What is an appropriate tip for a fishing guide?
Lubers25 asked:
I leave for Montana next week for a 7 day fishing trip. I have one day scheduled with a guide. What is the appropriate tip?
I know that in this particular case, the guide is not the owner of the business, he is an employee.
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I leave for Montana next week for a 7 day fishing trip. I have one day scheduled with a guide. What is the appropriate tip?
I know that in this particular case, the guide is not the owner of the business, he is an employee.
October 11th, 2009 at 12:38 am
you should just pay him what ever scale is there,,,,, get it scale? hahahahahah colossus
October 13th, 2009 at 5:47 am
Sensible people never tip anybody for anything. The sooner the rest of the world wises up the better.
You agreed a price before you set out, that’s it.
Ian M Ian M
October 16th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Generally 25-35%- more if the guide puts you on a “fish of a lifetime”.
A good idea is to start at 25% and then add in more for things/situations like this-
1. Was there a shore-lunch?
2. Great Attitude?
3. (like I mentioned above) Catching a fish of a lifetime?
4. Did you catch quantities of fish?
5. Did you break any gear of the guides while on the trip?
It’s important to understand that tipping a guide is “mandatory” even if you don’t catch many fish. If you feel the guide tried hard to find you fish, and he STILL couldn’t find them, he deserves some kudos in the form of a small tip…..
Many Guides spend more than they make JUST to make your trip memorable & successful……Gas, boat & gear maintenance, Etc can get VERY expensive…….
Hope this helps? Good luck! Fisher_King
October 17th, 2009 at 8:57 am
I agree with Fisher K here. I’ve only used a guides services a few times, but have considered doing it as a business myself, along with being friends of many guides. 25% may sound steep, but that really is just the norm. If the guy knows his stuff, give him more. What you have to understand here is that this is their lively hood. Sort of how a waitress will make below minimum wage, but the tips compensate. When you hire a good guide, you’ll walk away with knowledge that can at times be hard to gleam on your own. Keep that in mind when considering the tip. Josh
October 18th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
everybody likes a fresh 100 dollar bill. i don’t care who you are. Kevin the Painter
October 18th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Myself, I always thought that tips were given to employees, who might not be paid comensurate with their abilities, and/or need the extra incentive to do their best.
Or, that you tip laborers, but not professionals. Have you ever seen an airline pilot take a tip from a passenger? Do you tip your proctologist?
Whereas a guide, as a professional and the owner of the business, would set his rates at the appropriate amount, and a tip would be offensive, implying that bribery is required in order to get his best effort.
You’d tip the first mate on a deep sea charter, for example, or the waiter on a cruise ship, but not the captain.
But since tipping is the norm, and I want to be socially acceptable, I’ll tip without complaint. But dang! 25%? really? jtexas
October 19th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Good answer Fisher K, but you need to include boat insurance on that list as well. I have been a guide along Tx, and La coast years ago and now guide the Pacific Northwest BC. Any guide that’s worth his salt should be able to put his clients on to the fish, unless the fishing in that area has totally went to crap,( over fished.ect…) I feel an appropriate tip would depend on what the cost of the trip is as well. A 500 dollar charter maybe tipping 100 dollars while a 200 dollar charter maybe a 50 dollar bill. A tip around these amounts should include, in my opinion, catching plenty of fish or lots of action on those rod tips. I know one thing for sure, the more halibut or salmon being landed and iced down on my boat usually means bigger tips.lol… 40 yr exp. Pacific Northwest guide steve s