The Wild Fishing Forum

OK, the last of the Scottish 'guide' polls.  Let?s assume you have decided to hire a guide (local or whatever)  for a day, to help you out on a Scottish water unfamiliar to you. Again it?s not casting tuition you are after it?s fishing,  just someone who knows the water and will help you catch a fish.

How much would you be prepared to pay?

Feel free to elaborate if you wish.

Quote from: col on June 11, 2009, 09:45:29 AM
thats not to say i would' nt take local advice

cheapskate............  :D  is that not the same as voting zilch?  :lol:

By and large (like most others here it seems) I'm happier doing my own thing and learning by trial and error and have never actually hired a guide/gillie. I could, however, see myself potentially doing it for e.g. a day out on one of the big salmon and sea trout lochs where you need to get local knowledge to get over the lies. The kind of thing you'd maybe do as a special one-off treat for a day out on Hope or Maree (if the fish ever return there). Something in the ?50 - ?75 range seems about right just off the top of my head to pay a man for his professional time, effort and expertise for a day like that. Otherwise, like I say, I'm happier puffing up and down the hills and splashing along the bank on my own or drifting in circles in little boats with a mate or two.       

Ian

I can't think of any situation where I would pay for guiding in Scotland, so I voted zilch too.

Alex

I'm always skint to zilch from me too  :(

I voted "up to ?100", something of a vested interest here  :shock:

In the other polls I have stated my preference for "guidance" on new or strange waters, so I have to continue in that vein.

I have also made the assumption that this is for the hire of the guide for the day (8 hours) and as a supporter of the minimum wage legislation I am stuck with the "up to ?100" option.

This does not mean that I can (or do) afford it, and I have made other assumptions (this is Scotland, I have my own tackle, we are walking to the river/ loch). Were the hire fee to have to include (as it often does) permit, tackle hire, boat, lunch, access to a hut etc. then I would consider a higher fee for that "once in a lifetime" experience.

Which takes me back to the "vested interest" in my first sentence- it does happen. Guests at the hotel may be paying thousands for a trip to Scotland and only have one day to fish (no gear, no experience of Scottish fishing) but have read much about it (one of the standard US texts on fly-tying quotes the hotel as arguably the best fishing hotel in Scotland) and are happy to spend ?200+ for a day out (they will have paid much more than that for a round of golf at St Andrews).

A final point- as a boring ex-scientist - a reminder of the original question which assumes that you have decided to hire a guide- logically you cannot answer "zilch" to this poll- just determine how much you would pay.

Ken

So again the question is put in a strange way. " Let?s assume you have decided to hire a guide (local or whatever)  for a day". To me this implies a couple of things:

1) you need someones expertise

2) you wish to 'hire' therefore will pay cash money for this expertise.

3) you're looking for a 'days' hire

So in answering the question & polling a zero you are in fact not answering truthfully or should not have put in your vote because you are answering a different question, one which does not relate to this poll and will undoubtably skew any result in a biased way.

So assuming we answer the question put how much would you expect to earn from your days work guys??

Minumum wage would be say ?6+ per hour?

So your guide meets you on the water (lets assume no permit/travelling cost involved), meets you at lets say 8am, takes you to a river/loch you've never fished, gets you a half decent days sport finishing whenever you want, say 6pm - in time for a reasonable dinner time, 10 hours = ?60+.

Tell me. If you were inclined to employ a guide would you rather have someone who is working for minimum wage or someone who is going to give you a professional service??

If you were 'HIRING' (which is what it says in the question) a guide would you expect them to give their services for LESS then minimum wage????

Would YOU be willing to work at your chosen employment NOW for less than minimum wage???

Somehow I don't think so!!

If someone is willing to provide a guiding serve they have costs incurred, they have knowledge to pass on but quite rightly at a economic cost to them. They are after all in business. If anglers feel that is to expensive so be it, they will fail. But answering a hypothetical poll when you really shouldn't is not going to get a true answer. Or is that the point?

Quote from: rabbitangler on June 11, 2009, 06:50:10 PM
If you were 'HIRING' (which is what it says in the question) a guide would you expect them to give their services for LESS then minimum wage????

Would YOU be willing to work at your chosen employment NOW for less than minimum wage???

No and No. (good post Rabbitangler)

For this to be valid we need to ignore the "zilch" votes.

The arguments (for or against hiring a guide) remain informative if one ignores the cost, if the decison is made on cost alone -so be it, but that was not what was asked.

This poll remains of interest if-

You have decided to hire a guide

and

You are not limited by cost but wish to suggest a "proper" amount.

Ken

Hear Hear sir

I think most  people  will pay what they believe to  be the worth or what they can expect to  gain. For example, the likelihood of a notable (big in most people?s eyes) fish in Scotland is not high. In New Zealand, for example, it is. Which is probably  one reason there is a thriving guiding community there.

Is ?200 good value  for a potential ?once in a lifetime? experience?  I think so.

Is ?200 good value  for a potential ?wheen o? bandies? and just maybe the chance of a slightly better fish? Probably not.

A few years ago Swithun  and I were out in a boat in Harris with  a ghille. Without him and his superb boat handling skills we could not have fished. It was a howler of a day, but he had us fishing. He was damned good at what he  did. He charged ?35 for his time, permits etc were extra.   Peanuts, but it was the going rate.  I would not have done it, but the reality is he was glad of the work. Swithun gave him a bit extra (he is a big earner) but the chap did not expcet it.


BTW, I think the zilch option is a good validation tool. It indicates the level of participation  that would otherwise be unknown. Like  ?none of the above? many would  like to see on  ballot papers. Remember voting is not compulsory.

Quote from: admin on June 11, 2009, 07:31:22 PM
BTW, I think the zilch option is a good validation tool. It indicates the level of participation  that would otherwise be unknown. Like  ?none of the above? many would  like to see on  ballot papers. Remember voting is not compulsory.

I agree with validation tools, but the logical implication of the question posed cannot be answered by "I would hire a guide, but pay him zilch".

The validation, IMHO, should be "I would not hire a guide".
No offence intended.

Ken

Quote from: Inchlaggan on June 11, 2009, 07:41:47 PM
No offence intended.

None taken.  

Most of the ?zilchees? have noted in their posts they would not hire a guide in Scotland.

Given that were you to offer a Scottish ?guide?  zilch for his services he would be very unlikely to take your business, for all practical purposes,  it really amounts to the same thing.

I have only twice paid for a "guide". Not in Scotland.

I was collected both times from the hotel. Taken to the river/lake, both times about a 30 minute drive. Supplied with all tackle/rods/lures/flies etc. Once also waders. I was taken around the hotspots. Given sound advice on where and how to fish. Fish caught were netted, photographs taken and fish returned. Lunch was provided, including soft drinks. On the lake the deal also covered cost of fuel for a good quality, fast boat.

At the end of the day, when we both agreed the day was up - no clock watching - I was taken back to the hotel.

On both days I had a memorable fishing trip. I fished in good company, finding areas I would never have been near, catching good fish with a guide who was activly protecting the fishing stock. Both guides new the area and new about fishing.

On both days I paid over ?100!

Money well spent in my opinion.

Why would we expect someone in this country to provide a similar service for less?

The only other comparison I have is 15 people on a boat fishing by lottery for Tuna off Tenerife. Not a fun day and not to be repeated. ?30!

Alan