Guided or unguided

lds · #1 10-12-2018, 09:31 AM

Just cuz I’m bored and out of curiosity what do people prefer and why when going somewhere new. Personally I have done both and I like unguided better. I find it much more rewarding to do my own research and choose my target species and go catch them myself. Takes a lot more effort and not always rewarded for that effort but I have done quite well and I find I leant way more from it. I see the draw to both but in the last 4-5 years I have been more interested in learning myself than getting large numbers of fish and lots of photos and ticking off my bucket list. Also any fish I have caught while being guided are not very valued and not high up on my favourite fishing memories as I never put in effort. I just showed up and the guide tells me what to do. I know a lot of people like the guided thing and I would like to know why. Basically this is a why do you like to fish post. As a side note I used to think guided cost more but not so sure anymore as there is a lot of money you can spend on gear for so many types of fishing

SamSteele · #2 10-12-2018, 10:06 AM

It depends on a few factors.

1) Do I have a lot of time to spend seeking out the fish or is it a narrow window? If I only have a day and it is a species or location I am not familiar with, I think a guide is the way to go. If I know the species and it's just a different body of water or location, then no guide. I hired a guide to fish peacock bass in Miami as I didn't know the area or the species.

2) Do I have the right gear? A few years ago I did a salmon fishing trip with the family and used a guide, not because I didn't think I could catch fish on my own. Simply because I didn't have all the gear needed (ocean boat with down riggers, flashers, etc). I'm considering a trip to LOTW and I don't think I would use a guide as I am familiar with fishing pike, walleye, bass, lake trout, etc.

In a lot of cases I think a guide makes sense if you have limited time to pursue a species that is new to you in an area you aren't familiar with. If any of those three factors change the need for a guide decreases.

There's always the cost factor too.

SS

fsa313 · #3 10-12-2018, 12:08 PM

I can’t help with Salmon, Walleye or Marlin but I can help with Trout in “The Trout Lakes of Northern Alberta” My free, updated album is available at
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5qu7oyz5k...vOhI41zda?dl=0
It is a single file per lake that you can save to your phone or whatever, print or pass along.
In return, please send me your photos to fill out the images of the 73 lakes listed. Please use neilstuartsutherland@gmail.com to send photos to maintain resolution. Please give me the details and if you don’t want your name used, tell me. I do not believe in “honey holes”. Vote for free fishing information.

SNAPFisher · #4 10-12-2018, 12:19 PM

Lds, I prefer unguided when ever I can for a lot of the same reasons as you. Figuring things out for myself is much preferred and the most rewarding. I also have a pretty high standard and most guides usually fall short. At least the ones I have actually hired.

That said, for a new area and new fishery, like going for bonefish for the first time, I would do research and hire a guide for part of a trip and then do it on my own for the other part. So combine it to get some knowledge and then use that.

fsa313 · #5 10-12-2018, 12:38 PM

Sorry about the link. I will fix,
Neil

fsa313 · #6 10-12-2018, 01:37 PM

The new link is https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mhdk6iuot...5WlI6n18a?dl=0

pinelakeperch · #7 10-12-2018, 04:06 PM

It depends. If it's a massive body of water that I'm completely unfamiliar with, it's a waste of time to fish it without a guide, especially if I had to travel a considerable distance to go there.

If I have some experience in the area, I'd have no reason to spend money on a guide.

bobalong · #8 10-12-2018, 06:13 PM

I would never hire a guide in Alberta or Sk. as I have my own boat and gear. I have been fishing in these 2 provinces for over 50 years so pretty familiar with fishing them.
Finding and figuring out the right presentation, depth, speed etc is probably one of the biggest joys I have fishing, so don't really want someone doing that for me.

I have had a guide while Sturgeon fishing in BC (paid for through work)
I have had a guide in Hawaii for peacock and largemouth bass
Hired a guide for 1 day each week we were in Cuba (2weeks). Fished all the other days DIY.

If you have no boat, sonar, gps or much gear and want to lake fish a few days a year I can see hiring a guide. If you like fly fishing and small ponds there are many places you can DiY with just your fly gear off shore or with some waders or a cheap float tube.

BCSteel · #9 10-14-2018, 06:44 PM

I was a guide in BC for salmon and sturgeon for a few years. I DIY salmon/steelhead when I head back but always use a guide for sturgeon. I could borrow my dads boat/equipment for sturgeon but I prefer to hire someone who can put us on fish, plus I usually fill the extra seats with family or friends who don't get out that often.