For most of us, we get to enjoy a guided fishing trip maybe once or twice per year. That’s why it’s so important to choose the right fishing guide from the start. No one wants to spend a miserable day on the water with a Guide that doesn’t know what he’s doing. I love Crappie fishing on Lake Eufaula, so whenever I get a chance to head down there, I make sure I do my due diligence when hiring a Lake Eufaula Fishing Guide.
For starters, you want to know how long a guide has been in business. This isn’t to say that a person just starting out is bad, but it can give you a general guideline about how successful they have been. A guide who’s been doing it for many years obviously knows what he or she is doing to stay in business that long.
Another thing you want to know is whether or not the Guide you’re hiring is state licensed or certified if the state you’ll be fishing in requires this. Some states do, most don’t. Also, some states require Guides to carry Insurance and be Red Cross certified in CPR. These are important things to ask before hiring anyone.
I also like to ask for references. I want to talk to both the happy customers and unhappy ones. You can learn a lot from talking to both.
One more important thing you want to know is how they fish and what they fish for. If you’re looking for a Crappie guide for example, then you may want to know whether or not they jig fish or use minnows. Do they Spider Rig or tie up and tightline? Make sure they fish the way you want to fish or you could spend a bad day fishing a way in which you’re not comfortable.