Quinte Fishing

You have that problem too Grizz? Hell they can run but they cant hide thanks to a good friend of mine with an airboat hehe. I can find them without the boat but it sure does open up more options.

Thanks Mike...and good luck on your guiding

Intimate knowledge of the waters to be fished and of the species targeted , and if needed proper equipment and saftey gear , you don't need a big boat or fancy gear , just common sense , now if you want the legal definition follow the link Scott posted or ask him what he went through as the next generation of Guides , me i'd pick the old guy that has lived and fished his whole life in the area , not so much for the fishing but more for the stories and lore from the area Good Fishing Bill

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Hooksets are free
Bill Barber
Owner /Operator -Trophyhunter Fishing charters

I would think like many of the others that if guides and charter boat operators were serious about their profession they would take the proper training to cover their own assets. There are a number of guys who are running businesses without the proper training and are good fishermen but 1 mistake and they risk losing it all. Yes it is costly and time consuming, but think of the alternative. TC was suppose to be targetting those without the proper requirements in 2010 but I have not heard of any being charged.

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Best fishes,
Bob
NPAA#975
www.chartertalk.com

ok. Again this thread has taken a strange twist, Reading back its safe to say most are looking for Knowlage, someone who can teach, someone who is nice with a good personality, someone who can read people, adapt, adjust, someone with intimate knowlage of the fish they are trying to catch. and then you have the government stepping in of couse they say its for our safty, but is it really or is it just they figure if a guy is turning a profit its there way to get a piece of the pie so to speak ?
I mean think about it......... anyone opperating a boat needs a boaters card right? so now you make a profit from the boat you need more training, at a cost............ hense a bigger piece of the pie so to speak......... Its almost mind boggeling on one hand you wonder why there isnt more guides out ther, then on the other hand its easy to see why there isnt......... It seems to me that most the guides have stayed way clear of this thread, I can only wonder why? and then im suprized more havent posted about guide experiances both good and bad without naming names of course. Ive haunted this board for years now and have read posts both positive, and negitive about the quinte guides but seems unless they can name names they have nothing to say now! . Maybe it would be cool to have some guides pipe in with ther oppinions about guys who hire them......... im sure they arnt all plesant experiances. how about the guy who just wont listen, and then complains they didnt catch fish, or the one who wants a new hole or area every 1/2 houre because they seem to think they should land a fish every 15 minues all day long.......... how about the Guide who advertizes 20-30-40 fish days and 2 days later your out with them and land 2 fish in 8 hours ? come on guys, vent a lil ......... ice is too thin what else have ya got to do?? lol

As long as they dont Pooh on the ice Im ok with em.... LMAO!

heard a guy pooped on a guides ice hut once...that would not make me happy!! I would have told the guy that he just bought the hut!!!!

Griz,

I have been reading the thread with interest, but didn't want to chime in because I thought it was more interesting to hear what others where saying.

Personally I love guiding or chartering, as I think I have posted several times my favourite part is watching someones face light up with joy and excitment when they hook into a good fish. It is something I know they will remember for their lives and I'm sure share the story over and over. I go to bed with a smile because I know in a way I touched that persons life, I was able to create and be apart of a memory for that person that they will cherish and I love that. Sometimes you work hard and things just don't come together, No matter how hard you try and how much I want to will a fish to bite I just can't do it and on those days its tough. On those nights I drive my wife nuts cause I take it real personal and it is very discouraging, especially when you hear of someone else who had a great day. But, without bad days we wouldn't appreciate the good days. Thankfully this year there was is more good days then bad. In 40 days +/- on the bay this fall I had two days we didn't get fish. Only 1 day with clients the other was a fun fishing day. I don't advertise a fish guarantee but I don't think I have every charged someone full price for a charter we didn't catch anything. Usually I offer an additional free day or a 50% discount.

For the most part meeting guys and getting to know them a little is another of the things I enjoy. As some of you know, I love to talk and being on a boat for 9 hours you get to do a lot of it. I look forward to hearing about guys childhoods, jobs, and families. There is always a good story or two that just cracks you up. I agree with Landshark that said you have to have a multi faceted personality. To have fun you have to adjust to the personality of the person on board. I try to feel guys out by asking questions about their work and families and that way you know pretty quick what they are like. I had the fortune of being born and raised in East Africa so I have lots of stories about boarding school and weekends in the Serengeti that usually come up in a day.

As for client stories, I have lots, only one guy that I wanted to chuck in the water and that one I won't share.

Here is a good one for" Martypoo" (sorry Mike, I had to) from this year. A guy on the boat tells a story of fishing up north in the fall and having to stop on an island to use the facilities. He pulls down his survival suit squats and does his business. All done he stands up zips up his suit and then walks back to the boat. Being a little chilled from being exposed he throws up his hood and rapidly discovers that his hood had caught all his excrement and was now deposited on top of his head. To hear this guy tell the story describing how they had eaten big bowls of chili and lots of beer the night before and describing the excrement was beyond hilarious. Stories like these with fish in between make 9 hours fly by and waking up at 4 am all worth it. It certainly isn't for the money. The chartering side of my business is the lowest margins of anything I do, but I live to fish and I try hard to make a good memory and be a positive experience in someones life.

Scott

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West Lake Willows Resort, Picton Harbour Inn, and Bay of Quinte Charters
Bay of Quinte Charters offers a 26' Charter Boat operating out of Picton Harbour with a fully enclosed cabin.
Picton Harbour Inn offers 31 rooms, docking, and a restaurant on the sheltered waters of Picton Harbour.
West Lake Willows offers 8 cottages and camping at the doorstep of the famous Sandbanks on West Lake.

www.bayofquintecharters.com, www.pictonharbourinn.com, www.westlakewillows.com

Outstanding post Scott. thats what im talking about!!

Good thread Grizz.
I had a similar conversation the other day, What make a "Pro a Pro"???
I dont want to high-jack your thread though, there have been some interesting responses!!
So does the exchange of gas monies constitute being a guide? If so I might be one, lol We all might be one, those of us who own boats.
teppy

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O2BFSHIN

I recall my insurance company when I was in University telling me not to take gas money from guys when we car pooled because it would constitute being a "taxi" and void my insurance. I think it is dumb, but I can see the loop hole allowing "gas money" would create. What if you take guys out for $650 "gas money" a day. I'm not saying that is what you do and I'm not imply guys shouldn't take gas money. I don't even know if you can't, I just recall my insurance company telling me that when I was in University and I guess I can see why they would say that from a technical stand point, but I think it is a shame our world is so technical and literal. As I have said before it all boils down to the courts and liability. Everyone trys to make sure they can point their finger and someone else when things go wrong. No one takes blame these days. I'd love to hear a court throw some of these law suits out by just telling someone they were stupid and to get over it.

Scott

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West Lake Willows Resort, Picton Harbour Inn, and Bay of Quinte Charters
Bay of Quinte Charters offers a 26' Charter Boat operating out of Picton Harbour with a fully enclosed cabin.
Picton Harbour Inn offers 31 rooms, docking, and a restaurant on the sheltered waters of Picton Harbour.
West Lake Willows offers 8 cottages and camping at the doorstep of the famous Sandbanks on West Lake.

www.bayofquintecharters.com, www.pictonharbourinn.com, www.westlakewillows.com

Very well said Scott!


LOOOOOOOOOOL - that's a classic story!!!

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Stoty

The guide thread has me biting my tongue...lol.
To be honest there are some really good points of concern that are being posted on the board..... but what drives me crazy is the amount of red tape these guys expect guides to have. Lets be honest here.. are we not all crying the blues over our gun registry???? did we not all whine and complain over a slot size when it was first introduced??????? how about telling a 60yr old man he needs to learn how to drive his boat??????so on and so on...
There are very few guides on Quinte and I believe they all sponsor this board. They all have 1000's of hours logged on the ice and to expect them to take a coarse on guiding clients and how to read ice conditions is crazy.
It would be some kid out of school that probably doesn't even fish let alone step on the ice giving the coarse for a ridiculous amount of money..and once he's done the government will be waiting with his hand out to take 40% of what ever the guide can make.
Sorry but I just shake my head....I guess my idea of a guide is someone who...

Has an adaptable personality and will show respect for humans and nature as well as the environment.

Holds safety as a number one priority.

Willing to educate the angler on not only fishing techniques but also explaining all safety measures and laws and regulations in a positive manner.

Providing a relaxing, comfortable, exciting experience.

Share their excitement with them and help make the moment an ever lasting memory.

Someone who can start the day off with a firm handshake and end the day on one as well.

Dont forget the amount of time that is sacrificed from the guides family and friends all to try and make a living.
Anyone can take a course and pass a test.. but nothing compares to over 25 years of experience on Quinte.
With that all being said I feel much better...lol. Im sure i have a lot more to add on what a guide is but im running out of time at the moment...lol.
Jason

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If you whisper to the walleye they will come!

I forgot to add that a guide should know where all the shoals are on the body of water they are fishing.

Scott

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West Lake Willows Resort, Picton Harbour Inn, and Bay of Quinte Charters
Bay of Quinte Charters offers a 26' Charter Boat operating out of Picton Harbour with a fully enclosed cabin.
Picton Harbour Inn offers 31 rooms, docking, and a restaurant on the sheltered waters of Picton Harbour.
West Lake Willows offers 8 cottages and camping at the doorstep of the famous Sandbanks on West Lake.

www.bayofquintecharters.com, www.pictonharbourinn.com, www.westlakewillows.com

well said Jason. if you ever wanna give up guiding i think you could take up teaching guides how to guide lol . maybe run for prime Minister one day lol . i have said it before and ill say it again . Guiding is one tough buisness and its almost amazing that anyone would wanna do it...... but i guess some have to. basically so guys like me can fish. ok guys like me and sheldon can fish lol . im not exactly sure when it became so complicated but my guess is when someone with alot to loose desided to pay big bucks for insurance, then got bummed when no other guides were paying so he complained............ I do have to say this though...... wrong is wrong, and if your at fault do you really think your insurance company is gonna doll out a million bucks to some serviving widow ?? Imagin if you will, being on a small lake guy falls out of yer boat, drowns, you call i 800 insurance, hello!! I would like to make a claim report...... yes sir tell me what happened. well a guy fell out of my boat and drown............ humm, you dont say. did you let him stand up in the boat. well sure, thats the only way to fall out isnt it?? ........ sorry your not covered. Click!! . we all look for a loophole but you must remember a loophole was invented by an insurance company.........