# catawba 2/11 bad day fishing



## eye popper

decided to go ice fishing this year on a guided trip. what a big mistake.payed a 130 dollars apiece.went nw about 4 miles.the guide service put me and my buddy in a tent that had no working zipper,one little hole to fish out of,didnt give me any lures to use he tried to give me some pimples he bought at the bait store that morning for 25 dollars i told him i wasnt buying any lures thought they were included with the service.good thing my friend brought a few.he never gave me 1 lure to use.just minnies,had to keep asking for them like they were gold,guide service stayed in THIER SHANNY all day and just wanna to fish.didnt try to drill any holes or look foractive fish.came out of thier shanny 4-5 times all day.never got a bite what a waste of time and money.make sure you know who your dealing with before you book a trip with a guide.there was another couple there he did the same thing to them,they were not happy to .charged them for the lures to, WHAT A JOKE no fish for either one of them to.good luck and watch your money.i will never go on a guide ever again.


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## K gonefishin

Sounds like you were near where fishing has been good, sounds like you didn't ask enough questions prior to booking the trip, like are lures and electronics included? They may have been stingy with the minnow but I'm sure you had enough for the day they do need to make them last the whole camp. You can't make fish bite, that's not their fault. The bunk shanty I would be ticked about, did you have heat? 

Just FYI, guides will setup camps and they don't really move much day to day, no surprise there.


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## hearttxp

K gonefishin said:


> Sounds like you were near where fishing has been good, sounds like you didn't ask enough questions prior to booking the trip, like are lures and electronics included? They may have been stingy with the minnow but I'm sure you had enough for the day they do need to make them last the whole camp. You can't make fish bite, that's not their fault. The bunk shanty I would be ticked about, did you have heat?
> 
> Just FYI, guides will setup camps and they don't really move much day to day, no surprise there.


Agree K-gone never can make the fish bite ?But bad equipment is not excuse . 

And the lure thing should have been talked about before ?


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## eye popper

yes we had heat.he told me all i needed was my lunch


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## GetTheNet18

I'm heading out of Catawba Friday Feb 14th with a guide. My first time ice fishing. Just curious as to which guide service you used. If you want to private message me, that works. Any advice or input you have would be valuable. It's too late to change our trip now, but I just wanted to be ready for our first time out. Going with my father, uncle and his buddy. Our guide said he is providing everything but the lures. Shanty, heat, rods, terminal tackle, minnows, electronics, transportation included. I believe he is selling lures.. probably going to double what he paid.. I bought my own spoons so I'm covered. Thanks in advance for any advice.


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## eye popper

i will send you a pm


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## BFG

> Our guide said he is providing everything but the lures.


Hmmm....something familiar about your post and the one above???


Sounds more like a taxi service than a guide. I went duck hunting with a duck "guide" once....he and his buddies shot all the ducks. 

LOL....NEVER AGAIN.


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## eye popper

no electronics.no lures.no shanty.a tent is what you might get.he had a couple shantys,1 for them and 1 for the other couple that came out later ,thats it.


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## eye popper

the day before they got 15 guide got 11 amish got 4


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## Tommybouy

This is unfortunate to hear. Not catching fish is part of it which is why they call it fishing. But the experience sounds mediocre at best. 

I suggest not letting this experience deter you - you had the right idea. newer to Erie Hardwater or if you only have narrow window of time to Ice fish than you should use a guide. Even if you fished a few days and get comfortable in 1 spot and then want to switch to a different area... you should have a guide for the new area to read the ice and how to pick the spot on the spot. 

Anyone on this site would be happy to list who they have had good experiences with in the past in a private message to help lead you in the right direction. Keep using OGF!


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## dcool

I am heading up tomorrow with a guide out of Catawba. I hope i don't have the same guide that you had. I would really like to know what guide service you used.


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## bludog

My girlfriend and I were on the same Charter as Eye Popper. This was her first time ice fishing and my first time ice fishing Erie. I just don`t think the fish were there in our area I got 1 early and that was it not even another bite. I also asked if I needed anything to bring and was told my lunch so that`s what we brought. I was handed a bag of pimples with a 25 dollar price written on them I just handed the bag back to him when we were packing up to leave. The shanty was pretty nice and plenty of heat but I suspect it`s because I had a girl with me. The rod/reel my girlfriend had left a lot to be desired. I wouldn't mind trying it again but I would like to be more mobile next time in case it`s slow. I know now some questions to ask before I did not. I set up the charter pretty quick and it was an expensive lesson but I could have been at work


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## eye popper

yeah bludog what a trip .pm me in the summer i will take you and your girl fishin on my boat out of bula.show you how me and walleyewhacker puts the hogs in the box take care FISH ON!!


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## bludog

Sounds good Eye Popper you take care also.


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## Icedeyekid

was up at catawba on the 11th for my birthday and slayed em bout 2 miles out caught my limit by noon


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## multi species angler

Why can't you post your experience with a guide service, good or bad so everyone can avoid being taken. Shouldn't have to PM. Bad service needs to be brought to everyones attention.


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## fishdealer04

multi species angler said:


> Why can't you post your experience with a guide service, good or bad so everyone can avoid being taken. Shouldn't have to PM. Bad service needs to be brought to everyones attention.


I agree. I think as long as you are accurate with what happened and not trying to slander the person I think it is a good thing. I would want to know if someone is sub-par so I don't waste my hard earned money or have a negative experience. I am going out with a guide next Thursday and it sounds like it might be the same guy but I don't want to say anything about it until after I go.


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## Kenlow1

Eye Popper, care to let us know who the guide was? Feel bad it turned into a bad experience but maybe someone else will benefit from this. 2 sides to everything, did you ask before trip what all was supplied with the charter? Most guides cannot let fisherman "bucket hop" and move outside the shanty for liability reasons, this is why you had to stay in shanty. He should have told you that you are responsible for jigging lures or that he supplies them for a price. No different than summer fishing charters where some captains will filet your catch for an extra fee. These things need to be ironed out before the trip?


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## Deadeyedeek

Bludog and eyepoper, we were the other 2 old guys in between you guys. We had our own stuff, just fish were not there! We only had 1 and blu had one(seagull picked on it) and eyepopper had 2..hell look at the bright side, you both outfished me and honestlt, thats the Absolute first time in 50+years on erie that I have been SKUNKED...And I aint shy, the guide was Pat Winke. I enjoyed everyones company and was glad to meet all..Heck at my age, I am glad to be there..Going tommorrow thru Tues gonna try Perry..


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## countryboy87

Not liking what I'm hearing. Supposed to head out with ole Winke Monday and from what he told me is all needed to bring was a lunch. If I have to buy pimples or anything not gonna be happy, especially since I called him to confirm that. Plus I already sent out my deposit but he hasn't received it yet might have to cancel if this ain't worth a crap. Any other recommendations?


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## linebacker43

Myself and 3 others are supposed to be heading out with him next Thursday. Let me know how your trip went please. I don't mind buying some lures to take with me, but if I need to, ill bring my own electronics so if I have to i can jump around looking for fish. We are heading up the night before so I may just buy my own lures then. thanks for any feedback

Linebacker43


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## Deadeyedeek

Country, Pat really is a good guy, he has plenty jigs and poles, take your own electronics..I allways have my own stuff, the shanty we had was great, good heat,etc. They have been catching alot of fish..good luck, and please post experiance.....Thanks


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## eye popper

well guys all i can say now is good luck.Be safe out there with some warm weather next week.Hope the fish turn back on like they were a week ago.


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## Kenlow1

Country boy, the brochure says bait and terminal tackle provided. I would be real pissed off if I was charged for pimples, only buy them from him if you had to replace one from losing?


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## fishdealer04

I am headed out with him next Thursday. He told me on the phone he supplies everything but jigs. Too many issues with people getting drunk and acting stupid and loosing jigs. Said I can bring my own or he will purchase me the ones that are working best and give me the receipt and I just pay what he paid for them. I am bringing some of my own stuff but told him to go ahead and pick me up a few since the selection of ice jigs in Cincinnati sucks. Hopefully everything works out though and can get on some fish.


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## pistol

I agree with Multi Species Angler, if a guide does everything in his/her power and follows through with what they say they are gonna do that all you can ask...fishing is fishing but when a guide is just interested in taking your money thats BS and forum followers should be made aware of that. Remember great guides cash in with great reports that arent hidden behind PMs why shouldnt sh---y guides get the same treatment and suffer because of it. Do you really think they care as long as they keep getting people to take out????? If they get enough complaints they will either change their ways or they wont be guiding anymore because no one will want to go out with them cause theres way too many good ones out there.


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## 68TheJackyl68

Sounds like an experience I had years back with a guide...pretty much an expensive air boat ride...did not want to move when we set with no marks, got nasty with our party when we asked to look for fish. Thank you to all the good guides out there that do work to put the customer onto some fish!


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## blairjb

Don't go with Winke----call me at 937-417-1093 and I'll explain.


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## dcool

Fished with Pat Winke today. He did a great job working with us to catch fish. Caught a few nice fish, but the bite today just wasn't there. Don't go off of one persons experience. Pat is a great guy and will work hard with you to help you catch fish. I would fish with him anytime.


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## fishdealer04

dcool said:


> Fished with Pat Winke today. He did a great job working with us to catch fish. Caught a few nice fish, but the bite today just wasn't there. Don't go off of one persons experience. Pat is a great guy and will work hard with you to help you catch fish. I would fish with him anytime.


I have heard both good and bad things about him and I believe that is how it is going to be with any guide out there. I don't want to judge until after I fish with him on Thursday. Was he willing to try and locate fish or did you get stuck fishing the same holes all day? Thats what would make me disappointed.


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## billk

Shoot. I called five guides three weeks ago and he was the only one to even return my call. We're headed out with him next Friday. Sounds like sour grapes cuz the fish wouldn't cooperate.


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## HappySnag

slabber21 

hearttxp 
his tred is in lake erie discussion,stiking on top.


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## Jason Pelz

Blue Dolphin posted a few days ago that he had some openings in July. He can catch you a ton of fish and fast. 

Sent from my VS840 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Carpman

I sent you a PM, always have open seats!


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## capt.america

Heading over from Wisconsin with my son on friday, 2/21. Hoping to show him a good time. We are experienced fisherman, but foremost i want to be SAFE. We never fished Erie, but have fished big water like Green Bay. Any suggestions would be HIGHLY appreciated. General areas that most focus on, lures, ATV or snowmobile, where to buy bait, cheap motels, access points for ATV, and dangerous areas to AVOID. Thanks


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## Marinette Sportfisherman

-Hwagen Boys Dave Gwin 
-Rip a Lip Mike Zelms
-Dj dememter Dbl D


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## beaver

I'll be there the weekend of the 21st as well. I'm fairly experienced on the lake in open water, but not on ice. Just started ice fishing a couple years ago. I can't help with anything except the hotel. I booked a couple nights at the Lake Erie lodge in curtice ohio for $39.99 a night. They had some rooms left when I called Thursday but they acted as if they go fast between fisherman and contractors.


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## ress

Capt,I'am sure all that is and has been coverd on Lake Erie and Hardwater Forums


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## capt.america

THANKS Senior Member Ress!


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## HappySnag

capt.america
plan on going of Catawba,reed the Catawba reports,on the way to Catawba state park are 2 bait store,buy minows,rapala,pimples and cleo,people drive fourweelers out of park,ice is good now,if is truble with ice somebody will say ,you have there every day 100 or more fourweelers and snowmobiles.

snag


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## capt.america

Thank you Snag! Good Luck to you!


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## multi species angler

slabber21 said:


> I wanted to post my exact same experience a few weeks ago with all due respect Mr. Winke. To start off, this rant isn't just because we didn't catch fish, because WE DID catch fish. Caught and took home a 7.5lbs, 6.5lbs 3.5lbs and some random guy gave us two more nice ones.
> When we signed up and mailed check, Mr. Winke told me everything was included except lunch. He stated he supplies everything else including fish finders and will work to find fish. To start off, he has us get the Cat. State park at 6:15 am. After he gets done taking his other groups out and dealing with them he FINALLY comes and gets us at 8:30 AM!! that's a long time to sit in the car and do absolutely nothing. Second he starts the stuff about the lures. Wants $23 bucks for them as we were under assumption everything was included. We never ended up paying him for the lures at the end of the day and I think he forgot about it. After he gets us to the shanty, (with no fishfinder as promised) he basically drops us off, gets us started, and comes back 3 times the entire day. Never did a damn thing for us except provide minnows and half broken rods. I can say the heat worked great, except for when propane ran out. We called him to tell him propane was out, but his phone was turned off. It was like high of 15 degrees that day, so luckily he came back and hour or so after running out of heat and he went for more propane. Lastly, he tells us be ready, "I will be back to get you guys at 4:15pm." Glad we ignored being ready by 4:15pm, because he didn't come back until 6:15pm. At that point he was in such a rush to get back he didn't want to photo us with our fish pictures. I talked him into doing it anyways. Even funnier, the next day calls me wanting copies of the pictures he bit**** about taking. I also wished we would have moved around to spot fish and then fish for them, but that's not clearly how he works. You basically fish in one spot for 9 hours and wait for the fish to come find you.
> I am coming back to Lake Erie this July. Anyone got good suggestions for another good charter? I will be towing my travel trailer up and don't think I will be bringing my boat to. I would like a charter that is willing to work to find fish..
> Thanks a lot!


 All I can say is WOW. How can anyone defend a guided trip like that.


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## homerun

Marinette Sportfisherman said:


> -Hwagen Boys Dave Gwin
> -Rip a Lip Mike Zelms
> -Dj dememter Dbl D


I've spent MANY days on the water with the Hawgn boys and Dave, Steve and Bugger work REALLY hard. We always find at least a 1/2 limit and most days a lot more.


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## slabber21

carpman- I will send you the PM back when this site allows me to. I think I need to make four more posts or something before I can send PMs


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## The Perch Monkey

Has anyone ever went out with papa johns charters?


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## Flathead76

I would recommend walleye fishing with Ross Robertson. He will work his ass off to put you on fish. He will not leave you in one spot waiting on fish. It just is not his style.


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## WalleyeWiz

When did he start doing ice trips ??

Dwayne


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## Eye Tamer

The Perch Monkey said:


> Has anyone ever went out with papa johns charters?



I am suppose to go with Papa John on Friday. My crew backed out and now I have to find 2 or 3 guys to fill the spot. If anyone knows or wants to go Friday 2/21 send me a PM. Suppose to call him Wednesday evening for details. I have heard good things about him but have never fished with him! He must be keeping busy because my name has been on his waiting list since mid Jan.


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## multi species angler

Countryboy87 , How was your trip? How did you do?


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## Flathead76

WalleyeWiz said:


> When did he start doing ice trips ??
> 
> Dwayne


I think he caters most of his ice trip for his best clients. You would have to contact him to see if he has any openings.


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## countryboy87

Ended up getting 2 between 10 guys...very slow. Fished from 7:30-3:30 guy had a camera and said he was seeing em just didn't want anything to do with us. I marked a few fish but only got one taker. The guide was OK just a stationary guy had all wooden shantys so fish had to be there. I didn't think he was a bad guide just not the most professional. Probably wouldn't go back to him but not sure the guide had much to do with the fishing today, east wind is almost always a killer.


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## multi species angler

Thanks for the report Countryboy87. Sorry to hear the bite was off where you guys were.


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## cschuller6

Sylvan Troller said:


> I am suppose to go with Papa John on Friday. My crew backed out and now I have to find 2 or 3 guys to fill the spot. If anyone knows or wants to go Friday 2/21 send me a PM. Suppose to call him Wednesday evening for details. I have heard good things about him but have never fished with him! He must be keeping busy because my name has been on his waiting list since mid Jan.


I might be available to go Friday... What's price? What's included? Airboat? It's gonna be shushed as hell


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## The Perch Monkey

Well I booked him for Sunday hoping the slush doesn't ruin the trip


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## Eye Tamer

cschuller6 said:


> I might be available to go Friday... What's price? What's included? Airboat? It's gonna be shushed as hell


Best thing to tell you for more information is go to Papa Johns Sportfishing web page and he has all the info you are requesting. He does run an airboat. He would like 4 guys but if we have 3 that would work. Price is $150 per man. As of right now I am by myself on account of the rest of the crew backed out so looking for a couple more fishing partners. All depends on much snow they received last night and how much rain we get Thursday as to if he will be running Friday.


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## Flathead76

Blairjb I would be pissed as well.


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## ress

Fair description of your trip. I've been on some of those bummer trips myself, sucks.


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## multi species angler

blairjb said:


> Yeah I booked a 2 day trip with Pat Winke for my self and Nephew---All I can say is Pat is a nice guy, but doesnt need to be guiding for Ice fishing. Day one we get out to the shanty and cant start fishing cause Winke left the lures in the truck. Fishing was super slow--Ok terrible---I had one bite the entire day and marked one fish (With my own Vex) I set the hook and Winke's Rod immediatly snapped in half at the base--Handlined the fish up halfway and got off--all his gear is old, but does pair well with the shanties. My partners rod but fell off and Winke said we were awefull hard on equipment. One day 2 another rod was broken in half while setting the hook from another fishermen. One of his cloth shanties was so small the married couple had to sit on the floor hunched over the hole in order to fish and they were little people. My partner got one bite all day as well. We fished the same dead hole for 10 hours. Winke would disappear for hours at a time----So I've been fishing for 40 years and know that sometimes the bite just isnt happening. When we get back to parking lots--everyones coolers are stuffed. hahahha. Winke did nothing to network the situation to find the fish. you would think with 30 years out there---a couple of calls could be made to help locate where the action is. So day 2 is the real killer. We get to the parking lot at 6, OF course Winke is not prepped to handle 6 fishermen--so he drags the first three out. After waiting over 2 hours in the parking lot. I call him. He answers and says he's broke down on his four wheeler. Hey that can happen, so We know our day of fishing is lost--so me and my newphew take off. The other guy waiting in the parking lot with us, called my around 11:00 and said==Winke wasnt broke down--He RAN OUT OF GAS. Wow can you believe that? My vacation is ruined becasue the guide doesnt put gas in his for wheeler to start out the day--- I'm hearing on this board that there are some very good guides out there who do a great job for their clients---Sometimes the fish will not cooperate, but you know a great guide when you have one. they are preparred for the condition, thier gear is top notch and ready, and they Work tirelessly to put you on fish. PAt may have been that man in days gone by, but he needs to put some serious attention into his operation if he is going to charge folks Money for what he is doing. It cost me over 1,000.00 to come up there for that experience---


 Great Report. This forum needs more detailed reports like this and the report from stabber 21. Good and bad reports. It's a shame when what may be a once in a lifetime trip turns out like this. And whats up with guided trips being over when a limit has been caught. I'm more of a catch and release angler than a meat hunter. If I was fortunate enough to be on a guided trip with a hot bite and was catching walleye 28" and over I would release all but my largest for a mount. If I pay up to $150.00 for a day trip, spend hrs of driving to get there, I expect to fish up to the last minute.
It would be a great help in deciding which guides to give our hard earned money to if more anglers would give detailed experiences of there guided trips. Anglers should be seeing fish on their electronics. And if the fish just weren't cooperating that's fishing. We all know one of the biggest determining factors of a day of catching fish instead of just fishing is being willing to move and hunt fish. Mobility. If no one is seeing fish on their electronics,move. Don't just sit over a single hole and wait for the fish to come to us. Which guides are willing to move their shanties and or clients to put them over fish? Within reason of course. From what I've been reading it sounds like some of these guides are trying to handle to many groups of clients in a single day. Ice fishing shouldn't be any different than boat fishing. The guide should be working with one group of anglers instead of running back and forth between groups and not doing all he could if he was just working with one group. All groups are short changed in the end.


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## BFG

> The guide should be working with one group of anglers instead of running back and forth between groups and not doing all he could if he was just working with one group. All groups are short changed in the end.


Here is my take: You get what you get with this sort of thing. I've been on several deep sea fishing charters and to be honest, they all sucked. But...I got to go fishing....and had the chance to perhaps catch big fish, so what more could I ask? These ice guys are making more money this year than they've made over the past 5 years combined on the ice. They have to be ecstatic. 

Just like snow goose hunting, I think the internet completely blows the average Joe's expectations for ice fishing on Lake Erie out of proportion. We see all these pics that have hog after hog and we immediately expect that is how our day is going to go as well. 

That is far from the case...it is still fishing...so if you are trying to hit a bullseye by pushing your stack all in on one particular day on the ice, you are taking a huge gamble. Yep...there are guys that will whack 'em on occasion by luck, but those who fish out there regularly know that it takes time and patience to find these fish and figure out what they want. 

It's no different than fishing open water...the guide can't make the fish bite. Moving is probably not all that great of an option, given the time it takes to disassemble and move a permanent shanty. What would you say if the guide told you "well, you won't be able to fish for the next two hours, cuz I have to move the shack 1.5 miles, so just tight here and hang out?" People would be pissed off about that too...so it is a no win situation for the guide. 

On a day like today...I would say "hey, drill me a couple holes 200 yards that way and I'll bucket fish...but at zero degrees??? You are stuck my friend. 

I don't know any of these guides, but it is a thankless job. People will complain about anything, and the basis of their complaint is the fact that they let something skew their perception of just "how good" it was going to be out there. I remember thinking we were going to shoot 200 snow geese per day in Missouri. Uh...no. We had one good day out of three, so if you are going to put in the effort and money to take a trip with a guided service, do it right and book at least two days to give you (and your money) and fighting chance.


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## multi species angler

Quote ( It's no different than fishing open water...the guide can't make the fish bite)

No they can't and I said that in my post. But a guide should be able to put you over fish. After all that's what they're being paid for. The vex. tells the story. I would hire a guide to put me over fish. I don't expect them to make the fish bite and I don't want the guide or anyone else catch my fish for me. Up to $600.00 for 4 anglers is an expensive taxi service.


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## BFG

> But a guide should be able to put you over fish. After all that's what they're being paid for. The vex. tells the story. I would hire a guide to put me over fish. I don't expect them to make the fish bite and I don't want the guide or anyone else catch my fish for me. Up to $600.00 for 4 anglers is an expensive taxi service.


Indeed, so perhaps the more prudent question that needs to be asked of said guide is "do you move around or are your shacks permanent?" 

Again, like snow goose guides...I am sure there are plenty of guys that are completely content with keeping their shacks in the same spot over the same holes for the duration. Snow goose guides do this all the the time....and they get away with it b/c there is a constant cycling of new meat coming to them every week with pockets full of money ready to pay. By the time you realize that you made a mistake, it is too late. 

Do your homework...and think about what we learned in this thread. 

1. Some guides do not move their shacks
2. Some guides want you to buy lures from them
3. Some guides have shoddy equipment
4. Some guides book more guys than they can transport and must do so in small groups meaning you get stuck waiting
5. Some guides do not sit there and hold your hand and tell you when to set the hook
6. Going on a guided fishing trip for one day vs. multiple days is a crap shoot at best. Fishing is fishing...some days great, some days it stinks. 
7. Paying a guide is not cheap, no matter who you hire

The guides are in this to make money. If it was just for the fishing, they would go out on their own, catch their fish, laugh, and go home. Nope..it is a business, and potential patrons to said business should do some research. 

Ask questions...and don't make a mistake. If the fishing sucks it is not the guides fault. If the guide sucks, it is partially your fault for not doing your homework and asking for references. Any guide worth his salt will be able to give you a list of a half dozen folks to call and ask questions. 

I can see both sides here. There will always be under-performing guides in any outdoor venture, but having said that, there will always be consumers that have unrealistic expectations as well.

Live and learn...that is the bottom line here.


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## pistol

The complaint is that the guide did NOT do as was promised. The issue isnt they didnt catch fish the issue is he said he would provide everything but lunch and he didnt. THATS the bottom line. DO what you say you were going to do then there is NO problem.


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## K gonefishin

I think the guides don't put people on a massive school of hungry walleye under their 8 inch hole should install a bracket on the back of their quad with a transducer and haul balls across the ice scanning for fish. That way every client can catch 30 fish a day and everyone wins.


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## 4dabucks

multi species angler said:


> Quote ( It's no different than fishing open water...the guide can't make the fish bite)
> 
> No they can't and I said that in my post. But a guide should be able to put you over fish. After all that's what they're being paid for. The vex. tells the story. I would hire a guide to put me over fish. I don't expect them to make the fish bite and I don't want the guide or anyone else catch my fish for me. Up to $600.00 for 4 anglers is an expensive taxi service.


I am going to agree on the above point with respect to either finding the fishing or at least trying. I have a job that has allowed me to go on a number of charters trips where I didn't pay the bill but also didn't get to pick the captain. Here is my take on how to spot a good captain/crew.
Is this equipement good or would I throw it away if I found it in my garage. Is the boat clean? Is the captain or the first mate talking to me about how I am presenting the bait, what the fish are doing at the time if casting or jigging, are they educating the crew on what they are doing wiht the trolling set up, Did they talk to the fisherman during the booking of the trip or on the way out to the fishing area to learn who was an accomplished fisherman and who in the group was going to need more help?


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## multi species angler

BFG said:


> Indeed, so perhaps the more prudent question that needs to be asked of said guide is "do you move around or are your shacks permanent?"
> 
> Again, like snow goose guides...I am sure there are plenty of guys that are completely content with keeping their shacks in the same spot over the same holes for the duration. Snow goose guides do this all the the time....and they get away with it b/c there is a constant cycling of new meat coming to them every week with pockets full of money ready to pay. By the time you realize that you made a mistake, it is too late.
> 
> Do your homework...and think about what we learned in this thread.
> 
> 1. Some guides do not move their shacks
> 2. Some guides want you to buy lures from them
> 3. Some guides have shoddy equipment
> 4. Some guides book more guys than they can transport and must do so in small groups meaning you get stuck waiting
> 5. Some guides do not sit there and hold your hand and tell you when to set the hook
> 6. Going on a guided fishing trip for one day vs. multiple days is a crap shoot at best. Fishing is fishing...some days great, some days it stinks.
> 7. Paying a guide is not cheap, no matter who you hire
> 
> The guides are in this to make money. If it was just for the fishing, they would go out on their own, catch their fish, laugh, and go home. Nope..it is a business, and potential patrons to said business should do some research.
> 
> Ask questions...and don't make a mistake. If the fishing sucks it is not the guides fault. If the guide sucks, it is partially your fault for not doing your homework and asking for references. Any guide worth his salt will be able to give you a list of a half dozen folks to call and ask questions.
> 
> I can see both sides here. There will always be under-performing guides in any outdoor venture, but having said that, there will always be consumers that have unrealistic expectations as well.
> 
> Live and learn...that is the bottom line here.


 Believe me I would ask a lot of questions. 

That's why I thought it would be a great Idea if we had a thread where anglers could post their experiences with their guide service. Good and Bad. The guides that do all they advertise and try their best to put their clients on fish should really like a thread like this. Can't get any better advertising than word of mouth and it would be free. On the other hand the guides that run out of gas, have junk equipment etc etc. well they're not going to like it much.
And again, I think most angers realize that guides can't make the fish that are lighting up the vex if one was provided, bite. It's the sitting at a single hole all day without seeing marks on the vex is what I'm talking about. 
I thought keeping track of fish movements and moving with them was what guides do. If other anglers are seeing a lot of marks on their electronics 2 miles further from where you are, perhaps the school has moved, move with the fish within reasonable distances.


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## Flathead76

Sounds like this particular guide is taking on way more clients than he can handle. By doing this he may be raking in the cash this season but he is trashing his name in the process. Its sad to see people take advantage of people for basically a high priced taxi service. I think that it is a good thing that people post up the good and the not so good guides on here. On the flip side there are days where the fishing just sucks. Thats par for the course. IMO the guides job is to entertain his clients to the best of his ability. My best guided trips have been to areas that I am not familiar with. On these trips the fishing was decent but not what I would call good. Now the guides made it a point though to make the trip educational, entertaining, and giving it a good effort to catch a few fish. Just seeing how people fish different parts of the country and world alot of times makes the trip worth it to me.

My Most favorite fishing trip of all time was in Caye Calker in Belize. Met up with some locals at a bar there and asked if they knew anyone who did all day fishing charters. They both said well we will take you out all day sun up to sun down local style for 100 dollars. This would include everything bait, gear, lobster diving, spear fishing, lunch, and all the weed that I could smoke. I told them that it was all good with me except that I dont smoke. Lol

So the next morning I get to thier boat with my rod and reel. The first thing that I notice is that thier boat is barely sea worty. The next thing that I notice is there are no fishing rods or reels. So Im thinking O.K. I have flushed 100 dollars down the toilet on worse. So I get into the boat and say why not?

So we motor out and go to catch bait. It takes them like an hour and a half to catch bait. Im like whatever. Then we start motoring around to go fishing. The first mate stood on the bow and was signaling with hand directions. Everything looked the same on the bottom. Never mind that the boat had zero electronics. So finally after a half and hour the first mate said here. Then they set and anchor. A badly worn rope with rocks tied to the end. Once the anchor settled the guide reaches into a bag to pull out the fishing equipment. He litterally hands me this ghetto 1/4 pound spool of old looking vintage K mart line that had only an egg sinker and hook. He shows me how to bait up the hook and cast like the natives do. So Im like thinking I brought a rod and reel but why not try it. We end up fishing for maybe an hour. I ended up catching probably 40 fish total. The box was full of mangrove snapper, lane snapper, yellow tail snapper, and grunts. Most of the fish were pushing around a pound each. Small but fun.

Then they say let go get some lobsters. They pull up the anchor and motor off. They spot a stick that they placed into the water and drive off like 300 yards in the opposite direction to look for thier trap. They ask if I wanted to go snorkling for them. I asked if it were cool if I just continued to fish while they do what they do. They said no problem. The cool thing about spiny lobsters is that the trap is nothing like we use for new england style lobsters. They catch them by shade. They sink a large piece of plywood to the bottom. The lobster gets hot and ducks under for shade. Then they snorkle down with a hand held hook. They peek under the plywood and use the hook to snag the lobster. The cool thing about this species of lobsters is that it does not have claws. We checked 3 traps total and had pushing 20 lobsters.

After this they sais lets get lunch. They motor off to this little island that had a hammock and a shack. I ask if if it were cool if I fished while they do what they do? They ask do you like cuda and bonefish? Im like......yup! The first mate takes me to the back of this island with my rod and reel plus bait. He said wade slowly out here and fish this sand bar. Then he tells me that he will get me when everything is ready. I ended up catching one bonefish and one barracuda. He comes back and tells me that everything is ready. Lunch was snapper and lobster.

After lunch they ask if I had ever heard of permit. I was like Im game. They said that they wanted to try for them because I had a rod and reel. Ended up hooking up with one but it spooled me. Powerful fish for sure. They said that it was getting late and they wanted to meet up with someone to sell the fish and lobster to. I was like thats cool. They said on the way in we will show you our pet tarpon. We get to this lagoon and it was chalked full of tarpon up to 50-60 pounds. We took the left over bait and hand fed the tarpon.

Sorry for the long read but sometimes you get a diamond in the rough when you expect nothing. Tipped the guide 30 bucks and gave the first mate my rod and reel for his tip.


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## SELL-FISH

Good story. All the weed you can smoke huh? Got there #. Lol


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## I'm G'na Ms Her

Flathead: We all know that the best part of any fishing trip is not the fish you caught but the stories you live over and over. Just think, at this time they may be out fishing, using that rod and reel and re-telling the story about the ****** who gave them the equipment


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## bobberbucket

SELL-FISH said:


> Good story. All the weed you can smoke huh? Got there #. Lol


I was thinking the same exact thing! Lol


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## SELL-FISH

bobberbucket said:


> I was thinking the same exact thing! Lol


Nothing like quenching the munchies with some lobster and fresh fish:S


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## Flathead76

SELL-FISH said:


> Good story. All the weed you can smoke huh? Got there #. Lol


I seriously doubt that they own a phone. They made it a point several times about the weed offer and I believed them lol! Very good people in Belize. When you get people who hustle to make money day in and day out its thier way of life. As soon as they saw that I ment to fish sun up to sun down it was on. They saw it as chance to make more money by selling fish because I was helping them out to catch more fish to sell. Didnt really want them to cater to me much because I was only there for the ride. If I went into it with a closed mind it wouldnt have been nearly as much fun. Caught like 12 different species of fish. Ate fresh snapper and lobster while kicking back on a hammock on a tiny private island on the ocean. Seriously who can say that they had a trip like that.


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## Flathead76

I'm G'na Ms Her said:


> Flathead: We all know that the best part of any fishing trip is not the fish you caught but the stories you live over and over. Just think, at this time they may be out fishing, using that rod and reel and re-telling the story about the ****** who gave them the equipment


They probably are. Its all good. At the place we stayed they had a long dock that went into the ocean. I brought two poles on that trip. There was a kid that was very interested in the rod and reel that I was using. The first morning he came right out and sat right beside me to watch me fish. The first snapper that I caught and released he was instantly like no no no please give fish to me. I was like no problem. I told him to stay put and I would be right back. I came back with my other pole and showed him how to use it. Never have seen someone light up like that. Every morning we would fish together off the end of that dock. Actually he was usually waiting for me every morning at the end of the dock to fish with a rod and reel. The last morning that we fished I gave him the rod and reel with the box of terminal tackle that I had. Hopefully its still working good for him.


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## thebige22

Hopefully he will "pay it forward" someday when he is older


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## threeten

awesome story FLATHEAD!!
It's always about the adventure-I could always go buy a fillet cheaper at a store if I had a taste for fish-but the adventure,getting there,going out,getting home-that's where it's at!
as for the topic-need to provide as advertised and make your clients feel they got their money's worth. and MOST do!


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## tomb

Trip of a lifetime Flathead 76! Unplanned stuff like that is always best. Glad you went for it and shared the story.


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## blairjb

Gents,

I want to be fair on my assessment of the trip I had with Pat Winke. He was nice enough to call me and respond to the letter I wrote him. One thing I did mention in my post was that he ran out or Gas. I have since come to find out that was not what happened. He did break down from all the water and slush of 2 days which caused electrical problems. Like I said originally I can understand a breakdown. So my Apologies to Pat Winke for not stating the actual situation.


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## slabber21

I also spoke with Mr. Winke tonight very briefly, and decided its best for me to remove any earlier posts I made. Mr Winke is trying to run a business and as with any business, will never make everyone happy. Best of luck to him with the remainder of the ice fishing season and hopefully a good spring/summer.


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## multi species angler

Did you make it out? If you did how about a report.


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## fishdealer04

multi species angler said:


> Did you make it out? If you did how about a report.


Trip got canceled due to the weather. He said he wasn't going to run anyone Thursday or today. Said he had openings on Sat and Sun but I will be working and he said Monday will probably be his last day because he is heading up to Wisconsin for a Cabela's thing. I am hoping to be able to get out with someone next week maybe. So far this is the 3rd year in a row I have tried to go and the first year it got canceled, last year not good ice, and now canceled again this year...haha maybe I should just stay down here in SW Ohio lol


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## The Perch Monkey

My trip with papa johns guide service was also canceled due to the captain being ill. I'm sitting at the catawba inn and seeing some open water creep up on a permanent shanty. Told the captain to book me for next weekend if he feels better. Oh well maybe next weekend.


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## Capt-Joe

I have heard many horror stories about how some guides treat their customers from people who fish with me. Anything from no bait to beat up equipment to lazy guides to you name it. Folks here are a few questions to help you pick a good guide:
1. Are you a fulltime guide? There are a lot of weekend warriors with a guide
license who fish 20-30 times a year. Most of 
them have no clue. Good fulltime guides will 
run well over 100 trips. I ran 138 last year.
2. How long have you been a guide?
3. Look at their website and take a look at pics. Also ask for their facebook 
Page and look at posts. 
4. Do a google search can you even find them?

Everyday on Lake Erie is different and you are fishing, but if your guide is not doing everything in their power to increase your chances of catching limits then they are not doing what you are paying them for.


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