Flathead Lake Montana

[Caliber1]

Hi all,

I am heading south to Kalispell for May long weekend and we have have booked a charter to fish on Flathead lake. I was curious to see if anyone has fished the Flathead and what kind of experience you had there? We are fishing with Mike Howe I've heard they run a great outfit. Also does anyone know what an average tip for a half day trip would be?
Thank in advance.
Frank

[TROLLER]

50 bucks Great lake to fish daily limit on lakers is 100

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by TROLLER

50 bucks Great lake to fish daily limit on lakers is 100

It all depends on how many people ,how hard your guide worked for you ,and the whole experience was, if I had 4 people and they had a great time $50 would mean next time NO fish ,

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

It all depends on how many people ,how hard your guide worked for you ,and the whole experience was, if I had 4 people and they had a great time $50 would mean next time NO fish ,

Guideline for the last Lodge I was at was $100/day per person.

[beerhunter]

I am confused about the tip? Why? Isn't the price of the charter enough?

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by beerhunter

I am confused about the tip? Why? Isn't the price of the charter enough?

Guess you have never been on a guided trip ,

[TROLLER]

Originally Posted by Okotok

Guideline for the last Lodge I was at was $100/day per person.

That is the last thing I would do is take the guides suggested tip. 4 guys 400 bucks (us) that is totally out of hand.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by Okotok

Guideline for the last Lodge I was at was $100/day per person.

That sounds about right for some of the top end lodges ,

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

That sounds about right for some of the top end lodges ,

Yeah and I assumes it's also centralized and the staff at the lodge are tipped out as well. This lodge is also all inclusive including booze.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by Okotok

Yeah and I assumes it's also centralized and the staff at the lodge are tipped out as well. This lodge is also all inclusive including booze.

IT depends most camps I worked at you tipped everyone separate ,

[Caliber1]

Thanks for they quick replies. We are chartered a boat for a morning while the wives go out shopping so between the 3 of us i was thinking around $50 each for 5 hours? Does that seem fair?

[Pikebreath]

What is the charter rate for a half day? 10 - 20% tip depending on what you think of the service is pretty standard.

Some places the guides work only for tips,,, that is where you often see suggested rates like $100 per day per person.

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

It all depends on how many people ,how hard your guide worked for you ,and the whole experience was, if I had 4 people and they had a great time $50 would mean next time NO fish ,

Are you saying guides should put in as much effort as they can expect for a tip?

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by Pikebreath

Are you saying guides should put in as much effort as they can expect for a tip?

NOT at all ,but if you left me a fifty dollar tip you might not get my best spots .

[35 whelen]

Most guys that leave small tips Didn't have a idea on what to leave ,the op is at least asking ,Not all guides have $100,000 jobs on the side I Worked hard for my clients and was grateful when I got a tip that became part of my yearly wage ,But if you left me $50 and next guy left me $500 I would be saving a few spots for the $500 guy next year ,

[Cow Town Bill]

Originally Posted by Caliber1

Hi all,

I am heading south to Kalispell for May long weekend and we have have booked a charter to fish on Flathead lake. I was curious to see if anyone has fished the Flathead and what kind of experience you had there? We are fishing with Mike Howe I've heard they run a great outfit. Also does anyone know what an average tip for a half day trip would be?
Thank in advance.
Frank

We fished with him a few years ago for a half day---got 3 or 4 lakers---really nice guy---think our tip was 15% or so---really enjoyed the scenery and his local knowledge, the fish were a bonus.
Bill

[Habfan]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Most guys that leave small tips Didn't have a idea on what to leave ,the op is at least asking ,Not all guides have $100,000 jobs on the side I Worked hard for my clients and was grateful when I got a tip that became part of my yearly wage ,But if you left me $50 and next guy left me $500 I would be saving a few spots for the $500 guy next year ,

Flathead is not a typical fishing lodge. The guide will probably work in town and this is his side job, and he is going for a half day ! I’ve been to Flathead many times and the guides were far from pros from the results I’ve heard from people using them. Meet at the launch, jump in the boat and troll around for a few hours and get dropped off. $20 bucks for anything less than 20 lakers. We’re not talking about shore lunch and cooking and cleaning your catch. Lots of locals will take you out for a morning fish. It’s also legal to drink beer on the boat, as long as your not driving. Awesome lake. Love it there.

[35 whelen]

Then you tip accordingly not much from the sounds of it

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[Jamie]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

NOT at all ,but if you left me a fifty dollar tip you might not get my best spots .

$50/rod for a 1/2 day trip and your not happy?

[MooseRiverTrapper]

Tipping will remain a mystery that will never be solved.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by Jamie

$50/rod for a 1/2 day trip and your not happy?

I didn't say $50 A-Rod I said $50

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[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

I didn't say $50 A-Rod I said $50

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And I don't guide any more so I really don't care just thought I'd give the guy some tips

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[Fishin' Fool]

The tip thing is why I probably won't do a guided trip.

Say I save up for the trip of a lifetime(for me) and I can't afford to tip 20 or 30% or whatever. Now I get a substandard experience because the guide is saving his hot spots for the rich guys who get to do this a couple times a year.

[mlee]

I've done some salmon charters and the tip is based on the effort. We had a horrible day fishing once but the captain was non stop trying everything....different lures....depths....speeds....etc. he worked his ass off for us to land 3 sub 20lb Springs but I tipped him well for effort. I think $200 on a $650 charter.

[Habfan]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Then you tip accordingly not much from the sounds of it

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If your talking to me, you have never been to Flathead. This is a catch and kill fishery. Government wants native species to thrive, hence the 100 limit. If a guide on that lake got me into a couple 20 lb fish I would tip, but more often than not they get you 20 - 1 lb fish. And I wouldn’t doubt they are subsidized by the government. I have watched guides troll by me by the dozens, catching tiny little fish, while I’m at anchor jigging, catching much bigger fish. This is not the same as a guide living on a lake in the remote noth or Salmon fishing on the coast. Different lakes, different guides and different results. Not all the same.

[Caliber1]

From what I'm gathering its all going to depend on the quality of trip we will have. I don't have a problem tipping for good service but i do have an issue with crappy service, i guess time will tell. Thanks again for all the responses greatly appreciated.

[35 whelen]

We gave our Channel cat guide last year $150 and a new fillet knife he put us on about 15 Master Angler Channel Cats did all the work great experience, this was supposed to be for a full day and we decided to let him go 3 hours early cuz it was too hot and we were too tired I figured that was a good tip.

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[kbobbeck]

based on the cost at $350..$50 per angler is a good tip

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by kbobbeck

based on the cost at $350..$50 per angler is a good tip

No Flipping kidding, when did tipping become 50%. This whole tipping thing is right out of control in the hunting and fishing world, especially in the states or where a lot of Americans hunt.

To the Op, unlikely you will go back anytime soon and real unlikely you would get the same guide if you do. Tip max 15% of the trip for great service, less for poorer, none if it sucks. Takes no more work to guide three rods than one. Do you really care if this guy thinks, Europeans don't tip at all.

Friggin outfitters need to start setting the price that pays their guides adequate wages, including running costs if they are using their own equipment, and quit expecting the guests to make up for their crappy pay scales.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Dean2

No Flipping kidding, when did tipping become 50%. This whole tipping thing is right out of control in the hunting and fishing world, especially in the states or where a lot of Americans hunt.

To the Op, unlikely you will go back anytime soon and real unlikely you would get the same guide if you do. Tip max 15% of the trip for great service, less for poorer, none if it sucks. Takes no more work to guide three rods than one. Do you really care if this guy thinks, Europeans don't tip at all.

Friggin outfitters need to start setting the price that pays their guides adequate wages, including running costs if they are using their own equipment, and quit expecting the guests to make up for their crappy pay scales.

This, I have done very few guided trips, and I did tip... but any time I'm stateside in any area that receives a fair bit of tourism it seems like every single person wants me to tip them for simply doing their job. From grocery store cashiers, right up to positions that one would assume paid pretty well. IMO if you captain a snorkel tour boat for US parks and recreation, and don't get paid enough to live on you should be talking to your boss, not the clients.

Rant over, but either the entire tourism industry needs to step up and start paying their personel properly, or a there's a lot of people out there that need to develop a sense of shame. Personally I cant imagine aligning a pump and then pressuring the client for a tip, the paycheck I receive from my employer is sufficient to ensure I do a good job, if it wasn't I would find a new job