Tipping your fishing guide

[neilsledder]

Just booked another sturgeon fishing trip, earlier this summer I went on my first guided trip. After the trip I got to thinking does a guy tip there guide? I didn't on the first trip but now I am starting to feel bad cause I didn't. What's everyone else think about this?


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[Drewski Canuck]

Went on a West Coast Resorts trip a few years ago. On the first meal after arrival, the Manager gets up and talks to the group, and says: I always get asked how much should I tip my Guide?". Always? Really?

Then he jumped into the song and dance about the fact that you are really tipping EVERYONE. it turned into a "GIVE TIL IT HURTS" routine, and was a turn off.

The first time out with the Guide, he starts out explaining that his wife who is 14 months pregnant, and their 11 children are saving to buy a house, and how little it pays to be a fishing guide, and you obviously are pretty rich because you paid for this dog and pony show, etc.

A few years back we were fishing with a Guide out of Rupert. A bunch of Eagle Point Lodge boats were near us, and a client caught a good fish. A Guide was on the VHF Radio and asks the weight and was told 40 pounds by the guide of the lucky fisherman. Another Guide jumps on and says "Last time I caught a 40 pound fish for a client I GOT A $500 TIP! AND THAT WAS 6 YEARS AGO!!". (obviously the boys were working the dupe in perfect form).

Anyways, you are paying very good money to start with. They are getting paid for a service. If the guy does a good job, tries hard, and is patient, $100 per person is very reasonable.

Drewski

[Okotokian]

I suppose it depends on the situation. Flats fishing I had a couple guides that worked for the charter company. I tipped them. It was like having a good waiter...

Last year I hired a fly fishing guide who worked for himself to take me out for the day. I didn't tip him, as the money I was paying for the service was going directly into his pocket, every cent. He had no back office staff or others to share it with. We weren't even using a boat. He wasn't an hourly employee of an outfitter, etc. He said his day was worth $550 and I paid it.

[Joe Quiroga]

I personally would not tip. You pay a premium price for those trips to start with. Flip side if I was running such an endeavor I would absolutely be doing what I love 24/7 And would never accept one.

[pinelakeperch]

I've been on a fair number of guided fishing trips (10+). It is definitely expected for the client to tip, with the amount dependant on the guide's effort. That isn't to say you're a terrible person if you aren't tipping, but it's definitely the norm.

[Dewey Cox]

I love these "do I tip my outfitter?" threads.
The general consensus always seems to be, if you don't tip, you are a worthless cheapskate, unless you can't afford it, or from a culture where it's not the norm, then it's totally ok not to tip.

Personally, I think tipping is degrading.
Tell me what your service is worth, and I will pay it.
It's immoral to expect more money from someone for the same service because they have more money.



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[angery jonn]

Most of the river guides I know only make a portion of the fee, yet are expected to pay for the shuttle fee, supply a vehicle, supply the lunch and give free casting lessons, lol. If the guide is doing his job, getting you into fish and is a joy to be around then yes, imo you should tip him/her.

[schmedlap]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

I suppose it depends on the situation. Flats fishing I had a couple guides that worked for the charter company. I tipped them. It was like having a good waiter...

Last year I hired a fly fishing guide who worked for himself to take me out for the day. I didn't tip him, as the money I was paying for the service was going directly into his pocket, every cent. He had no back office staff or others to share it with. We weren't even using a boat. He wasn't an hourly employee of an outfitter, etc. He said his day was worth $550 and I paid it.

If the guide is his own boss, the "owner" or equivalent as it were, then the price is the price. If the guide is working on wages for someone else, and assuming they do a conscientious job of making your experience the best possible, then tipping is appropriate.

[CMichaud]

Tipping is the norm. I went on a guided outing (approx. 3-4hours) with my son and we were joined by two other people who we did not know to round it out to 4 pers.

As the trip was winding up I asked the lady what she was thinking for tipping. She checked with her husband and he said $20 from each of us ie $40 total was more than fair.

I kind of felt this was not a high enough amount and regret not putting more in even if the other guy did not. The skipper did not look too pleased when the guy handed over our collected tip.

[Redfrog]

Another tipping thread?

I tip when I want to. My money, my experience , my choice. Great service, effort , skills and ATTITUDE, gets tips. Crap service....nope.

If you feel bad cause you didn't tip last trip, I'm not sure why you are asking about it. Tip this year and at least one of you and maybe both will feel better.

[Fenix_84]

Originally Posted by neilsledder

Just booked another sturgeon fishing trip, earlier this summer I went on my first guided trip. After the trip I got to thinking does a guy tip there guide? I didn't on the first trip but now I am starting to feel bad cause I didn't. What's everyone else think about this?


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If you are happy with the service then tip, if not don't tip. I've done both.

Tipping in our society has gotten way out of hand. If guides aren't making enough money then they need to raise their rates or find another job.

[neilsledder]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Another tipping thread?



I tip when I want to. My money, my experience , my choice. Great service, effort , skills and ATTITUDE, gets tips. Crap service....nope.



If you feel bad cause you didn't tip last trip, I'm not sure why you are asking about it. Tip this year and at least one of you and maybe both will feel better.

I have never see a nother tipping thread?!? I never knew what the normal thing was to do and never thought about it till the long drive home. And my thought are like Dewey's and think in a way it's a bit degrading. I as a welder do some real nice work and always go above and beyond and never once thought I needed a tip. Thanks for the in put guys!


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[Tofinoguy]

[Serengeti Charters]

I think many would be surprised at what a guide makes. Tipping, especially if not owner should be done. it is expected but 100% depends on quality of service in my opinion.

[EZM]

I am a bit of a sucker - I've had poor, lazy guides who I tipped reasonably well and I've had great guides who deserved and got a really nice tip.

This is a hospitality industry and the guides get far less of the cut that you would expect. I made the mistake of asking a guide - and when I figured it out he made $25 hr PLUS had to use his own boat (but fuel was covered by the lodge).

They are, quite frankly, seasonal employees making wages.

[Mackinaw]

Wow I would not want to be guiding for a lot of you guys.
Apparently not to may of you have done much traveling or been on guided trips.
Just remember don't ever use the same guide service twice with that attitude.

Mack

[neilsledder]

Well you guys made me feel bad lol. Will be tipping from now on!


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[cschache]

Originally Posted by Serengeti Charters

I think many would be surprised at what a guide makes. Tipping, especially if not owner should be done. it is expected but 100% depends on quality of service in my opinion.

^^^^^^^^^^^ agree 100%, last time I went salmon fishing 3-4 days I had both the owner and a guide through out the trip and had superb service and the best fishing and the owner received his fav type of scotch (wasn't cheap)and the guide received $200 tip, for me it was totally worth it! the previous year same time frame and the owner was grumpy half the time and almost seemed like he couldn't be bothered so he was tipped accordingly!

[Tofinoguy]

Originally Posted by cschache

^^^^^^^^^^^ agree 100%, last time I went salmon fishing 3-4 days I had both the owner and a guide through out the trip and had superb service and the best fishing and the owner received his fav type of scotch (wasn't cheap)and the guide received $200 tip, for me it was totally worth it! the previous year same time frame and the owner was grumpy half the time and almost seemed like he couldn't be bothered so he was tipped accordingly!

You're the type of person that would receive the "royal treatment" if you returned to that operation.

When you are considering the cost of the trip you need to remember that salt water fishing operations have a huge overhead.

[Opa]

Originally Posted by Tofinoguy

You're the type of person that would receive the "royal treatment" if you returned to that operation.

When you are considering the cost of the trip you need to remember that salt water fishing operations have a huge overhead.

If the overhead is that huge, charge accordingly. Either your business survives or it doesn't, based on how competitive your prices and services are, and the success of the clients. Obviously the guides enjoy their jobs, at the rates they are being paid, or they would not be there. Screw the tips, the lodges the guides are working for are raping you plenty hard for their services to begin with!!!! I was in the service industry in the oilfield, and if you did not do the job, you got the run, or taken from the "list". If it was done well, an "atta boy", was your tip that you would probably be back.

[Salmon Slayer Lenny]

Like any other tipping, it's a matter of personal preference.

I think there are a lot of variables to consider. It the guide(s) an employee, or are they an owner operator? Large outfit or small independent?

Tipping should never be mandatory or a given. It should be based on the quality of the services provided and the effort put in, not on the results.

It is a customer service industry and tips are an expression of gratitude and thanks. And, I despise places that split the tips amongst all of their staff.

[Tofinoguy]

Originally Posted by Opa

If the overhead is that huge, charge accordingly. Either your business survives or it doesn't, based on how competitive your prices and services are, and the success of the clients. Obviously the guides enjoy their jobs, at the rates they are being paid, or they would not be there. Screw the tips, the lodges the guides are working for are raping you plenty hard for their services to begin with!!!! I was in the service industry in the oilfield, and if you did not do the job, you got the run, or taken from the "list". If it was done well, an "atta boy", was your tip that you would probably be back.

And you wouldn't. Nor would you get prime dates with a high liner guide

[erkel1]

This is very confusing to me.As the owner of a machine shop I have gone above and beyond to get a customer his job in a timely manner. I have worked through lunch and I have stayed late, just so a farmer could take his parts with him and not make another trip into town. I do this for my customers hoping I get the repeat business to help keep my shop going. If I need my welder to go the extra mile and work through lunch, I pay him accordingly even if it means my profit margin is little to nothing.I and I assume many others that do a honest days work for an honests day pay are bewildered by who we are supposed to tip and who we are not.

[Sundancefisher]

Rule of thumb.

For good service it is $50/day

Whether Canada or North America.

[deanna]

Originally Posted by erkel1

This is very confusing to me.As the owner of a machine shop I have gone above and beyond to get a customer his job in a timely manner. I have worked through lunch and I have stayed late, just so a farmer could take his parts with him and not make another trip into town. I do this for my customers hoping I get the repeat business to help keep my shop going. If I need my welder to go the extra mile and work through lunch, I pay him accordingly even if it means my profit margin is little to nothing.I and I assume many others that do a honest days work for an honests day pay are bewildered by who we are supposed to tip and who we are not.

This reply makes the most sense to me. I'm oil patch trash for 28 years and go over and beyond for my clients. But when I go fishing in Jamaica, St Lucia, Mexico, BC, I always tip well. It's a service not like a real job. But only if there good people. You may come back, It's not like doing a rig move. By the way don't kill squaw fish. They are the best fish around

[EZM]

Originally Posted by erkel1

This is very confusing to me.As the owner of a machine shop I have gone above and beyond to get a customer his job in a timely manner. I have worked through lunch and I have stayed late, just so a farmer could take his parts with him and not make another trip into town. I do this for my customers hoping I get the repeat business to help keep my shop going. If I need my welder to go the extra mile and work through lunch, I pay him accordingly even if it means my profit margin is little to nothing.I and I assume many others that do a honest days work for an honests day pay are bewildered by who we are supposed to tip and who we are not.

I appreciate business owners like yourself and I'm sure once you got me out of a pinch I'm going to do everything I can to keep supporting you as much as you supported me ...... good on you. Great attitudes like that will grow your business.

HOWEVER

These guys are in the hospitality industry - it's really two different things - and, quite frankly, these guys don't make nearly as much as you think they might. No different than a hostess, bartender, etc... really

I'm going to keep tipping them - and tipping them well - just to see someone's face light up with real appreciation is all the thanks enough for me. What's a few hundred bucks to you and your buddies when you just spent a small fortune getting into a remote lake??? The few hundred bucks you tip someone, in many cases, means a heck of alot more to them and their families.

There are remote areas where these guys don't have any other source of income or opportunity. Some small town with a couple stores and a gas pump and zero opportunity. It costs us very little to return so much to some of these folks. For me it's something I like to do.

This became clear to me, about 25 years ago, when my dad tipped a guide who took us out the first day we arrived to show us the spots and techniques on the lake. These guides were from a remote native community and were hired by the lodge. His pre teen son worked at the resort doing odds and ends. The kid had a tattered hand me down jacket full of holes and some boots that looked 3 sizes too big for him.

A day or two later we ran into the guide and his son finishing up for the day (he just finished up with another group) and he came over and thanked my dad and I. His kid had a decent warm coat and some new boots.

That's what I remember about this trip some 25 years later. I couldn't tell you how many fish we caught or what the biggest fish weighed. I do remember looking at this kid, a few years younger than me, looking down proudly at his new boots.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by EZM

I appreciate business owners like yourself and I'm sure once you got me out of a pinch I'm going to do everything I can to keep supporting you as much as you supported me ...... good on you. Great attitudes like that will grow your business.

HOWEVER

These guys are in the hospitality industry - it's really two different things - and, quite frankly, these guys don't make nearly as much as you think they might. No different than a hostess, bartender, etc... really

I'm going to keep tipping them - and tipping them well - just to see someone's face light up with real appreciation is all the thanks enough for me. What's a few hundred bucks to you and your buddies when you just spent a small fortune getting into a remote lake??? The few hundred bucks you tip someone, in many cases, means a heck of alot more to them and their families.

There are remote areas where these guys don't have any other source of income or opportunity. Some small town with a couple stores and a gas pump and zero opportunity. It costs us very little to return so much to some of these folks. For me it's something I like to do.

This became clear to me, about 25 years ago, when my dad tipped a guide who took us out the first day we arrived to show us the spots and techniques on the lake. These guides were from a remote native community and were hired by the lodge. His pre teen son worked at the resort doing odds and ends. The kid had a tattered hand me down jacket full of holes and some boots that looked 3 sizes too big for him.

A day or two later we ran into the guide and his son finishing up for the day (he just finished up with another group) and he came over and thanked my dad and I. His kid had a decent warm coat and some new boots.

That's what I remember about this trip some 25 years later. I couldn't tell you how many fish we caught or what the biggest fish weighed. I do remember looking at this kid, a few years younger than me, looking down proudly at his new boots.

Well said and I agree.

[Isopod]

Sorry, but it all sounds too much to me like "tip me as much as you possibly can, regardless of how much you are already paying for the guiding service to begin with".

I'd rather just rent a boat and figure it out for myself.

[bigskinner]

l would say that if your paying $1000 per person per day to the charter boat folks , then they should have sufficient funds to pay their guides a decent wage , so no tips , your already paying for the service.

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by EZM

These guys are in the hospitality industry - it's really two different things - and, quite frankly, these guys don't make nearly as much as you think they might. No different than a hostess, bartender, etc... really

I'm going to keep tipping them - and tipping them well - just to see someone's face light up with real appreciation is all the thanks enough for me. What's a few hundred bucks to you and your buddies when you just spent a small fortune getting into a remote lake??? The few hundred bucks you tip someone, in many cases, means a heck of alot more to them and their families.

There are remote areas where these guys don't have any other source of income or opportunity. Some small town with a couple stores and a gas pump and zero opportunity. It costs us very little to return so much to some of these folks. For me it's something I like to do.

This became clear to me, about 25 years ago, when my dad tipped a guide who took us out the first day we arrived to show us the spots and techniques on the lake. These guides were from a remote native community and were hired by the lodge. His pre teen son worked at the resort doing odds and ends. The kid had a tattered hand me down jacket full of holes and some boots that looked 3 sizes too big for him.

A day or two later we ran into the guide and his son finishing up for the day (he just finished up with another group) and he came over and thanked my dad and I. His kid had a decent warm coat and some new boots.

That's what I remember about this trip some 25 years later. I couldn't tell you how many fish we caught or what the biggest fish weighed. I do remember looking at this kid, a few years younger than me, looking down proudly at his new boots.

Very well said. I have never NOT tipped, regardless of whether or not I intend to be a repeat customer. Amount is based largely on the experience/atmosphere on the boat and the attitude of the guide. I have had great days on the water and caught little. I have also had days with great fishing and a surly guide - both got tipped accordingly.

As an aside, I recently browsed the website of one of the more reputable sturgeon outfits, and they state on their website that the "industry recommended rate for gratuities is 18%" which (to me) seems a bit high for a day already costing $1K.