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Tips for fishing guides

AT Hiker

AT Hiker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2011
Messages
13,190
Location
Wyoming
There is a slight chance I will be fishing off shore next month out of Alabama. Price is approx $125 person for 1/2 day or so, not 100% on time but we are going out a few miles. Im not involved in the planning so this may be a treat.

They charge to clean fish per pound, maybe .25 if I remember correctly. I would prefer to clean my own is that typically ok?

Also, what about tips? I have never fished with a charter, 10%? Assuming tips are customary and the service is worthy.


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I've never paid per pound for fish cleaning in the 15+ times I've been out. I doubt they would let you clean your own fish because they typically divide the fish up equally among the charter, so if you catch a 50lb cobia you don't get the whole fish...I could be wrong about this specific charter, just going on past experiences. Of course there are exceptions, you catch a good one and they'll throw more of that fish your way. It could also depend on if you're party is taking the whole charter, sometimes if I'm down there by myself or with someone else I'll have to call the marina and look for a party that is in need of people to fill the charter up and I'll get on with them. Avoid the big party boat/fishing charters with like 50 people...total waste of time. As far as tipping I always go more towards 15-20%, but that's just me.

Something else, I don't like the 6 hour or less charters, it's just not worth it. Troll out to get to decent fishing and it's already time to come back in. If I'm committing to go out its for a minimum of 8 hours, preferably 10-12.
Good luck. It's a blast.
 
Thank you! Thats some good info for sure. Being a newbie I want to make sure Im on top of it.

I will also double check on fish cleaning and duration of trip.


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Check with the charter to see if you can keep your fish or if it get split up among the group. Most will go either way but it is nice to know before the fishing starts.
 
Since I'm a guide, it is not appropriate for me to suggest amounts on tips. However, I will say that if you tip, it should be based upon the attitudes and level of effort by the guide, captain and/or first mate(s)... not based upon the amount of fish caught.

Guides, captains and mates can work their tails off to be sure you're in the right place, with good equipment, adequate bait and everything else set up perfectly... but the fish just won't cooperate. Not their fault... they did their jobs. But they (we) can't control the fish, no matter how badly we wish we could. But it should be clear to you that they did everything possible to "make it happen," and maintain pleasant attitudes and demeanor while they're doing it. If they fail in that, they don't deserve much (or any) tip.

That's my 2-cents worth.
 
Thanks for the advice! Just finished my first off shore trip, probably my last. Motion sickness got half the boat so I spent my time hurling over the side of the boat and reeling in snapper. We caught some nice ones as our limit and enjoyed the fresh grilled snapper for a few days.
The fishing guides were super, even took the fish off for me because I couldnt focus/stand. They said it was some of the roughest water they have fished lately but we still did good.
We tipped well, after our trip they surely had to hose the boat down[emoji15]


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Dbllunger":1u7ved0h said:
AT Hiker":1u7ved0h said:
Motion sickness got half the boat so I spent my time hurling over the side of the boat and reeling in snapper. [emoji15]


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Click to expand...


New technique, chumming for snapper! Even still, it sounds like a good trip. Congrats!
Click to expand...

Haha, yea the 1/2 the boat was involved the the chumming technique! It was a good trip, funny how well we started to feel as soon as we hit calmer water.




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JimFromTN":3lmlpxkb said:
A dramamine the night before and then 2 with breakfast an hour before you go out and then one every 4 hours.
Click to expand...

A couple people on the boat that motion sickness has never affected got sick this time. One guy even had the patch but still got sick.

It will be a while before I try it, Im a little gun shy at the moment but if I do go back I will try your concoction. A couple people on the boat said the same thing you did. Thanks


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Be flexible and keep an eye on the weather. The gulf is usually very calm this time of the year. I would not go out with seas over 5 ft. 5 ft would make me queasy and I would be popping dramamine. I have been out in 10 to 12 ft seas and that is miserable even with dramamine. In those conditions, dramamine will keep you from barfing but you almost wish you could but you know it won't stop once it starts.

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php ... suedby=MOB
 
I was out week before last and thunderstorms kept popping up. What was supposed to be less than 2' with 7 sec intervals ended up being very choppy. I much prefer higher seas with a good interval to choppy seas.

I'm glad we were only 15 miles out rather than 45 (our intended destination) when we decided to head back in. Every inch of us was soaked within minutes. The coast guard was trying to make contact with a similar sized boat a few miles up the coast from us, so there was some sort of trouble. It really gives you a healthy respect for what the water can do on short notice. Makes me think twice about heading out to drilling rigs in bay boats-it sounds much simpler than it actually is.

I've never fished a charter/guide offshore, but Rsimms sounds pretty reasonable.


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