• HOW TO SELECT A FISHING GUIDE

The following topics should help in selecting a prospective guide and provide reasonable expectations from your investment.

1. WHEN DO YOU WANT TO GO FISHING?

Timing is the most significant question regarding fish catching expectations. Dates are more important than if a particular species of fish is biting. Pick your dates to match the fish. The following should help you.
LAKE TROUT– from ice out to about mid-May, August (down riggers) and mid-October to ice up.
WALLEYE– mid-May to end of July
SMALLMOUTH BASS– mid-May through August
NORTHERN PIKE-ice out to ice up.
CHINOOK SALMON-mid-August through October.

These are the peak or best times for these fish, however they may also be caught at other times.

2. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM A FISHING TRIP?

Be honest, do you want a few big fish or a number of smaller fish (eaters)? Your answer will determine how the guide functions.
Vertical jigs- slowest method covers the least amount of water.
Pitching jigs-medium speed, cover medium amount of water.
Bottom bouncer-medium speed, covers medium amount of water.
Trolling crank baits- fastest method, covers the greatest amount of water.

Some clients hire me for a day to see how I’m fishing, then fish the next several days on their own. This is fine, there are no secrets or secret spots, what works one day may or may not work the next and same with spots.

3. HOW MANY HOURS DOES YOUR GUIDE FISH?

This is quite variable among the guides on Fort Peck. All guides fish at least 8 hours dock to dock. Some guides fish 10 or 11 hours. Amount of time may vary due to weather. Most outfitters and guides will re-schedule or refund if the trip is significantly shortened, but make sure you check and know this ahead of time.

4. EVALUATION OF WEB SITES AND PHOTO GALLERIES

Almost all the guides and outfitters on Fort Peck Reservoir have web sites. Some of these web sites are a great source of information. This also applies to photo galleries. Photo galleries can reveal a wealth of information.

Look at the number of big fish. Guides always take pictures of the big fish. Determine which guides are catching the most big fish before making a selection. Also, look at the background in the pictures. Pictures taken on land may or may not be from a guide.

Does the photo gallery represent group catches or only a few big fish? Group photos generally show you what you can expect to catch in terms of overall size and quantity.

5. WHAT DOES THS GUIDE PROVIDE AND WHAT SHOULD THE CLIENT BRING?

Most guides provide almost everything that you would need and if they do not, they should tell you what you need to bring. Some provide lunch while others do not. Most provide all the tackle, bait and gas. Make sure you ask your guide what you need to bring if anything.

6. THE JOB OF THE GUIDE OR OUTFITTER

It is my belief that the job of the guide is to find the fish and teach the clients how to catch the fish. A good guide will set the client up to catch fish. This is most evident in jigging or bottom bouncing the person in the front of the boat will almost always catch more than 50% of the fish and sometimes as much as 75% of the fish.

This is because jigs or bottom bouncers off the front of the boat are the first seen by aggressive fish. Aggressive fish actively strike the first jigs and spinners seen. A good guide will make sure one of his clients is in the front seat.

MY GUARANTEE
NO FISH NO PAY and if the catch is less than three eating size fish or only one big fish (4 pounds or greater) the trip is half price. This applies to lake trout, walleyes and northern pike.