Guiding is mostly customer service and babsitting clients...not much glory...you do it because you love it.
I leave the dock every morning feeling pretty blessed.
www.coastwidesportsfishing.com
I leave the dock every morning feeling pretty blessed.
www.coastwidesportsfishing.com
Sitkaspruce
Well-Known Member
Back in the late 80's, I was making $150/day plus room and board plus tips, which was a great wage back then. Yes we cleaned our own boats, cleaned and froze the catch and on the day they left, boxed up everything for them to take home. It was the best way to spend a summer, great weather and lots of fish made it bearable on the 20th or 30th straight day.
I have been a hunting guide for the last 10 years and I get $175/day plus room and board plus tips. The wage has not changed much, but the days are long and spending 7 - 10 days with the same two guys can get to you, but again, it is another great way to spend my holidays.
If I was a student, or a school teacher with no family, or, like me, with 2+ months off/year in holidays to kill
, I think it is a great way to make money, spend some time in "heaven", see things that others pay big $$$ to see and meet some pretty neat people.
Like most say on here, you will not get rich, but you will get to spend some good quality time doing something you love.
Cheers
SS
I have been a hunting guide for the last 10 years and I get $175/day plus room and board plus tips. The wage has not changed much, but the days are long and spending 7 - 10 days with the same two guys can get to you, but again, it is another great way to spend my holidays.
If I was a student, or a school teacher with no family, or, like me, with 2+ months off/year in holidays to kill
, I think it is a great way to make money, spend some time in "heaven", see things that others pay big $$$ to see and meet some pretty neat people.Like most say on here, you will not get rich, but you will get to spend some good quality time doing something you love.
Cheers
SS
Sitkaspruce
Well-Known Member
Back in the late 80's, I was making $150/day plus room and board plus tips, which was a great wage back then. Yes we cleaned our own boats, cleaned and froze the catch and on the day they left, boxed up everything for them to take home. It was the best way to spend a summer, great weather and lots of fish made it bearable on the 20th or 30th straight day.
I have been a hunting guide for the last 10 years and I get $175/day plus room and board plus tips. The wage has not changed much, but the days are long and spending 7 - 10 days with the same two guys can get to you, but again, it is another great way to spend my holidays.
If I was a student, or a school teacher with no family, or, like me, with 2+ months off/year in holidays to kill, I think it is a great way to make money, spend some time in "heaven", see things that others pay big $$$ to see and meet some pretty neat people.
Like most say on here, you will not get rich, but you will get to spend some good quality time doing something you love.
Cheers
SS
I have been a hunting guide for the last 10 years and I get $175/day plus room and board plus tips. The wage has not changed much, but the days are long and spending 7 - 10 days with the same two guys can get to you, but again, it is another great way to spend my holidays.
If I was a student, or a school teacher with no family, or, like me, with 2+ months off/year in holidays to kill
, I think it is a great way to make money, spend some time in "heaven", see things that others pay big $$$ to see and meet some pretty neat people.Like most say on here, you will not get rich, but you will get to spend some good quality time doing something you love.
Cheers
SS
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Depends on what class of guests you're guiding at what kind of lodge. In my opinion, no lodge "gets by" and is successful on the basis of customer service and babysitting. Customer Service can be good, but then again that's what you get when you're standing in the 10 minute lineup at Starbucks--you're not there for the service..you're there for the frickin' coffee. Babysitting for some guests, yes, but if I'm shelling out $2000/day for a guided trip in the QCI, my guide better know how to catch fish...and plenty of them on a consistent basis---and he better not be a contract guide.
One of the problems with the industry in BC is just that, operations who hire people who can only "babysit" guests and provide customer service. There's a difference between customer service and hospitality...and hospitality is customer service taken to much higher levels---and that's what the "old timers" or seasoned guides provide.
If you're not passsionate about people, the environment, nature, fishing, boating and hospitality--then the high-end sportfishing lodge gig isn't for you. If you're doing it for just the fishing, you're probably not going to be very successful.
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
Depends on what class of guests you're guiding at what kind of lodge. In my opinion, no lodge "gets by" and is successful on the basis of customer service and babysitting. Customer Service can be good, but then again that's what you get when you're standing in the 10 minute lineup at Starbucks--you're not there for the service..you're there for the frickin' coffee. Babysitting for some guests, yes, but if I'm shelling out $2000/day for a guided trip in the QCI, my guide better know how to catch fish...and plenty of them on a consistent basis---and he better not be a contract guide.
One of the problems with the industry in BC is just that, operations who hire people who can only "babysit" guests and provide customer service. There's a difference between customer service and hospitality...and hospitality is customer service taken to much higher levels---and that's what the "old timers" or seasoned guides provide.
If you're not passsionate about people, the environment, nature, fishing, boating and hospitality--then the high-end sportfishing lodge gig isn't for you. If you're doing it for just the fishing, you're probably not going to be very successful.
Island Fish Lifter
Well-Known Member
If you have your own boat and do the maintenance yourself it can be fairly lucrative.. Provided youve got people to fill the seats or lodges to contract to. That takes a few years.. You also need to have something reliable in the way of work for the rest of the year. I have a good paying carreer outside of guiding but I leave it every summer to go guiding. And I can also tell you this... if anyone complains about it being hard work, Id venture to say they havnt had a job where they have had to actually work hard. Not to say 19 straight days of rain, wind and cold, isnt hard work, to me that would be hell on earth, thats why I only fish July and August.
The hardest thing for me is dealing with hard headed people, and Im not talking about the clients...
The hardest thing for me is dealing with hard headed people, and Im not talking about the clients...
Island Fish Lifter
Well-Known Member
If you have your own boat and do the maintenance yourself it can be fairly lucrative.. Provided youve got people to fill the seats or lodges to contract to. That takes a few years.. You also need to have something reliable in the way of work for the rest of the year. I have a good paying carreer outside of guiding but I leave it every summer to go guiding. And I can also tell you this... if anyone complains about it being hard work, Id venture to say they havnt had a job where they have had to actually work hard. Not to say 19 straight days of rain, wind and cold, isnt hard work, to me that would be hell on earth, thats why I only fish July and August.
The hardest thing for me is dealing with hard headed people, and Im not talking about the clients...
The hardest thing for me is dealing with hard headed people, and Im not talking about the clients...
B
bigbow
Guest
being a fishing guide can be rewarding and exhausting depending on your guests and who you work for.putting up with the weather and having the patience to teach newbies the basics of a mooching reel can be tiring.i still find it an addiction to go back each year and get paid what little earnings we do make,to spend my summer catching some nice fish and be rewarded with my own personal satisfaction when i know it was me who cut the bait or choose the lure or depth and guided my guest into a fish of a lifetime.do what you love and the money will follow.
The Chosen one
Member
Been a guide in the charlottes for 5 years. The more years under your belt seems to increase tip value but wage wise they have pretty much stayed pretty steady. At my lodge we have fish cutters so I dont have to cut fish at the end of the day which is huge!! I think that I average around 11 hours a day on the water. Our wage is 15 an hour. Food and accomodations is taken care of. I work 7 days a week from mid may to mid sept. We get three weeks off during the summer when we choose. My motto that I tell my guests when they ask about being a guide is that I'll never get rich but it's a great lifestyle!
My manager once told me that when guiding becomes a job instead of being a passion that it's time to do something new!
My manager once told me that when guiding becomes a job instead of being a passion that it's time to do something new!
Chosen one..are you going back to QCI to guide this year? It looks like I'm going over to work for the next three years or so out of QCV. Although I've never been over I know the fishing is great. I have a 19' Thunderjet which is probably not the best on the big swells but I'm going to take it over and see how it goes.
ron
ron
The Chosen one
Member
ya i'll be back in the charlottes for another summer. The gear is already starting to get primed for yet another grueling season. your 19 foot boat will be fine as long as you pick the right water conditions. Make sure to check the long range forecast before you leave. It can be flat calm one minute and blowing gale a half hour later.
Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
I presume you are going to trailer your Tjet over on the ferry ...right? If so, and like you have been told , choose your weather, you will be fine. But dont try to run a 19fter across Hecate Strait .
20ft Alumaweld Intruder
20ft Alumaweld Intruder
I'll be moving over there for a few years around the end of June for work, living in QCC so I can pick the days to go out. I've used it the chuck around Kitimat out to open water without any problems yet but I know that the water gets much worse around QCI so I'll have to see how it goes and maybe the boss will let me buy a bigger one. I'm looking forward to the fishing over there regardless.
