I won a silent auction at a Hope Outdoors event in the fall to a guided crappie trip. Question is, how much do most tip on a fishing trip? Never been on a guided fishing trip, any help is appreciated
Guide tip
- Thread starter ruthunter
- Start date
Setterman
Well-Known Member
$50-$100, is normal
wildside
Well-Known Member
I get this question all the time....15-20% is a good rule of thumb on any type of guided trip
FLTENNHUNTER1
Well-Known Member
IMO it depends on whether or not the guide owns the business and how they perform. I am not going to pay 400-500 dollars for a guide that owns the business then an additional 80-100 tip for 4 hours of fishing.
When I book the Scenic City Fishing guides for trips, I am obviously asked this question a LOT. Here is what I always answer.
"We are not like restaurant wait staff. We are not depending upon your tips to make our living. We set our standard Rates based on what we believe we deserve for the services we provide. We do not expect to receive more. Obviously, if you choose to tip more, it is sincerely appreciated. But the most IMPORTANT thing (and I operate this way when I book guide trips myself) - is that if you choose to tip, you should not do so based on the number of fish you catch - you should tip based upon the guide's ATTITUDE and EFFORT."
I've booked guide trips where our catch was poor, but the guide obviously worked very hard and maintained a positive and fun attitude while doing it. They got tipped good. OR, I've been on trips where we caught a huge number of fish, but the guide (or captain) acted as if they could have cared less, in some cases making it seem as if they would have rather have been anywhere else other than on the boat with us. They don't get doodly-squat extra from me.
What bearing does it have if they own the business? If they do great and work their ass off you're not tipping because they own the business?
I've been on 2 guided trips, one on Chickamauga with Captain Mike that Rsimms hooked us up with. I had told Richard and Mike that we obviously wanted to catch fish, but even more so we wanted to learn. Captain Mike put us on fish for the first few hours and then asked if we wanted to transition into the educational lesson lol. We spent the second half of the trip him showing us how to use the electronics and determine where the fish were, if they were active, and when to try different baits and colors. We gladly tipped $100 and I learned more about Crappie fishing in that one day than I had previously known over 20 years of weekend fishing.
Our local guide paled in comparison. I strongly recommend Richard and his guys. If I can ever catch a break at work I'll be back to get Mike to put us on some bass down there!
It varies for me. If I get a guide for say, a random offshore trip and we just go catch common fish or whatever is in season biting...usually $100-150. If I go somewhere like the White River and we're specifically fishing for trophy browns and they get a 10-15 pounder for me in the mix with several 6-8 pounders...they're getting $250-500 range. If we bust a 20+ pounder...I'm throwing down about a grand because I'd be plum tickled to death and my trip made for a life time.
