What do you expect from a guided trip???

[Pat Moses]

as a guid I just want to know what people like and dislike about your past trip's so I can give my client's the best trip possable.

[flytackle]

Hello Pat - That's a good question. What I expect from a guide is a compotent local knowledge, confidence, sobriety, good manners and a cheery spirit. I do not expect fish. A good shore lunch ain't bad either! Tight lines, Alec

[JohnP]

Hi Pat,
I can give my view point on fishing with guides but I guess its different with everyone you meet. When I go with a guide I am looking for someone to teach me as much as I can about the location and technigues
to use in that area, I ask a lot of questions. I understand bad conditions happen too high/low/hot etc, I look for a guide who just tries his best with what conditions he has at hand and sometimes as a bonus things workout and we get into fish. While I am serious about fishing I also like to laugh and relax, otherwise I might as well go back to work. My wife still can't understand how I can wade the flats and she hears me and my guide laughing a mile away, and I still catch fish. The key is when we see fish we are serious for the precious minute or so, then I either hook up or blow the shot and its back to laughing, no whining for me, maybe a oh @#$% and thats it! I find if I am more relaxed with the guide I cast/fish better and it takes a little presure off on both of us.
Oh, also,please don't call me sir more than once, I know who my parents are!!!!
Take Care,
JohnP

[fcch]

Pat,

So nice to see a guide asking the question. There was a good (and comical) thread on the same idea last year at Dennis' ... e-mail me and I can find the link).

I haven't been doing this for long, so some of the "old guys" can jump right in (or on me) if I'm off the mark here.

A client can be looking for anything under the sun. Communication is the key to know if your service can provide what this particular client wants.

Some clients want to catch a fish, others want to fish on a beautiful river. Still others want to catch LOTS of fish. Some want to explore a famous river. A few want to catch lots of trophy fish on a beautiful and famous river.

I had a lighthearted (attempt) at a poll on [url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/012818.html:bae88]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/012818.html[/url:bae88]
Funny thing, the questions are similar to those I'll ask a potentiel client when booking ...

Wade or float?
Do they want help/information or not (casting, technics, history, culture ...)?
Can they realistically express their casting and fishing capablities.?
(I have on a few occassions asked for references)

Clients ...
Ask for references.
What is cancellation policy?
Can the guide service provide a realistic evaluation of river conditions and fishing reports? (as say Ann can in Gasp? for Atlantics)
Is your guide competent ,... sure everyone starts somewhere, but do you want to be this guides FIRST solo client on the dream trip of your life ?
Tipping?
Rates?

A few question and some open and honest communcation goes a very long way to ensure that both the client AND the guide organise, plan and HAVE a pleasant day on the water.


------------------
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:bae88]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:bae88]

[FIREMAN]

I once fished with a guide that was giving me crappy tippet material. I was losing a few fish and was wondering what the hell was going on. So I decided to check the tippet material while tying another fly on. It took 3 or 4 times to get the clinch knot to settle without breaking. At that point I realized that the material was very old so I used my own. Later that day he offered me flies and I told him that I would just use mine. He obviously overlooked a very important issue, I cant believe I gave him a tip. So what I look for is knowledge of the water, fish and what kind of gear he uses and most of all be professional.

Seege

[This message has been edited by FIREMAN (edited 08 March 2005).]

[fcch]

Seege,

I'm really sorry to hear that.

So what I look for is knowledge of the water, fish and what kind of gear he uses and most of all be professional.

Speaking of gear the Guide uses (and I use a capital "G" as I'm speaking of the real thing, ... the guys and gals who'll bust their butt all day every day to see to it that the clients get every chance possible to have a pleasant day)

Another item to keep clean up front, ... Will the Guide fish, expect to fish or be expected to fish.

When I guide for Salmo salar, you can't realistically fish beside a client. For many lies, you have to be where the fly is, not on the client's shoulder. For trout, that's another story. If a client NEEDS lessons, well I might have to take a rod in hand.

Problem is, on my homewaters, if we don't pay the rod fee for the day, I won't event touch a rod. Makes life less complicated for the Game Wardens. Then again, I'm not into asking the client to pay an extra 50$ just so's I can show off for 10 minutes. (many of my clients are more accomplished casters/ff's than me).


------------------
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:a0fd0]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:a0fd0]




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 08 March 2005).]

[PaulM]

Pat -- Before you begin the day, stop and find out what the customer expects. Make sure you can match his/her skills and expectations to the water you plan to fish. If you have a newbie fisherman, I doubt they can or want to strip streamers all day!

You might also ask a guy/gal if they would appreciate instruction throughout the day. Sometimes it can get rather irritating to have a guide telling you what to do all day long...

I come from the camp where a good lunch is appreciated. Some anglers don't care. I don't see how it can hurt, especially with a tip at the end of the day.

I personally hate buying flies before the trip begins. I think guide trips should include the flies necessary for the day.

Have fun at your job!

[fcch]

Paul,

Good point about flies, ... and you point out a bit of important personal preference.

You prefer the guide to be ready with flies, ... Other clients WANT to use their own. Either they tied them specially for the trip or a "reputable" ff back home proposed them. In this case, the guide sometimes needs a bit of "tact" to suggest his home water flies without putting down the ones the client has brought along.

I have a repeat client, ... really nice guy. Can't cast if his life depended on it. He ties his own. It took me a year to get him to try to tie the flies that would work up here.

Not a stubborn person. he just knows EXACTLY what he wants. And that's fine.

He wanted to (and has since done it) catch a salmon a one of his flies on his rod with a leader he tied. (rod which is WAY too stiff for his casting stroke)

I showed him the knots, made him practice in the off season. I've hauled him out of the pool when he starts his bad habits and made him cast a while on the grass. Yup ... Boot camp salmon fishing. He WANTED to get it right. (and he did)

Incidentaly, a few other guides didn't "prefer" this client. Seems they thought he has a bit stubborn. I found he just knew what HE WANTED.

After all, he (YOU) are the client. It's your day, your time and your money. "Spend" it wisely.

------------------
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/:cf5fd]http://www3.sympatico.ca/chris_chin/[/url:cf5fd]




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 08 March 2005).]

[old geezer]

Pat, have a big smile and know your water. Have a supply of the hot flies if needed and know your clients limitations. A kind instruction on what systems work and how to implement them is always appreciated. What are your clients goals for the day.

The old plan A B C D is always appreciated

My .02

Philip

------------------
I look into... my fly box, and think about all the elements I should consider in choosing the perfect fly: water temperature, what stage of development the bugs are in, what the fish are eating right now. Then I remember what a guide told me: 'Ninety percent of what a trout eats is brown and fuzzy and about five-eighths of an inch long.' - Allison Moir.

I wonder if he ever fished Saltwater.

[Bob Widmaier]

Pat:

You are obviously a smart man in the fact you are asking these questions.

There is a lot of good feedback here already so hopefully I can add something new. A guide needs to be a good listener and enjoy providing what the client wants. Someone here gave some good advise and that was to find out up front what the client wants on a guided trip. I took a trip several years ago with my youngest son. I had been on several guided trips on my home river and asked if the guide could give my son some help in learning to cast. Turns out our guide had been a junior high school teacher for several years and he did a great job!

I expect the guide to know the waters and what the fish are taking at the time I am fishing. I often use a guide on unknown waters. I also like it when he offers to show me places I may fish the next day or without a guide.

A guide should be pleasant, good spirited, and make the trip fun for the client. I realize some clients are more challenging than others but a guide is there to provide expert advise and make it fun.

On a guided trip, if the guide is not going to provide the flies needed or at least offer the flies needed, he should tell the client that at the time of the booking, not when the client arrives at the fly shop. That few dollars added expense can ruin a potential return client, not based on the dollar value, but the way it was handled. As a guide you are in the service business. Provide the services the customer is seeking.

I will get off my soap box now. Sorry for the lengthy post.

Dr Bob