Being a catfish guide has many rewards. Seeing big smiles on your clients’ faces is one of the best.
So, You Want to Be a Catfish Guide
by Brad Durick
It takes a very special kind of person to share the joy of fishing with others day after day.
You have been catfishing for years now. You catch a lot of fish and think you are pretty good at the craft. Now it’s time to share your skills with the world. It only makes sense since you already own a boat and catfishing gear. If you offer just a few trips, you can maybe make enough money to help fund your own catfishing habit.
This is how most catfishing guides started out on a part-time basis. Not many people quit their jobs, jump in with both feet and say, “I am going to be a full-time guide, and this is what I am going to do now.”
You want to be a catfish guide. Do you really know what you are getting into? Beyond researching licenses, have you thought about the ins and outs of fishing for a living?
Positives of Being a Guide
Let’s start with the positives of being a guide. The first and foremost, you are the boss. Many of us have been working for the man our whole lives, and this is our opportunity to spread our wings and own the operation.
The best part of being a catfish guide is seeing your customers faces light up when they hook into a monster. Enjoying the moment with them whether it is their first big fish or their fiftieth big fish is simply rewarding.
Everyone is typically in a good mood when they are in your guide boat. They are on vacation and having fun spending their free time and money with you. It is very rare that you have a grumpy client from the start as they are excited and amped up to have fun.
Over time, you will find yourself making lifelong friends with your clients. It is these clients who truly keep you going back every day because, when they are on the calendar, you can’t help but look forward to the trip to see and spend time with your old buddies.
Important Things to Think About
Licensing and insurance are the first things you should research when thinking about being a fishing guide. This is to keep you legal and your assets protected should the worst happen.
Many bodies of water are federally regulated, and a Coast Guard captain’s license is a requirement. Contrary to what some say, there are some inland waters that are not connected to a federal waterway that do not require a captain’s license. But until otherwise is proven, assume you need to attend Coast Guard classes.
Every state has different requirements for licenses. This means you need to contact the state or states you plan to guide in to see if they require a guide or outfitter license. Some states require years worked under an outfitter before issuing your own outfitter license, while others require proof of liability insurance before they will issue a license.
Insurance is the most important investment you will make in your guiding business. DO NOT think your boat insurance will cover you for just a few trips should something happen. If you have an accident and the insurance finds out you were for hire, they will not cover anything, including your expensive boat and gear. This not only leaves you with no boat but exposes you to lawsuits that can take everything, including your home.
One other personal protection for you and your assets is to set up a Limited Liability Company, or LLC, and dedicated bank account. A limited liability company will protect personal assets should the worst happen. If, for some reason, you get sued, they can only take the assets of the LLC rather than your house, savings and future.
To ensure the lines are drawn, get a tax ID and bank account specifically for your guide service (LLC) so that is the only money that can be lost. This also helps with expenses and at tax time because everything is separate from your personal income or expenses.
After you set up your business, it is time to market the guide service. You have already been thinking this when you decided to become a guide. Most are ready to get some business cards and brochures and to set up a Facebook page and website.
Marketing could easily be an entire article by itself, but here are a few tips to get started. Do everything stated above and start shaking hands. You need to tell people that you are open for business. Get a photo-filled website of happy customers. Don’t over post, but try to keep fresh posts on socials for fans and customers to follow. If you have an off season, consider a few clever posts about the past or what is coming. Maybe share an article that pertains to clients.
What Some May Consider Negatives
There are not many negatives to guiding and being your own boss, but there are a few that can wear on you to keep in mind. First, the day doesn’t start and stop at the boat landing. You have to get things set up and prepped every morning. When the fishing day is over, you need to clean up the boat and maintain the gear. Of course, you also need to secure or take care of bait. If you think catfish bait is a chore for a weekend fishing with your buddies, keep in mind it will be a daily and ongoing task. You must always be planning bait days in advance.
If you are full time, such things can get old. Most daily tasks require only 45 minutes to an hour of your time, but they still require your attention every day. You must be prepared for long hours on the job.
Be Professional
When I say be professional, I mean in your guiding operation and not getting all caught up in being a pro staff angler.
Being professional means being on time, prepared and ready for each and every trip. It means treating that day’s customer with respect and working as hard as you can to produce a quality fun fishing trip. It also means getting excited with the customer for every fish, whether is excites you or not. On the days when the fish are not playing nice, you have to ramp it up and be fun to keep spirits high. Less than great days happen and clients know it, but you still have to keep each day fun.
Being a professional catfish guide is not for everyone, but for those who follow the steps above, carving out your own way of doing things, it can be the best job in the world.
My Guiding Story
Being a guide was never part of my list of professional goals. I was a late bloomer to fishing, and once I was introduced to catfishing, I was hooked. I found catfishing fairly easy and thought I was good at it until I started doing it professionally. That’s when I realized I had a lot to learn to stay on fish and keep happy customers.
I made the decision to become a guide in 2007. I attended Coast Guard school, getting my OUPV (6-pack) license to operate on a federal waterway. I started the guide service in 2008 on a part-time basis. In 2014, I was able to make the jump to full time where I currently am.
Guiding is an ongoing challenge. No two years are ever the same, and to be successful, you must be able to adapt to the changing conditions. Now 17 years into this, I have made lifelong friends and have literally thousands of photos of happy customers holding their trophy catches. Visit me at redrivercatfish.com.
(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 www.redrivercatfish.com)
