We went out to B-10 with a guide this Wednesday. A buddy had booked the trip for he and a couple of customers of his. Knowing that I live for fishing and had taken him out serveral times he invited me along. This is where my dilema starts.

On our way down to Astoria, About a 4 1/2 hour trip for us, the guide calls and says he caught limits for all 5 of his guests and was back into the dock by 9:30 am, all the fish are coho. My buddies all excited with the news, I ask him if he is just wanting to catch Coho or would like to try for some kings. We both agree that kings are the fish to target and that coho with kings would be a bonus. We have great fishing 10 minutes from my house right now, problem is they are smaller coho and a few in the teens. Maybe around noon we would start to keep coho unless they where over 10lbs then we sould keep one open for a king. Later that day he talks to the Guide and lets him know we are not in a rush to fill our limits and that we would like to C&R and target the Kings.

That morning I knew somthing was up, over night the kicker develops a problem and can not be used. So we will have to troll with the big motor and it will be tough to go slow enough to target the kings. I didnt book the trip so I didnt feel it was my place to cause a stink, The cutomer recommended the guide to my friend. I repeated that we would like to C&R unless we get into some large coho and then we would still like to save a spot for some larger fish. The guide told me that the bite has been turning on and off so we should get what we can while we can. I said I would go without fish if the bite turned off and the others didnt get their limit, I didnt drive a 9 hour round trip to get some small coho. I was told he had things to do and wasnt going to waste the gas or the time over one fish. He repeated that the bite could shutt off and he wasnt willing to take that chance. I looked at my buddie rolled my eyes and suggested that we " the four paying customers" should make the choice to take a chance on the bite shutting off. Fishing was good from the start, so good we had our limit of 15 fish, 3 of which where his, by 8:45 AM. Hatchery coho at a rate of about 4:1 over the nates.

Before you could say throw it back, the coho was bonked and into the fish box whout out being bled. All fish hatchery or native where netted, boated and then checked. I told him in Washington and I thought Oregon also that native fish are not to be removed from the water, netted or boated. It was a major infraction to do so, he said he didnt care, he was not going to stick his hands down there with those hooks flying around to release the fish. I told him that was a major problem with me, he didnt respond. On my third fish of the morning I caught a Native it was brought into the boat, I told the Guide it had a fin, and it looked like he was going to bonk it, I told him loudly that it was a native, he bonked it anyways. I asked him what he was going to do now, he asked about what? I said check that fish in your net, it is a nat, he checked and sure enough a nice fully intact fin. I told him to me thats two major violations and what are you going to do with the fish now. He said he was going to release it like your suppose to do, which is fine except for killing it first. We get back to the dock about 9:10 and to the fillet station about 9:15. People ther where giving the guide a bad time about being in so early, and with now kings. About 9:45 an older couple arrive with their limit and it included 2 nice little kings. they said they targeted the kings and then went and got their coho.

I was pretty upset about it, and when we left the customers and the guide to head home I asked my buddy if he got his moneys worth from this trip. We did get limits, but that was the only brite spot. We all would have liked to fish longer, would have liked to tried to catch larger fish or at least targeted them. I excpeted this out of a larger charter boat, not a guide boat at twice the price.

I am going to call the guide today and let him know how i feel and that I believe he owes my buddy a 1/2 day on the water. I would go out with him if he paid me.

What can or should I do.

He seams to be a well respected guide, or at least I have heard good things about him.
He netted all the coho including several natives and bonked one of the nat's. I dont think it was a mistake but I will leave that one alone.

Would like you imput.

It sounds like the guy has lost his love for the sport and is more in it for the money than anything else. I would have to say to not recommend him and if anybody asks tell them who he is. Guys like this are the ones that give the real good ones a bad name. I fish with a guide every year on the OP. He still gets so wired up and shakes when you catch a fish. This is the perfect job for a guy like this. He still loves the sport.

Not to mention this guy is supposed to be a professional-turn him in!!!!!

We don't need guides out there breaking the law! It's bad for fishing and it's bad for the fish. The fact that he bonked a nate is incredible...he should have his license revoked and should be fined. Now it's your responsiblity to go to the WDFW and make the formal complaint. If you don't do it, nobody will and this kind of B.S. will continue.

As you mention, fishing is bigger than just catching limits. If you're only intent is to catch limits, you're missing the bigger picture.

Hopefully your conscience will drive you to the WDFW!!!

If he broke the law,turn him in.

Im not sure if he meant to bonk the nat. We had fish flying all over and i want to give him the benifit of the the doubt. Netting the fish was a bigger deal, it happened to every fish regardless of releasing or not.

Call fish and game, now. He's lazy and irresponsible, and he put you at legal risk.

I would also check to see if he's a member of a guide's association. If so I would write them a letter of complaint. If you do, be damn sure you can back up what you say, as he could sue you if you can't proove what you say is true. I learned that the hard way when I filed a complaint about a doctor. What I said was true, but it was his word against mine. I had no proof.

DO what u can to get him off the water, end of story!

I have fished with many excelent guides. I like Mike Kelly of Hell's Anglers. He is a hard worker and does things right. I do think that the average customer for these guides is after meat and therefore they are used to getting meat into the boat. They are also very competitive and want to be known as the guide who limits all his customers by 8am..the word spreads among the customer base and so it goes on and on. They want to get back in and sometimes fit in another full priced trip.

Knowing what I know about your fishing experience (especially this summer) I would say you should have laid down the law before going out. Most people who pay $150 to fish want the meat. I want the expereience as you do. I have fished with Robbin Rhodes on the Quinault and he gets us on the water in the morning and back at the house at dark...Well worth the $150.

The guide you went with sounds like he is burned out and only in it for the money. Turning him in won't do as much good as publishing his name right here. I guess your friends are witnesses to what took place.

I think the right and morale thing to do is turn him in. It is apparent that he has lost respect and interest in the sport- burned out!

If I was a guide, I would surely want to give my customers what they want (legally).

Turn him in... Maybe there are other complaints.. (Bonk'em and let him float down river without a license)

As a full time guide, I am insulted by this guy. He is not a real guide or a guide at all. Turn him in . The fishing should be fun and you should not have worry or feel bad on a guided trip. It should be a wonderful time, even if the fishing is slow or bad. Then you know you have a good guide.
There is a lot more to guiding, than just catching fish.
I hate to think about the people fishing with him that don't know much about fishing, They would not have a clue. I think the guide should be responsable for the fines and if the guided folks want to break the law, I would give them a ride back to the dock and give them there money back.
If he can't tell the difference between a wild coho and a hatcherie before it comes in the boat, He's not a guide. I don't care how fast they are coming in. you should at least check before you bonk it. That is, if you can't keep nates.

turn his ass in. the wdfg can put a sting on him.

I sent an e-mail to him and will wait until Monday for his reply. I will share his reply and then make a descision on what to do.

As Bob Gray says-There is a lot more to a guide than just catching fish. After Bob came to our PSA meeting as a guest speaker, you can tell his love for the sport. I have been on many guided trips and not all produce for different reasons. I would go back with them just because they really made it fun and interesting. One I really liked was Bob McNeeny on Lake Pond Oreille (Seagull Charters). We caught huge Kamloops Rainbows. They were 5, 10,13,17, and 25 #s. Great trip. We went the next two years and didn't get into big fish but really enjoyed the trip almost as much as with the fish. He has since retired. I have talked to Bob Gray since the PSA meeting and he fits the shoes of Bob M. Attitude is Everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh come on, JR, tell us who this "guide" is and give us his email address!

I bet he'd get a REAL surprise the next time he opened up his email program! I wonder how many new "friends" would email him.

Please post the name of the guide!

It would really help those of us who might be in the market for a B-10 charter. Not posting his name is doing him a real favor.

PM or e-mail me the name of this guide. OR better yet...post it over the net so everyone can see

Post his name etc. and turn him in.