$$ for guides

[newnew]

Hi- I will emply a guide on M Lacs for the first time...what is appropriate and normal in these situations for tipping him $$? 5%? 10%? 20%?.....zero%?

[mrklean]

i think you base it off of service and success, if the guy tries really hard and no fish i would still do 10% if hes a jerk less to none, if you hammer the fish more have to base it off of the trip

[10,000 Casts]

I think the top guides get about $400-$450 for a full day (most have dropped what they charge due to the economy). But a full day could be 8 hrs or how ever long you want to stay out. I have seen a few for $300-$400 too. To me, I just want someone who has been on the water alot prior to us going out so they know the conditions and the have a good game plan. I also want to learn a few things. My tipping depends on a few things, they are personable and try to put us on fish, and they answer any questions we have. Catching a Muskie or 2 or 3 is always nice, but as long as I think they had a good gameplan and they work hard, I am happy. I tip around 10-20%.

[mainbutter]

we've always tipped a solid 15% or a bit more for any guided fishing.. 20%+ if we're on fish when time is up and we stick it out a little longer.

[scsavre]

I tip for just about every service out there.

I have never understood why you would tip a musky guide. I only would say this if they own the guiding service. Doesn't tipping usually happen for employees who make just a small portion of the fee. If you already pay $400 to the guide, why would u give more. They should be giving you the best service just for the fact that you paid that much.

I have tipped guides before, but it was always salt fishing and split between crew and not the owner.

Disclammer, I have never had a musky guided trip.

[john skarie]

I've been a part-time bartender for years.

Why do you tip a bartender/waitress??

To make them pay extra attention to you. If you want them checking on your drinks more often and giving you more attention when the bar is busy than slip them a tip.

Do you tip the bar owner?? No.

When you explicitly hire someone to give you personal service, like a muskie fishing guide, then why should you tip them for doing what you are expecting them to do??

JS

[newnew]

ok, but in this case the bar owner is also serving (has no employees)

[john skarie]

When the owner of the bar I work at bartends, he accepts no tips.

It all goes into the tip jar for the employees who are making a low wage.

A muskie guide is no different than a plumber, carpenter or other self-employed person. How much do they get in tips?

Years ago most guides worked out of a resort, and didn't set the rates at which they were paid. Much like anyone else in the service industry.

People can decide to do whatever they like. I just don't see why a tip for a muskie guide is considered "mandatory" by some folks.

JS

[scsavre]

My exact point j.s. the resort is a perfect example.

At the bar you pay for the beer and u also get a service, if service is good you tip the guy who is doing all the work and making $8 an hour.

If you guys want to tip, go ahead just dontt feel obligated. Just note that you already paid the guy a lot of money.

[Muskie456]

I think they earn the tip rather than automatically get the tip. If I have a guy bust his A$$ putting me on fish and burns alot of gas doing so I don't have a problem tipping him. To each his own. I do know one thing, when they don't get tipped after working hard to put you on fish I wouldn't go back and fish with them again. They already know the out come of additional funds and really have no insentive to go the extra mile to put you on fish. That is the reality of it, call it what you want but it is human nature.

[scsavre]

Aren't we paying the money expecting smeone to absoluelty bust their axx to get you on fish. If that wasn't the case wouldn't you just fish with a buddy and save the $$$. Tip away, but I sure hope the guides who decide their efforts based on a tip run outa money fast.

[TruthWalleyes]

I've never paid for a guided trip, but one is in the works fairly soon for me. I fish ALOT, and if at the end of the day i feel as if i've learned lots of good information from the guide that i can use on my own time i'll certainly tip as i feel he has done more than just put me on fish. I'm paying for the information on a body of water, or for someone to teach me a technique on a specific body of water.

IMO, a guide's rate is to put you on fish, and put fish in the boat. Him sharing information about fish movements, fishing methods, etc, etc is more than they need to share for the money, and IMO that deserves a tip...at least from someone like me who wants the info more than the bent rods.

I think my first guide will be on either the st. croix or the mississippi and i'll request that we fish for a specific species with specific methods, i.e. plastics on jigs, or spinners, or lindy rigs. Something that i'm not good at, but here's a pro willing to take me 10 steps forward in one day is worth a tip. 15% in my book.

[Muskie456]

I guided professionally for many years out west and in Alaska. I showed up everyday to put people on fish or game. I can tell you one thing about repeat clients the greased my palm is they would get special treatment. It's not that I didn't fish or hunt hard for everyone but, someone that I knew was giving me a $100 bill might get thier day exstended by an hour or two (espsially if things were slow) to ensure they got there monies worth. Money talks....

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I've never been on a guided, but if the experience was positive I would tip, I would think it would make the guide remember me and maybe squeeze me in sometime in the future