Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

how much to tip a guide?


Recommended Posts

Sorry Keith, but they way you posted your post it sounded like you guide for money. So I am sorry. Phil

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 129
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • harvey lee

    12

  • Nate McVey

    9

  • slotlimit

    9

  • palisade1kid

    6

No big deal Uphill.

I'm learning every day.I'll make mistakes every day too.

It's funny how you can take a guy as a client & he turns into a friend.

There's one thing I know is that putting forth your best effort is all anyone can ask of you.

I also agree with NF, no fish no fee.

I think if you are going to guide you should know what the fish are doing .

I may have to hit a few lakes before we hit the mother load ,but it'll happen.

It's great when we do & I get too see that twinkle in the eye's of the guy I'm out with.

Can we go fishing now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have read all the posts here on tips with guides.

Although, I have guided and have hired guides. I have always tipped my guides when they have provided me with a good day of fishing or hunting. Notice, I said a good day of fishing and hunting, that doesn't mean that I caught allot of fish or shot my game that I was hunting. Its all about having the proper equipment and providing a great experience. Having a good time in the field or on the water and gainning some knowledge about the areas fishing or game is what its all about!

A guide cannot make fish bite or game stay in the field where you are hunting. Nor can a guide catch your fish or shoot your game. I do not agree with the no fish no fee! Here is a example of what I am talking about; Last year while guiding three gentlemen from another state ice fishing on Mille Lacs, I drilled a minimum of a hundred holes throughout the day. I caught a minimum of twenty walleyes and these three guys couldn't catch a fish. I tried to teach them and even basically held their hand while we fished and they were a like babies. When it came time to pay me they didn't want to pay me because they didn't catch any fish. I about dropped dead from exhaustion from the days activities. Needless to say they paid up, but the point is that you cannot go by the no fish no pay comment. Fishing, is not catching! And hunting is not killing game! Its about the experience folks!

Here is some things that to think about in the costs for a guide.

1.) Gas for the vehicle to pull the boat ($3.00 per gallon)

2.) Gas for the boat and oil. (Oil $20.00 a gallon)

3.) Rods and reels and other equipment (Rods and reels get broken all the time by customers) Rods run anywhere from $30.00 to $100.00 per rod or reel.

4.) Tackle (Tackle lost just about every trip out on the lake) Shadraps run around $6.00 a piece!

5.) Bait (A dozen crawlers $3.75, dozen redtail chubs $11.25, dozen fatheads $3.75, dozen suckers $7.00)

6.) Maintanence on boat,vehicle, and fishing equipment (Hourly shop hourly rates range between $60.00 to $80.00 per hour for any mechanical maintenence)It only takes one breakdown to eat your guide fee up!

7.) Insurance on the boat that is allot more commercial boat.

8.) Making sure that everyone is having a good time!

Add up the amount of money you spend on your equipment and your list from above and see how much is left over for your wage. Its not $30.00 plus an hour I can asure you that. Your wage is more on an average of $15 to $20 an hour. Thats not very much when you consider what your time and knowledge of the lake is worth.

The $250.00 TO $350.00 per 4 hour trip is very economical! In fact its cheaper than running your own equipment when you really look at it. So tipping a guide that does a good job is a good thing! Heck, when I go to a nice restaurant to eat and the dinner is $15.00 and the drinks are $3.75 each and the server did a great job on keeping our table clean and getting what we want in a timely manner I always tip well. Tipping is always up to the individual. I also tip at resort, motel and hotel rooms for their services.

So I say yes, tip your guides, tip your resort help, motel help. But only if they deserve it. Its called graditude for services rendered.

Fish On!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do not tip unless the service is exceptional. I do not tip wait staff, barbers, bartenders, or snyone unless they go way above and beyond. I recently took my wife to a restraunt and the waiter took our bill and cash then proceeded to ask if we want the change back. We said yes and we still had to ask for our change 5 minutes later. The idea of giving someone extra money for doing their job is ridiculus. I hired a guide once and was told he needs a tip. I already paid him, not the resort, so why does he get a tip. the idea of tipping to show appreciation or to insure promptness has turned into an intitlment for anyone who sees a customer. If they need the extra money for gs or gear they need to raise their rates to reflect this or expect less pofit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cranker,

I have no problem with tipping a guide for a good day on the water or in the field. I agree that it doesn't matter if we limit out or get skunked, if I have a good time, learn someting about the lake or techniques for the species we're targeting I will gladly tip 15 to 20%.

As a small business owner for 17 years I will disagree with your 8 other points to consider when tipping. Those items are all overhead. Part of the cost of doing business. They should be covered by the fee you are charging not tips.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Cranker you are right about holding hands with some guys.

Thats where patients comes to play.

I've held a few hands myself ,but I can usual run a guy into fish eventually. I mean even a blind squirrel can find a nut.

As to what the other fellow said about the guide asking for a tip.

I'd probally have laughed at him.I've never asked for a tip. If you have to ask then you most assuredly did not earn it.

the beauty of getting a tip is that the person was super happy with the day and his happieness makes the day. Sure it takes cash to pay the bills ,but if there's no joy in what you are doing well I'd pack her in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That brings up a good topic.

Tip the resort. Never thought of that one.

I will have to do that next time.

As far as "papabea"r not tipping restarant wait staff, that is a little different, as they are only making minimum wage and they are dependant on the service provided to get the tips for service to supliment the income.

apples to oranges comparing that to guides. as far as barbers and doctors etc, totally up to the individual, but i feel the listed price is just that for those services.

For guides, if i learned techniques, patterns and locations and had fun, then definately would tip. Probably wouldn't be $100 but still would give something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good thing this was brought up I never thought about tipping a guide. (Was this brought up by a guide?) HA HA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, I'm not a guide. But maybe I should start asking my friends for money and tips if I put them on fish. After all of the times I have been the "guide" they owe me! Chances are I would just end up with some beer which is just fine with me! That "No fish no fee" saying would kill my business though crazy.gif

I expect to learn a lot and catch plenty of fish this upcoming weekend and we WILL be tipping the guide a least little bit. I have seen the beating that those guys' bodies and equipment take being on the big water every day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been guiding for several years. Getting a tip for the fishing trip is NOT EXPECTED, But very much appreciated. I always do what I can to help, my clients to catch fish. I do feel the no fish, no fee, can cost a guide alot of money. Some guys have a hard time feeling a bite. Everyone wants to catch fish, but maybe don't have the feel for fishing. Thats when the instruction part, of being a guide helps. If clients say they have not done some technique, I show them how, something like how I tie on jigs vs lures. I have shown a few clients how to use a spinning reel, when they have not fished in 21 years, and the last reel they fished with was a Zebco 202.

This past weekend, I took a Dad and 2 kids fishing. The kids had never caught a sunfish or a northern before. They had caught trout at a pay pond. (throw in a bare hook, catch a fish thing.) The kids had never seen leeches, or fished with minnows. These kids were alot of fun, high fives for a 7inch sunny, thats something special. Sure there was still a tangled line here and there. The kids were having fun looking at the Aqua-vu seeing the lake bottom, weeds, and sometimes a fish darting in front.

The 4hr trip lasted 4 1/2, even stop in the bay to fish, while waiting for other boats to clear the dock.

Now should I be givin a tip? I was having as much fun as the kids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jim,

Lets see....you took them out and had tons of fun and caught lots of fish. That's your job and it sounds like you did it well. That part of it should be included in the fee. Along with if you happened to hit a rock and took out the lower end or put a big hole in the boat. Now you also went beyond the contracted time because you and everyone were having so mych fun. That cost you extra money for gas, bait, time, etc. You should have gotten a tip. But on the other hand you showed those kids so much fun that now they will be on the dad everyday about fishing again (which is a great thing). So in return you might have just cost the dad the guiding fee, tip, new boat and all the gear. I'd get a security alarm for the home he might be coming for ya. grin.gif

Scratch that! He might be jumping for joy. But his wife will be coming to kick your @#$. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As sole proprietor of a business that provides services I've set up my fees so that I can turn a profit at the end of the year. My clients contact me and I do the best job that I can for them in the time that they need it. I do this out of personal joy, pride and business ethics. If a piece of my equipment breaks down insurance covers it and its just a part of doing business. Sure a tip would be great but I've already factored in what my service is worth. Same for a fishing guide in my opinion. Now if they really do go above and beyond what was expected of them and I had a great time, fish or no fish, I don't mind tipping. It's just a way to say thanks, we had fun, you worked hard and you deserve it. What we did when we hired a trip deep sea fishing was had our group pool some money for the first mate. He worked his butt off. The captain owned boat, put us on fish, was likeable and very friendly but that is part of the fee. The mate gets paid a lot less and works very hard setting lines, preparing bait, baiting lines, gaffing fish and cleaning our catch. He's the real service at the end of the line and deserved it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The "no fish no pay" policies that I have read on guides websites or brochures usually states that if no one in the boat catches a fish then its either 50% off the price or full refund or another trip at no charge.

I take that as meaning if the guide is able to catch fish and prove he has done his job to put you on top of the fish then the full price should be charged. Even if the client can't catch anything. We all have seen those people that can sit on top of a school of fish that haven't eaten in a month and still they get skunked. That shouldn't cost you your money.

Really how often do most of you guys go out with clients and not catch a single thing? There is always something willing to bite, no matter what I do i always seem to catch a skinny little norhtern every time out, that skinny norhtern might just ensure you of your $300 fee.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If they ask, I always tell clients that I will guarantee fish but the price is double and I'm fishing. smirk.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We'll after reading these post, if I were guiding, I think i'd ask my clients if there members of FM, and if so, I'd consider turning them down. It's unreal how many of you have an issue with tipping. It's part of the service industry. As a bartender, I personally belive EVERYONE should work in the industry for a week so they then can understand how much of a necessity recieving tips are. I firmly believe if someone has the money to go out to eat, drink at a bar, or hire a guide for ANYTHING a tip should be no big deal and should be factored into the budget. I make minimum wage, $6.15/hr, Getting 40hr weeks in the service industry is next to impossible, but if I were to work a 40, I'd make less then $200 after taxes. Tips are what we do the job for. We work our a$$es off, and try to make the customers experiences as nice as possible to insure return service. If no one tipped, there would be no resturants or bars cause no one would put up w/ the BS for minimum wage. Or prices would be even higher so servers can make a better wage. I'm sure this is the same for guides. If no one tipped them, and all they were doing was breaking even after a trip, there would be none of them left either, or prices would be even higher. Recieving tips are a perk for doing a job that requires dealing with a public that at times just has no respect.

My $.02 tip for ya'll

TIPS= To Insure Prompt Services

You stiff me, suddenly i'm not refilling your beer so promptly, and hoping you leave so there is a spot freed up for someone else who may tip! Get It!!! ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't believe anyone one here has said they wouldn't tip waiters/bartenders/etc. Most people have stated they know you make min wage and rely on those tips. Now lets say you were a bartender and could set your own wage would it be min wage? Probably not? Just like a guide can set what ever fee he so chooses. Just like a mechanic. If they are not making a go of it they need to raise their rates. If a bartender isn't making a go of it he can ask for a raise and maybe get it or not. I always tip the bartender but I usually run a tab just because of bartenders with the attitude of T.I.P.S. I should get great service at all times. Not just great service because I gave a tip after every drink.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been fishing in Florida where the Guide was Subpar at best. We caught a few fish, but I believe were after sailfish or the like, free lining pilchards. Well we hit a great school of Mahi Mahi and were having a blast, but the guide tells us we have to leave as that isn't we are after (or I guess what he wants to fish for) Needless to say at the end of the trip which remember I've said wasn't great he didn't get a tip. He actually pointed out to us that he noticed he didn't get a tip, and that he may not be available next time if that tip isn't given.......you can only assume that gentleman....errr..chump isn't going to be getting our business ever again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BRULEDRIFTER, if you are not happy with $6.15 per hour perhaps you should look for another line of work. Do you claim tips on your taxes? (You are required to claim 100% of your tips, of course.) Do you tip McDonalds employees?

Patrons are not required to tip. You need to earn it. Even if you don't get tipped, your task at hand remains. If servers and waiters didn't worry about tips and just performed their jobs well, the decent tips would follow. There will always be good-tippers, bad-tippers, and non-tippers.

I tip at restaurants and bars & for haircuts (15-20%). If I get bad service I will tell everyone and their boss. If someone were to get upset on the amount I tipped I would be all the more vocal. I don't think your boss or owner of the place is compelled to keep high tippers in the chairs. They get the same amount either way. I do understand your reasoning that if all the servers and waiters quit because they weren't making enough it would affect the business. I don't recall this happening, but it could have.

I have a good friend that tips by doubling the sales tax. Mankato has a .5% tax besides the state tax of 6.5%, so he tips at 14% and doesn't tip on the tax dollars. I don't agree with always tipping the same percentage, but his idea of not tipping on tax dollars is logical.

It REALLY bothered me Las Vegas. Everytime I turned around someone had their hand out. (If it is going to cost me, I can open my own door, thank you very much. And don't expect a tip if you deal me a blackjack.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

We'll after reading these post, if I were guiding, I think i'd ask my clients if there members of FM, and if so, I'd consider turning them down. It's unreal how many of you have an issue with tipping. It's part of the service industry. As a bartender, I personally belive EVERYONE should work in the industry for a week so they then can understand how much of a necessity recieving tips are. I firmly believe if someone has the money to go out to eat, drink at a bar, or hire a guide for ANYTHING a tip should be no big deal and should be factored into the budget. I make minimum wage, $6.15/hr, Getting 40hr weeks in the service industry is next to impossible, but if I were to work a 40, I'd make less then $200 after taxes. Tips are what we do the job for. We work our a$$es off, and try to make the customers experiences as nice as possible to insure return service. If no one tipped, there would be no resturants or bars cause no one would put up w/ the BS for minimum wage. Or prices would be even higher so servers can make a better wage. I'm sure this is the same for guides. If no one tipped them, and all they were doing was breaking even after a trip, there would be none of them left either, or prices would be even higher. Recieving tips are a perk for doing a job that requires dealing with a public that at times just has no respect.

My $.02 tip for ya'll

TIPS= To Insure Prompt Services

You stiff me, suddenly i'm not refilling your beer so promptly, and hoping you leave so there is a spot freed up for someone else who may tip! Get It!!! ?


That's half the reason I don't like going to bars. Tenders that expect a $1 tip every time they reach into a cooler and open a beer for you. I think Bars should get a few SODA Machines and fill them with Beer so customers can God Forbid get and open thier own beer, then you would see how much you are appreciated. People pay for the atmosphere, not your exc. service.

As stated before, if you don't like it then why don't you go to college, rack up $20K or $30K in student dept and get a better job.

I tip %15 or more pretty much all the time. But I hate doing it! I don't think you earn it. If the job was so hard you wouldn't see so many gals lined up to be waitresses. Most places have a waiting list to hire new servers. And I know a guy that it took months to find a job as a bartender. WHY???? Because it is easy money! Many servers can pull in $100 cash in a night, and still complain about the one guy that only tipped %7.

And yes, I have worked in the food indusrty. When I was 15 & 16 I worked at a Bar/restaurant washing dishes for 4.25 an hour whilst listening to waitresses whine about only making $65 in tips (alone) that night. And no, not once did any of them offer to share a tip. Now let me ask you, which job do you think is harder/worse washing nasty food off plates from table in the entire building, or carrying food and drinks out to a few table.

I agree with another poster, where does it end?

Do you tip at McDonalds? They work just as hard and offer even more prompt service.

Do you tip at the bait store if he tells you a hot spot?

Should I tip a cop when he writes me a ticket?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I worked as a technician for a telephone company for over 36 years. I worked outside when the temp was 108F and when it was -90F. I worked weekends at times, 72 and 84 hour weeks at times and got called out at 4AM because someone's phone wasn't working and come to find out they had three phone numbers in the house and two cell phones. They called because they wanted their phone number working and the wife was an call. I would have called my place of employment and told them to call me on one of my other numbers until I notified them that this number had been fixed. I worked this job because it was my choice and I had a family to support. I never did have anyone offer to tip me after I repaired their service at 4AM and I thought I may have gone a bit above and beyond at times. I did have the satisfaction of not being the one asking "Do you want fries with that?". I think we all have a choice in what we do to earn a living and I wouldn't want to depend on tips. I worked in NYC in 1970 and a beer was $.75. If you didn't tip $.25 per beer the bartender would pretend that you didn't exist. I think that kind of an atitude is bull.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am surprised that this has gone on long enough without someone mentioning this. YOU ARE GETTING PAID TO GO FISHING! I would do that kind of work if it paid in sand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pat,

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say. I was trying to point out that the fees where not out of order per the items listed. Sorry, if you thought that should come out of the tip. That isn't what I was trying to say at all. I was trying to spell out the cost of doing business as a guide.

Fish On!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a tough subject but I believe that you can tip if you appreciate someone providing you good service or is going above and beyond.

I hate that people expect at least 15% and I have seen them complain about everything when they are taking a bunch of cash home. Remember too that most tips go to them as untaxed income as most wait staff I have talked to claim 8% of their tips.

We tipped the dudes that took us fishing in the Carribean as we had a great time and they got us on some nice fish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

I don't believe anyone one here has said they wouldn't tip waiters/bartenders/etc. Most people have stated they know you make min wage and rely on those tips. Now lets say you were a bartender and could set your own wage would it be min wage? Probably not? Just like a guide can set what ever fee he so chooses. Just like a mechanic. If they are not making a go of it they need to raise their rates. If a bartender isn't making a go of it he can ask for a raise and maybe get it or not. I always tip the bartender but I usually run a tab just because of bartenders with the attitude of T.I.P.S. I should get great service at all times. Not just great service because I gave a tip after every drink.


Good point about setting a wage, I guess I didn't put it in that perspective.

I roll the same way as far as running a tab. I also DO NOT expect a tip after every beer poured. After a while you know your customers, and occasionally you work your (Contact Us Please) off and get stiffed. It's all part of the game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

BRULEDRIFTER, if you are not happy with $6.15 per hour perhaps you should look for another line of work. Do you claim tips on your taxes? (You are required to claim 100% of your tips, of course.) Do you tip McDonalds employees?

Tips are claimed! McDonalds SUCKS! They also make more than minimum wage anyway.

Patrons are not required to tip. You need to earn it. Even if you don't get tipped, your task at hand remains. If servers and waiters didn't worry about tips and just performed their jobs well, the decent tips would follow. There will always be good-tippers, bad-tippers, and non-tippers.

This is something im well aware of, I've been slinging drinks and serving food for over 5 years!

I tip at restaurants and bars & for haircuts (15-20%). If I get bad service I will tell everyone and their boss. If someone were to get upset on the amount I tipped I would be all the more vocal. I don't think your boss or owner of the place is compelled to keep high tippers in the chairs. They get the same amount either way. I do understand your reasoning that if all the servers and waiters quit because they weren't making enough it would affect the business. I don't recall this happening, but it could have.

I have a good friend that tips by doubling the sales tax. Mankato has a .5% tax besides the state tax of 6.5%, so he tips at 14% and doesn't tip on the tax dollars. I don't agree with always tipping the same percentage, but his idea of not tipping on tax dollars is logical.

It REALLY bothered me Las Vegas. Everytime I turned around someone had their hand out. (If it is going to cost me, I can open my own door, thank you very much. And don't expect a tip if you deal me a blackjack.)


Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's half the reason I don't like going to bars. Tenders that expect a $1 tip every time they reach into a cooler and open a beer for you. I think Bars should get a few SODA Machines and fill them with Beer so customers can God Forbid get and open thier own beer, then you would see how much you are appreciated. People pay for the atmosphere, not your exc. service.

As stated before, if you don't like it then why don't you go to college, rack up $20K or $30K in student dept and get a better job.

I tip %15 or more pretty much all the time. But I hate doing it! I don't think you earn it. If the job was so hard you wouldn't see so many gals lined up to be waitresses. Most places have a waiting list to hire new servers. And I know a guy that it took months to find a job as a bartender. WHY???? Because it is easy money! Many servers can pull in $100 cash in a night, and still complain about the one guy that only tipped %7.

And yes, I have worked in the food indusrty. When I was 15 & 16 I worked at a Bar/restaurant washing dishes for 4.25 an hour whilst listening to waitresses whine about only making $65 in tips (alone) that night. And no, not once did any of them offer to share a tip. Now let me ask you, which job do you think is harder/worse washing nasty food off plates from table in the entire building, or carrying food and drinks out to a few table.

I agree with another poster, where does it end?

Do you tip at McDonalds? They work just as hard and offer even more prompt service.

Do you tip at the bait store if he tells you a hot spot?

Should I tip a cop when he writes me a ticket?


Wow man!

FYI - YOU ALL KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!

How did I pay my way through 5 years of college, HMMMMM. Living on tips, working late, dealing with drunks and A$$hol3s!

Why is bartending only a part time gig for me now.... Yea 6.15 stinks, and so do a lot of cheap patrons that don't GET IT! WE WORK HARD! It may look easy to a casual patron, but like I said try it for a week. Also... think of the MENTAL angle of the job, cause thats where the REAL work comes out!

I have a full time gig too, but I am in debt from college, still need a supplemental income to make ends meet!

Dish doggin is what it is. Some establishments require servers to tip out all other staff. I appreciate a job well done as much as the next guy, and I compensate for it.

The point of my post was just to emphasize the need for tips. yeah, we make big money sometimes, but we also make nada, its part of the job. It evens out most of the time.

Anyway, to get back on track........

How much to tip a guide........ yup, its all up to the person and their expectaitons, at the very least don't give the guy gruff if it wasn't all you had expected, unless he was a total slacker! (This goes for all jobs)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BRULEDRIFTER......you said "TIPS= To Insure Prompt Services

You stiff me, suddenly i'm not refilling your beer so promptly, and hoping you leave so there is a spot freed up for someone else who may tip! Get It!!!?" what is this about? so you really do expect a $1.00 tip after twisting off a bottle cap for someone? you dont make any sence confused.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It should be left up to the indivual wether they feel they need to tip or not! A tip is given in appreciation for the service that you've been given. If I was a guide and had a couple clients out and we caught fish and I gave them excellent service I still wouldn't EXPECT a tip if I got one that would be a nice gesture on their part showing me that they had a great time. On the other hand if I was unable to put them on fish or if they failed to catch fish I certainly would failed to do my job and this could reflect future business so I would give them a cheaper rate or a another guided trip at a discounted rate. In this case of a failed to produce situation if offered a tip I would turn it down. Now if you go to a restaraunt and the food is terrible do you stiff the waitor or waitress? They didnt cook your meal they just served it to you. Service personel wether be wait staff or bartenders have to listen and put up with alot of B/S.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
      Nope not me.  May want to go nextdoor and ask around?  
    • smurfy
      Looks to me like Leech brought his chair home!!😅😆
    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.