How to Evaluate Fishing Guides
Fishing guides for Sturgeon - Steelhead, Walleye, Salmon.
How can you find a good fishing guide? We have the information on how wade through the advertising.
Internet Advertising and Todays Fishing Guide
FISHTRACKS .
Tips and information to find that perfect sturgeon or steelhead fishing guide. It's all in the website, internet marketing for the fishing guide.
Websites mirror the business.
If the fishing guide you are considering has a website, look at it's general appearance, it is business like? Does it provide real information? Costs and what is provided? Are these items easily found? Good spelling and grammar? Is the site original and well done? Does it provide contact information? Websites that require filling out forms and waiting for information are problematic and quite unnessary.
There is no reason why most information about a guide service and what they provide is not on the website.
I realize not every guide service will have someone to answer phone calls during the day, but If you do have to leave a number or email you should expect a reply within a reasonable time frame.
Not everyone can hire a website built but with the simplicity of the new drop and drag programs anyone can construct their own site and all the above points apply no matter who built it.
There have been instances where websites have been set up using web copy from other sites. This practice is not ethical or legal.
Rates for qualified and knowledgeable guides should be about the same in the area you want to fish in.. If you find something that is considerably lower it may be an indication of lack of clients, lack of experience or lack of knowledge. In this business it is wise to consider bargains as possibility money ill spent.
Longevity, Does the business provide an actual time frame of being in business or does it provide vague statements such as “many years fishing and boating in the….” or "long time resident and guide" These non specific statements imply experience which may not be there.
Photos are nice to show the various fishing successes, but take a good look. Are there lots of photos of the same people? Think about that one, if this is actually an experienced working guide. Some Guides may have very few photos posted. This means nothing as perhaps the photos are being taken by the guests.
Attitude There is a certain amount of self promotion that goes with this business but when self promotion becomes egomania you can have a problem. This can end up with the trip being about the guide and his abilities rather than a fun trip for you.
All trademarks and copyrights held by respective owners.
2000-2007 all rights reserved.
Testimonials…Ignore then - they may be real but then again a little creative writing can do wonders for even the poorest guide and business person.
Most websites will have similar information and there are many ways to state the same thing.
There have been rare occasions where the novice guide may have scraped information and copy from other sites in the same business, Thankfully, this is not a common problem and is generally noticable as the copy or text does not 'fit' the rest of the site. Only a true novice or someone without ethics would resort to this type of behavior.
Direct questions to ask if you have any doubts
Make yourself a check off sheet for questions to ask and notes of what was said.
Examples of questions you might ask if you have any doubts about whether the fishing guide you contacted is truly experienced.
- How long have you had your coast guard license?
- What state or states are you licenced in?
- How long have you fished (specific river as a guide)
- How often do you fish clients.
- Price of trip and what is included.
If there is a hard sell, make no immediate commitment regardless of what is said.
Take time to think and make unhurried informed decision, and look for a willingness to provide information and answer your questions.
Another point to remember is a good fisherman may not be a good guide, and statements of being a skilled angler personally - isn't really important. Pleasure fishing is nothing like fishing a client.
You are putting yourselves in the hands of a stranger. You have the right to know if they are experienced running the rivers that they sell trips on and can navigate safely through any problem areas. You are also spending a substantial amount of money to participate in an activity, you have the right to know the guides qualifications.
Find yourself a truly gualified guide and have a great fishing trip!
INFORMATION:
ARTICLES:
TACKLE SHOPS:
AREA WATERS:
Grande Ronde River Granite Lake
Lake Bryan
Dworshack Reservoir
FISH:
Sturgeon
Trout
Fun article describing Salmon mania
affecting Idaho anglers.
