gps with a guide? ethical?

[johnnybub]

me and my wife have a guide this weekend at ky lake for a crappie trip( she got this for our anniversary),,, my question is would it be ethical to use my garmin gps to mark waypoints were we catch fish? I of course would ask the guide first, we certainly wouldnt fish out his spots since we only fish ocasionally,,
thanks

[Tunica]

I would think it would be rude either way...after all thats how He is making his money. Even If he said ok, it would be poor form in My opinion...but I sure would be looking for landscape markers.

[medic1292]

That is a Tricky Question. First, You are correct to ask first, some guides are easily offended. I fished with a deep sea guide and made the mistake of leaving my GPS in my bag from a previous trip. The guide saw it and turned the boat around and Poliety asked for me to leave it in my truck! Second, you run the risk of not fishing some of his/her best spots. Lastly he may just say NO., or he/she may not have a problem with it, but asking is your best bet, and then respect his/her decision. Thats my 2 cents. I learned the hard way!

Rick

[NIMROD]

Depends on the guide some allow it and some don't. Like it was said that's his livelyhood. I've heard of some guides in saltwater strictly forbid them used by clients. I take a lot of people fishing and rarely ever let them mark my fishing holes. I do welcome them to help come out and build more for the both of us. I have kin folks that ask for my gps locations of brushpiles. They never help build any and I seldom if ever give out mine. I have over 100 personally and don't think it's fair for me to spend time and money for benifit of those who refuse to help. I do not guide yet , but take a lot of folks fishing. Burns my arse when they try to go back and take over my spots. I worked hard to build them. Some folks ask to go again when we catch a bunch ,but never help with expenses or help build brushpiles. I hate freeloading @#$%^&* moochers! I seldom take people hunting for same reasons. You take someone once with an understanding that this is my spot. Next they are back with someonelse and it's their's !

[Crappie Chatt]

Yes ALWAYS ask!!!! I guide part-time and tell my clients to bring theirs but,,,, remember that they have PAID for these spots. If they give them away to their friends,,, they should expect them to be fished out the next time out. It's bad enough that there are those that follow guides from a distance to find spots. When I notice those well,,,, get ready to go on a boat ride of the lake. I'll even tell my clients what is happening and it gets a laugh from them. Most of my clients don't have a boat or the equipment it takes to duplicate to where or how we fished. Those that do mark spots,,ALWAYS respect me enough to stay off them when I'm on them. I REALLY like them to come by and ask how it's going because,,,I'm their friend for life. I'll even give reports to my past clients of where to start over the phone. The real blessing of this is, and this has happen more than I can remember, if they get on fish, they will come and tell me. Now how about those beans??? I love what I do and don't expect to change,,,,EVER. <*)}}}><

[ThrillSeeker]

This is a VERY good topic. I've never gone on a guided trip, but there's a reknown guide here in the Nashville area that does seminars and videos that will talk to you about various spots, and will even go as far as marking them on your map for you. I'm sure he doesn't give up his "honey holes," but his theory is that there are no "secret spots" on the lake, because it's public water.

Johnnybub, keep this one thing in mind, though: Kentucky Lake crappie fishermen take their crappie holes VERY seriously. I would definitely recommend asking, but don't get offended if he says no.

[REDBOAT]

What do you need to mark spots on a GPS for? Sort of takes the fun out of it. If you are going with a guide to learn that particular lake then I like Tunica's train of thought and just remember landmarks to get in the right general area.

[NIMROD]

We build lots of small brushpiles in open water. They are mostly small ,room for 1 boat only. I have trouble finding most of them without the aid of GPS and depthfinders. We have lots of people too lazy to help , but ready to take over a spot we buildup. The regulars around here find one that's full of fish and their sitting on it till it's picked clean! We bait catfish every summer and spend lots buying hundreds of pounds of feed. This does'nt bother those trying to steal out holes we bait. At times we have to be there before daylight to get on our baited holes. That's even worse as we use as much as a ton of feed over the early summer baiting the fish in. Not fair when some cheap !@#$%^&* knowingly tries to take over our baited hole. I know it's public waters , but they can bait their own if they want to buy the feed.

[Crappisaurusrex]

I dont think it would be right to mark the guides spots. But on the other hand quite a few "Secret brush piles" are found by good fisherman and when found this way it's first come first served. I guess the only way to have them completely to yourself is put them in your pond in the back yard.

[mperry]

I have not met any of the guides at Ky. Lake but have talked to several of them. It probably depends. Most of them are pretty free about advice and locations. I received an e-mail from one of the guides offering to help me out and he no longer guides for crappie. Go to kentuckylake.com and check out the site. Not sure who you got but Old Guide is very good about helping out and he does guide on the lake.