Tip percentage

[The Fisherman Guy]

Originally Posted by Georgia

What is the going rate to tip your Guide on a full day float on the bow?

1. Is it done on the cost percentage alone?
2. based on experience and amount people?

Thanks in advance

Depends on your experience. Most guides take bookings through shops or agents and so after paying for the shuttle, fuel, food & drinks, and cutting the shop/agent their percentage - there's not as much left over for the guy on the oars putting you on fish.

A tip is absolutely appreciated, for any guide - be it fishing, birds, deer, bears etc.

[Marty S]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

To be honest I didn't even realize tipping a guide was a thing. I remember using Bon Chovy Fishing charters a while back. Never tipped a dime. Just paid the fee for the day and that was it.

Now you're all making me feel like the bad guy here.

Originally Posted by Fishin' Fool

Tipping in this situation bugs me. You are paying for a guide/outfitter. They are not a waitress earning minimum wage.

IMO, the owner/operator should set his prices at a rate that makes him a profit and customers should not be guilted into an extra payout because the fish chose to bite that day.

I’ve been to numerous places on the west coast and asked numerous operators what I should be tipping their guides. One common theme amongst the answers is that generally us Canadians are the worst tippers out there! Not all but most

And I’m not the best either. A guy that gives me a good day gets $100 a day. Exceptional service and results meaning when a guy works his hump off to show me a good time and gets me max fish and especially with overtime on his time, he deserves more.

I also try to bring goodies, especially them $25 jigs if I lose some, secret weapon lures and hats, tshirt and hoodies, who can’t use that?

I do like bringing a handful of my pet jigs anyways, some guides are just fishing with a bunch of garbage on the boat, and that can cost them too! Mind you if he just has garbage now, I don’t care, I have a box full of lead goods with me now every trip, cuz I like catching fish and hate fishing with junk.

Met a smart guy this year, poured his own jigs and powder coated them, good colours... I was impressed!

[AK47]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

I good rule of thumb should be somewhere in the neighbor hood of 15% of what your fee's are.

So if I pay 1600$ for a day trip I need to add 240$ for tip? Seems steep. Unless is a trip of lifetime I don't think I will tip more than 50$.

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by Marty S

I’ve been to numerous places on the west coast and asked numerous operators what I should be tipping their guides. One common theme amongst the answers is that generally us Canadians are the worst tippers out there! Not all but most

And I’m not the best either. A guy that gives me a good day gets $100 a day. Exceptional service and results meaning when a guy works his hump off to show me a good time and gets me max fish and especially with overtime on his time, he deserves more.

I also try to bring goodies, especially them $25 jigs if I lose some, secret weapon lures and hats, tshirt and hoodies, who can’t use that?

I do like bringing a handful of my pet jigs anyways, some guides are just fishing with a bunch of garbage on the boat, and that can cost them too! Mind you if he just has garbage now, I don’t care, I have a box full of lead goods with me now every trip, cuz I like catching fish and hate fishing with junk.

Met a smart guy this year, poured his own jigs and powder coated them, good colours... I was impressed!

In my defence we only caught 2 fish that day. Two expensive fish I would say lol

[Drewski Canuck]

Had boat troubles this year and had to rent for 3 days on the coast and charter for one day.

Guide was pretty good, and had guided for a number of the lodges in the area in the past. He was a bit set on his ways and techniques because he had prior success.

He let me run one Downrigger, with what I wanted to pull and what depth I wanted to fish.

We had fun even when one person with us got pretty sick. Fishing was poor, but effort was there and I recognized the effort and attitude.

Tipped the Guide $100 cash to himself. He was making $300 for the day with most going to the booking agent and the boat owner. He was happy on a $1400 all day Charter to get the $100.

Drewski

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by AK47

So if I pay 1600$ for a day trip I need to add 240$ for tip? Seems steep. Unless is a trip of lifetime I don't think I will tip more than 50$.

If you ask outfit owners, they will tell you what the average or normal tip is. I'm pretty sure it will not be $50 and it won't be higher then $200... so somewhere in between these numbers is the average I've seen.

[Marty S]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

In my defence we only caught 2 fish that day. Two expensive fish I would say lol

I tip according to service... but I try to do my homework in selecting the company/guide. Pick a bad company and what will your end result likely be?

Fishing with Serengeti, the fishing is so awesome, I kinda feel bad tipping only $100 per day on the water! But if the guy busts his hump and puts in extra time on the water and tries real hard, and mass produces, he must be rewarded!

I aspire to not tip like a Canadian! But in our fellow Albertans's defence, I guess "Canadian" is a pretty broad term when we consider what a Canadian is these days!!!

I hang my head in shame...

[AK47]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

If you ask outfit owners, they will tell you what the average or normal tip is. I'm pretty sure it will not be $50 and it won't be higher then $200... so somewhere in between these numbers is the average I've seen.

I ended up tipping 100$. Fishing was awesome, guide was superb, we all had great time so I feel it was well deserved.

[-JR-]

For every day in the boat the norm is $20. a person and should be given at the dock at the end of the day.

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by -JR-

For every day in the boat the norm is $20. a person and should be given at the dock at the end of the day.

Tip what you wish, but that is some extreme low end for Saltwater west coast stuff. We tip more than that per person that to the "House" when staying at lodge. In the boat its $100+ per day per guy. There have been some spectacularly fun trips where it really climbed and a few where it was ZERO. A Hundred is a solid point to start with us.

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Tip what you wish, but that is some extreme low end for Saltwater west coast stuff. We tip more than that per person that to the "House" when staying at lodge. In the boat its $100+ per day per guy. There have been some spectacularly fun trips where it really climbed and a few where it was ZERO. A Hundred is a solid point to start with us.

He was asking about the bow river ,not salt water .
Average trip on the bow is about $480 for two fishermen for the day .
Not much of a high end boat is needed ,not like a salt water boat .
And only one person to tip not like there is a second mate like in a salt water boat which might be 25 ft long

[Jamie]

Jr.. Never had a mate out Salmon fishing. And I still can't see $20 on the Bow being anywhere near acceptable in 2021. I would guess that $100 is still a solid starting point. We were just out for dinner and drinks and it was a $20 tip. Seems light to me but I would be interested in hearing g from a guide.

[thumper]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Tip what you wish, but that is some extreme low end for Saltwater west coast stuff. We tip more than that per person that to the "House" when staying at lodge. In the boat its $100+ per day per guy. There have been some spectacularly fun trips where it really climbed and a few where it was ZERO. A Hundred is a solid point to start with us.

That's what we generally tip at Langara. $300 each person to the guide, and $250 to the 'house' for 3 days on the water.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by -JR-

For every day in the boat the norm is $20. a person and should be given at the dock at the end of the day.

I bet the guides were all lining up to get your group. Most people would tip that for a nice supper nevermind a full day's fishing, and I was a guide for a lot of years that was low in the 80s,

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

I bet the guides were all lining up to get your group. Most people would tip that for a nice supper nevermind a full day's fishing, and I was a guide for a lot of years that was low in the 80s,

So most of these trips on the bow and local lakes in Alberta are owner operators . Like my self. We receiving $500- $700 for a day trip and then wanting a tip is just like tipping mechanic . Sure the odd rich guy jumps in the boat and tips you $100. But the average guy that jumps in the boat with his son and gives you a $40.00 is more than enough. 50 % of my clients don't tip That does not mean those that don't tip are not happy . Because most of them have re booked another trip with in 30 days or have sent friends my why ,which is better than a tip .
Fishing with Friends

Ps Again we are talking about Alberta fishing trips not BC fishing trips .