Have a question

[lmt out]

I have considered starting a guide service. When I retire from my current job.  I enjoy sharing the info that I have gained while enjoying the out doors.  My question is and I understand there will be some variable. But was wondering if you were to book a guided walleye trip what would you consider a success?  How many fish or would that matter,  would it be about the experience or knowledge gained.  I have had the occasion 2 times this year to take friends. Non fishermen and women out and had a lot of fun teaching.  But was very disappointed in the amount of fish we caught one trip the boat had 4 keepers and 10 shorts the other 7 keepers and 4 shorts.  I don't know if I could take money from people and not deliver what I would consider a good amount of fish. My wife is worried I would be giving free trips all the time. Lol

[Smithvillesteve]

14 walleye on one trip and 11 walleye  on the other trip i would consider pretty darn good. With 11 keepers!I really would like to learn your bottom bouncer technique. i tried it the last two trips down there and we caught 5 keepers on the first trip and just two on the second. We fished about 6 hours. I would give you some of my money Lmt out!!

[Jmontgo1246]

I think there are typically 2 kinds of guide trips...one is just people that want to catch fish...catching fish makes it a success. The 2nd is a educational/information trip...that is what I’m looking for on trips I take.  I have taken a few guide trips and my purpose is to either learn a technique or seasonal movement of the fish I target (bass).  Prime example...I went with Randy Blaukat on Stockton a couple years ago to learn how and where to catch winter/prespawn bass on a jerkbait at Stockton. What he showed me to look for and what kind of structure to fish just blew my mind....it wasn’t the typical structure.  It was also the knowledge of what gear to throw them on, line size, and different jerkbait styles.  Every since that trip I have expanded that knowledge from that trip to different areas of the lake and I have caught more bass and bigger bass on jerkbaits the past 2 winters than the previous 5 years combined.  To me, that was money well spent.   

[Rootman]

For me it is all about the knowledge learned, sure catching them is great, but to learn how to do it consistently and knowledge of technics etc is worth more than a few more fish.  I fish with a me against them attitude.  Figure out a pattern and go from there.  As they say give a man a fish , feed them for a day, teach a man how to fish, feed them for a lifetime.   Guess it just depends on why one likes to fish. I enjoy the challenge and matching wits with the fish.

[MoCarp]

Guiding is HARD work and like most jobs dealing with people, there are clients that are a pleasure and others well you know...

Anglers with little time to learn a water are best served hiring a guide

[mikeak]

For me it would be for the knowledge,but dealing with the public there will be those that will be unhappy if don't put them on fish.I had a guide service in Alaska fishing for Salmon and Trout on a couple of rivers and I always felt the pressure to perform,also I was responsible for their safety and that added a little pressure.Of course,fishing down here is a diff. situation,you won't have to worry about a bear eating your  clients before you get paid.

I started fishing for Walleyes on lake Erie and did what I thought was pretty good ,although I never had a 40 or 50 fish day. They were a lot easier to catch there.

Fishing these corps lakes is a whole diff game from what I've done.As I'm getting older I would go just for the knowledge and would be picking your brain to take a shortcut learning how to fish these lakes.Also I'm not very bright and need all the help I can get.

Thanks again for sharing with us here.

Mike

also what mocarp said 

[fishinwrench]

Fishermen are so kind !

People start businesses in every field imaginable, but only fishermen are concerned whether or not they are capable of doing a good job and genuinely pleasing their customers.  

Having other ways of entertaining folks when the fishing sucks (either because of conditions, or because the client simply can't fish good enough) is what makes/breaks fishing guides.   I would always tell jokes, feed them well, and had several other interesting things to do and see on the water if the fishing thing wasn't working out.

[Scooterx]

I would speak to experienced guides about how they set expectations. I've had some good experiences, some have told me they would just be taking my money due to conditions (the rock) and other times, when I have taught they guides (white river). I think when a client calls, have a little discussion about what they are looking for versus what's happening that you can provide. 

Best of luck if you decide to go forward. Sounds like an awesome second career!!

[Dkman]

While it is always nice to catch fish, I have always used a guide as a learning experience. And I have always came out a little bit better than I was before.

[liphunter]

20 hours ago, lmt out said:

I have considered starting a guide service. When I retire from my current job.  I enjoy sharing the info that I have gained while enjoying the out doors.  My question is and I understand there will be some variable. But was wondering if you were to book a guided walleye trip what would you consider a success?  How many fish or would that matter,  would it be about the experience or knowledge gained.  I have had the occasion 2 times this year to take friends. Non fishermen and women out and had a lot of fun teaching.  But was very disappointed in the amount of fish we caught one trip the boat had 4 keepers and 10 shorts the other 7 keepers and 4 shorts.  I don't know if I could take money from people and not deliver what I would consider a good amount of fish. My wife is worried I would be giving free trips all the time. Lol

That's interesting that you had brought this up. As a average bass and crappie fishing guy. I have been wanting to really learn how to fish for walleye. I have read and studied what people have written with very minor success. I have kind of followed your post and experiences on here, and wondered if your time and experience could be hired out.  I thought about sending a PM on the subject. I am going to retire in a month, And at some point in the near future I am going to hire somebody. More for what I can learn than the immediate catch. So for me, yes it would be the knowledge I would be most interested in.  I would think being a guide would be an interesting post retirement job.