Visitor from the UK would love to catch a salmon.

[gallows]

I have a friend coming over from the UK who has never visited Canada before. He and his wife will be staying with me in Comox for a week from June 17 to 24th. He loves fishing and I have shown him photos of what can be caught here. I no longer have a boat and was wonder if anyone would be prepared to take us out for a few hours and we would be more than happy to pay for the gas. Cannot afford to take a fancy charter unfortunately as we are on a budget. Also would be interested to know if there are any fish around at that time? Usual areas would be Browns Bay, the hump, Bell Buoy, Kitty Coleman etc. He has never fished downriggers before. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Charter Tofino]

Technically not legal if they don't have their Transport Canada required paperwork and tickets. Otherwise it's illegal guiding.

 

[sammyslabber]

yep too many part - time guids as it is...everyone wants a dream job!

Nothing illegal in passing the hat or pitching money into the contribution hat

 

[ziggy]

Kind of a grey area if you ask me as I'm sure many of us have fishing partners who kick in for gas. I don't see offering to take someone fishing and letting them pay for some gas as guiding? It would be different if you're charging them a 100 bucks an hour and advertising your services.

As a side note, just out of curiosity are there mandatory standards to be a professional guide or are the certifications voluntary?

 

[Prairie Locked]

Gallows,

the P.C. answer would be to talk around to some of the charter operators, see if you may be able to negotiate some kind of a shoulder season 'special deal', it never hurts to try to ask. They are the experts and they will work their butt off for you to make you enjoy your time and make you successful. You could also look for others to split the cost of the trip to bring the cost per person down.

That being said, there's nothing to stop a person from offering up an 'open seat' on their personal vessel. We've all done it on both sides of the equation, both giving and receiving. I would be more than happy to offer up an open seat if I could, unfortunately I won't be in a position to help in any way until the week following their departure.

If I had not received an invitation from a stranger to experience fishing my first time, I would never have been 'hooked'. It was their generosity and humble nature that was a positive example of what the experience is all about and I was floored. Did this take business away from a local guide? People may argue yes, but I would respond back with the fact that I never had any intention to hire a guide or pay to do a guided trip, the cost was too prohibitive.

 

[Aces]

If you are on a budget go buy one at the store.

Otherwise going out fishing....charter or not it's about the experience

 

[sammyslabber]

Don't forget to double down on the liability insurance...normal policies have clauses against guiding.

 

[quicksilver11]

You could PM me closer to the date you want to go, may be able to help you out, would be no problem, but will need to wait a bit to make sure I am in town.
Would not be out of Commox/Courtney area though.

 

[KV1]

Take it easy! Holy cow liability insurance, illegal guiding all big terms for a "fishing trip" unfortunately I am not one to take out strangers because of my nature but some good hearted person on here surely will and it should be commended not ridiculed. I think people are getting a bit too serious about a supposed hobby....really. What makes a guide legal anyways a Bob Izumi guiding licence and some extra insurance? Geez!

 

[KV1]

Transport Canada.....now that's a real joke!

 

[gallows]

Thank you for the kind offer FA. I will be in touch with you soon. And thanks for all the other very kind offers. It's much appreciated.

 

[Samnjoe]

Its getting a little silly with the illegals guiding BS.
If I drive my buddy to the river for a day of fishing and he buys me lunch is that illegal guiding?
Pro guides should be thankful we the sport fishers allow them to make their living by accessing a public recreational resource.

Cant resist stirring the Sh%t.
I will await the usual angry reactionary responses.

 

[nicnat]

Guiding a dream job!!! rotflmfao hahahahahahahahaha

 

[profisher]

The dream job got me too....it was in the beginning but everything becomes a job, especially when closing in on 30 years of it. Still fun but not anything like the first 5 years. I think its the long days, 7 days a week and no summer with the family. Not complaining, I signed up for it.

 

[gallows]

Sorry if my post upset anyone on here, it's a sportfishing forum, not a charter business forum. All I wanted to do was try to find a fellow sportfishing buddy who would be willing to take us out for a couple of hours so that my friend has an experience of fishing for salmon in Canada to take back with him to the UK. If I still had my boat of course I would take him myself. I am not taking any business away from professional guides as I already explored that avenue and the costs are prohibitive for me, on a fixed income and he is on a budget also. The cost of a charter for the two of us would be more than the air fare from the UK. Lol. I wish to cause no animosity on here and sort of wish I hadn't bothered to ask. I have been a member of this forum for about seven years but I don't post much. There are some lovely people on here and some not so nice who seem intent on causing trouble. Fishing is just a hobby sport, that's all it is.