What is the standard tip for a guide?

[motalot]

Going fishing with a guide this week. What is customary tip?

[Danny]

That's an interesting question, and I really look forward to Dave's response.

However, I don't think there is a standard. I think it will come down to how comfortable you feel about whether to even give a tip. Think about it, we tip service people, but they tend to have their salaries set by others, and are generally low and require tips to survive. A guide sets his/own price. So if you think about it, they are saying what they need to survive.

Now I won't tell you what I tipped Dave... huh,,, Dave, I did tip right?? Dang, please say yes... LOL

I think you have to consider what the guide does. Dave for instance uses the time for instruction on the lake, fishing techniques, and biology of prey for the bass. Not only that, he has gone well beyond the role of what I think I paid for. So you have to decide, did the guide give the minimum, or the max, or did the guide go beyond??

If you are going with Dave, I think you will get much more than the minimum. That is my experience even prior to my taking my trip with him.

Another thing to consider... with a waitress/waiter 20% is standard for excellence, and it goes down. But consider when a big party ... say 8 or more, there is generally a built in tip that is much less than 20%. Ever wonder why that is? Simple, 20% of a $20 bill is $4.00, while 20% of a $300 tip would be $60... and yet the time waiting on 8 people would not be 15 times longer. In other words, what you realize is that a percentage of larger numbers obviously lead to much larger tips. So, you might tip the correct amount, while it being a smaller percentage.

Good luck with your decision.... and have a good time.

Danny

[plowboy]

I would think 10-20% for and average trip would be OK. The trip of a life time (PRICELESS). If I put a 7-8 pounder in the boat I think $100 and a big hug would be in order. 10 lb or above let hime use your Visa for a month, he may spend less than your wife.

[Dave Stewart]

Normally 10 to 15 %. Sometimes I get more..sometimes nothing. Guides do not make a lot of money...if you think we do you should try it. If we charged enough to make a lot of money we would not get any bookings. Guiding is not a job...it is a way of life...you either love it enough to do it full time or you don't. I am definitely not complaining...if I did not like guiding I certainly would not do it and I certainly don't do it because we make a lot of money...lol. If you tip me fine..it is traditional...I appreciate it..it helps to offset the high gas prices and high maintenance costs.I also understand if you don't...a lot of folks save up all year to have enough money to hire a guide and don't have the extra money to tip..some folks do not know it is traditional to tip a guide...some folks just don't tip anyone anytime anywhere. Bottom line here is if you are a tipper...10-15% is the norm...less or nothing if the guide does not work hard to teach you and/or put you on fish... a guide can't make the fish bite but they can teach you and work hard to get you some fish. If you feel the guide has gone above your expectations then tipping more is appropriate.

Danny: you did tip me...I still have that quarter and it is burning a hole in my pocket but I can't decide what I want to buy with it....just kidding..lol.

[the_donger]

Danny, there is one case in which I might disagree with you and that would be somebody that guides for an outfitter or something like that (they don't own the business). In that situation, they would not be setting their own wage and might depend on tips to help makes ends meet.

[Danny]

Is it the one with the carving of George Washington?


LMAO


Donger, good point. Never thought of that.

Danny

[Don Smith]

I can agree with Dave and everyone else on 10-15%, and its a good question. But what about the tournament preps that you do Dave? I know we had this talk once before over dinner, but I never hear anyone talking about it. Whats the norm for a tip or commission from winnings? I know for a fact that you have helped several boats win some big events on Ky/Barkley. Suppose I have 2 questions. 1. Are your tournament preps the same rate as a regular guide trip? 2. Whats the norm on commissions or tip for winning a big event such as 10K+ or a new boat?

[Dave Stewart]

Don: I charge the same price for a tournament prep trip as I do for any of my other type trips. I do not get commissions nor request them. I have had folks that have won boats/money send me a bonus after their win and some don't. I appreciate it when they do and don't get upset if they don't.

[HURRICANEBOB]

I have several depending on the guide:

a. After a zero catch night trip: "Have you considered a day job"
b. After a limited out, totally rad day with a super cool guide: "Here's fifty bucks, and this slip of paper has my grand mother's phone number on it. Bring your own lime, and a helmet"
c. After a day with guide whose boat motor blew up, but we still limted out as he ran down riggers while we were getting towed in: "Call me Monday, I know a mechanic who will fix it for free. As soon as you get home, call my broker, he can get you a deal on selling your Mercury stock, and he'll get you some Honda stock and wave the commission".