Robert J Samples wrote:
Two of my former buddies that I had worked with, and another fisherman wanted to go fishing in Lake Sabine, that is in both Louisiana and Texas. I was going to take my boat and hire a fishing Guide. This was supposed to allow guided fishermen to fish under the licensing umbrella of the Licensed Guide.
Well, I am super cautious, so I had both a Texas License with all the appropriate stamps, as well as a Louisiana Fresh and Saltwater license with extra stamp for red fish. Now when I tell a guide what I want to fish for, I expect him to do that, not take ‘rabbit trails’ after other fish, even if they are available.
We take off and fish around some of the nearby islands and don’t catch anything. We are in two boats, and I suppose he asked his fishermen what they wanted, and if they’d like` to catch some flounder. I suppose they agreed. I would have much preferred we stick with tr1out and reds! But we take off into the Louisiana swamps after flounder.
It wasn’t 15 minutes until we are hailed by a Louisiana Game Warden, named Guidry! He ignores the guide and his crew but is extremely interested in my license. Now I have spent over $100 for all the license, stamps and such and knew it was current, because I had ordered it from Baton Rouge just weeks before. I think he had never seen an out of state license with all my stamps. I finally said to him, “Say, man, you are cutting into my fishing time, the clock is running, and it is costing me.” He finally surrendered my La license and let us get back to work.
Maybe I am pigheaded, but when I am paying a guide, I want him to fish for what I want to fish for, not what he thinks he can catch more of some other species. I don’t like to fish for flounder because there’s no fight there. It is like reeling in a wet towel, and I refuse to waste my time in such endeavors.
Now, I kept my mouth shut because my guests were tickled to get the flounder! But I will never hire that guide again. I kept my mouth shut because it seemed to be what my guests wanted most. I don’t know what you like or the fish you prefer, but I am not a meat fisherman. If I were, I would ask to fish for catfish! I want action! Like a tarpon jumping higher than your head while you are standing upright in the boat! Give me a fish that jumps, that fights fiercely, and has a chance to escape. Just Sayin…RJS
Two of my former buddies that I had worked with, a... (
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Absolutely correct RJS!! If your paying for specific species that's what I expect the guide to provide. I would've have been very disappointed. I got a guide when I fished Merritt Reservoir for walleyes and that's all when fished for. It was more about learning the techniques use to catch the walleyes. Out of curiosity did you tip the guide? I'm planning on getting a guide for Caddo in the next couple of weeks to get an idea about the lake as y'all was suggested. But I want to learn how to get around the lake, I do want to catch a few fish along as go.