How Much Should I Charge As A Fishing Guide?
I recently bought a fishing boat and am going to get my guide license. I have a 16 foot aluminum boat with a 28 HP outboard. It’s nothing fancy but it’s comfortable for me and three sports and well equipped with downriggers and a fish finder. Mostly I will be trolling for landlocked salmon and trout on freshwater lakes. What’s a fair rate for a guide to charge for 4 hours of trolling?
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(4.00 out of 5)
I would say $50 is the minimum to charge but you should “back into” the number. How much will you spend on bait, gas, depreciation of gear, storage of the boat, etc. per trip? How much do you need to pay your self? Figure out EVERY little thing that goes into a trip including expenses you may incur on a yearly basis divided by the number of trips you plan to run.
That is a good question and i think it would take more than just your guiding license if you plan to do this you will have to factor in insurance so you can take people out on guided trips and a business license and most likely have to take a course in CPR e.t.c. because this is water you will be going out in.And not to mention the price of gear the life vests and fishing gear for ones who don’t have their own and that gear you will or someone will have to do maintenance on the gear because once you use fishing gear for guiding it voids the warranty so you or someone will have to take care of that.
What is your list of successes that distinguishes you as a guide to consider? I mean even if you have a list a mile long that makes you the guide of choice for your area of expertise? Trolling? I fear that not too many potential customers are going to be willing to pay for even a qualified, tournament winning angler who guides in a little aluminum 16′ boat. That’s not saying that it can’t be done. I know a long time guide who has won about every different in shore tourney there is. He has written a few books and is a big line and gear sponsored and TV spotlighted inshore angler and guide. But he takes out people in the bays (only on weekdays) and outside the jetties and teaches them what to look for, where to cast, what to use and when to use what where. He charges $400.00 3/4 day up to three people. (6:00 am to 2:00 pm) and $600.00 if they use his gear. (that’s up to three people for $400.00, or if it’s just one it’s still $400.00) Same in Alaska! But he has a twenty two foot bay boat that can’t sink. I would think that if your guide service is going to get off the dock, Your marketing ideas will need to be sharp and focused in a very key direction.
It depends on the market around there. Can you find out what other guides are making? It depends on your skill and equipment, too. Around here, no guide charges less than $50 per person for a half day, but it is mostly for sturgeon or salmon. Some charge a lot more than that.