Guide tips are considered gentlemen tips. If your a gentleman and the guide was a gentleman you tip. As far as amount I base it on how the guide works to make my trip a success. Can’t blame him that I can’t set the hook or feel the bite.
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Guide tips are considered gentlemen tips. If your a gentleman and the guide was a gentleman you tip. As far as amount I base it on how the guide works to make my trip a success. Can’t blame him that I can’t set the hook or feel the bite.
[QUOTE=waterdog101;568480]I see it just like you, it’s the guides job to charge the price he thinks he can get, if he says 300 bucks for a half day, that’s what I would pay him, no tip even if it was the trip of a lifetime, it’s a job like if you had your roof replaced on your house, if the roofers started and finished your roof and charged you 6 thousand bucks for the job, would he get a tip for doing the job, and it is nothing like tipping a waiter, and I don’t give them a set % either, I do tip waiters about 98% of the time but not always, to me a tip is something they earn, if they keep my drink filled, they get a tip if I run out of drink before i’m Finished eating, no tip.[/QUOTE]
WOW............
Seriously??
I've tipped every guide I've ever taken..........And better if I learn above and beyond or have a stellar trip. I have taken a few guided trips, and one of the best was the Water Elimination class/guided session by Dave Stewart.
Another fantastic trip was a salmon trip out of Manistee. I've been up there and went salmon fishing 10-12 times. On one particular trip, the guide was all about doing something different then everyone else, and MAN, did he hook us up. It was the best trip I've ever taken. We tipped him and the First Mate every day..........WELL.
I have not tipped a guide only one time. The guys was absolutely horrible at guiding for stripers and all he did was talk about smallmouth. To his credit, he is a very well known smallmouth specialist but knew nothing about stripers and had zero business pretending that he did. Not that he pretended that he did.
It's pretty simple, really.. Do you want to continue a relationship with the guide? My base is 20% tip and goes up from there. Guides are like most self owned businesses. The best full time ones are always booked up, harder to get, and can be picky about their clients. But just because a guy is available doesn't mean they aren't any good so I don't go solely by that. Some guys just don't advertise, have been fishing a long time and recently started guiding or have other things they do as well. But a guy that is hard to get is a great sign they are awesome. To get back in with those guys you need to make sure they had a good experience too. It's a two way street. Giving a good tip and being willing to listen are keys to making sure the guide picks you if a date opens and they are looking for someone to fill it. It's also really important to take care of the guy if it's your home lake and it's a learning trip. Some guides are really helpful after the trip.
Make sure you let the guide know up front if you are interested in a learning trip. This probably applies to trolling trips more than bass\casting trips. Those will be handled differently than an experience trip. They will probably take more time for the guide even though the price is the same. Make sure you compensate more for a learning trip, especially if the guide was accommodating. It will be more hands on, you will make critical mistakes, and success will probably come slower.
Geo also touched on a very important point. First mates usually are not paid all that much. They are the people that can really make a difference because they give the Captain an extra set of hands and eyes. I usually tip\handshake a first mate separately than the Captain.
$1 per lb for fish over 15”
[QUOTE=Dave Stewart;324904]From a guide: Normally it is customary to tip a guide 10-15%. Here is how I look at it from a guide's point of view:
If you can afford the tip you should do so...no we are not waitresses but it has been a custom to tip hunting and fishing guides since there were such folks. Most of us guides depend on the tips to pay some of our expenses so we can keep our costs down for the clients. Now, I am a firm believer that if the guide has not earned the tip, they should not be tipped....earning is not based on how many fish or how big are the fish you catch...guides are not gods...we can't control the weather, the fish or your ability. We can however, work hard to put you on fish and try to teach you as much as we can in the short time we are on the water together. So if you feel the guide has worked hard to get you on fish and/or taught you something about the type fishing you are doing so you can later do it on your own...you should tip them.
Do I think someone is cheap if they do not tip?...actually I figure it is one of the following:
1. They are not satisfied with the services they received.
2. They are ignorant of the fact they are expected by custom to tip a guide.
3. They cannot afford to tip.
4. They are cheap. (Yes, I tip my barber)[/QUOTE]
So Dave how much do you tip your car salesman when he spends 3 hours on the lot getting the right truck and terms then countless hours after that resolving issues, and assisting with service? If 15 % seems fair to you I look forward to helping you buy your next $60,000 Ford Super Duty 4x4
[QUOTE=rickhise;568476]I charge 300$ for 6 hours for 2 people.
If they are not put on fish they get a free return trip
If they miss fish, or fish after I have advised not to
Come then no free trip.
I understand what it cost my customer to get to me
travel lodging fees lic. Etc. My mind set is I have charged the customer
what I need. ( I have never given a tip back. Wink)[/QUOTE]
I greatly appreciate and respect this view point. I think a tip is a gratuity and as such is voluntary. I don’t tip my heart dr, dentist, eye doctor either. But with great service from them I don’t argue about the bill either. The onus is on the service provider.
[QUOTE=Dobe Mejuwa;568693]So Dave how much do you tip your car salesman when he spends 3 hours on the lot getting the right truck and terms then countless hours after that resolving issues, and assisting with service? If 15 % seems fair to you I look forward to helping you buy your next $60,000 Ford Super Duty 4x4[/QUOTE]
I have tipped and still do many folks that provide me good service..ie...barber, mailman, delivery persons, waiters and waitresses, plumbers, electricians and many more....but I would not consider tipping a car salesman any more than I would consider tipping a prostitute as I know their goal is to see just how much money they can screw me out of.
[QUOTE=Dave Stewart;568699]I have tipped and still do many folks that provide me good service..ie...barber, mailman, delivery persons, waiters and waitresses, plumbers, electricians and many more....but I would not consider tipping a car salesman any more than I would consider tipping a prostitute as I know their goal is to see just how much money they can screw me out of.[/QUOTE]
And that is CHECKMATE!!! lol
It's VERY common to tip fishing guides. My family and I have chartered salt water fishing trips many times in the past and we always leave a tip. I've considered hiring a redear guide here on Barkley and I would most likely tip that guide if he was a decent guide.
I tip barbers, the bag boy at the grocery when he helps me to the truck, the mailman at Christmas, and the list goes on. A person who doesn't tip is often talked about in a negative light.
That said, waitresses who don't keep my drink filled, normally get a small tip.
[QUOTE=Dave Stewart;568699]I have tipped and still do many folks that provide me good service..ie...barber, mailman, delivery persons, waiters and waitresses, plumbers, electricians and many more....but I would not consider tipping a car salesman any more than I would consider tipping a prostitute as I know their goal is to see just how much money they can screw me out of.[/QUOTE]
hahahahahha........awesome Answer.
[QUOTE=waterdog101;568480]I do tip waiters about 98% of the time but not always, to me a tip is something they earn, if they keep my drink filled, they get a tip if I run out of drink before i’m Finished eating, no tip.[/QUOTE]
Having known a lot of people in food service, if your drink (gasp!) is slow getting refilled, it's almost always because someone has called in sick or quit and the place is short-staffed. Or, the owner is just too cheap (or broke) to staff the place adequately.
Good service, mediocre service, bad service, I'm going to tip. I'm the one that can afford to go out and eat.