Guided trips getting too $$$?

[Bob Loblaw]

I'm planning a trip to Idaho with my daughter before she goes back to school in a couple of weeks; a few days in Ketchum and a few more in Victor. We want to check a few bucket list rivers. Without naming names, the prices are INSANE. One shop is quoting $425 for four hours of guiding on Silver Creek, so no boat needed, plus $150 per person if we want to use their rods, plus $20 per person for lunch! The Henry's Fork is $725 for a day drift and that doesn't include flies! its bring your own or pay for them. When you add taxes and gratuity and Idaho licenses, its getting close to $1,000 for a day of fishing!

I used to treat myself to about 4 guided trips a year when the going rate was $500. I don't think I'll ever hire a guide again at these prices. its hard to enjoy the day when your teeth are grinding so much. I suppose if there are enough people willing to pay ever higher prices the guide services will charge what the market will bear.

[Sonoman]

Hi Bob, I hear you. Many guides certainly work hard and, historically, just scraped by financially. I had others in AK and CO that were expensive, lazy, and, frankly, not very good guides. Guides are usually the best way to learn new water, but I always worry about paying top dollar for mediocre guides. I agree with you, $800-1000/day busts my budget and limits how many I can afford.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I agree that the price of guided fly fishing is going crazy.

It is not the guide's problem though.

If you check into it some guides have married women who have "real jobs" with good incomes, retirements and benefits.

Some guides have outboard skiffs that are $50,000 to $100,000 in the Delta!

Having a guide's license, captain's license, being bonded, and being insured, having a boat, most guides have big overheads.

Sadly, lots of fisheries are not very good anymore so without guides many fly fishers would not be successful.


With costs going up for everything and fisheries collapsing, I can see fly fishing becoming a very rare hobby.

[Bob Loblaw]

I've been very lucky with guides in the past. I've only once had a bad experience with a lazy guide, which ironically was in Idaho, and every other time they've busted their tails and earned every penny. I'm not against a guide making a decent living, or a very good one for that matter, the price is just a sign of the times. There's a lot of new money coming into fly fishing and there are a limited number of guide licenses on most waters, so its only natural they can charge more. I'm lucky I have a guide I use in CA, who is not only a great guide, but he grandfathers in his old clients at pre covid prices!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

60-plus years ago most trout fly fishers had about $100 invested in equipment.

Most just drove up into the mountains and wet-waded trout streams that had lots of fish.

They might have a vest, old cane or fiberglass fly rod, simple fly reel, floating fly line, leaders and some snelled flies in a wallet.



You can only imagine what it cost per day for a family of 4 to go to Disney Land, plus food.

Take a family of 4 to a professional baseball, football or basketball game, plus food.



It is getting too expensive to be alive today.

[steveg137]

Agree
Wife got me half day for Father’s Day and I rounded it up to full day
I think in Ketchum theres lots of corporate stuff too.

[yubaman]

ah, the law of supply and demand. The Henry's Fork is on the extreme side of guide rates. For that rate, having to bring your own flies or buy them is mind blowing . . . and charging you more for lunch, man that is C.S., but that is the Henry's Fork. Most outfits are in the $600 - $650 range, including flies and lunch.

Here is one for you though, when we were just in Wyoming, we floated twice on the Green. Standard rates. However, if you wanted to float the Wind River, on the reservation . . . it was $900 . . . and you also had to purchase an additional license to fish on the reservation!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!

[fivefingers]

Guides around here have settled around $600 a day, and honestly, I think it's pretty unsustainable if you plan on making it a career. It's probably going to 650 or 700 within a year or two. It's just going to have to. The price of gasoline alone is ridiculous.

Is going out with a guide expensive? Hell yeah it is, which is why you should vet out the good ones who focus on teaching rather than putting you on fish. And it goes both ways. You should go out hoping to learn the river, how to successfully fish it, its history, ways to support its sustainability; and maybe, if you're lucky, you might touch some fish.

I think it's us, as fly fisherman, to set the expectations of people coming into the hobby. It's not about numbers. It's about preserving the fishery, now. And I stress this to all guides - you need to impress that onto your clients.

Otherwise we all lose.

[Mr T]

Guides around here have settled around $600 a day, and honestly, I think it's pretty unsustainable if you plan on making it a career. It's probably going to 650 or 700 within a year or two. It's just going to have to. The price of gasoline alone is ridiculous.

Is going out with a guide expensive? Hell yeah it is, which is why you should vet out the good ones who focus on teaching rather than putting you on fish. And it goes both ways. You should go out hoping to learn the river, how to successfully fish it, its history, ways to support its sustainability; and maybe, if you're lucky, you might touch some fish.

I think it's us, as fly fisherman, to set the expectations of people coming into the hobby. It's not about numbers. It's about preserving the fishery, now. And I stress this to all guides - you need to impress that onto your clients.

Otherwise we all lose.

Well said-


and lets face it- EVERYTHING has gotten overpriced, not just guides...

[PV_Premier]

In Victor, I would personally recommend Teton Valley Lodge or, as a backup, Worldcast. They have all-inclusive pricing and will not nickel and dime you like some of the outfitters in Island Park or the other "big name" shop in the Valley. Yes, prices are high. TVL will run you about $875-900 for a day including the tip. It is what it is out here, unfortunately. As stated up thread, virtually everything is now just too expensive since the Fed fell so far behind the curve on inflation and didn't catch it before the wage/price spiral kicked in.

If you are a rower, you can also rent a drift boat from the place in Ashton and pay Yellow Sally to run shuttle for you. The total cost would be about 40% of a guided trip, but obviously this would not allow you to fish Bear Gulch to Warm River if that was one of your goals.