What Fishing Guides Know That Other Anglers Don’t

We’re all amazed at how fishing guides nearly always know what to do and where to go to put fish in the boat. Most guides are fishing gurus that know and use all the angles when it comes to great fishing. Many people assume that guides are born with a special skill that the rest of us don’t have. In many respects that true…….but they also have secrets to their success and here are 9 of them.

1. Guides are always listening and learning. Many think that fishing guides are born knowing how to be great anglers. That’s not true. Most successful guides make it a habit to always be learning, however many want charter customers to believe they already know almost everything.
2. They listen to the Rookies. Most guides won’t tell that they talk and listen more to the new guys in the fishing business than the guides that have been around for a while. The new guys many times have new ideas and information that he may not get from a veteran guide that is more set on the older tactics.
3. Follow the old dented Jon boat. Most anglers will instinctively follow the $200,000 flats or bay boat that’s outfitted with all the bells and whistles to find the fish. The smart fishing guide will follow the old Jon boat driven by guy that fishes every day. He’s knows the perfect fishing spots due to fishing every day for the past number of years.
4. Guides many times check out their competitor’s rigs. This is a great way to learn the latest trends in lures and the depth the fish are biting. Some guides will even lay their rods and reels on the deck when returning to the dock to avoid other fisherman from seeing their rigs.
5. Know where the other guys are fishing. Many fishing guides will make it a point to see where other guides are fishing. This doesn’t mean that they invade that guide’s fishing spot, but they do make mental notes to be used another day.
6. Check out Facebook. A smart guide will make it a point to frequently look at Facebook to get a better feel of what’s biting and potentially where. They are careful to look at the clothing the anglers are wearing. This will sometimes indicate that the picture may have been taken at a much earlier date. Coats worn on a July post is a dead giveaway.
7. Look at his own Facebook posts from the same time last year. This is a great way to see what you could or should be doing this year. While sometimes the bite and conditions can be different, many times it’s spot on.
8. Talk to the tackle shop guys. The guys in the tackle shop are a wealth of information. They talk to all levels of fishermen every day. Best of all, they know what’s biting since the fishermen are storming in to buy lures for the catch. Dropping off a gift card for chicken wings can make this tactic even better.
9. Take another guide fishing. Many times, 2 guides will team up on a scouting trip to swap information on rigs, locations and tactics. It’s a great learning experience.