Strongly considering becoming a full time guide.

[Mark Perry]

Andrew Grills moved here from KY after working his butt off all year then spend winters here. He would stay here over the winter and lived very frugally. Spent all the time he could on the water here on Fork. Finally made the move permanent. He would guide folks out of their own boats until he had saved enough to buy a guide worthy boat.
He now stays booked up and is one of the better guides here.

My biggest point is if you want to make it a reality then do not listen to the naysayers. You can make it happen if you are willing into put in the time and work.

[Mark Perry]

The last time I was at Fork fishing with some friends that live in that are the conversation was about how many guides there used to be on Fork and how the number had dwindled as there weren't enough clients to keep them all busy.

When you consider the number of high quality Bass Rigs from all over the USA with all the latest electronics on them at the ramps every morning on Fork and the guys fishing from them were skilled Bass anglers who didn't need a guide.

I bet we have well over 100 guides here. Many stay as busy as they want to. Those that dont stay booked probably are not the best guides or they fail to market their services. They gotta learn to be on social media etc.
There is no shortage of clients wanting to fish here. Below is a list and that does not include them all.
https://www.oakridgemarina.com/guides.htm

[James john]

Look up Andrew Grills Lake Fork Guide. He did what ur wanting to do and never looked back

[dmc575]

Look up Andrew Grills Lake Fork Guide. He did what ur wanting to do and never looked back

read his story and he seemed laser focused and like a grinder. I dont know OP but thats not what Ive gathered from his thread...he hasnt even set a target lake or anything like that. Seems to me like he is just looking for a gig to make him some money more than anything. But yea, im just being a naysayer. to me this screams out that saying we have all heard...."a dream without a plan, is just a wish." Just my 2 cents.

Good luck OP...ill check out of this one cuz I dont think you need any more negativity. Cuz I dont think making a living off of fishing is anything the public thinks it really is....guiding or going on the tourney trail.

[mixermark]

I'm in the music industry, in St. Louis, Missouri. One of the best bits of advice I ever got about work, was that if you couldn't make a living in music in your home town, you couldn't make one in Nashville or New York or LA. I really believe fishing is the same way. Start it now, in Indiana. Pay your dues on a small stage. Grow your people skills and your fishing babysitting skills. Learn to make clients happy with what you know first, then explore your options to make a move.

Guiding is so much more than fishing. It's teaching, entertaining, psychological counseling even. You are taking on the responsibility of making lifetime memories for a living. You have to know how to make those memories for a 4 year old on his first trip, and an 80 year old on his last. The emotional makeup to deal with that pressure doesn't come in every good fisherman, and it isn't something that you can do without practice.

Dream your dream, but start it now. Faster you pay the dues, faster you get to the dream.

[Axkiker]

I know you dont want to guide in your area but if you were to stay have you thought about electronics training? I dont think i know anyone in the Louisville or surrounding area that does it. Might be an additional offering for you if you are capable with multiple platforms.

[Bob G.]

I say go for it considering how many BBCers talk about "living the dream"!! If you go broke, lose your house and can't feed your kids, then you lived your life knowing gave it shot instead going to work at a steady job, providing for your family, planning for retirement, etc.

[Hoosier Hawg]

I appreciate the feedback, guys.

To dmc575, it is clear to me that you know nothing of Patoka Lake (my home lake). The very best bass anglers around cannot put together 5 keepers on my lake this year. I'm not saying I can't find fish, but you'll fish all day for maybe 5 bites. Of those 5, two or three will be shorts. We've got our share of locals, myself included, that know this lake inside and out....NOBODY is doing well. You can still stick your 4-6lb fish, but only one or two per day. 10-15 years ago it took 18-20lbs to cut a check in any decent tournament on the lake. Needed 25+ to win in the spring. Nowadays, if you can put 3 or 4 keepers in the livewell, you'll likely have it in the bag.

I'm not saying I can't find fish here. I'm saying nobody will pay for a guide to produce a couple bites they may not have found otherwise. Guide customers want either better quality fish, or greater numbers. There was a time that I could've provided either or....but in the present, it isn't going to happen on Patoka.

My interest in the areas/lakes mentioned is demand. These lakes fish the same as lakes in my area, obviously patterns cycle during different times of the year in the warmer climates, but they fish very similar to home.

I don't recall saying I was the greatest fisherman to ever live, or anything of that nature. Also...I would be more than happy to pursue guiding locally, but I don't believe there is a market for it. It isn't that I wouldn't, or couldn't, do it. I just don't know of anyone who would hire a bass guide for Patoka or Monroe.

[getfished]

Only you know if you have what it takes. Will your finances get you through while you work your ass off to get established ? Will your finances get your family through while you work your ass off to get established. If you have the moxie, drive and grit to go along with the finances you can probably make it. There has been a lot of good feedback here and I'll add one more story.

Back in 07 and 08 I was fishing the Heartland circuit in the Ozarks with a guy who was 10 years younger than me. He was single. His income came from flipping houses. He did this for a living because he couldn't stand working for someone else. He was decent at flipping houses and was making money. On the fishing side he was a good fisherman for an amateur. He had an uncanny sense of what the fish were doing on any given day. He told me he was facing some hard choices soon. He said he liked flipping houses but just couldn't stand doing work on the ladder. I listened to what he had to say and sort of jokingly suggested he do something he liked, such as a fishing guide. I told him why not go down to Branson ( Taneycomo ) where they have a captive stocked trout fishery and give it a try. He went down there and took his nest egg and bought a property on Taneycomo. The property had a nice 3 bedroom home on the bank overlooking Taneycomo and it also had a 2 bedroom cottage next to it. He renovated the 3 bedroom home to rent for vacationers and used the cottage to live in and run his guide service out of. He has good interpersonal skills and soon was able to get work with a well established guide service there while all the time he was independently marketing himself on social media and elsewhere. He worked his ass off. He is now well established and makes a good living taking people out to catch stocked trout. Who da thunk.

A couple things made him successful.
1 He was single and only had to provide for himself
2 He had a nest egg to help acquire the properties he needed to work out of and produce income
3 He has very good people skills and can quickly adapt and accommodate just about any type of fishing party regardless of age , gender, or fishing skill
4 He worked his ass off . He put in incredible hours and kept his focus.

Can you do those things?

[MMosher]

It's a tough living but can be done if you hustle. If you move, move to a state you can fish year round, pretty much anything south of Missouri. Million dollar liability gonna cost you about $1400 a year, and LLC is easy enough. You'll be in the red for a year or so until you build clients. Hit up all the marinas and lodging for an in. Talk to every guide you can and be versatile, a few may throw some bones your way. Social media is your friend. Build a website. Learn to TEACH people to fish not take them fishing. Find every deal you can on tackle and gear. And have a good reliable rig. Hit up every sponsor you can.

[idbefishing]

If you can show me how to catch bass at Monroe, I’d be glad to pay for your time.

[Hoosier Hawg]

Solid feedback, guys. MMosher, thank you for offering that information. That is my train of thought, as well. It seems part-time guiding is the way to go, until clientele is built up and a name is established.

Now, I just have to find a regular "9-5" somewhere down there to bridge the gap.

[billnorman1]

If the clientele is in your area, then guide there. A lot of people, men and women want to go bass fishing. They don't want to travel a long way and get lodging they want a one day experience. Find a local place to catch fish, get good at it, and do it on the weekends (in other words, don't quit your day job).

Oh, and another thing, get a license.

[Axkiker]

I appreciate the feedback, guys.

To dmc575, it is clear to me that you know nothing of Patoka Lake (my home lake). The very best bass anglers around cannot put together 5 keepers on my lake this year. I'm not saying I can't find fish, but you'll fish all day for maybe 5 bites. Of those 5, two or three will be shorts. We've got our share of locals, myself included, that know this lake inside and out....NOBODY is doing well. You can still stick your 4-6lb fish, but only one or two per day. 10-15 years ago it took 18-20lbs to cut a check in any decent tournament on the lake. Needed 25+ to win in the spring. Nowadays, if you can put 3 or 4 keepers in the livewell, you'll likely have it in the bag.

I'm not saying I can't find fish here. I'm saying nobody will pay for a guide to produce a couple bites they may not have found otherwise. Guide customers want either better quality fish, or greater numbers. There was a time that I could've provided either or....but in the present, it isn't going to happen on Patoka.

My interest in the areas/lakes mentioned is demand. These lakes fish the same as lakes in my area, obviously patterns cycle during different times of the year in the warmer climates, but they fish very similar to home.

I don't recall saying I was the greatest fisherman to ever live, or anything of that nature. Also...I would be more than happy to pursue guiding locally, but I don't believe there is a market for it. It isn't that I wouldn't, or couldn't, do it. I just don't know of anyone who would hire a bass guide for Patoka or Monroe.

Guide service Ohio River ????? LOL kidding.

[sflam123]

I am not a guide, but know several here on Kentucky Lake and consider a couple close friends. It is very, very difficult to establish a client base, especially if you are going to be a single species guide. While there are a couple of bass only guides on the lake, most also guide or crappie and panfish, or they supplement their guiding with electronics training classes. As someone else noted, guiding is more than just catching fish. It is educating the client and entertaining the client. Most guides will tell you that they get new business more by “word of mouth” than any other method, so a client that leaves happy is good advertisement.

Best of luck to you.

[Hoosier Hawg]

Axkiker, honestly....the river is producing as well as Patoka or Monroe lately. Lol. I certainly wouldn't attempt to guide on the river, though. Lived near it my entire life, and only wet a line there once. Lol.

[DAC244]

One of the things I would ask what type of job do you have now and how is your insurance. The reason I ask is you mentioned kids I would look at what private insurance is going to cost you also. Insurance is a deciding factor in a lot of people’s career decisions these days and rightly so. Just a another thing to consider. Best of luck to you what ever you decide.

[catch5]

Axkiker, honestly....the river is producing as well as Patoka or Monroe lately. Lol. I certainly wouldn't attempt to guide on the river, though. Lived near it my entire life, and only wet a line there once. Lol.

Patoka is fishing good right now. Has for the last month. I’ve had limits in probably my last 4-5 tournaments. Me and my brother won the USA megabucks a few weeks ago with 5 that weighed 24.12. Probably caught 15 or so keepers that day. The last month and half has been really good up there. Taking big weights to win up there. Lots of fish being weighed in.

[Axkiker]

Axkiker, honestly....the river is producing as well as Patoka or Monroe lately. Lol. I certainly wouldn't attempt to guide on the river, though. Lived near it my entire life, and only wet a line there once. Lol.

I used to yack fish Harrods a good bit. Usually could pull in a few each trip prior to the construction of the new bridge. Was never anything huge but could go out and have fun. Once the construction started / finished I just havent had any luck. Tried the main river with my boat a few times and have had VERY little luck. But I also suck at fishing lol

[BP in ME]

Is there a niche market for you that wouldn't involve you having to move (unless you actually want to move anyway.) Be different than the others. Maybe offering a combo trip of catfishing/bass/crappie excursion, also offer bass fishing lessons on structure/knots/rod & lure selection, C-rig and drop shot. Perhaps even add a BassBoating lesson for the first time user. There is a way to make money doing things you love even without guaranteeing fish. I wish you the best of luck. You may never get rich, but you can certainly be happy.

I bet no one else offers a package deal for fishing and a manscape. Sorta like cast and blast--only different. Just thinking outside the box.