Twin brothers, Terry and Larry, with a matched double. Terry was given a guided catfish trip for his retirement.
Should I Hire a Guide?
by Brad Durick
There are many reasons to hire a guide. Two of the most important considerations are time and money invested into a trip.
You enjoy fishing on the weekends or during your vacation and have been reading and watching videos from a famous catfish fishery. You think this would be a great fishing trip and really want to try this new body of water. But it is not exactly close to where you live.
You start to figure out some of the costs. You know you want to have the best possible time and most fishing success you can, but you also would like to have the best trip you can on a budget as well.
Why Should I Hire a Guide?
Some basic reasons to hire a guide, especially if you have never been to a body of water before, are to get firsthand experience of the body of water, the homework is done, and the guide should know most of the fishing spots. You eliminate the learning curve to fishing you would have by yourself and might save money in the long run versus pulling your own boat a long distance for a do-it-yourself trip.
If you don’t own a boat or truck and just like going on one or two catfishing trips per year, hiring a guide can save you a small fortune over time.
Time Considerations
If you are like most people, you are on a limited time schedule and want to make the most of it. If you go with a guide, you will have to calculate time for travel and the actual fishing.
For example, I have many customers who hire me to fish who live 300 to 500 miles away. Travel time can be just over four hours to as much as seven hours, meaning the better part of a day to and from the body of water. This time does not change if you are driving to meet a guide or fish on your own.
If you plan to bring a boat for a do-it-yourself trip, you also have to calculate your time packing gear and supplies, as well as making sure your truck and trailer are in good traveling condition. This can add many hours in preparation. You will also have to clean out and wash everything when you return home.
Here’s another thing to consider in regards to time management. If you are fishing on your own, you have no limit to fishing time. You can fish day and night for the duration of your trip if you wish. On the other hand, if you fish with a guide, you have a set time limit to fish each day. Of course, fishing time can be negotiated with some guides if you desire to fish longer.
Another huge time factor is collecting bait. In many places, you have to catch your own bait. This can use a lot of your fishing time. A good guide will already have the bait on board and be ready to fish right when you meet at the dock.
Financial Considerations
When deciding whether to hire a guide or not, there are numerous financial considerations.
First, according to research conducted in late 2024, you will pay $550 to $700 per full day of catfishing with a topnotch guide. Full days range from six to eight hours, depending on the guide you choose. This fee includes a nice boat, fishing gear, bait and knowledge of the body of water. Other things included that many don’t think of include a truck to get the boat to the lake or river, all the proper insurance to keep everyone covered, safety training and licensing.
Costs to Own a Boat and Catfishing Gear
Let’s be real here. Just going out and buying a new boat, truck, fishing electronics and fishing gear can get expensive quickly. You can buy used for a few thousand dollars, but figuring you are going to buy quality equipment and vehicles that are five years of less old.
A full-sized truck that is 2017 or newer is between $35,000 and $70,000. Likewise, a newer 18- to 20-foot boat with a 115- to 300-horse outboard now runs $20,000 to well over $100,000. Then you have to rig electronics and other boating gear, which is $500 to $10,000. Average truck insurance costs $1,200 or more annually, and boat insurance will run $500 or more annually depending on the value of the boat.
You still need fishing gear for you and your group. A quality catfish rig starts at about $150 for the rod and reel and goes up from there depending on what you buy. If you own the boat, you probably better have enough gear for guests as well.
If you don’t plan to fish more than 20 times per year, the math on all of this really does not add up. You can go on many nice trips with guides and won’t have the expenses of a boat, truck, insurance and maintenance costs.
Travel Expenses
If you hire a guide and only drive a mid-sized car for a 500-mile trip, figuring 25 miles per gallon and gas at $2.69 (average price on December 1, 2024) on average you will spend approximately $107.
If you plan to pull a boat you already own, it will still take a truck to pull it. Both must be in working order and insured, which costs money. Figuring in travel of 500 miles at 10 miles per gallon with gas at $2.69 will run about $269 round trip.
You will also have the expense of hotels for whichever method you plan to fish. Hotels these days can range from $100 per night to $250 and beyond.
Should You Hire a Guide?
The answer to this question is, that is up to you. When you figure in the travel expenses and expenses of owning a boat and truck, hiring a guide looks pretty inexpensive.
A guide provides knowledge and services without the headache of finding bait and patterning fish. Their entire goal in a day is for you to be successful and have fun.
Hiring a guide is a quick and easy way to fish that long awaited body of water and enjoy your friends and family without the headaches of being the guide yourself. It is also a great way to learn new techniques and methods that you can take home with you for the next time you fish on your own.
(Captain Brad Durick is a nationally recognized catfish guide on the Red River of the North, seminar speaker, and author of the books Cracking the Channel Catfish Code and Advanced Catfishing Made Easy. For more information, go to redrivercatfish.com)
