Misguided
I had one of those trips where the best catch of the day was the ride back to the dock after the boat broke down. If you have booked enough guided fishing trips, there is a distinct possibility you’ve had at least one bad one. Bad trips can mean a lot of different things, horrible weather, bad fishing, or a guide you don’t get along with.
Growing up, we never had the opportunity to fish with a guide, which only deepened my curiosity about what a guide was. I assumed they had superpowers. After my first guided trip as a young adult, we got off the water at 9:00 am with five limits of redfish. It was confirmed that guides have a supernatural connection with wildlife.
Guides are often asked to do a great deal when bad trips occur, so it feels unfair to hold them fully accountable in all situations. However, I will be the first to say I have had some disappointing boat rides back to the ramp, during which my mind typically drifts back to, “Man, I sure paid a lot per pound for those fish.”
Recently, I had one of those bad trips, where the fish didn’t cooperate, and neither did the guide’s boat. We left out of Galveston. He asked us to arrive at the ramp at 4:00 AM. We arrived just a bit late due to ferry difficulties. We arrived at the launch ramp super early with the intention of hitting the lights. I thought it was the coolest idea in the world, a guide hitting the lights.
He described perfectly which light would be most productive. We passed several lights that seemingly looked the same, and then, Voilà! ―We hit one that was teeming with life.
Although the activity was plentiful, we only managed to catch two tiny trout. Once the sun was starting to creep over the horizon we decided we would drift the flats. The lack of production at the lights served as an early warning of what we should have expected as the day went on. Three fishermen, thousands of casts, and only one keeper trout to show for it.
We decided we would accept defeat and haul back in around 1:00. While we mulled over the possible reasons why the fishing was so poor, we put everything away for our long boat ride back. Unfortunately, that long boat ride back got a whole lot longer when the lower unit did not engage.
We could move forward around four miles per hour or so, but the lower unit would not stay engaged. We thought it would be possible to utilize the trolling motor to make progress while we worked on the lower unit. We made little progress with the trolling motor, and even less with fixing the motor.
We accepted defeat for the second time and decided to fish until we could “catch” a lift. Fortunately, on the weekend, we didn’t have to wait long for someone to stop by and, thankfully, the first person we waved down was willing to tow us in.
As they got closer to us, they noticed my brother-in-law's UT fishing hoodie. They said, “We were willing to help you… but he has to remove his hoodie and give a quick GIG EM.” Being a good sport, Tristan was more than willing to comply. To the fine gentlemen who gave us a tow back, GIG EM, and GO AGGIES!
We made it back to the boat ramp, sunbaked, tired, and ready to be home. It was easy in that moment to feel defeated, and that the trip was truly a total loss. The old saying about a bad day fishing is hard to agree with when it feels like nothing is working.
I have had enough trips, both good and bad, and I try never to judge a guide by the number of fish they bring in on that one day. Honestly, as consumers, we do need to manage our expectations. If you are only booking a guide to “catch lots of fish,” do yourself a favor and go to HEB; it’s a lot cheaper.
Beyond the simple did I catch fish measurement system to determine whether the trip was good or bad, ask yourself whether the experience was enjoyable overall, did you find the personality of the guide agreeable, did he or she bust their butt despite things not working out, did you learn anything new?
What it boils down to is if you answer yes to one or more of those questions, the lack of catching might just be less important than you first thought. If you would be interested in sharing your experiences, good or bad, email [email protected].