What do you hope to get out of a guide trip??

[earlyretirement]

So I have my first ever guide trip booked with a legendary epic guide (no pressure). What is the best thing to get from a guide trip?

I for the record do not plan to catch a fish, because musky fishing is while.... musky fishing. I think I now have the wife convinced she should not expect to catch a fish.

Thus far I have come up with:
- trying new gear, I am pretty sure I would like to get a big nasty rod or similar for cowgirls. Got away from throwing cowgirls last year because my long ranger just does not throw them right. My old musky mojo that the wife uses now seemed to throw them better. Best reels I have used so far are revo toro winches, but it sounds like there is better ones out there that I might try with a new rod.

-how to work certain lures? I am a bucktail and pacemaker person only so far. So I know I have tons to learn there. Have dinked around with other lures, but it is tough to keep throwing something if you are not sure if you are doing it right (not a confidence lure).


plan b- liquor up the guide and get him to give away all his "secret spots"? just kidding

thanks for any replies in advance-- my tip/advice in return to you is if you think your trolling motor batteries are about due for a change, do not wait until the beginning of the walleye run for them to die and then change them. If you do that you might find your self posting things on the computer and kicking yourself that you are not fishing when you had planned to.

[earlyretirement]

Me and my computer challenged ways only wanted the unhappy face by the dead battery part of the post, not at the beginning of the title of the post. Makes it look like I am mad to be going on a guide trip.

[curleytail]

If I hired a guide the most important thing I'd like to learn is how they approach the day and their thought process in locating fish. If you can consistently locate fish, you'll catch them. Presentation and lures are important, but the best baits and presentation do very little if not being thrown at fish.

I'd rank it in order of what I'd want to get as:
1.) Learning how to locate fish
2.) Learning how to read/estimate their mood without contacting them first.
3.) Lure selection, technique, triggering fish

Better throw FUN somewhere in the mix too! I hired a guide once in my life (it was NOT Ty), and he didn't do any of my 3 criteria, not to mention he was NOT fun to fish with. We still regret paying him at the end of the day...

[Downsouth]

While there's never any guarentee of catching a fish with or without a guide, I always expect to catch fish. I also hope to get some good spots to try again later, lure and presentaion suggestions as well as an enjoyable social time. That's just me...

[Downsouth]

Just a double post..my bad.

[DMBFID]

I think the best thing to do is ask questions. Even ask your guide to show you do something if you don't know what he is doing or talking about. After my first time fishing with a guide I realized all the videos in the world can't give you the knowledge a guide can. I also realized I had no clue what I was doing out there until I hired a guide.

Also, if this is your first time with a guide I hope you are taking Rachel Sennett or Murphy Sennett, they crush fish out there and its pretty much letting 50's go all day long! Murphy tends to sleep a lot but still puts you on big fish. If they are busy then I would take Ty, he is decent too...

-Fidler

[Ty Sennett]

I've hire a few guides and have had good times and bad. The best guide had great equipment and was laid back and kind of let us do our thing but kept us entertained with witty jabs and talk of where we should cast or when to switch up baits. Actually the only guide trip I didn't like was more because of the first mate and the boat/equipment failure. The actual guide was a nice guy.

I also went out with Joe Jasek a couple years ago on the Chip. The trip was for my father in law but I tagged along. We had a blast talking old times on the Chip. That guy has seen it all. I especially loved when his trolling motor was acting up he pulled a hammer out and beat the crap out of it. It didn't act up after that. That was hilarious.

I'd say my order of importance may or may not be different than some. Here it is:
1. Good equipment
2. laid back fun time with guide and friend(s)
3. Catching fish


I agree Fidler, murphy the wonder Dog is way better as a guide. We always catch fish with him.

[Ty Sennett]

I've hire a few guides and have had good times and bad. The best guide had great equipment and was laid back and kind of let us do our thing but kept us entertained with witty jabs and talk of where we should cast or when to switch up baits. Actually the only guide trip I didn't like was more because of the first mate and the boat/equipment failure. The actual guide was a nice guy.

I also went out with Joe Jasek a couple years ago on the Chip. The trip was for my father in law but I tagged along. We had a blast talking old times on the Chip. That guy has seen it all. I especially loved when his trolling motor was acting up he pulled a hammer out and beat the crap out of it. It didn't act up after that. That was hilarious.

I'd say my order of importance may or may not be different than some. Here it is:
1. Good equipment
2. laid back fun time with guide and friend(s)
3. Catching fish


I agree Fidler, murphy the wonder Dog is way better as a guide. We always catch fish with him.

[RobertTB]

"What do I hope to get out of a guide trip ?"

I hire a guide because I believe she/he knows where the fish are and what they want to eat on the day I hire her/him BECAUSE the guide is really in touch with what the fish are doing.

Thus, this gives me a great deal of confidence that we will see or catch fish. To me, this is the top feature of hiring a guide. They know where the fish are and what to throw at them. I always expect to catch fish. Sometimes the fish don't behave accordingly, but that's fishing.

I hire one certain guide because I have a great time with him in the boat, even if it's a bad fishing day. I always laugh a lot and the trip is just flat out a good time. I am never hesitant to ask a zillion questions about how to present the lure, how fast to reel, where to cast exactly and I expect brutally honest suggestions on how I can improve as a fisherman, even if it's painful for me to hear. I wanna' learn. I know my guide has given his best effort to put me on fish at the end of the day, this I never question.

A good guide has excellent equipment from the boat/rig right down to rods, reels, and lures she/he is happy to let you use. She/he might be evaluating rods and reels, as clients can put the equipment through a series of challenges that may border on the harsh. The guide can learn about equipment as well, thereby gaining knowledge of the equipment. Knowledge is good.

I have a friend that frequently goes with me when I go with my guide. 3 of us are a riot, 2 of us are top notch fishermen. That swine friend of mine ALWAYS steals the best fish from me by casting to the perfect spot mere seconds prior to me casting to that spot and he gets the fish. This gives me the opportunity to take crummy pictures of him and his large catch, which I blame on the camera. My guide laughs, but takes quality pictures, so I can't lie about my friends successes. Yes, plural. My friend succeeds often, thanks to the guide. I am along for the ride, which happens to be a fantastic ride every time that I enjoy immensely.

I love my guide and I love my friend. That, I think, is the real key: The journey we share and so enjoy as friends.