As I have often proclaimed, everyone likes to catch fish, but not everyone likes fishing.
Nothing turns off a first-time angler like a day on the water without a single bite. With each fruitless cast, tedium sets in and the appreciation of the experience fades. Someone new to the sport may walk away from the lake without ever knowing the satisfaction of boating a trophy smallmouth or a fat rainbow.
For committed anglers, “skunk days” are part of the deal. Success is never guaranteed. But just being on the water, anticipating a strike on the next cast, is enough to keep them in the boat. Casual anglers don’t always share this enthusiasm.
One way to increase the odds of catching fish is to hire a licensed, professional fishing guide.
Guides love to fish, and they spend hours of preparation on the water, scouting different lakes, ponds, streams and rivers to make sure customers won’t be disappointed.
For several years, I was lucky enough to live next door to a licensed guide. Many times, he asked me to accompany him on scouting missions to new bodies of water. I was happy to tag along. The guide never charged me, but I would always pitch in for gas.
Sometimes, I had fished a lake that he had never seen before. On our trip to Squam Lake, I introduced him to using soft plastic jigs, a lure he had overlooked. Other times, he’d put me on a mess of fish, such as a day on Lake Osssipee that resulted in a limit catch of big white perch — caught on soft plastic jigs.
We never had a zero day. We always caught something, even if it didn’t happen to be the species we were pursuing.
There are 25 licensed New Hampshire fishing guides on the Fish and Game website. They are scattered all over the state. Licensed guides have met rigid guidelines set out by the state, including boating safety, fishing regulations and first aid.
Now, the temptation for a novice would be to hire a guide at random but, like any other investment, some knowledge of the product is warranted. Most guides charge between $150 and $300 a day, so a little homework is helpful before making a choice. Here are some tips to help make the decision:
Make sure the guide is licensed. In order to charge a client, the guide must be certified. It is illegal to extract a fee from an angler without a guiding license.
Indicate the species you wish to pursue. If you’re going for smallmouth bass, for example, there’s plenty of information available to locate the best lakes.
Ask the guide if he or she has ever fished the lake you have in mind. Depending on the answer, you may want to probe a little more. If yes, when was the last time the guide was on the lake? If no, does the guide have an alternate choice? And if the bass aren’t biting, find out what other options could be.
If you don’t have suitable gear, ask if the guide can supply what you need. Some guides will provide tackle, but don’t show up blind expecting to be accommodated. (This may result in an extra charge.)
Purchase your own fishing license. A guide usually asks beforehand if you have a license because hiring a guide does not exempt you from New Hampshire Fish and Game regulations. If you are checked by a game warden and found to be unlicensed, you will be in a lot of trouble.
Check references. These days, most guides document catches on Facebook or YouTube. But it couldn’t hurt to get the phone number or email address of one or two satisfied clients.
Determine how much instruction the guide is willing to give. Some guides will talk you through the process. Others will simply take you to an area and leave the rest up to you.
A guide should know the appropriate lures or baits to use for the current conditions and the time of the season. The best guides understand the trip is a learning experience for the angler. He or she wants you to catch fish so you will recommend the service to others.
Finally, ask the guide about a cancellation policy. If the wind is 30 miles per hour and there are whitecaps on the lake, you may not want to go out that day. A conscientious guide will understand.
Guides are not just hired by beginners. Some busy people choose to book several trips a year for different species. This may seem expensive, but when compared to the cost and effort of maintaining a boat year after year, the outlay of cash can be worth it.
Especially when you’re almost guaranteed to catch fish.
Coleman Stokes can be reached at stokescoles@gmail.com