Why I Finally Hired a Guide
After fifteen years of fishing the Louisiana marsh on my own—getting lost in wrong turns, burning gas on dead ends, and catching just enough redfish to convince myself I knew what I was doing—I finally admitted I needed help. I booked a full-day inshore trip with Captain Mike Frenette out of Venice, Louisiana, for $600 plus tip. It felt like an absurd amount of money. I could buy a new reel for that. Two new reels, actually. But I was tired of being mediocre at my favorite fishery.
The trip was scheduled for late September, prime time for bull redfish running the passes and specks stacking up in the back lakes. I drove down from Baton Rouge the night before and met Captain Mike at the marina at 5:30 AM.
What $600 Gets You
First, let me break down what was included. The $600 covered the boat (a 24-foot bay boat rigged specifically for shallow water), fuel, all tackle, live bait, ice, bottled water, and Captain Mike’s 30 years of experience. I didn’t have to bring anything except my license, sunscreen, and lunch. For comparison, launching my own boat, buying live bait, and burning 40 gallons of gas would have cost me about $200—but I wouldn’t have had the knowledge.
And the knowledge is what you’re really paying for. Within ten minutes of leaving the dock, Captain Mike was pointing out subtle current seams and color changes I never would have noticed. He explained how redfish use certain points on falling tide and different points on rising tide. He showed me how to read the grass lines and predict where bait would push. Fifteen years of self-teaching, and I learned more in that first hour than I had in the previous decade.
The Fishing
By 9 AM, we had boated twelve redfish between 22 and 28 inches. I kept a limit of five for the freezer and released the rest. Captain Mike had us throwing gold spoons on light spinning tackle, matching the size and color of the pogies the reds were chasing. When the topwater bite slowed, he switched us to Carolina-rigged shrimp and we picked up another eight fish. By noon, we’d caught more redfish than I typically catch in a month.
But here’s the thing that really justified the cost: Captain Mike took us to spots I never would have found on my own. These weren’t secret holes—other boats knew about them—but the specific approaches, the casting angles, the tide timing, all of that was proprietary knowledge earned through decades on the water. He positioned the boat perfectly for every drift, called out the strikes before I felt them, and coached my hooksets until they became muscle memory.
The Verdict: Was It Worth It?
Yes. Unequivocally, absolutely yes. But here’s the important caveat: it was worth it because I treated it as an education, not just a fishing trip. I brought a notebook. I asked questions constantly. I paid attention to every decision Captain Mike made, from which pass he chose in the morning to why he changed lures at 10:30. By the end of the day, I had ten pages of notes and a mental map of that marsh that has served me well in the years since.
If you just want to catch fish and take hero shots, a guide trip will absolutely deliver that. But if you want to become a better angler—to learn the water, understand the patterns, and eventually fish independently with real confidence—then $600 for a day with a great guide is one of the best investments you can make.
Tips for Hiring a Guide
Do your research. Read reviews, check references, and ask specific questions about what’s included. Be honest about your skill level so the guide can tailor the day appropriately. Tip well if the guide worked hard—20% is standard for good service. And most importantly, treat the trip as a learning opportunity. The fish you catch that day are a bonus. The knowledge you take home is the real value.
