how much to tip a guide?

[JollyT]

Teachers and doctors are a poor comparison to guides or service workers. Many years ago, before the 1930s, teachers and doctors accepted gratuities. Doctor's making house calls went home with extras, teachers often got extras too. When public schooling and large public hospitals and clinics became the norm, tipping was frowned upon in those professions because it led to a supposition of favoritism. Better grades or better medical care for those who tipped. Some of these professions now look at a tip as a form of bribe.

[Nate McVey]

I remember being in school and giving teachers Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, Teacher Day gifts, etc. Are those not "tips"? Maybe not in the cash form, but still....

As a baseball coach myself (a few years ago), I volunteered my time, I was not trying to feed a family or make ends meet by doing it. Not too many guides do it because they have piles of money laying around and they like to take strangers out for fun. As a F&B manager if I get a tip (wich happens) for going above and beyond a guests expectations, I turn around and give it to my servers/bartenders. Why? I could sure use it, but they make minimum wage and it may mean more to them.

I don't think it's fair to compare ALL of these jobs......THEY ARE ON COMPLETELY OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE JOB SPECTRUM!!!!

If your guide, server, hairdresser, paperboy, gas station attendant, etc. goes above and beyond what you expected, then tip them. If they don't, don't................

As far as remembering people who tip, you better believe that is the way it works. Doesn't mean that the people who don't tip get worse service, just that the people who do are remembered.

[eyepatrol]

You know, this discussion can go up/down, back/forth, left/right and certainly in circles.

Bottom line people is....do what you want. If you want to tip, then tip. If you don't, then don't. That's what it all boils down to anyway.

[slotlimit]

Quote:

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Teachers and doctors are a poor comparison to guides or service workers. Many years ago, before the 1930s, teachers and doctors accepted gratuities. Doctor's making house calls went home with extras, teachers often got extras too. When public schooling and large public hospitals and clinics became the norm, tipping was frowned upon in those professions because it led to a supposition of favoritism. Better grades or better medical care for those who tipped. Some of these professions now look at a tip as a form of bribe.

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It might be a poor comparison when comparing a teacher in terms of what kids get a better education for a tip. But what about when I showed up an hour before I had to be to school or when I stayed 2 hours after school to help students. I didn't have to do this. I didn't get paid extra. So if the parents didn't tip me for this after the first time according to the posts on here I should have not done it again. At the least if I did do it again I shouldn't have given my best effort. What about my coaching tips and the opportunity cost of coaching?

[Nate McVey]

Agreed basscatcher....

Just a tidbit that I have been sharing with my servers for a long time........

The acronym "tip" actually comes from the Roman Empire when they would put brass urns out at doorways of bussinesses. It stood for "to insure promptness." I think it has grown away from that, but it still makes sense in my business.

just my $.02

[slotlimit]

Shiner.

I agree with you on most of those points. My point is about followup service with a guide, mechanic, electrician, etc. Someone who is either setting thier own wage or getting paid a decent amount. Not Min. wage people. If you tip a guide....hey thats fine. But if you don't and the service was great the first time (before they knew you don't tip) it should be just as good the second time. I don't tip my mechanic but if he raised his rates because he wasn't making a go of it I would still take my business to him because I trust him and know he is going to do the job right. Just like the guy we use out in South Dakota for pheasant hunting. If he raised his rates a bit to stay afloat I would still use him. I know what I'm going to get and what the hunting is going to be like. If I went out with a fishing guide and he did a great job. Then the next time his rates were $30 or so dollars higher. I would still use him for those same reasons.

[Nate McVey]

Agree Slot, no matter who you are in my restaurant you get the same good service as I'm sure you do with many guides. And I certainly wish teachers were paid more (or could receive some cash) for the important job they do with today's youth.

Back to the question.............

[double_dog]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it is illegal for a paid public employee, ie police, teacher, etc for receiving additional compensation for something you should already be doing. I believe there is even a term for it.

I completely understand the arguement both ways. My opinion, if you want to keep in touch with a guide for future trips, information, etc give him a tip. If you enjoyed your time on the water, give him a tip.

I don't believe you should ever feel obligated to do it. I don't believe the guide should ever feel slighted if a tip wasn't given. If he doesn't feel he is making enough money, he should raise his rates. Plain and simple.

The problem for the guides is there that market will only put up with slight price varriances. A guide can't raise his rates $150/day and expect to have the same volume.

That's all I have to say about that.

Good ahead, rip away.

[slotlimit]

Whether it is illigal or not for public employees to get a tip they should never get a tip. Teachers don't HAVE to come early or stay after school but it should be required of them when a student needs help. Without getting paid extra for it. Just like a guide doesn't have to give you information about the lake or tips on how to catch fish. It is just part of the job.

[ozzie]

sounds like it was expected when you signed a contract that this type of thing might happen to help a student. quit comparing your teaching job to that of a guide.....then you volunteer to coach and you mention that you don't get a tip for that...Why should you???? That is what volunteering is about....Doing things for free and helping out...... I wouldn't feel obligated to tip a guide but if I had extra cash and a good time I would definaty tip accordingly, but at the same time if I didn't feel like te trip was anything special I wouldn't feel bad at all for not tipping.......

[slotlimit]

WOW!!!!!!!!! I shouldn't get a tip for coaching. Just Like I shouldn't get a tip for extra teaching. I have said this all along. If I was a fishing guide I expect that my fee would include. The use of a boat and all the cost that go with it, all equipment, bait, showing someone how to fish from the ground up for those 3-4 hours, catching 0 fish or 500 fish, running the people to the bathroom, giving some information on the lake, etc. If I'm out in the middle of (Contact Us Please) and someone has to go to the bathroom that just cuts time off the 3-4 hours.

[Nate McVey]

In Mexico, the guides make you get off the boat and "make mud". The only time they took as to shore was when we saw a fin or a cudda

[ocf1]

I know I should tip but, I am getting a guide in Florida and im spending 80% of all my money on that. Sorry but all he is going to get is compliments and reccomendations.

[Nate McVey]

ocf, bring him a shirt/hat from MN and he will wear it till it falls off......or being him a spoon, jig something out of your tackle box that "you" know catches MN fish and give that to him. It doesn't always need to be cash.

[ozzie]

These are on different levels.....like it has been stated when a guide makes a pricing he/she takes into consideration many things in that price that will be competitive and to get by if booked.....but they can't charge the type of money that is going to make them rich so they have to hope for a little tip when they work hard!!! I actually sort of agree on both sides of the spectrum and I see your point of view but the way it comes off at times sounds like you wanted to get tips for what you did.....sorry if I misunderstood your comments!!! Have a great weekend!!!!

[magnumthunder]

HMMM! So are you claiming all your tips like servers do to the IRS?? Not likely. You dont charge your clients for lost lures?? As far as what you said about hearing about the guide! I SAID WORD OF MOUTH GOES A LONG WAYS! Do you give your boat away when you get a new one? I doubt it! If I'm working at a customers place and something happens to my equipment should I expect a tip. I dont get tips and I have wear and tear on my stuff. I got four new accounts from 1 satisfied customer. That word of mouth didnt cost me a dime! Now it sounds like the same ones making comments about the server jobs are complaining about guiding not being enough! Is the kettle calling the pot black here or what? Well now that I've been convinced not to hire a guide I'm done with the discussion.

[danfall]

So, if you and another person charter a vessel on the ocean for a day and the bill is $900 for the two of you, is it still expected you'd tip $180?

If he loaded the boat with say 9 people and each paid a hundred bucks for the regular rate, a tip of $180 would be 20 bucks per person, but he would have made 4.5 times the effort he did for the 2 people.

Sorry for the fuzzy math, but the guide, on a Thursday may not have had anyone on the boat, which means the 900 bucks is a huge boost to revenues.

Now, suppose the guide put us on say 50 great fish during that day? Well, then the 900 bucks and another fifty to one hundred might be cool, but I still wouldn't be able to see the $180.

Thoughts from all of you? The spend is rare as it is a honeymoon.

[Bryce]

Dude... you're going fishing on your honeymoon? I guess that's considered dedication. Are you also the type that can stare at a vex/marcum screen for hours and hours at a time?

[196thDLR]

I worked for a company which hired a very well known guide in the Grand Rapids, Mn. area for 40 to 60 full day trips every year. This man is one of the highest paid guides in the area, and he earns every dime. His equipment is 1st Class, as is his knowledge of the areas' lakes. He works extremely hard to provide you with a quality experience as do most guides. Broken and lost overboard equipment he has to replace out of his profits.

I have tipped this man as much as 25% of his guide fee. I am not saying that everybody should do that, however, this is what I do and it has been repaid many times with information, offers of being able to be a follow boat should I choose to when we are fishing the same waters. If you tip these guides for a job well done, believe me, they will remember you, and furthermore, if you think the guides don't talk to each other, you had better think again.

[harvey lee]

I dont know if one should or can compare jobs and who should and shouldnt recieve a tip. One does not have to tip a guide and that is ones choice. I will tip for a day on any lake with a guide that has gone above the call for service and that also is a choice everyone has to make themselves.

Over the years I have been guided by many guides and learned alot in regards to fishing a lake and the lures to use which has saved me many hours of fishing on that lake to learn what the guide taught me in a day. To me, that is worth a little extra.

Do guides talk to each other, of course and if you were treated well by a guide and you tipped him, then others will know.

I believe that this is a personal choice and if one does not have the extra money to tip, then that also is fine as the guide did recieve his pay for the day.

I have fished in Mexico many times and a tip is considered part of the days fee. I have also learned that if I'm going to use the same charter boat for 5 straight days that I had better tip the first day or the next 4 could be a little slow in the fishing department.Many of these charter boat captions and first mates rely on the tip money as I dont believe they make that much money.

Right or wrong, I do believe that a guide will work harder for you with return trips if you tip him something. I usually have pop and food along for the guide if he chooses and will also tip him for the day. I guess that is what I choose to do for a great day on the water and I also know that if I ever use that guide again he will fish his tail off for me.

I personally try to treat the guide the way I would like to be treated if I were the guide. This is just what I choose to do.

[JohnMickish]

Ok, I can agree with the "above and beyond", but what does that mean. You are paying him to provide a safe boat, bait, good equipment and knowlegde of the lake and fish habits for that time of year and anything else he says he provides. What is "above and beyond" that?

I'll throw in that in this very competitive business world out there, if any business (other than waitstaff/food service) is counting on my tip to give me their best service they won't ever get a second chance show me, and I don't expect the same service from every price point. The more I pay I expect to get better service compared to the lower cost competition.

[harvey lee]

I have had some guides who have worked very hard to find fish and then we find them with a hour to go. Some will then say the day is over, while others will keep you out a hour or so longer so you get into more fish. This would be just one example of why and who I may tip and also how much. They did not need to keep me out longer than the time I paid for but did so I ended up with a nice days catch.

[traveler]

Harvey, I know just what you mean about tipping in Mexico...tip well the first day and watch the enthusiasm the next day:) I've never hired a guide around here, but in Alaska I have, and I've tipped everywhere from nothing (poor attitude, crabby, no WAY i'm tipping for that) to 20 bucks (lazy, lackluster) to 20% for an informative, engaged, FRIENDLY guide/captain.

[DTro]

You guys can argue all day till your blue in the face, you're not going to solve anything.

Like what was said before, do it if you want, if not...don't. It's not mandatory, I don't think you'll be blackballed.....but if you want to hire the guide again during a hot bite and he's has the choice of booking a tipper or non tipper, I think you know the choice.

I remember the last time I was in Mexico we hired a shared guide and I overheard the crew discussing that whomever agrees to a mount gets the shot at the biggest fish

Remember this is America, a free market and money talks.

[katoguy]

And guides need to realize that word of mouth goes much further than a discussion on a fishing site. (Most probably do.) Stick it to someone for not tipping and you may have a lot of lonely days. If you aren't getting the tips perhaps instead of looking down at the client, one should look into a mirror.