Should guides refund/take you on another trip if you catch nothing?

[Fred]

About 5 years ago my dad got me a trip on a drift boat down some river in Washington. We fish for about 6 hours and saw about 4 different guide boats catch fish. We caught nothing, the guide was nice and all and he said he would take us on another trip. After never replying to my dad's text we just gave up on it. Just wondering if any of you guys have gotten skunked with a guide or had a poor experience with one?

 

[Raincatcher]

Guides cannot and do not guarantee a client will catch a fish, it's just an unreasonable expectation.

 

[EOBOY]

Fred:

I think a guide gives you knowledge and direction. I've fished with Tanner for years now and sometimes we get skunked! But mostly we catch fish. But, more than that we have become friends. The old axiom : That's why they call it fishing and not catching. is for real. Sometimes I go with him because I want to learn a certain way to fish or to learn how to target a certain species.

 

[Fred]

I suppose so, but I'm still salty at that guide

 

[troutdude]

Perhaps your guide would be wise to be a bit more proactive, in following up with you. But it's also easy to miss a single text message too. Happens to me a lot. May I suggest that you try contacting your guide again?

BTW...there is NEVER any guarantee--as Raincatcher pointed out--that you will catch fish. That's completely unreasonable to expect, from ANY guide: fishing, hunting, or otherwise. NO ONE catches fish EVERY time they go out. Ever.

Also...Tanner is one of the best. Give him a try. He's does have a high success rate. But, again, there is never any guarantee. However what you will learn from him (and other guides), is how to become a better fisherman.

 

[Fred]

lol, well I guess I was wrong. Anyways I'm a bank angler so would I learn anything for bank fishing from tanner? What's his website so I can check it out .

 

[NKlamerus]

Things are a little different here than in Florida, down there its very rare you don't catch anything...the last hour is always enough time for black snapper or a jack crevalle. But there is still a garuantee, no catch means another trip.

We have had issues customer thinking catch means keep.

Up here, i probably wouldn't choose a charter that doesn't have a garuantee unless it's a specialty.

 

[montym]

lol, well I guess I was wrong. Anyways I'm a bank angler so would I learn anything for bank fishing from tanner? What's his website so I can check it out .

Tanner is a good egg, you'll learn from him no matter how you like to fish. His id here is onthedrop, just search.

 

[pinstriper]

Everybody gets skunked sometimes. You can't put that on the guide, unless it is lack of effort. Not an issue with Tanner, that is certain.

I don’t know if he does bank trips, but I have been with him where he’ll pull up at a gravel bar and we bank fish for a bit. Depends on water conditions,etc. Call and ask.

Tanner is great in that it really is fishing lessons, not just taking you to a honey hole. You will be a better fisher afterwards.

 

[Fred]

thanks

 

[OnTheDrop]

montym !!! Miss ya pal.

Thanks for the kind words, my amigos!

Just like its its been mentioned above, the reality is there’s going to be days where you don’t catch anything. With guide, or without. Are your chances of success higher with someone who is on the river all the time, and catches fish all the time? Definitely. I would say 90% of the people I take out know they aren’t guaranteed a tug. Those are the people that I love taking out. If you’re a customer of mine, or anyone else’s, be that way. I go on a handful of guided trips myself, and I like to do the same. If I call to get in on a boat again, I want to be welcomed back. It’s a very personal business, and if you’re not jiving well with a guide, find one your personality fits.

I’ve never fully refunded a trip. I have given a deal on a following trip due to getting rained out mid trip, or any reason beyond us humans control.

I can't really comment on your situation with your SW WA guide, but I think we can all agree if he offered to take you again, and ‘ghosted’ you, that wasn’t professional. He should have just not said anything...

Cheers mates,

 

[hobster]

montym !!! Miss ya pal.

Thanks for the kind words, my amigos!

Just like its its been mentioned above, the reality is there’s going to be days where you don’t catch anything. With guide, or without. Are your chances of success higher with someone who is on the river all the time, and catches fish all the time? Definitely. I would say 90% of the people I take out know they aren’t guaranteed a tug. Those are the people that I love taking out. If you’re a customer of mine, or anyone else’s, be that way. I go on a handful of guided trips myself, and I like to do the same. If I call to get in on a boat again, I want to be welcomed back. It’s a very personal business, and if you’re not jiving well with a guide, find one your personality fits.

I’ve never fully refunded a trip. I have given a deal on a following trip due to getting rained out mid trip, or any reason beyond us humans control.

I can't really comment on your situation with your SW WA guide, but I think we can all agree if he offered to take you again, and ‘ghosted’ you, that wasn’t professional. He should have just not said anything...

Cheers mates,

^^^ Well spoken my man, I had a great experience with you, and you are the only guide I have ever hired. Your reputation speaks for itself. ​

Hope to get up there again soon, maybe we could go with Dana, I would love that. If you 2 have an open seat hit me up

 

[pinstriper]

That's a man with Integrity, there. Yeah, as a guide, if you don't mean to back it up, don't make the offer of another trip or a discount, just to get off the boat ramp without a scene.

As a customer we have to show some integrity, too. If your guide put you on fish and you whiffed, don't hold that against him. If your guide put you in position, and the conditions were right, and the fish just weren't there, that's just life.

If you think the guide took you out in conditions that weren't right, but that they crossed their fingers and took you on a low probability trip just to have a payday, maybe you have a gripe.

OTOH if the guide says "you know, it's been slow this week and a lot of people are staying home, but the water looks good and we'll have the river to ourselves" and gives you the option of an informed choice, again that's the conditions of the trip and you shouldn't hold it on them.

If you want to know you're coming home with a fish, find a guide who says "meet you at Costco".

 

[OnTheDrop]

That's a man with Integrity, there. Yeah, as a guide, if you don't mean to back it up, don't make the offer of another trip or a discount, just to get off the boat ramp without a scene.

As a customer we have to show some integrity, too. If your guide put you on fish and you whiffed, don't hold that against him. If your guide put you in position, and the conditions were right, and the fish just weren't there, that's just life.

If you think the guide took you out in conditions that weren't right, but that they crossed their fingers and took you on a low probability trip just to have a payday, maybe you have a gripe.

OTOH if the guide says "you know, it's been slow this week and a lot of people are staying home, but the water looks good and we'll have the river to ourselves" and gives you the option of an informed choice, again that's the conditions of the trip and you shouldn't hold it on them.

If you want to know you're coming home with a fish, find a guide who says "meet you at Costco".

What the hell does OTOH mean? Am I getting hit with another millennial slang term, or do I have the case of one too many Bourbons?

See you soon Marcus

 

[OnTheDrop]

Damnit, must mean “On the other hand” <<< Millenial inference

 

[OnTheDrop]

Fred:

I've fished with Tanner for years now and sometimes we get skunked! But mostly we catch fish. But, more than that we have become friends.

Friends? I think you misspelled Brothers again!

 

[EOBOY]

I appreciate that Bro! Talk soon I can feel a good Steel season coming up. Going crabbing next Wed. with Ben if your not busy come on!

 

[pinstriper]

Damnit, must mean “On the other hand” <<< Millenial inference

It does mean that, and its from when old people invented the internet, but before emoji