Tipping Etiquette for Fishing Guide

[Gavin]

On multi-day trips with several guides tips are usually pooled at the end, but you can tip individually  on the side if you choose to. If a multiple day trips with one guide you pay/tip at the end. Lots of day trips with different guides. Tip, pay by day. If you paid ahead for the days, just the tip, 20% or more is not uncommon.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I Always tip.   Amount depends upon service. Gave a guy a 50% ($200) tip for one baby tarpon that we had to resort to live bait to catch after 8 hours of fly fishing. 

10 foot saltwater crocodile trying to eat the hooked tarpon by the boat near dark ......priceless!!

I don’t pay for fish I pay for the experience. 

[MickinMO]

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like my line of thinking is within the goalposts of reasonable and fairly standard. 

[ZigJigman]

I would also add that make sure you give the tip to the guide personally. Don’t give it to the outfitter and think it automatically makes it to the guide. 

[tjm]

5 hours ago, ZigJigman said:

I would also add that make sure you give the tip to the guide personally. Don’t give it to the outfitter and think it automatically makes it to the guide. 

That was also mentioned by the 2-3 dozen guides on that other forum. I came away with the idea that whoever got the tip in their hand believed it to be theirs alone.  They  suggested individual tips for each crew member.      

[Gavin]

I usually prefer to book through independents. You know they get all the money. Not always possible at an Alaskan Bush camp/lodge. You have cooks, housekeepers, guides, pilots.