Potomac Trip Algonkian to River Bend.........BAD DAY!!

[HickoryShad]

Used an outfitter and only caught 2 fish between all three of us. The guide was frustrated and was even fishing himself and he never got a single hit!!!! The water was low and as warm as bathwater. Only caught one bluegill and one smallmouth!
When we got to the take out, one of the instructors that was leading a group of kayakers said " He guys, you should have called here first to ask us how the fishing was, it has been really bad all week and no fish are being caught"............go figure............I just threw away several hundred bucks just to hear that. That was the worst day of fishing that I have ever had hands down!

[ScottP]

Sorry you didn't enjoy your trip but one thing guides can't do is control days when the fish aren't biting; however, good ones will have a plan B, C, etc to give you a chance to catch some. At the very least, the guide should provide instruction on the best ways/places/flies to use on the river, so if you try it on your own, you'll be better prepared. If your guide didn't do that, I'd question the outfitter he was working for; a guide should only fish if you tell him it's okay, their job is to put you on to fish.

Regards,
Scott

[HickoryShad]

Hey Scott, there was no plan B or C............we don't catch fish, shoulda been here last week, there's a front coming through etc. I have use guides several times before and this person was good the last time that we went but I paid a lot of money to not catch fish. I will never ever use a guide on the Potomac again. I know that this may draw some attention from other posters, but as the customer and an experienced fisherman, I hired a guide for his expertise. knowledge and conditions of the water that we were fishing etc. and I know that he cannot control the fish or mother nature but this was just too bad for me to risk spending money again for the same experience just to hear the same kinds of reasoning for why we didn't catch fish.
This was an expensive education for me as to learning better questions to ask before the trip, HAS HE FISHED THE SAME WATER WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS????, has he checked the local fishing reports etc.
I have a large group of friends that fish with guides regularly and none have ever had a long day of fishing for smallmouth or trout and had one this bad.
At the end of the trip, I was so worn out, HOT and tired that I just wanted to get into my air condition truck and go home.
I am not a hard a$$ as I did give him a small tip as I know that he has a business to run but I do know that I will never use a guide again on that body of water.

[shortcaster]

I've had some of the same experiemces on the White River in Arkansas. I'm off 'em untill they can show me something!

[bluefish]

I wade fished in the Sandy Hook area for a few hours last Sat. and Mon. passing through on a trip. I managed a few decent smallies, but, had to work very hard and find very specific spots that were deep, oxygenated and well shaded. I bounced a hellgramite pattern on the bottom. The water was in the 80's. You're right- that guide should have known that the temps were not conducive to good fishing. Considering the conditions, I felt very lucky to get the fish I did. You should have got a reduced rate at the very least. I talked to numbers of spin fisherman and they got nada. Sorry the guide got greedy on you

Charlie

[HickoryShad]

One of the things about the experience that is that I don't think that the guide realizes that he just lost two repeat customers forever........business must be that good huh?