Guide Question

Bob Erfish

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With so much new technology available, are there guides that will take a guy fishing in his own boat to show him how to use stuff to it’s full potential? I’ve got all the bells and whistles but feel like the learning curve would be shortened by someone with experience showing me what I’m looking at and what settings are ideal for my style of fishing.
 


RPNLPS

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More than willing to teach !!!
Private message me and I’d be glad to arrange sending my resume!
 

Rowdie

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Very good question! I'm not sure but I'm guessing they would.
 

SDMF

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Call around until you find a guide running the same gear you are then explain your situation, they should be able to tell you what they do and don't do with their own GPS/Fish Finder units. Probably wouldn't take long to narrow it down to a few experts. One would think that if you took some notes when calling guides you'd end up with the same few names that keep coming up. Something to the effect of:

"I call so and so when I have a question. Or, "So and so helped me get this set up on my boat".

I would think that even though you're using your boat/gear it probably still costs the same as hiring them to take you fishing.
 

Tillerman2095

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There are plenty of videos on You Tube a person can watch right on the water to help explain different models of depth finders. It's really not the job of the guide to explain depth finders; their job is to find and help customers catch fish. Now I would expect a guide to help me with fishing fundamentals in the techniques needed for that day; to help catch the species of fish targeted.
 


zoops

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Does seem that if a Scheels, etc. offered a couple hours of 'in your boat time' when you buy once of their $1000+ units it would be a nice pot sweetener. I know I've blown many hours messing around with mine in the garage. Do boat dealerships ever do that sort of thing when a person buys a new boat?
 

eliminator

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Bob, I have been a guide for a lot of years and there is no easy answer to your question. I have had people hire me just to learn, whether it be techniques on fishing or how to read your depth finder to knowing what you are seeing on your side and down imaging. I have also had others who said that is what they wanted but in reality they only really wanted my waypoints for themselves and all their buddies. I have had them also want me in their boats and also to be able to follow me. I try not to do this too much as a lot of the time it gets to be a babysitting job and I really need to be fishing.

The hardest part would be to find someone that has the same equipment that you have. I don't have the latest and greatest as you say as I really don't feel I need a lot of it. Would it be nice, yes, necessary, not really. The best advise I can give you is to start using it and get it fine tuned to the things you do and then start expanding from there. It really takes time on the water trying different settings etc and it is hard to do in a garage. It might look fine in 10 feet of water and with no bright sunlight but you may need some completely different settings as you go deeper and are out in the weather.

The first thing I do is turn off a lot of the automatic features and work it manually especially for things like sensitivity etc. Other people may like all the automatic things.

If you are ever in Pick City, look me up and if I am available I would be glad to talk to you anytime-----and I wouldn't charge you either lol

Always glad to help if I can---there are plenty of places to fish and enough fish for everyone but it takes time to pattern a lot of them. When you think you figure them out, let me know as they will make a fool out of a person very quickly. There is a reason they call it fishing and not catching haha

Good luck and good fishing.

Also, as far as I know the boat dealers are more interested in getting your money and you out the door than to spend a lot of time with you figuring out most things. They will give you a quick run down most of the time and that is about it from my experience. Their on the water instruction is very limited. I do wish they would spend more time with people up front and there would be less problems down the road. Even better would be to let you experiment with the new equipment and then be able to come back in a few weeks with some more training and answers for you.

I am not trying to bash dealers but their bottom line is making money and you can't blame them for that either.
 

sl1000794

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Back in the late '70s I took 3 quarters of outboard marine mechanics in the evenings at a junior college in Richmond, VA. It was taught by a certified Mercury Marine Mechanic. If he said it once he said it 50 times - he wished that the dealership would make new buyers pass a test on the owner's manuals for their new boat and motor before allowing the buyer to purchase it. He said it would save everyone a lot of hassles!
 

ndskeeter

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What electronics are in your boat? I'm no guide however there are some guys on here that are very good at setting up electronics so it would help if we knew what you were running.
 

Zogman

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Back in the late '70s I took 3 quarters of outboard marine mechanics in the evenings at a junior college in Richmond, VA. It was taught by a certified Mercury Marine Mechanic. If he said it once he said it 50 times - he wished that the dealership would make new buyers pass a test on the owner's manuals for their new boat and motor before allowing the buyer to purchase it. He said it would save everyone a lot of hassles!

A very good friend asked my wife this question when she was trying to figure out something on her new 4 Runner. "I kow its a sign of weakness, but have you read the manual." Not meaning to be a smartass but that stuck with me for a lot of situations,
 


Captainbrad

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I will give you my answer from my perspective and in no way speak for other guides.

I would love to do just what you ask but there are some issues that quickly come up.

1. My guide insurance does not extend to your boat so from a liability aspect I can't
2. I don't know your boat, where everything is and its layout which prevents me from providing the best possible guided experience

I always welcome questions and am willing to teach as much as I can for my clients when we are in my boat.
 

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