Striper Guides: Tipping

[MB]

Sorry if this is an over-discussed topic, but here is the question: What is the accepted ediquette for tipping your guide for a half day trip fishing for stripers in Boston Harbor? We would be guided by the owner of the guide service using his own boat. Thanks for your advice and experience.

[saxatilis]

This is a service that you are provided. As with most service related things you should consider giving the guide a tip as part of your payment. I believe that between 10 and 20 % is standard assuming that your service was good. On the other hand, if your service is bad, consider not tipping. It is my experience that you can avoid running into bad guides by booking with only the best guides in a particular area.

just my two cents.

[bunker]

It all depends on the service you get. The better the service the better the tip. Also figure in the fact that the guide may own the boat but his/her expenses are pretty high. So a tip is a good thing to do. Again in accordance to service. 10 - 25% is typical. I stick with 20% if its good, 25% if great. I haven't had a really bad guide as of yet.

[rferrini]

Please tell me if I'm wrong, but I always thought it was inappropriate to tip the owner of any business. As far as I can tell the vast majority of guides are also the business owner, ergo the vast majority get no tip. Right? Wrong?

[fishinimpossible]

Unless you want the guy to mutter about you being a cheapskate after he showed you one of the best days you've ever had, tip him. On a full day ($350 charter) I usually tip 50 bucks. If I could afford it, I'd give these guys more.

[rferrini]

Point taken loud and clear.

[MB]

So I gues $350 is not the actual cost of a six hour trip. $400.00 is. Is that the consensus?!

[TomDunlap]

I would agree with that last statement

[riptide]

I agree only if the service is good. As a guide I don't "expect" a tip if I perform poorly. I'm doing a job and your paying me to do it. If I excell at my job, tip me. If I pound you around the bay all day, treat you poorly (not that I would) don't tip me. I charter guides when I go on vaction and nearly all have been worthy of a tip at the end of the day. One offshore guide in Islamorada was definately NOT !! And remember, the number of fish isn't always the indicator of the level of service. All the fish in the bay don't make up for a rude guide, nor does a day of slim picking's rule out a tip when the guide worked his tail off and been a great host.

Capt. Terry Nugent<BR>Riptide Charters<BR>www.riptidecharters.com

[jb]

Went on a inshore trip one time with four other fishermen, one mate and one captain... the word (then) was to tip the mate, so we did (20%). Never thought about tipping the captain, and had been told it wasn't expected. So if there is a mate AND captain, are you supposed to tip them both? Or in other words, on a $600 day trip, a tip of $240?