Strongly considering becoming a full time guide.

[Hoosier Hawg]

Hello, everyone. I am very seriously contemplating moving south (Texas, Alabama, or Tennessee) and becoming a full-time bass fishing guide. Are there any guides on here willing to share insight on the process, or willing to offer their opinion on whether or not it is a logical choice.

I'd like to know specifics about taxes, insurance, and rates.
How difficult is it to acquire clients in the beginning? Is it best to guide in areas that are already saturated with guides, or to provide service on waters with fewer guides available?

I have considered staying here (southern IN), but local bass fishing is so terrible lately that I fear nobody would be willing to pay a guide on our local lakes. Competing guide services would be few and far between here, but I wouldn't be confident I produce the results my clients would expect around here.

Anyhow, if anyone has any information they would be willing to share, I would greatly appreciate it. It has been a goal of mine since I was just a little kid, and I think it's time to try to make it happen; however, I do need it to be lucrative enough to earn a living.

[lsufan334]

Just my .02 but if i was to hire a guide I would want to hire someone who has years of experience at said lake I am wanting service at. It will deff. take some time to get clientele. But I will say being active on social media seems to help some guys out. Good Luck

[Axkiker]

Being an outsider I would think makes it difficult. Unless you were a known previous or current pro I'm guessing most guides probably grew up on the lake. The guys being from the area are probably getting most clients via word of mouth. Doubt a new guy will get much word of mouth traffic.

[catjuggin]

An experienced guide is worth the money an inexperienced guide is worth jack $&@? That said if you have a boat and the means to get your captains license and a guide license I suggest going to an area like here in East Tennessee and hook up an experienced guide and let him take you under his wing. Teach you what he wants then you can work under his “brand”. Many guide services use several different captains to keep the customers on the water. It’s a lot of work for only a little bit of money after fuel and other overhead is paid for.
Good luck.

[Hoosier Hawg]

I agree with this logic, for the most part. The issue here is that I grew up fishing Patoka and Monroe here in Indiana. I am very familiar with both lakes, but I don't see people traveling to fish these lakes. Patoka is so terrible at the moment that I barely even fish it, and I have family that lives right by the lake. Monroe isn't quite as bad, but still not exactly a bass "destination" if you will.
I've been fishing Lake Fork since the mid 90s. There are hundreds of guides there, and still not enough to provide services to all of anglers visiting from around the world. Sure, the big names that have been there all along(Mark Pack, Whitt Smith, etc.) will book first, but there will always be so.eone still searching for a guide when they are already booked solid.

I haven't fished Guntersville or Chickamauga as extensively, so I would need to learn the lakes more, but I suspect the situation is similar on those lakes. The demand for guides is greater than the number of guides available.

Not being argumentative, because I do agree with the posts above. I'm simply explaining my reason for this consideration in the first place.

[vatreefarmer]

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.

[Hoosier Hawg]

vatreefarmer, if I can fish everyday, and keep food on the table and a roof over my head.....I'm definitely happy. Lol.

Truth be told, yes....there is a greater market for panfish, white bass, striper, and catfish guides in my area. I guess I could tolerate the bluegill, crappie, and maybe even wipers, but I hate to get a slimy catfish in my boat. Lol. Sadly, catfish and crappie are about all my home lake has to offer nowadays.

I don't know if anyone would be willing to take boating lessons, I know plenty that damn sure need them. Lol.

I appreciate your opinion. It does give me something to chew on.

[flipNfrog]

I say go for it if you're single what are are the u waiting for. You only live once. Find a career doing what you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

[g352nv]

Anything is worth a shot. But there's a lot of locals that will eat your lunch until you get a name.

[Axkiker]

I agree with this logic, for the most part. The issue here is that I grew up fishing Patoka and Monroe here in Indiana. I am very familiar with both lakes, but I don't see people traveling to fish these lakes. Patoka is so terrible at the moment that I barely even fish it, and I have family that lives right by the lake. Monroe isn't quite as bad, but still not exactly a bass "destination" if you will.
I've been fishing Lake Fork since the mid 90s. There are hundreds of guides there, and still not enough to provide services to all of anglers visiting from around the world. Sure, the big names that have been there all along(Mark Pack, Whitt Smith, etc.) will book first, but there will always be so.eone still searching for a guide when they are already booked solid.

I haven't fished Guntersville or Chickamauga as extensively, so I would need to learn the lakes more, but I suspect the situation is similar on those lakes. The demand for guides is greater than the number of guides available.

Not being argumentative, because I do agree with the posts above. I'm simply explaining my reason for this consideration in the first place.

Well hey I didn't realize that supply could not keep up with demand. If that is indeed true then yeah you might have a case for taking the chance. Being people who like to fish would probably like to be in that situation I figured it was the other way around. More guides than people.

But I have no experience with guides either. Just thoughts off the top of my head/

[Hoosier Hawg]

It's definitely something I'll continue to mull over. The only reason I haven't already pulled the trigger is that I have a seven year old son and a 10 month old daughter to provide for.

[Mullins057]

I guess I have a different take on your guide fishing indever. My daughter and I use guides all the time (North Carolina, Florida and Texas) my work schedule doesnt provide enough time to trailer the boat to these locations. Most "local guides" are a$$ holes, we have better luck talking to the prospective guide on the phone, about weather, temps and what they are catching. Their demeanor on the phone will give away if they are here just for a paycheck or if they truly care if you will be happy with their services. Granted we have had terrible guides (mainly OBX area) but we have had great guides that can teach you things about fishing even when the bite is slow. Most important thing is word of mouth and repeat customers (we have used one guide in south Florida 30 times, and sent him atleast 10 new clients) I wish you well on your endeavor, just figured to give advice coming from the other side of guide fishing (the customer)

[jml]

With 2 kids I think a more steady income would be advisable.

[Gthunter5]

Most guys here are striper guides. They are barely scraping by. Lots of Facebook guides out there that they compete with

[grandbassslayer]

OP good luck on what you decide, I have heard the easiest was to hate your hobby is to make it your job.

[flipNfrog]

It's definitely something I'll continue to mull over. The only reason I haven't already pulled the trigger is that I have a seven year old son and a 10 month old daughter to provide for.

Gotcha. That's the game changer. Good luck with whichever path you choose.

[Garage Dog]

I know this is a different market but quite a few guides here are struggling and a lot of them work on the side in bait shops and such.
Anytime you are depending on the weather and other forces of nature you are at their whim.

[robcmeek]

My advice would be to moved to the area, get a job, fish on your off time. Then if you are successful, work your way into guiding trips part time.

[dmc575]

Would you be happy hiring someone with your life story to guide you on your 1-2 days you have free to take a trip and hire a guide? Cuz im sure that kinda stuff comes out on the trip just during casual conversation. You didnt mention much by way of credentials...basically im gathering you like to fish and think you are good at it. I think we all think we are good at it! lol

I know if I hired you expecting a local stick who knows the lake better than the back of their hand, and someone told me something like "I moved down here to guide cuz my local lakes didnt have good fishing" id prolly be pretty salty about it. Im my opinion I dont think a guide is a person with a boat and tackle....it should really be someone who is more than likely to put you on the bite. I just think a local guide with years of experience will have a higher percentage than a guy who just likes to fish.

Do you have any credentials? Id be upset to hear you moved to guide at the lake cuz the lakes where you lived the fishing was bad. My local/home lake has really bad fishing...like really bad fishing due to environmental conditions. But the guides will still put people on fish. Usually white bass but the crappie and walleye been on this year....so theres fish out there, you should be able to catch them.

I have considered staying here (southern IN), but local bass fishing is so terrible lately that I fear nobody would be willing to pay a guide on our local lakes. Competing guide services would be few and far between here, but I wouldn't be confident I produce the results my clients would expect around here.

thats so scary to read...and i gotta say seems like hubris for you to think you cant catch locally but that a move to a bass factory lake will change your results to the point where you are comfortable charging people? I hate to be "that guy" whos just hating on you and not really supporting you in any way. But reading your post kinda makes me think you need a reality check. You gotta be able to figure them out man. My local lake sucks and I havent been able to catch them the way I have in past years...so I added techniques to my arsenal recently and am catching them again, a whole different way than before tho.

So you gotta be able to figure them out. Thats what separates a stick from just an average fisherman. Joe Blow can put you on fish if the lake is on. But Joe Blow doesnt charge people either

[Hoot]

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.