Tipping a fishing guide

[Ouch]

i know your talking about coffee shops and i agree, if they dont have waiters, bussers and such

i found out how important it is for people to tip when you get payed $2 an hour plus TIPS. if someone busts their @$$ for you and go past what they are expected then they deserve a few dollars, if your on the bottom of the chain then i gauruntee you that the bossman isnt gonna care if you make money or not, and in today's world very few other people will take the time to recognize people working hard to please them

Agreed. I put myself through college waiting tables. It's no fun.

But we're not talking about waiters. My point with the coffee shop (StarChunks or wherever) thing is this: They are behind the counter making and serving coffe. They're not "waiting" on you. Tips appreciated, but not earned. They make more than the $2.6_ whatever. They work there for a true wage, not a waiter's wage. Anyway, I'm glad I don't have to work for tips anymore, because with my attitude, I'd starve to death.

[Sr_Egor]

We have used the same guide out of Galveston for several years. 1/2 day bay trip 400-450. He always puts us on fish and we always tip 50-100 extra. I dont know why, just thought it qas common. We used a guide that took us to baffin one summer. We fished all day and caught 9 fish between the 4 of us (inc. guide). We did not tip.

[Ricky T]

I tipped a guide down Baffin way one day. Tipped him off the end of the dock when he thought we were fishing in "his" spot.

Guide busts his butt, whether he puts you on fish or not, shows you the ropes of the venue you're at, is pleasant and knowledgable, cleans fish; he gets a tip.

Guy that's on the phone all the time, ready to go before you get there, won't show you around; I figure he already got what he earned.

CaptDave; you sound like one of the good guys.

[Jhunter]

fish with guide = $600 very good service + $200 tip, total cost $800.
fish with owner who builds in tip, total cost $800. The thing with this scenario is you may or may not get the best service.

[Shadow]

Though I don't go on many fishing trips I don't believe in tipping except maybe the deck hands, same for hunting opperations.

My line of thought is the same as many above have posted.

If I am already purchasing a hunt/fishing trip then there is already an expected level of satisfaction to be provided. Now this doesn't mean you shoot or hook limits etc... but scouting, reasonable attempts to put on the game, if providing equipment it should be servicable. Now if the website or infomational packet states anything link cleaning included or lunch etc... then it's expected to be done and it's part of the purchase price. Again if all this is laid out prior to booking the activity then I expect at least that much, anything above and beyond is getting into tip territory.

As the owner or guide I would hope they would bust their buts to provide top notch satisfaction to the customer, word of mouth and the internet forums are powerful advertising tools these days. Besides if the service is crappy or it's obvious that they didn't try I wouldn't recommend them nor would I book with them again.

I have a guide that a couple of us use once a year and have been for the last 8 years, always a good time and I know he will always go above and beyond to ensure our party has a good time on his boat. He usually makes a very healthy tip from us. We book a day out and he packs a cooler of lunch stuff for us with drinks and his wife usually tags along and gets our drinks and makes the lunch etc...

[Fightinaggies]

What gets me is the fishing guides have come to EXPECT it; that's what's wrong. Then if you don't tip them, they talk about it like you are this bad person, heck you paid anywhere from 500 to 1300 dollars for the trip alone. My gosh!

$1300 someone needs to bust the vasilene out cause your gettin ******!!!!!!! My best friend guides trips in baffin bay and only charges $550. Explain how someone deserves 1300 for the same service?

[The Crippler]

hey, wait a minute...sotx, aren't you the one who is so tired of people b******* about the price of hunting leases? what's a couple hundred dollars tip to a fishing guide?

[Bonbonjovi]

I rely on tips for a living so for me its about karma, I tip for good service and tip well for great service..but then again I tip the barista at starbucks except at DFW airport (they don't allow them to accept tips)

[guide boy]

Have you bought a boat lately

You tip a guide. next time you going fishing he will remember you...guideing is not what most people think. hard work..pressure of putting people on fish every day......cleaning boat,rods,reels, changeing line on reels....i can go on and on..........

[sotx]

hey, wait a minute...sotx, aren't you the one who is so tired of people b******* about the price of hunting leases? what's a couple hundred dollars tip to a fishing guide?

Its not so much the price. If the guide needs 700 to stay alive, and that is the cost of doing business I am ok with that. I will get what I pay for. But to EXPECT a tip is rediculous.

It has gotten to the point where if you don't tip you are talked about and do not expect a good trip with that guide next time.

What I'm saying is, as a owner operator your tip should be in the price.

[QUOTE=765577]I'm just curious, because I have never used a guide, but if you go on a trophy deer hunt out west and the guide happens to put you on exactly the deer you are looking for and you tag out in two hours, what do you do with the rest of a potential two or three day hunt? Do you get hunt something else for free? Do you get a discount because he got you on the animal in one morning instead of two days? I'm not trying to be a smart arse at all here because I see it as the same basic situation of limiting out on the fish you are fishing for. [QUOTE=765577]

Well typically on the hunts I have been on if it is a 3 day or 7 day hunt you get to stay the full amount of days. You are typically allowed to kill pigs, coyotes, does or if you are out west prarie dogs. They feed you and house you the entire stay just as if you were still hunting. You leave when you want.

I think if a guide limits you on trout in an hour on an 8 hour trip he ought to ask if you would like to go and try and find a red or two.

I'm gonna tell ya something else that is going on with getting in early. The guide by getting in early can beat his chest. It has become a competition of sorts between the guides to see who can get back the quickest with a limit of trout.

[sotx]

You tip a guide. next time you going fishing he will remember you...guideing is not what most people think. hard work..pressure of putting people on fish every day......cleaning boat,rods,reels, changeing line on reels....i can go on and on..........

Yea, no other job on earth has pressure or requires hard work.

The hidden message in there is "he will remeber you"

So if you dont tip expect a crap trip next time. Like I said a tip has come to be EXPECTED and that is not right.

[Hafernick]

This may have been mentioned already but I did not see it when I read the thread.

If you plan on going on a guided fishing trip and don't plan on tipping then IMO you should not waste the guide's time. In the service industry tips are part of a workers pay. To me if you don't plan on tipping when you go out to eat or go on a guided trip of some sort then that is just plan chicken sh**.

I read from someones post that they tip based on service which is what most people do.

But not tipping at all is rude.

[sotx]

This may have been mentioned already but I did not see it when I read the thread.

If you plan on going on a guided fishing trip and don't plan on tipping then IMO you should not waste the guide's time. In the service industry tips are part of a workers pay. To me if you don't plan on tipping when you go out to eat or go on a guided trip of some sort then that is just plan chicken sh**.

I read from someones post that they tip based on service which is what most people do.

But not tipping at all is rude.

I would agree if the guide was working for someone. I am specifically talking about owner operators. I have no problem tipping the help. But I do have a problem tipping the owner. I never tip the restaurant owner and I never tip the owner of a hunting consession, I will tip his guides, just not the owner.

[JHT]

Are you guys that hate tipping being forced to go fishing? You gotta pay to play.

For all you guys complaning about coming in early, did you discuss beforehand what would be the plans for your trip?

A few simple questions on the phone will let you decide if this is the guide you want or say thanks I am looking for something a little different.

[JHT]

I would agree if the guide was working for someone. I am specifically talking about owner operators. I have no problem tipping the help. But I do have a problem tipping the owner. I never tip the restaurant owner and I never tip the owner of a hunting consession, I will tip his guides, just not the owner.

You tip to the restaurant owner/land owner when you show up.