Musky Guide?

[McQ]

First let me point out that "I AM NOT A GUIDE" but I do take pride in sharing some of my insights with others. I guess the proper title for me would be an educator.

For the past 20 years I have been introducing new product, new techniques and other variables that help make a walleye fisherman better.

I've shared spots on local waters and see folks who have been with me in the past having a great day. Never have I felt cheated by putting folks on fish. Now, walleye move and today's hot spot may not produce tomorrow. With that said, the knowledge of how to locate and what bait to use does allow the fisher to apply that knowledge to similar areas.

I've been quite fortunate to have better fisherman throughout North America share info with me and being able to pass that info along to a wide group of others is very satisfying.

I agree that joining clubs, searching the internet, subscribing to magazines and other research can and does contribute to an individuals angling success.

I do sympathize with guides ( of any species ) who are reluctant to bring out their best techniques and spots to the benefit of locals who after the fact may be inclined to milk an area dry. I'm aware of fishers who seem to think that they have a right to GPS coordinates, hot spots and other hard won information that guides and tourney fishers have paid a huge price to gain. I personally think that in many cases the internet has impaired the individual development of many fishers brain power, some things just come too easy.

Becoming a better fisher is a matter of gaining knowledge from many sources and applying time on the water to try things out and it is very satisfying when you manage to accomplish success through your own efforts and the proper distillation of experience.

[joco]

there is a lot off deferent opinion on this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and there are all good....


FOR myself i wont pay a local guy to go fishing in local water.......i do no they wont bring me to there spot...........and i respect that.....

BUT i would take a seminar,,,,,,or mabe i would like to lurn more trick or somthing frome guide or sombody helse,,,,,,there is a lot off people that do have great information,,,,,and there not guide...........


TO go wit a guide could be good,,,,,if you want to lurn.........and mabe get some musky,,,,,,,,,even if your local,,,,,,,,,,you still gone to fish....mabe it wont be the best spot....but hey there some fish all over the place,,,,so you still can get some..............and you will lurne somthing,,,,,,and this way you will bring your lurning pocentage or curve,,,,,,all lot faster then you do all yourself...............


both ways are good...............i do agree whit toprider....to.....you can go there and lurn everything yourself,to the right way and the wrong way,,,,,,but its gone to be your own way..........


joco..........

[Cancatchbass]

One point that seems to have been overlooked here.

The Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River are NOT like the waters of the Kawarthas where the good Mr. Battah guides.

In some Kawartha Lakes muskie are as plentiful as pike. You might catch 6-10 in a day.

Try to catch a bunch like that on the TROPHY muskie waters. Good luck!

When you think of it, this can be applied to most species. On some waters, eg. some of the Quebec walleye lakes, you can catch 50 plus walleye a day- but 8, 10, and 12 pounders? Not going to happen.

Any full-time muskie guide on the Ottawa or St. Lawrence would be shooting themselves in the foot if they were to follow the example quoted about Davis Battah. Might as well sell your boat and equipment and take up golf!

[XrapAttack]

This is one of those hard topics... I can understand why guides do not want people fishing " thier" spots but lets face it any good and experienced musky fisherman can look at a map and figure out where the fish should be. Going out and fishing with a mguide can teach you what to look for when it comes to spots so you can take that info on any body of water.

Guides also do not own the water. " thier" spots are often common spots to experienced anglers.

Some people are just paranoid and other have confidence in thier fishing abilities. Fish will adapt to pressure and the same techniques will not always work

[getnjiggywithit]

This is exactly what trout fishermen have been facing for years!! Name a lake that's been producing and the next time you go there is like 30 people fishing it and the fishing sucks...... Now with message boards like this one, info can be shared so easily and there will be 100 people fishing your favorite lake!! and good luck catching anything...... Message boards like this one are very powerfull tools and there are some boards where if you post a picture or even mention a piece water that is producing it is immediatly removed!!! If you want to protect your hot spots then you have to keep them to yourself There are tones of people that just troll message boards like this one just to find new spots and then proceed to keep every last thing that bites there hook!!! untill they have completly cleaned out an area and then move onto the next..... This does not just apply to Muskies and trout I've seen people go home with buckets full of whatever bites there hook!...... Meat harvester's I call em definitly not sportsmen........

[muskymatt]

This is one of those hard topics... I can understand why guides do not want people fishing " thier" spots but lets face it any good and experienced musky fisherman can look at a map and figure out where the fish should be. Going out and fishing with a mguide can teach you what to look for when it comes to spots so you can take that info on any body of water.

Guides also do not own the water. " thier" spots are often common spots to experienced anglers.

Some people are just paranoid and other have confidence in thier fishing abilities. Fish will adapt to pressure and the same techniques will not always work

I agree to some extent Xrapattack
any good and experienced musky angler going out for thrill doesn't have to feed his family at the end of the day, and any guide has got clients who expect to catch fish! When you know your spots it increases your ability to be successfull as a businessman. I can look at a map and see good looking spots (doesn't mean there is going to be fish there)and do this over and over till I have high % spots , This is gained experience these guides have.Yes going out with a guide will help you to know what to look for, it doesn't mean he has to lay his plate in front of you. If you want a guide to give you a thrill, catch a big fish, show you the basics I'm sure they won't say no.
How many bass, walleye, trout,etc. anglers are willing to make their Fav. spots public knowledge???
Do they fish for a living??
I just don't think it would be in their best interests to thin out an already tough fishery.

[steve-hamilton]

CCB, with the price guides charge for the St L and Ottawa, if your not getting their best effort....well....i dont know what to say...

many, including myself, consider those prices highway robbery. the only way i'd consider paying it, was if i knew i was getting the best chance at a trophy fish...

sounds like i'm not going to get that chance anyways....so i guess all we really are doing is paying for a chance to get a fish at a more well known spot.

great.

[XrapAttack]

Hey man thats what they do for a living. Someone has to pay for gas, the nice boat and all the gear... you know the price of musky lures as well. There has to be some left over so the guides can live. I have fished with many guides in both fresh and salt water and no matter what you catch you always learn something if you pay attention.

As for guides around here not taking out clients from around here... are you serious? Trophymusky are you saying you would not fish with me if I sent you a deposit?

Fishing pressure is going to increase , i personally have noticed a big change especially with musky fishing in the last 10 years. Its not what it used to be, you have work for the fish now

[Trophymuskie]

CCB, with the price guides charge for the St L and Ottawa, if your not getting their best effort....well....i dont know what to say...

many, including myself, consider those prices highway robbery. the only way i'd consider paying it, was if i knew i was getting the best chance at a trophy fish...

sounds like i'm not going to get that chance anyways....so i guess all we really are doing is paying for a chance to get a fish at a more well known spot.

great.

Highway robbery? How much you pay to rent a $1500 tin can and an old 9.9HP for a day $75 maybe $100. Try to rent a $55K boat and see what it will cost you for the day. I also have over $25K in equipment alone. When someone fishes with me they get top of the line everything from G-Loomis rods and Shimano reels spooled with power pro and expensive muskie lures which ads up to over $600 for each of the 6 outfits I have in the boat every day. They also get the best lodging available with the best meals and also the best chance at a trophy muskie. I also try to be the best guide as well, I give 110% every single day out. Actually I work harder when we are not doing so well.

By the time I pay for the boat, truck, gas (boat and truck), food, insurance ( guide business and truck ), advertizing, equipment ect ect I am lucky if I make $200 a day. Now that's $20 an hour, your telling me I'm wripping you off? And this is a seasonal employment where I'm only working 6 months a year. Get real.

BTW even fishing with me on communitee spots you will catch a fish bigger then anything you can get out of the Kawarthas. Last year 2 members from Fish-Hawk fished with me for a day, Jighead got a 52 inch 35+ pound fish and Matt netted a 30 pound 47 inch fish for me.

P.S. I am also a fulltime guide this is not a weekend passtime to help pay for my hobby.

P.S.S. My clients spend 4 days and $1400 on average when they come and fish with me and most come back year after year. I have an extremely high satisfaction rate, my clients leave happy and most of them release their fish of a lifetime.

Who wants to go fishing?

[Trophymuskie]

As for guides around here not taking out clients from around here... are you serious? Trophymusky are you saying you would not fish with me if I sent you a deposit?

I'd have to think about it, I certainly would tell you the truth as to where we would be fishing and what your chances would be a catching one or three.

I must admit when most locals call and find out it cost $500 to fish with me they normally won't be calling back. It's pretty easy to find a cheaper guide.

[XrapAttack]

I know for a fact you would take me, local or not

[steve-hamilton]

[pikeonthe fly]

I can see both sides of this argument. As for myself, being new to Musky fishing (as well as Bass, Walleye too) I have been on a very steep learning curve over the past year. I was fortunate enough to be invited out onto the St Lawrence by a guide and in that 2 days fishing, learned the basics and was equiped to go out at it on my own boat. I even had my little hand held GPS with me (openly discussed and approved with the guide ) which allowed me to get a line on some of the areas to explore in the future and give me that most valued 'starter for 10'.

I have yet to hit my first Musky....but hoping this year will bear some fruit for me...lots of time on the water in prospect.

I doubt their is any substitute for watercraft and local knowlwdge, particularly on big waters....and that has to be learned with time and experience. But when you get to my age, a little 'starter for 10' is always very much appreciated and respected!

[trexellunge]

Interesting topic. I only hired a guide once in Minnesota, which is very far from my "backyard." I actually considered guiding for a living years ago, but now I know better. When fishing becomes work instead of fun, it just can't be the same. I dream of ESCAPING WORK to go fishing. Regardless, if it was my career, I probably would think twice before taking out locals to my all-time favourite spots. As someone mentioned, it would be shooting yourself in the foot. Do successful CEO's give away their secrets to the competition so easily?? And yes, local customers and all their buddies could be future competition.. for very limited resources. The famous St. Lawrence guide Len Hartman had local fishermen follow him around relentlessly, every time he went out. He actually would fish lousy spots just to throw them off; he even "hid" from copycats by spending alot of time on the water at night (as stated in his book "Before I Forget"). Don't judge a musky guide until you've walked in his shoes. I just hope Trophymuskie can still have some "fun" on the water once in awhile.

[muskymatt]

trexellunge