple of years guiding, and that really helped me out for the next few years after that.
Guests can sense confidence and they like it, but playing the "big wheel know it all" will turn them off. Inevitably some of them will have done more fishing than you. Embrace the fact they may have good ideas too, it is their trip! Shoot for quiet confidence but openness to different ideas. If you present options in the right way, you can sway them in the direction you want making them think it was their idea all along. This will improve tips with most guests. So will teaching them to set the hook and let them do it. As tempting as it is to get a solid hook set yourself cause you want that fish in the boat as much as they do, time and again we learned the more you let them do with encouragement, the bigger your tips will be.
Don't get too pissed off when they lose fish. Of course it's very disappointing to see a great fish get off, but freaking out on them can ruin the next couple hours if fishing is slow. It's a fine line between "MR SMITH GET YOUR HAND OFF THAT REEL AND LET HIM RUN!" , and "WHAT THE F$#K ARE YOU DOING?!" If they are really new, make them hold onto the rod while you drop the riggers the first few times, it'll help them get a feel for it.
Very seldom will guests turn out to be real jerks, everyone wants to have fun. Of course they want their fish too, welcome to the guide game...
The pressure to get fish for an expensive trip can be intense. If you give it 100% in the boat most people will know. If fishing is scratchy try and let the whiners comments roll off you like water off a ducks back. It'll stop when they get a fish, and may start again hours after the last one. Don't let it bother you, sometimes it's just verbal diarrhea and they don't realize how it adds more pressure to the guide.
If they are drinking beer and offer you one don't do it.
Don't offer too many opinions on religion, politics Ect. Conversation on the boat over a whole day will vary widely over every topic under the sun. If you disagree with their right wing, left wing, whatever wing comments, smile and nod and keep it to yourself.
Listen to the weather channel on VHF religiously. First thing before you leave, and again after 9:30am. If weather is expected listen to the locals every hour. Since the area will be new to you, study the charts and learn where the local reports are coming from so you can get a better idea of how and where the weather is coming from.
Some guests will appreciate you beating into some chop to get to the most productive grounds, others will not. You'll have to get a feel for them as best you can.
Learn as much as you can from other guides in the area. Buy them a beer or whatever, the advice could be golden.
Keep your gear as organized as possible. A messy boat screams "rookie"
I'm sure lots of people will give lots of advice, hope you don't mind me putting mine out there
Wishing you a fantastic summer, I cherish my guiding memories, hope you will too
Here's a few unsolicited tips that I wish I'd been able to handle better my first couple of years guiding, and that really helped me out for the next few years after that.
Guests can sense confidence and they like it, but playing the "big wheel know it all" will turn them off. Inevitably some of them will have done more fishing than you. Embrace the fact they may have good ideas too, it is their trip! Shoot for quiet confidence but openness to different ideas. If you present options in the right way, you can sway them in the direction you want making them think it was their idea all along. This will improve tips with most guests. So will teaching them to set the hook and let them do it. As tempting as it is to get a solid hook set yourself cause you want that fish in the boat as much as they do, time and again we learned the more you let them do with encouragement, the bigger your tips will be.
Don't get too pissed off when they lose fish. Of course it's very disappointing to see a great fish get off, but freaking out on them can ruin the next couple hours if fishing is slow. It's a fine line between "MR SMITH GET YOUR HAND OFF THAT REEL AND LET HIM RUN!" , and "WHAT THE F$#K ARE YOU DOING?!" If they are really new, make them hold onto the rod while you drop the riggers the first few times, it'll help them get a feel for it.
Very seldom will guests turn out to be real jerks, everyone wants to have fun. Of course they want their fish too, welcome to the guide game...
The pressure to get fish for an expensive trip can be intense. If you give it 100% in the boat most people will know. If fishing is scratchy try and let the whiners comments roll off you like water off a ducks back. It'll stop when they get a fish, and may start again hours after the last one. Don't let it bother you, sometimes it's just verbal diarrhea and they don't realize how it adds more pressure to the guide.
If they are drinking beer and offer you one don't do it.
Don't offer too many opinions on religion, politics Ect. Conversation on the boat over a whole day will vary widely over every topic under the sun. If you disagree with their right wing, left wing, whatever wing comments, smile and nod and keep it to yourself.
Listen to the weather channel on VHF religiously. First thing before you leave, and again after 9:30am. If weather is expected listen to the locals every hour. Since the area will be new to you, study the charts and learn where the local reports are coming from so you can get a better idea of how and where the weather is coming from.
Some guests will appreciate you beating into some chop to get to the most productive grounds, others will not. You'll have to get a feel for them as best you can.
Learn as much as you can from other guides in the area. Buy them a beer or whatever, the advice could be golden.
Keep your gear as organized as possible. A messy boat screams "rookie"
I'm sure lots of people will give lots of advice, hope you don't mind me putting mine out there
Wishing you a fantastic summer, I cherish my guiding memories, hope you will too
islander55
Well-Known Member
thanks for the info , those facts were 100% bang on
getbent
Well-Known Member
Some great advise there islander...be the top dog but in a respectful courteous manner...and at most guide outfits, the most precious commodity is sleep.
Tug Captain has some stellar observations as well...
looking forward to your pics and stories.
Good luck man!
Aces
Well-Known Member
Right on and good luck.
Here's a few unsolicited tips that I wish I'd been able to handle better my first couple of years guiding, and that really helped me out for the next few years after that.
Guests can sense confidence and they like it, but playing the "big wheel know it all" will turn them off. Inevitably some of them will have done more fishing than you. Embrace the fact they may have good ideas too, it is their trip! Shoot for quiet confidence but openness to different ideas. If you present options in the right way, you can sway them in the direction you want making them think it was their idea all along. This will improve tips with most guests. So will teaching them to set the hook and let them do it. As tempting as it is to get a solid hook set yourself cause you want that fish in the boat as much as they do, time and again we learned the more you let them do with encouragement, the bigger your tips will be.
Don't get too pissed off when they lose fish. Of course it's very disappointing to see a great fish get off, but freaking out on them can ruin the next couple hours if fishing is slow. It's a fine line between "MR SMITH GET YOUR HAND OFF THAT REEL AND LET HIM RUN!" , and "WHAT THE F$#K ARE YOU DOING?!" If they are really new, make them hold onto the rod while you drop the riggers the first few times, it'll help them get a feel for it.
Very seldom will guests turn out to be real jerks, everyone wants to have fun. Of course they want their fish too, welcome to the guide game...
The pressure to get fish for an expensive trip can be intense. If you give it 100% in the boat most people will know. If fishing is scratchy try and let the whiners comments roll off you like water off a ducks back. It'll stop when they get a fish, and may start again hours after the last one. Don't let it bother you, sometimes it's just verbal diarrhea and they don't realize how it adds more pressure to the guide.
If they are drinking beer and offer you one don't do it.
Don't offer too many opinions on religion, politics Ect. Conversation on the boat over a whole day will vary widely over every topic under the sun. If you disagree with their right wing, left wing, whatever wing comments, smile and nod and keep it to yourself.
Listen to the weather channel on VHF religiously. First thing before you leave, and again after 9:30am. If weather is expected listen to the locals every hour. Since the area will be new to you, study the charts and learn where the local reports are coming from so you can get a better idea of how and where the weather is coming from.
Some guests will appreciate you beating into some chop to get to the most productive grounds, others will not. You'll have to get a feel for them as best you can.
Learn as much as you can from other guides in the area. Buy them a beer or whatever, the advice could be golden.
Keep your gear as organized as possible. A messy boat screams "rookie"
I'm sure lots of people will give lots of advice, hope you don't mind me putting mine out there
Wishing you a fantastic summer, I cherish my guiding memories, hope you will too
This is some great advice!
Never been a guide but have fished lot's on my own boat & with other guides.
Here are a couple of common habits i don't like:
Not checking the gear often. When i fished Ucluelet intensely back in the 80's, if I went 5-10 minutes w/o a bite, I'd check the gear - small fish/seaweed was usually why we weren't getting bit.
Instant store the locations you encounter fish & stay TIGHT on those spots being sure to drive right over the spots over & over.
I would just about rather get skunked than use an in-line flasher, but I'm a nut-case severe minority on that one. Flasher-hoochie is hard to beat.
With bait, learn the difference between a spin & a roll. Chinook prefer a roll
Some prefer to only fish with the current, pick-up & run against the current then reposition. Probably a good idea where current is significant.
Here are a couple of common habits i don't like:
Not checking the gear often. When i fished Ucluelet intensely back in the 80's, if I went 5-10 minutes w/o a bite, I'd check the gear - small fish/seaweed was usually why we weren't getting bit.
Instant store the locations you encounter fish & stay TIGHT on those spots being sure to drive right over the spots over & over.
I would just about rather get skunked than use an in-line flasher, but I'm a nut-case severe minority on that one. Flasher-hoochie is hard to beat.
With bait, learn the difference between a spin & a roll. Chinook prefer a roll
Some prefer to only fish with the current, pick-up & run against the current then reposition. Probably a good idea where current is significant.
trophy fisher
Active Member
Great advice that we can all learn from Tug Captain!! I wish some of the guy I fish with could read that, but if I showed them then I'd be the dick.
Chuck
Active Member
LOL... Isn't that the truth!!
Aces
Well-Known Member
You always seemed so afraid of the fish that i felt like i had to jump in thereDoes that mean you will let me strike a fish the next time in in your boat Shawn..
islander55
Well-Known Member
thanks guys, super excited
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