Beginners and experienced fishermen both benefit from hiring a fishing guide, but for different reasons.

Beginners are interested in learning the basics of how to catch fish. Without a guide, they would most likely not be successful.

Experienced fishermen benefit from fishing with guides to learn subtle tactics that are important to catching more and bigger fish or learning a whole new way to fish.

Top reasons to hire a fishing guide as a beginner

1. Fishing is a lifetime sport and is the glue that holds many outdoor families together. Spending time fishing with your son, daughter or grandchild is priceless time. Get your kid hooked on fishing through a guided trip and a shore lunch.
2. You don’t just put on skates and play hockey like Wayne Gretzky. Fishing is a skill you need help to learn, but you can catch fish right away if you go with a guide.
3. Learn how to cast, work a bait and speak authentic fishing lingo like, “We slammed the walleyes,” “That is one heck of a backlash” or “We are going to stink up the frying pan tonight.”
4. Have a great time catching as many fish as experienced fishermen, but without the huge investment in reels, poles, baits and boats.
5. Guides enjoy seeing their customers get hooked on fishing (if you don’t hook them in the head with a treble hook!). If you listen, put the tips to work and are persistent, you may catch a fish of a lifetime!

Top reasons to hire a fishing guide as an experienced angler

1. Learn how to swallow your pride, catch bigger fish and more fish consistently. It’s why you are out on the water, dummy. Quit blaming the wind and use some beer money on a professional guide so you can get on the fish! Seriously, learning new water and new techniques are important to catching bigger fish and more fish. These guys catch a lot of fish, and they are good at it. Hire a guide, ask a lot of questions and try what he suggests.
2. Make a new friend for life and see a lot of pictures of huge fish! Fishing guides enjoy interacting with customers who come back and are excited about fishing.
3. Everyone wants to be the “Fish Whisperer” who always finds the fish, but it’s difficult, especially if you are not consistently out on the water fishing. Take the pressure off yourself and put the pressure on a guide who is on the water multiple times per week. Afterward, if you don’t do well, your buddy can blame the guide instead of your lack if fishing talent.
4. Fishing is a lifetime sport and is the glue that holds many outdoor families together. Spending time fishing with your son, daughter or grandchild is priceless time. Get your kid hooked on fishing through a guided trip and a shore lunch.

Check out the AMSOIL Midwest Fishing Report to find out where the fish are biting in the Midwest.