R
rainbow one
Guest
Can anyone tell me what the pay is for a guide that works out of a remote lodge? What is the lower end and the upper end of the pay scale?
Thanks,
RO
Thanks,
RO
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Not enough to make ends meet relatively speaking. You will make more money from gratuities if you're so inclined and working at a high end resort/lodge. Gratuities are questionable as well from trip to trip. Some trips you do very well..other trips not so well.
Anyone who tells you that they're getting rich being a fishing guide is full of the proverbial you know what.
Relative to the rest of the hospitality business, guides are underpaid. That's why the senior guides-- which the business is founded on--- are compensated a bit more for their time and expertise.
What many lodges on the coast don't realize is that they're missing out on some great guides because they're cheapo!!..
Anyone who tells you that they're getting rich being a fishing guide is full of the proverbial you know what.
Relative to the rest of the hospitality business, guides are underpaid. That's why the senior guides-- which the business is founded on--- are compensated a bit more for their time and expertise.
What many lodges on the coast don't realize is that they're missing out on some great guides because they're cheapo!!..
searun
Well-Known Member
That's the going rate - around $20 an hour. You will need the SVOP course, and the MedA3 course to boot. From an insurance point of view you must be a guide for 3 years minimum to be able to get liability insurance on the guide program. As was noted earlier, you don't go into guiding to get rich, it's more about a passion for fishing and sharing that passion with others. If your in it for the money, don't bother.
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
I think the high end of the scale is pretty slim pickins over the coast---and those guys may be fishing 12-15 hours each day to do that.
So maybe $200 - $250 per day inclusive for a lodge guide at 10 hours per day? We were making that 15 years ago and considered ourselves pros. Interesting eh?
We used to start somewhere around May 15th and hope to log 1000 hours plus over about 4 months - most of which was done in June - mid September. Wow we had some fun...
The wages and times are still pretty awesome for a student. As noted, it's not the money.
We used to start somewhere around May 15th and hope to log 1000 hours plus over about 4 months - most of which was done in June - mid September. Wow we had some fun...
The wages and times are still pretty awesome for a student. As noted, it's not the money.
D
Dirtdog67
Guest
Easy on the noted wages, as a starter at a remote lodge, you are looking at anywhere from 95 to 120 per day.. Senior guides make the senior wages and even that may top at 150 to 175 per day.. Your day does not stop at 10 hrs. as there is far more to it than boat time.. You definately have to have the passion to spend 3 months out in the middle of heaven.. Build your clientelle and you will build the wages..-dirty
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
It is good for a student...aka me. Salary pays for my school, tips give me spending money. Luckily we have quite a few high end guests so I have plenty of booze money 
...leading to...[xx(]]
But I just love being out there...can't think of a better way to go then be on the water fishing all summer...rather see the guests catch fish than myself any day.
www.serengetifishingcharters.com
...leading to...[xx(]]But I just love being out there...can't think of a better way to go then be on the water fishing all summer...rather see the guests catch fish than myself any day.
www.serengetifishingcharters.com
salmon slayer
Active Member
salmon slayer
Active Member
Where can you find information on the svop and meda3 requirements?
MyEscape
Active Member
It depends on where you live but alot of community colleges offer the courses.
As far as guide wages in researching it for the lodge this year the average was from $150 to $250 dpending on the number of trips or length of season.
Dirtdog is so right after 10 hrs fishing theres still lots of work to do.
I do agree 100 days in paridise is really hard to take but by no means is it a walk in the park.
Cheers ME
Nootka Marine Adventures
WHERE THE OCEAN IS OUR PLAYGROUND
Charter Packages or Bring Your Own Boat
www.goldriverfishinglodge.com
www.moutchabay.com
Email: h00kedonfishing@hotmail.com
As far as guide wages in researching it for the lodge this year the average was from $150 to $250 dpending on the number of trips or length of season.
Dirtdog is so right after 10 hrs fishing theres still lots of work to do.
I do agree 100 days in paridise is really hard to take but by no means is it a walk in the park.
Cheers ME
Nootka Marine Adventures
WHERE THE OCEAN IS OUR PLAYGROUND
Charter Packages or Bring Your Own Boat
www.goldriverfishinglodge.com
www.moutchabay.com
Email: h00kedonfishing@hotmail.com
wolf
Well-Known Member
Put it to you this way its not enough to live off of for a 3 month season you have to do something else in the winter months.
When you make say 200 bucks a day and working up to 10 to 14 hours you really are making 15 to 20 bucks an hour where you can go pound nails and make over 20 and if your good work all year long.
Yes guiding is fun but its still work and can be very tiresome especially after you have been pounded by rough water,rain,cold for days at a time.
I remeber one time up in the upper knight inlet I was in for 20 days and it rained so hard you couldnt see the shore 50 yds away along with wind,cold just plain misrable weather!!!!! finally on the last day it became sunny but 19 days in a row of that crap was torture, anybody who has worked in that knows what I mean your rain gear never gets dry and you feel like your in a wet diaper the whole time LOL LOL. Yes we do it for the money NOT!!!!!!
it must be love!!!!!LOL LOL
Wolf
When you make say 200 bucks a day and working up to 10 to 14 hours you really are making 15 to 20 bucks an hour where you can go pound nails and make over 20 and if your good work all year long.
Yes guiding is fun but its still work and can be very tiresome especially after you have been pounded by rough water,rain,cold for days at a time.
I remeber one time up in the upper knight inlet I was in for 20 days and it rained so hard you couldnt see the shore 50 yds away along with wind,cold just plain misrable weather!!!!! finally on the last day it became sunny but 19 days in a row of that crap was torture, anybody who has worked in that knows what I mean your rain gear never gets dry and you feel like your in a wet diaper the whole time LOL LOL. Yes we do it for the money NOT!!!!!!
it must be love!!!!!LOL LOL
Wolf
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
$250/day from the lodge based on how many hours seat time with the guests? I'd like to know what lodge that is, what boat you'd run and what "other duties" such as fish cleaning and packing you'd be doing. As far as gratuities, I'd also like to know if they are pooled or individual from trip to trip. $250/day sounds high for any fish lodge based on fuel prices.
chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
At a remote lodge as a new guide prepare to make around 110 a day plus tips. Your average workday will probably be in the 12-14 hr range, often longer if the fishing has been hot. Your day does not end once you get back to the dock either, cutting and packing fish can be fairly time consuming. Anyone whos ever said being a guide is an easy living is full of @#$%...
R
rainbow one
Guest
Yes, that is about what I figured that it would basically be starvation wages,however, it is not done for the $$ as it is purely out of a passion for the sport and to provide others with a great experience! I am kind of surprised to hear that you not only have to take the guests out fishing in all the rough seas and crap weather but then you have to clean all the fish as well. I thought at the lodges they would have others that would take care of that while you clean your boat and get it all ready for the next day ie. bait, gas, leader tie ups, etc.
RO
RO
Few, but some lodges have their dock boys atleast clean fish. It goes pretty far with the guest when they watch you clean a big tote of fish at the end of a long,wet day while they are already sippin a cold one..$$$tips. Most of the guest respect the hard work which feels good.
Tailspin
Active Member
searun
Well-Known Member
The SVOP and MED A3 requirement is just the start. You also have to ensure that your vessel complies with the Small Commercial Vessel Inspection Program requirements. Many boats out there on the water could never comply with the requirements, so before you start looking at getting into the business check out these requirements to ensure your boat will pass the inspection.
So far the enforcement aspect of the program has been very spotty, however I did hear from the TC guy I know in Nanaimo that they have plans for a crack down program this summer. I already witnessed some guide boats getting stopped and fined last year for not having all their inspection papers and proof of course completion on board the vessel. The fines were just under $200 an infraction, so they got costly.
Here is the link to the SMVIP program: http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/small-vessels/SVMIP-upto15.htm
So far the enforcement aspect of the program has been very spotty, however I did hear from the TC guy I know in Nanaimo that they have plans for a crack down program this summer. I already witnessed some guide boats getting stopped and fined last year for not having all their inspection papers and proof of course completion on board the vessel. The fines were just under $200 an infraction, so they got costly.
Here is the link to the SMVIP program: http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/small-vessels/SVMIP-upto15.htm
