When selecting a guide you need to first determine just why you are hiring a guide. Is it solely to catch a large amount of fish? Are you after one large trophy bass or continuous action from smaller fish? Do you want to learn how to fish better? Are you looking for a guide with a nice boast to fish on? Often it is a combination of these possibilities. Hiring a guide is much like hiring an employee or choosing a real estate agent or buying a car.



You don't want to buy from the first person you talk with. Please be sure to interview several different guides. Ask them first to sell them. Find out what form of fishing they specialize in. After they tell you what they do best you should tell them what kind of trip you are seeking. You should ask any question you can think of. You cannot expect a guide to tailor the fishing trip to your desires without communicating them in advance. You can consider price in the equation.

A higher price does not necessarily mean a better guide though. On the other hand a much lower price to me is a red flag. No true professional will undervalue his work. I would regard someone who charges a much lower price than his competition as suspicious. Another factor to consider is likeability. Part of the overall experience of a fishing trip is liking the people you fish with. Let's face it in life there are certain people you feel comfortable with from the start and others you do not. Take the time to know whether or not you like a prospective guide. Continue by learning all the details of the trip. What boat will you be fishing from? What is the guide preferred method of fishing? When will the trip start and end? Find out whether the guide provides the equipment or if you must bring your own.

You need to determine what kind of fishing you wish to experience. Take Lake Okeechobee for instance. You will find many guides who specialize in live bait fishing with wild shiners on this lake. Others will specialize in different forms of artificial baits. Match the guide's specialty to your fishing desires. Some guides specialty is fishing weeds and other areas of heavy cover. Others know how to catch fish from deeper water with deep diving crankbaits. Match the guide to the type of trip you are seeking. You should also insist that the guide be both licensed and insured. Different states have different requirements for these issues.

My opinion is if the guide is not in compliance with the laws pertaining to his trade he probably is not very good. You should insist on references. Once you have determined a guide might be the one you like you should call at least one of his former clients. I am sure the guide will give you somebody he feels will respond favorably, but this favorable response may also include a facet of the trip you do not like. If so you will be able to communicate this with your guide ahead of time and this will make for a better trip.