Men's spring camp out and fishing trip done for 2022...

[nomolites]

22 minutes ago, 196champ said:

So, I'm not trying to start a big debate here but notice several guides posting (facebook) "limits" of bass with bonus cats and walleye, in a box, going in for the knife treatment.

I keep a few fish for a fresh fry from time to time but these guys are stacking up limits of fish, sometimes several times a day with 2 trips each day.

I understand each guide curtails to their client but was just curious on the opinion of guiding catch vs keep.

Is this looked down upon from other professional guides or just a known part of the business?

 

Again, i keep a few to eat too, so I'm not busting chops just curious on the guide perspective.

I have fished with guides that expected me to keep fish and were somewhat offended when I declined….my take is in a least a couple instances is they  wanted pictures for their websites.  They should consider becoming better action photographers…

Mike

[fishinwrench]

6 minutes ago, nomolites said:

I have fished with guides that expected me to keep fish and were somewhat offended when I declined….my take is in a least a couple instances is they  wanted pictures for their websites.  They should consider becoming better action photographers…

Mike

It has been many years since I did any guide trips, and all of mine were bass, catfish, white bass, or crappie.     The bass guys never wanted to keep any.  Not even once. .....and social media wasn't a thing back then so the only pics taken were Poloroids 😅 

The Catfish, crappie, and White bass guys almost always wanted a mess to take home......and about 50% of them preferred to clean them theirselves (which always thrilled me). 😉

[Flysmallie]

I've never been with a paid guide that even made it an option other than the saltwater guides. People on vacation to the salt, that go on a trip expect to take home some fish. Whether they know what they are going to do with it doesn't matter, they just know they are supposed to keep some. Same if you go on a guided trout trip on taneycomo. Same if you go on a catfishing trip. Same if you go on a striper trip or paddlefish trip. Go to Alaska? You better send a bunch of fish back. But now on this particular body of water you shouldn't. 

I'm not saying that they should. But that's what their expectations are. Luckily we have a lot of great guides in the are that would rather make their client mad than put a knife to a TR bass. However, as long as there is a market for it, there will be guys out there taking that money. That you can bet on. 

[Champ188]

17 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

I've never been with a paid guide that even made it an option other than the saltwater guides. People on vacation to the salt, that go on a trip expect to take home some fish. Whether they know what they are going to do with it doesn't matter, they just know they are supposed to keep some. Same if you go on a guided trout trip on taneycomo. Same if you go on a catfishing trip. Same if you go on a striper trip or paddlefish trip. Go to Alaska? You better send a bunch of fish back. But now on this particular body of water you shouldn't. 

I'm not saying that they should. But that's what their expectations are. Luckily we have a lot of great guides in the are that would rather make their client mad than put a knife to a TR bass. However, as long as there is a market for it, there will be guys out there taking that money. That you can bet on. 

I have guided off and on for years and can count the number of bass I've filleted on my fingers alone. Just like Mr. Babler has done for DECADES (as well as his late sidekick Mr. Beck), you make it known upfront that no bass will be (intentionally) harmed or killed. If they don't like it, let em find another guide who's too stupid to realize that every time he takes a knife to a bass, he's cutting his own throat. 

[196champ]

The folks posting these shots were what i would consider reputable guides and I see them frequently on the lake.  I am not in that scene so i could be wrong!

I wasn't trying to blast or call out anyone, just curious on others opinions.

[Champ188]

Again, my opinion ... but no guide worth his cheapest Zebco combo is going to insist that a client keep and kill bass. It's just idiotic when the lake that provides your living is as highly pressured as Table Rock and receives no supplemental stockings of the fish that attract all of the pressure in the first place.

I have no qualms with folks keeping an occasional (not weekly) mess of spots (Kentuckies) for dinner. I think we can all agree they are more prolific than their LM or SM relatives. Not sure the size limit on them shouldn't be reduced in order to make it legal to take home a few of those 12-14 inchers, which seem to stockpile just under the 15-inch minimum. 

But for a "guide" to encourage the daily killing of limits of bass is ... in my opinion ... irresponsible and just plain stupid.