Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Tipping?

One 8 hour day fishing for walleyes and smallmouth bass on Lake St. Clair. They fillet the walleyes. Bass are catch and release. How much should each fisherman tip if it's a pleasant experience? Do the fisherman tip every person, captain and the other charter employees involved?

Thanks, Dinny

On our annual Lake Erie trips it’s 6 to a boat, two days of fishing. We usually tip $20 a day per person to the Captain as he is only hired hand on boat. We also had some sucky Captains in some years and tipped nothing.

On our saltwater trips we'll tip the first mate if he/she puts forth reasonable effort. The captain lives off of the $375 basic charge.

I tip the mate if there is one.

I've only done one guided fishing trip and I simply don't tip. Guide is paid to do a job. He does his job well I'd probably be back. He doesn't the owner should either pay a decent wage and/or fire him. Tipping exists so owner's don't have to pay a living wage. To get me to tip would take a real extra effort. Hell these days even the cashier at the convience store puts out a tip jar!

I primarily guide groups at destinations ( 4-6 normally ) And the pure tip to me averages better than 20%.
I had an interest in a charter boat on Lake Superior and I’d say it’ was about the same there per trip according to the Captain.

Osky

When I get 15- 20% I consider it a good tip

Yesterday 5 hr trip $575 cost and received $150 tip

Nice kings

You should be upfront about that when you book. Most in demand guides could easily fill the spot you took with someone who will tip and doesn’t carry your same attitude. Guides only have so many days they can fish and by you taking a slot where he could’ve had someone who gave him a tip is basically taking money out of his pocket.

So why doesn't the guide figure in the $150 tip and call it the price oft he trip and consider the $150 a tip?

So why doesn't the guide figure in the $150 tip and call it the price oft he trip and consider the $150 a tip?

He could if he knew up front. Be a man and when you book say “ I would like to book with your outfit, but I will not tip your guide.” And let the operator decide if he is going to book you or not. Or charge you the same rate as people who do tip. by being chickenshit and booking without explaining that upfront, you are costing that guide money. He could have fished somebody that day who is going to tip him.

it’s really simple.

I've been on a few saltwater party boats with signage indicating the mate's income is solely tip based. I find that sad, given the $$$ put out (like $350 from each of 10 anglers), but try to tip such that he/she will total a good day's wages from across the party.

I do have issues though with guides/outfitters/lodges priced at $500+ a day per person expecting another 20+% added at the end. I'd prefer they pay their workers a living wage, build in some profit and wrap it all up into their price. It can get difficult spreading wealth among guides, gun bearers, maids, cooks, severs, wranglers, trackers, skinners, pool boys, laundry ladies, dance instructors, caddies, bed warmers, etc.

I've mentioned this before about my only guided elk hunt ($10K): I booked a 6-day 1 on 1 hunt with the guide being the sole entity involved. He did it all with my help with camp setup, maintenance, and tear down. Initial expectations were we'd be out of there after 3 or 4 days. On the 11th day, I bagged a bull. I tossed in another K as that was all I had. He was a lousy cook though, as his only burner setting was wide open, and we ate a lot of charcoal.

Given the move away from cash, the service folks will eventually need the ability to individually run our credit cards, and we'll be getting off planes with stewardess and flight crews having their hands out.

My understanding from several readings is US residents are expected to tip generously. Europeans and the rest of the world not so much if at all.

I'm going to do a 5-day musky trip next summer to a Canadian lodge with an old school mate. He has strongly suggested I disperse at least another grand on top of the initial 5 grand fee at departure.

It's been decades, but with our first meal out in Australia we left about $15 for the waitress. Upon exiting and covering about 2 blocks, she literally ran us down and insisted on returning the funds. No amount of arguing on our part had an effect. We subsequently frequented that place at least every other night for about 2 months, and they closed it down for an exclusive party on our last night there.

When I mate for other Captains I'm paid $60-$80 and we split the tip...I obviously don't do it for the money I help out fellow captains who are my friends and I just love doing it

Only year I used a guide, was 2020, the first year we moved to the new place & therefore, first year on a new (dangerous) lake.

Being the 1st summer of beer flu, meant the the local lodges were hurting & running deals for "staycations".

1/2 day guided in a guide boat (up to 4 fishing) was $200, we tipped $100 on top.

1/2 day guided on their luxury pontoon (max we took was 8) was $300, we tipped $50 per couple.

** Don't know if that's good, or bad, but ................

Learnt the new lake, made great friends with the guides, resort manager & their staff.