Tipping for a fishing trip has the same general rule as tipping the waiter, with 10-20% being a common practice. It's a good idea to start with 15% and go up or down depending on how satisfied you are with the trip. Keep in mind that guides spend hours preparing for a trip. In general, your tip for a fishing guide should be based on the total experience of the trip.
There are days when the fish doesn't stop biting and days when you work as hard as possible and don't take anything for the efforts. The amount of tip should be based on how the guide controls all variables, not the number of fish caught. I think most self-respecting guides would agree. As a guide, I have the privilege of sharing very special moments with clients.
My clients work hard to make money and I work hard to provide them with the best overall experience in return. The typical tip of a guide for our equipment service is 15-20%. That, more or less, has become an industry standard. Regardless of the amount of the tip, the effort is the same on my part and I am incredibly grateful for any tips on the guided day trip.
The charter fee covers the trip for the wear and tear of the boat, the gas, the equipment (its rods, reels and flies), the knowledge, the license, the convenience of fishing in a new area and having someone stand on a boat and push or row it all day long. They believe that catching a lot of fish is a testament to the crew's hard work and effort to attract fish, bait new lines and fillet them back on the dock. Matt Reilly is a freelance writer, outdoor columnist and fly fishing guide who specializes in float trips for predatory game fish based in Southwest Virginia. For me, being able to keep customers engaged, have fun and learn when fishing is slow is a crucial skill set for a fishing guide.
Unfortunately, there are days when fish get the best of the fisherman and that's why it's called sport fishing and not catching. In a group setting, anglers can split tips, but they help your fishing partner with advanced knowledge to prevent them from feeling embarrassed at the end of the fishing day. Charter boat fishing captains reported that they generally receive tips of 10 to 20% of the trip cost. If you've booked a fishing charter for the first time and aren't sure what tips you should give, read on to learn more about it.
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