# Tipping guides who put in overtime



## birddog (Feb 21, 2019)

Over the weekend I had a great trip away from my home water with a guide despite getting skunked. He showed us a ton of fish in the morning that we worked hard and just couldn't get a bite, and after about 90 minutes they disappeared. We had booked an 8 hour full day and by the end of 8 hours still had no takes. No worries, it happens. Our guide really wanted to get us a fish and spent an extra 2 hours poling and working his tail off for us.

This is the third time I've had a guide put in overtime, and each time I'm left wondering about the "appropriate" tip. On one hand, he put in another 2 hours and I feel like I ought to pro rate the whole thing up and then tip on that. For example, if a half day is $400 and a full day is $600, the hourly rate is $50/hour, so should I take it up to $700 and throw my tip on top of that?

On the other hand, I booked a "full day," and it is up to the guide to keep to the schedule. If the guide hated fishing with me we'd have been at the dock at 7:59. While I sincerely appreciate the extra time, I never asked for or discussed it. So should I just give an extra large tip above my normal rate to show my appreciation for the extra effort?

Maybe I'm overthinking it, but if anyone else has been in the same boat, I'd appreciate hearing how you thought about it, and I'd really love to hear from any guides who are willing to share how they view putting in overtime. Thanks for your thoughts.


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

I would tip a guide more who put in overtime, but I wouldn’t prorate his hourly wage and the add a tip to that. He deserves a little something extra for the extra effort of trying to put you on a fish.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

I hunt fish as long as we can see or until clients say enough. Like anyone in the skiff pushing, fish hunting business, I appreciate any tip amount. The better the client attitude and tip, the less likely my calender will be full for a potential repeat trip.


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## mpk1996 (Aug 6, 2020)

I always wondered about tips in general, especially with direct booked guides. I get it. We all want the extra cash. And I want to be the good client who gets good trips and shown good spots. But the rate set is an all cash direct deal. In other words for the direct booked guide it all goes in his pocket (he doesn’t work for someone else like when you book through a lodge or something).

I understand to convention, and abide by it.

that all being said, what do you guys normally tip? How do youchange that based on your perception of how hard the guide worked for you?


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## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

I normally go 20%. I’ve done more for guys that worked to get me on the fish.


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## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

The guide I fish with has to put in long hours to get me any fish. He only does full days so if I need to cut a day short for a flight it’s still a “full day.”

Before my first trip I asked if I could pay extra for longer days. He said he didn’t work that way but said I could expect long days on the water.

Rate is 700 and I give him 900 total. That’s what I’ve done regardless of hours.

He might be one of the hardest working guides around. If I leave the day up to him, the hours range from 10 to 14 hours depending on the tides. Average is 10 or 11. When I leave early it’s about a 7 hour day.


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## Maliberti (Apr 25, 2021)

I would tip extra.
Sounds like he spent extra time trying to get you fish.


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## sotilloa1078 (Mar 27, 2014)

Im me being a guide I don’t expect anyone to pro rate the hourly rate. Like you said, you didn’t ask for the extra time but then again the extra effort we put in is to try and get our clients a fish. My recommendation is to just make the tip bigger. That’s ultimately what we work hard for. The bigger the tip the more I feel like I have accomplished for my angler. And like mentioned above the more of calendar that opens up for the individual.

With that being said there are times that people ask to be taken in early. Either they have had enough of the heat or I’ve had some people just get frustrated with themselves and just want to call it quits. In that scenario I never force people to stay out to make my full day rate. I usually just see how long we’ve been out and charge accordingly. Most of the time people pay for the full day if that’s what they had booked.


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## sotilloa1078 (Mar 27, 2014)

mpk1996 said:


> I always wondered about tips in general, especially with direct booked guides. I get it. We all want the extra cash. And I want to be the good client who gets good trips and shown good spots. But the rate set is an all cash direct deal. In other words for the direct booked guide it all goes in his pocket (he doesn’t work for someone else like when you book through a lodge or something).
> 
> I understand to convention, and abide by it.
> 
> that all being said, what do you guys normally tip? How do youchange that based on your perception of how hard the guide worked for you?


Direct booked guides have a lot more over head than lodge guides. Lodge guides have lodge boats and gear they use. They show up and take the lodges boat full of fuel provided by the lodge and go fishing. Heck even lodge tackle I’m sure. The “direct booked” guides carry all of the expenses/overhead.


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## mpk1996 (Aug 6, 2020)

sotilloa1078 said:


> Direct booked guides have a lot more over head than lodge guides. Lodge guides have lodge boats and gear they use. They show up and take the lodges boat full of fuel provided by the lodge and go fishing. Heck even lodge tackle I’m sure. The “direct booked” guides carry all of the expenses/overhead.



I don’t disagree. But they also set the rate. And that’s kinda my point. You can say “well they did a good job working to get me on fish”. Well that’s their job. If they just drive the boat around said. Sure just throw your line in there and then got on their phone, they wouldn’t get much repeat business. So if for example a guide charges $400 for whatever period of time, but in their mind they really want $480. Why not just charge the $480 and say, no tip necessary. I mean do you tip your plumber for doing his job? Or the lawn guy? 

Look I get it and do it, for me it’s just one of those things that makes me go hmmm


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## new2theflats (Jul 31, 2019)

20% for me as well. If he works extra hard, is fun to be with, and teaches me something the tip will be higher. If he's a dick he gets a lot less. Same as how I tip a restaurants.


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## Flytyingfool (Apr 25, 2021)

I always start at 20%. When you can tell the guide is putting in extra time and attention, I’ll kick in a little more.


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## birddog (Feb 21, 2019)

mpk1996 said:


> I don’t disagree. But they also set the rate. And that’s kinda my point. You can say “well they did a good job working to get me on fish”. Well that’s their job. If they just drive the boat around said. Sure just throw your line in there and then got on their phone, they wouldn’t get much repeat business. So if for example a guide charges $400 for whatever period of time, but in their mind they really want $480. Why not just charge the $480 and say, no tip necessary. I mean do you tip your plumber for doing his job? Or the lawn guy?
> 
> Look I get it and do it, for me it’s just one of those things that makes me go hmmm


It's kind of tough to charge $480 when everyone else in your area is charging $400. Even if you said, "no tip necessary" you might run the risk of people not reading that far when they see your price is 20% higher than everyone else.


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## skinnydip (Mar 27, 2016)

I do this frequently when customers are struggling or conditions are bad. I like Sjrobins reply. A good tip is appreciated but prorating is not expected and if they do not tip a fishless day because of their skill or weather after I go the extra mile my schedule is full from then on.


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## CAPTAlexMoran (May 2, 2020)

Meh, I wouldn't dig extra out of your pocket because of some extra hours that you didn't ask for. You were going to tip anyway and knew what it was going to be before you got on the boat, so I would keep that amount in mind and also consider... that the best extra tip would be to book another trip with that guide for the next year. Don't sweat it. Plus, math is hard.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

birddog said:


> Over the weekend I had a great trip away from my home water with a guide despite getting skunked. He showed us a ton of fish in the morning that we worked hard and just couldn't get a bite, and after about 90 minutes they disappeared. We had booked an 8 hour full day and by the end of 8 hours still had no takes. No worries, it happens. Our guide really wanted to get us a fish and spent an extra 2 hours poling and working his tail off for us.
> 
> This is the third time I've had a guide put in overtime, and each time I'm left wondering about the "appropriate" tip. On one hand, he put in another 2 hours and I feel like I ought to pro rate the whole thing up and then tip on that. For example, if a half day is $400 and a full day is $600, the hourly rate is $50/hour, so should I take it up to $700 and throw my tip on top of that?
> 
> ...


Landing fish should only have a very minor role in determining if the day was a success. Did you have fun? Learn anything? Enjoy the guide’s company? Some of my most memorable days as a client and as a guide were fishless. An extra tip would be appreciated, I’m sure.


birddog said:


> Over the weekend I had a great trip away from my home water with a guide despite getting skunked. He showed us a ton of fish in the morning that we worked hard and just couldn't get a bite, and after about 90 minutes they disappeared. We had booked an 8 hour full day and by the end of 8 hours still had no takes. No worries, it happens. Our guide really wanted to get us a fish and spent an extra 2 hours poling and working his tail off for us.
> 
> This is the third time I've had a guide put in overtime, and each time I'm left wondering about the "appropriate" tip. On one hand, he put in another 2 hours and I feel like I ought to pro rate the whole thing up and then tip on that. For example, if a half day is $400 and a full day is $600, the hourly rate is $50/hour, so should I take it up to $700 and throw my tip on top of that?
> 
> ...


I feel that landing fish should only play a small role in determining the success of the day! Did you learn anything? Did you discover new spots to revisit? Was the guide enjoyable? Some of my best days both as a client and guide were fishless. I’m sure that the guide will appreciate whatever you come up with!


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## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

The Fin said:


> Landing fish should only have a very minor role in determining if the day was a success. Did you have fun? Learn anything? Enjoy the guide’s company? Some of my most memorable days as a client and as a guide were fishless. An extra tip would be appreciated, I’m sure.
> 
> I feel that landing fish should only play a small role in determining the success of the day! Did you learn anything? Did you discover new spots to revisit? Was the guide enjoyable? Some of my best days both as a client and guide were fishless. I’m sure that the guide will appreciate whatever you come up with!


I have an extra $100 ready for a permit bonus. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I’ve only had to use it once. The regular tip is sufficient a d I like to add something extra for the guide when everything comes together.


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## tailspotter74 (Nov 19, 2020)

20% for standard effort, but those times when a guide has gone the extra mile I have been willing to go up to 35%. I agree, with "The Fin" above. landing the fish is only a small part of a great potential experience with a guide.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

birddog said:


> It's kind of tough to charge $480 when everyone else in your area is charging $400. Even if you said, "no tip necessary" you might run the risk of people not reading that far when they see your price is 20% higher than everyone else.


If you are bargain shopping you aren’t serious about hiring a guide. Guides are like tattoos...you know the saying.


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## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Guides are like tattoos...you know the saying.


No Regerts?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

fatman said:


> No Regerts?


Dude learn how to spell... NO RAGRETS


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## DodsonFlyFishing (Apr 1, 2018)

My best tippers give the same on every trip and they all know that success on the water requires putting in the time. It’s a team sport and when the team gels, everyone wins in the long run…


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## Miles813 (Jul 1, 2021)

I was on a 4.5 hr charter last night by myself that in reality went from 9pm-3am, the trip was $450 and I tipped the guide $150. Was this right or was that what I should have given him for the extra 1.5 hrs and then a tip on top? I thought 33% was fair but now I am second guessing myself.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

Yea, What is the saying?


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## ryc72 (Oct 18, 2020)

Miles813 said:


> I was on a 4.5 hr charter last night by myself that in reality went from 9pm-3am, the trip was $450 and I tipped the guide $150. Was this right or was that what I should have given him for the extra 1.5 hrs and then a tip on top? I thought 33% was fair but now I am second guessing myself.


Your tip was perfectly fine. Don’t second guess yourself.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

Miles813 said:


> I was on a 4.5 hr charter last night by myself that in reality went from 9pm-3am, the trip was $450 and I tipped the guide $150. Was this right or was that what I should have given him for the extra 1.5 hrs and then a tip on top? I thought 33% was fair but now I am second guessing myself.


You were more than fair!👍


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## ShaggyPalm (Sep 30, 2021)

I agree with starting at the standard 20% and adjusting up or down based on the quality of the experience.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

sotilloa1078 said:


> Direct booked guides have a lot more over head than lodge guides. Lodge guides have lodge boats and gear they use. They show up and take the lodges boat full of fuel provided by the lodge and go fishing. Heck even lodge tackle I’m sure. The “direct booked” guides carry all of the expenses/overhead.


Usually, the “lodge guides” take far less than 100% of the fee. I’ve done both. I prefer doing my own thing!


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

new2theflats said:


> 20% for me as well. If he works extra hard, is fun to be with, and teaches me something the tip will be higher. If he's a dick he gets a lot less. Same as how I tip a restaurants.


Or she! ( I guess she couldn’t be a “Dick” though!)😁


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

new2theflats said:


> 20% for me as well. If he works extra hard, is fun to be with, and teaches me something the tip will be higher. If he's a dick he gets a lot less. Same as how I tip a restaurants.


I don't think I've ever seen a guide say that a tip is "necessary". I've seen some guides address it on their web site and say taht it's appreciated but entirely optional. That said to me a tip is necessary, I start at 20% and go up for extra effort or just because I like the guide.


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## Mbunn2002 (Oct 4, 2020)

I wouldn’t think too much into this. I don’t look at time as much as how hard the guide worked for me and how his personality was. If he is friendly and nice and works his butt off, I’m tipping him more. If he is lazy and acts like he doesn’t want to be there, then I’m tipping him less. To me it’s more about attitude and effort!


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