You want to be a Fishing Guide

You want to be a Fishing Guide

By Brad Durick

I have written this article before but every few years it seems situations change and the world needs a reminder as to what a fishing guide does and some need to be asked if it is really the right avenue for them. Some of this may seem discouraging but guiding is one of the greatest jobs there is for many who do it, myself included. There is so much more to being a successful fishing guide than just “going fishing”

I have been a fishing guide for over a decade and full time for five. I never intended to be a guide or even work in the fishing industry, it just sort of happened for me. In my case; I love catfishing, I love marketing, the challenge of staying on fish and I enjoy the business and planning part of the job. I love fishing with new people and showing off my river to those who traveled from far and wide for the opportunity to catch one of our famed catfish. I love the friendships that have developed from long time returning customers.

With all that, I want to dive into some of the inner workings of what some of the best guides have to deal with behind the scenes and want you to see if it is really something you want to do. Again, this is not to discourage you but to tell you the truth about what you are getting into.

Do you like fish?
If you want to be a guide because you like catching fish you better think again. You never fish again. That might be stretching it some but great guides do not fish, they concentrate on putting their guests on fish and making sure they have success.

I can go literally a month without catching a fish but let me tell you about my netting ability. The way I fish, with a six-line spread and rotation I cannot be part of the rotation, well I could but it would look bad. Your job as a guide is to put our clients on fish and not you.

Gear
You have fishing gear for yourself but do you have enough for more people? You must plan to have lots of gear and keep it in good operating order. As anglers buying rods, reels, and tackle seems to come easy to most of us. But do you have enough for an entire group of anglers to fish with? I keep 13 rods and reels rigged and ready. Most of the time I use a medium rod combo. I fish with six lines at a time and keep two extras ready to go in case something breaks. I also keep a heavier set rigged and ready in case we have high water with faster current where I need a little extra horse power.

You also need to keep lots of tackle on hand so you don’t run out or have to make constant trips to the bait shop for more tackle. For catfishing I keep one simple tackle box in the boat and have a year’s worth of other tackle ready to refill my on-board supplies.

Your boat is your office, you have to have a boat that is clean, comfortable and big enough to handle you and your clients. Your boat needs to be clean and ready to go every day. You absolutely do not want to be broken down and needing a tow because you didn’t fix something. Of course, things happen but do your best to keep everything up and in working order.
During times of river fluctuations our river gets muddy and it is nasty. I hate nothing more than pressure washing a boat after a long day of fishing but it is unprofessional to put the next days guests in a muddy nasty boat because I was to lazy to do something as simple as clean up a bit.

Business License and Insurance
Many guides starting out think they will just do it on the down low for a few extra bucks to help cover some of the expenses of fishing. This seems like a great idea on the surface but it is a terrible idea from a legal and ethical standpoint.
Every person who jumps in for “just a few trips” is stealing from the licensed and established guides in the area that have done everything right. If you have a professional guide who needs to work 100-plus days to make ends meet “just a few trips” taken by a few guys with boats is actually hurting the professional guide’s business.

You need to research to see what state and federal regulations affect you and your business. Does your state require a guide or outfitter license? Does your body of water require you to have a Coast Guard Captains license? Is a certain amount of liability insurance required to even operate?

Do you have insurance? If you run a legitimate business you better. In today’s world you want as much as you can get. God forbid it happen, just one accident can wipe you out.

In my personal case on the Red River I am required to have my Coast Guard license and a Transportation Workers Identification Card (TWIC) in order to operate. The North Dakota side of the river also requires that I possess a fishing outfitter license. To get the North Dakota outfitter I must possess and prove at least $300,000 worth of commercial liability insurance.

Another great idea but not required in most places is a business license. A Limited Liability Company is not expensive to set up and offers greater protections. It allows you to easily get a business bank account and it adds a level of protection should there be an accident. Basically, it protects your house and your savings.

Marketing and Promotion
Generally, when someone starts a guide service, they don’t just fill up overnight. You must have a solid marketing plan together when you start out to get your name out there. Now days many think if they get a Facebook page marketing is complete. The truth is; it may get you some business but potential clients must be followers to find you, meaning you are missing out on a huge percentage of potential clients.

When you begin, you should plan a great social media presence but also have a solid web site that is easy to get around and says HIRE ME! Here is a little tip too, when posting your photos make sure it is not loaded with you holding fish. Customers want to know you can put them on fish, they don’t care about you.

You also have to get out and be known. This is where sport shows and events come into place. This is not as big of a deal as it used to be as everyone prefers to shop and book online. When I started social media was an infant. Getting in the car and working the shows was how I built my clientele. I had to put the miles on and hand out the materials, shake hands and make a pitch. Now days when you work shows most people already know who they want to see and they find you for the personal touch. They already have the research complete and just want to verify the sale.

Another thing in marketing and promotion is sponsors. Most guides have companies who sponsor them and it is very important to find a balance to earn your keep in the promotion of their products. A quick tip here is don’t spend your whole day on the water pimping gear. People are paying you to put them on fish not listen to a sales pitch. If you truly believe in your sponsors products the clients will know just by the day as they use the products. This is by far the best sales tool there is, good old word of mouth from a raving fan.

Planning and Scheduling
Day to day work (besides fishing) is the planning and scheduling. You have to have your daily plan together to make sure you are where you plan to be. Nothing looks worse to a client than when their guide shows up late or is not prepared to get the trip started. This means that you must have your setup plan in order and ready to go.

The day to day plan is one thing but the bait plan (mostly in catfishing) is a stressful endeavor. You must ensure that you have your bait secured and ready to go. You cannot show up with not enough bait, bad bait or no bait at all. (This has actually happened to me with a guide. No bait on hand and we spent two hours searching for bait while on the water.)
I spend tons of time on the phone calling bait shops to make sure they have bait or to find out when they are getting more bait. I am always contacting little kids who chase frogs for me to keep them going on supplies. Due to constant bait shortages I have actually invested in commercial bait tanks and freezers allowing me to plan my bait seven to ten days ahead on live bait and to stockpile frozen bait when I can get it for later in the season. Bait is by far my biggest stress as a guide.

Scheduling is another thing you need to work with on an ongoing basis. You must stay on top of calls, emails and private messages from potential clients. You want to keep the calendar full and you don’t want to miss out on business to competition because you didn’t return a call in a proper amount of time. I plan to return calls every evening when I get home to ensure I get a shot at booking every trip and getting them that date they want.

With smart phones this is so much easier. Now you have your phone and calendar with you at all times. It is almost a living, breathing thing as days and weeks go buy. Back when I started you had a daily planner book and a flip phone. Today it is much easier.

Fires, Floods, Bad weather, Scheduling and Deposits
More business items to consider are unseen fires that need to be put out, bad weather, floods, booking and deposits. These are the day to day things that come up and you have to be sure that they get dealt with in a timely and orderly fashion.

As a guide you can control many things but you cannot control Mother Nature. You have to be able to fish in any weather that is thrown at you. Prepare yourself and your clients for the possibility. You must keep it safe however. When there is lightening in the area you must shut it down. No fish is worth a life.

Another challenge that Mother Nature can throw at you is flooding or low water. You must have a plan of attack for these as well. If there is a major flood you can get shut down and have to move all your trips to another time. While flooding is the worst, low water can pose a challenge as well. You have to keep an eye on that as to not damage your gear, ie your boat.

Booking and deposits are what keep you going. It is imperative that you keep on top of this even if it means spending an hour every evening returning calls. Make sure you get the deposits to ensure you stay busy when people say they are coming to fish. Keep all names, numbers and deposits on a calendar whether paper or online.

Fires, it is not what you think but things come up and you have to be able to deal with this on the fly. What are your plans if someone is late, how do you handle an equipment breakdown or a cancelation? No one even knows when these are coming and what they may be. Even after more than a decade new fires pop up for me. Just relax, keep your cool and do your best.

Do you still want to be a fishing guide? There is a lot to think about to do it right and build a successful business. The business is not for everyone but if you like people and fishing and are willing to work at it like a job it is so rewarding. You will meet many great people and develop some life long relationships. You may also be part of their fishing memory of a lifetime.