Guided fishing is very common in the American state of Florida with guided fishing trips out of Islamorada starting in the 1930s. Guided fishing for Atlantic tarpon further up the Florida coast started even earlier at the end of the 1800s, early guides generally catered to wealthy anglers from big northern American cities but also Europeans who often engaged them for extended periods of time of weeks or months. These tourists and guides were often associated with private clubs, hotels, or lodges.
Gillie
Employment
The increase in popularity of flats fishing, especially combined with fly fishing, as a destination activity has created additional job opportunities for fishing guides in some destinations.
Licensing
In the American state of Florida there is no licensing scheme for fishing guides beyond federal requirements for those who operate some motor vessels to have a United States Coast Guard Charter Boat Captain's license. Fishing guides in the state of Alaska were required to be licensed at the state level after 2004 but were not before then.