Why Hire A Striper Fishing Guide

Striper guides work is never done.
Lake Ouachita Striper Fishing Guides  l  Lake Norfork Striper Fishing Guides

Striped Bass Fishing Guides hear that question a lot.

Striper Fishing Guides encounters anglers of all skill levels from around the world.
 Many balk at the price, perhaps not realizing how much can be learned in one day from
a knowledgeable guide. The most skeptical of all, is the angler who has 20-30 years of fishing experience,
 and thinks he has nothing to learn and can catch fish wherever he goes.

Contact Ben Sanders
501-262-2610 or
501-318-3092     

40 pound Striped Bass Ben Sanders

Anglers benefit differently from a guided trip.
 Many Professional Fishermen on the pro circuits hire guides when they fish new water.
TV fishing shows hire guides as they travel to different sites, sometimes several different guides at the same time.

So the right question is not "'Who needs a guide?"', but 
 "What can I gain by hiring a Striper Guide?"

Striper Fishing guides are a special breed. Men and women that cannot seem to place any importance on anything not directly related to fishing.
Guides eat sleep and drink fishing, living a life only the most passionate fishermen can tolerate. Living on shoestring budgets,  grabbing power naps in their trucks between morning and afternoon trips, catching live bait in the hours and days when they are not guiding,  But, they are a happy bunch, they love the life they have chosen, most cannot imagine ever doing or wanting to do anything else.

These are the folks who fish to live and live to fish and want to share their experiences with their clients, friends and family. Many guides I know spend 300+ days per year on the water. The real pleasure of guiding comes in watching a child, grown man or woman giggle like a school kid because they just caught a big Striped Bass in your favorite spot. No money can replace watching that type of exhilaration from children or grownups.

Fishing reports or reading literature about lakes for the most part, cannot give you all the information you need to fish effectively in a few hours on a new lake. I read reports before I embark on new water, but only as a resource, fishing reports are yesterdays news. They will never replace the knowledge you can receive from a guide who has been on a particular lake fishing for Stripers 300 days a year, for the last 10 years. The fishing reports might tell you Stripers are hitting Redfins off points,  but the reports can in no way tell you what to do when you find the point but no Stripers.

Striper Guides can. They have learned through trial and error and  frustrating Fishing days, what catches fish when what "always works" - isn't working. It is this knowledge gained only by raw and sometime frustrating experience and years of persistence that can turn a slow day on the water into a day to create lasting memories.

Some fishermen revel in the challenge of "figuring out" new water, but if you are willing to spend thousands of dollars on equipment, rental cars, and accommodations, why not spend an extra couple bucks, hire a guide early in your trip, and learn some valuable inside information that will save you time and make your entire trip more productive. You may only get a few weekends a year to chase Stripers, hire a guide your first day. Pick the guide's brain on where to fish, what to use, and what time of day to be on the water and for the rest of your vacation. I am certain you will enjoy the trip much more.

Pamper yourself. Let someone else furnish boat, tackle and bait. Tie your knots, undo your backlashes, take you to the best spots on the lake, tell you jokes, take your photos and clean your fish.

If you have a map of Arkansas, take it out and look at it. Approximately only 8 rivers and Lakes in our State hold Stripers. All Lakes and rivers are not created equally, and not all are suited to your particular style or your skill level. Especially in the July and August days when Stripers move deep.

All Fisherman can learn from a guide. Beginners will be able to grasp the fundamentals more quickly in one day on the water with a guide, than they could in one month fishing on their own. Most guides are patient, experienced objective teachers. They truly enjoy teaching a beginner or young person how to catch their first Striper.

People tell me they listen better to instruction from a guide than their husband, brother, friend, or whoever got them started. Experienced anglers will learn better from a guide if they are honest with themselves and the guide about their strengths and weaknesses. Do not exaggerate your abilities to impress them. 

Everyone serious about catching a large Arkansas Striper can benefit from a Striper Guide.

Communication is the key to a successful fishing trip. Let your guide know what you expect, what you like and don't like. Ask what type of technique you will be using, what type of baits you will be fishing with. Not all guides are alike, some will bark at you like a drill sergeant all day long, some are very mellow and relaxed. The one thing guides all have in common is the love of Striper Fishing. Find one that suits your style and you will become lifelong friends. The trips I enjoy the most are the ones with my return clients, we know each other, and we have developed an understanding of each other. I cherish these relationships. If you do your homework, you will find a guide you enjoy, that I can promise you.

When I started Striper Fishing I fit into the mold of an experienced black bass fisherman.  After many Striper Fishing trips with little success, and at the urging of a friend I hired a Striper Guide. I decided before I went that I would ask questions and learn. The knowledge I learned from that one 4 hour trip jump started my Striper Fishing success quantum's. I still go out with guides even on my home lake. Each guide has their own unique style, I learn something new every time, not to mention the pleasure getting to enjoy what I love to do with people who love to do it.

Hire a Striper Fishing Guide and create Lasting Memories.

Contact us
Ben Sander's
arkansasstripers.com

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