Dave's Guide Service 

4.9/5 (465 reviews)
 Fall Creek Drive 1001, Branson, MO 65616, United States

Dave's Guide Service 

Branson, MO, United States
22 ft
5
4.9/5 (465 reviews)

It's time for the lake fishing adventure you've always dreamed about. Join Dave's Guide Service today for an unforgettable day out. Captain David Welch himself will make sure you have a productive fun-filled trip – with over 30 years experience fishing these waters, he'll take you to the hottest spots.

Step on board his 22' Alweld boat, which has enough space for you and 4 of your fishing friends. When fly fishing, 3 of you can fish at once, giving you enough space to cast. This vessel has a 115 HP Mercury engine that will get you out to the fishing grounds before you know it. The GPS and fishfinder will help give you that extra edge when out on the water.

Fish on the menu include Brown Trout, and Steelhead. If you are after Crappie, book a trip in April or May to catch their season. These great eating fish will be filleted by the captain after the trip for you. This just leaves you the hard decision to make regarding how to cook your fresh dinner once home.

Included in the price are top quality rods and reels from Browning, St. Croix, and Pflueger. These won't let you down when reeling in your catch, whether it's your first fish ever or even your hundredth. Anglers of all skill levels are welcome aboard, and children as young as 5 will have a great time reeling in the fish.

Also provided are the lures for the day. When live bait is used, the captain will prepare it for you before the trip, so no time is wasted when out on the water. You will need to bring along a fishing license for the day and are welcome to bring along your own food and drink.
      
Book a trip with Dave's Guide Service and starting making lifelong memories today! You are sure to be back time and time again.

It's time for the lake fishing adventure you've always dreamed about. Join Dave's Guide Service today for an unforgettable day out. Captain David Welch himself will make sure you have a productive fun-filled trip – with over 30 years experience fishing these waters, he'll take you to the hottest spots.

Step on board his 22' Alweld boat, which has enough space for you and 4 of your fishing friends. When fly fishing, 3 of you can fish at once, giving you enough space to cast. This vessel has a 115 HP Mercury engine that will get you out to the fishing grounds before you know it. The GPS and fishfinder will help give you that extra edge when out on the water.

Fish on the menu include Brown Trout, and Steelhead. If you are after Crappie, book a trip in April or May to catch their season. These great eating fish will be filleted by the captain after the trip for you. This just leaves you the hard decision to make regarding how to cook your fresh dinner once home.

Included in the price are top quality rods and reels from Browning, St. Croix, and Pflueger. These won't let you down when reeling in your catch, whether it's your first fish ever or even your hundredth. Anglers of all skill levels are welcome aboard, and children as young as 5 will have a great time reeling in the fish.

Also provided are the lures for the day. When live bait is used, the captain will prepare it for you before the trip, so no time is wasted when out on the water. You will need to bring along a fishing license for the day and are welcome to bring along your own food and drink.
      
Book a trip with Dave's Guide Service and starting making lifelong memories today! You are sure to be back time and time again.

David Welch
Captain
David Welch
36 years of experience
ID & credentials verified
responds within an hour

Trip availability and prices

Trip Date:
Group Size:
Select date to see availability
August 2026
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
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Number of days
1
Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
Change
Almost there...
2 Hour Trip - afternoon
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
2 hour trip starts at 1:00 PM
US $250
Entire boat: 2 people
2 Hour Trip – mid morning
In high demand Last booked: 6 days ago
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
2 hour trip starts at 11:00 AM
US $275
Entire boat: 2 people
Evening trip
In high demand Last booked: 1 day ago
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
3 hour trip starts at 5:00 PM
US $325
Entire boat: 2 people
Half Day Trip (AM)
In high demand Last booked: 6 days ago
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
US $375
Entire boat: 2 people
There are 6 people looking at this charter.

Customer reviews

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Rating

4.9
465 reviews
4.9
Boat & equipment
5.0
Captain & crew
4.9
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (1379)

What anglers say

99%
Great experience
98%
Family friendly
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Good boat
99%
Recommended
97%
Caught fish

All reviews (465)

Frequently mentioned
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Showing 15 of 465 reviews
John Frantz
John Frantz
us
Texas, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
New
I’m 78 years old. been on many fishing trips. this was absolutely the best one ever.
Half Day Trip (AM) on July 27, 20265 adults

Dave was a great host. just one of those good ole boys you occasionally run across. i never touched any bait or any fish he kept me going like I was a king. There were five of us, my son, son-in-law, and two of my granddsons. Great equipment. Great boat. Well done Dave! We caught 29 Rainbow Trout in four hours! All keepers. if you fish Branson hook up with Dave! John Frantz Hartley Texas

David Welch
Response from Captain

thank you John hope to see you all again soon .

Samuel Merritt
Samuel Merritt
us
Nebraska, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
A great time
Evening trip on April 17, 20262 adults3 children

Our fishing trip was an amazing experience! We all had a great time and everyone caught rainbow trout. Our guide Captain Dave took us to the perfect spot and showed us exactly how to catch them, which made all the difference. Seeing my son and grandkids catch fish they had never caught before—and watching how happy and excited they were—meant a lot to me. It truly made the whole trip special. A big thank you to our guide Captain Dave for making it such a memorable day. I would definitely use him again every time we go!

Reported catch:
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
David Welch
Response from Captain

thank you Samuel hurry back with the whole crew soon.

Garrett Rockwood
Garrett Rockwood
us
Texas, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
New
Awesome fishing adventure!
Half Day Trip (AM) on July 18, 20265 adults

I highly recommend Captain Dave's guided fishing trips! He called me beforehand to ask if I wanted to reschedule for a later time to ensure that the gates were open at the Dam. We kept our time due to other arrangements but ended up catching pretty good fish. I caught a 22.5 inch rainbow trout! Captain Dave was super nice and helpful!

Reported catch:
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
David Welch
Response from Captain

thank you Garrett that was a great fish

Casey Stump
Casey Stump
us
Missouri, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
Fantastic trout fishing trip!
Half Day Trip (AM) on May 30, 20262 adults

Dave was a great fishing guide to hire. We will be back. We caught trout for all 4 hours. He knew the right spots, all the regulations, and exactly how to catch them. We always had a line in the water because he kept a pole ready for us when a snag broke the line. He cleaned the fish for us and even told us the best way to cook them. It was a great day out on the water!

Reported catch:
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Brown Trout
David Welch
Response from Captain

thank you guys hurry back anytime

William Hadley
William Hadley
us
Minnesota, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
Captain Dave is the Only Guide You Need
Half Day Trip (AM) on May 15, 20262 adults

We had an incredible day with Captain Dave. The morning was light, and we were flexible, so Captain Dave suggested we split our day. We could fish the run after the CoE released water from the dam. We easily caught 15 rainbows during the second session. It was fantastic, and Captain Dave was down-to-earth, friendly, and knowledgeable. I definitely recommend Captain Dave.

Reported catch:
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
David Welch
Response from Captain

thank you guys hurry back soon.

FAQs about Dave's Guide Service

Dave's Guide Service offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $200 per group, additional US $50 per person after 1 guest - 2 Hour Trip - afternoon (2 hours)
  • US $225 per group, additional US $50 per person after 1 guest - 2 Hour Trip – mid morning (2 hours)
  • US $325 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - Evening trip (3 hours)
  • US $375 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - Half Day Trip (AM) (4 hours)
When you book a trip with Dave's Guide Service, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Live bait well
  • Wireless trolling motor
  • Ice box
Trips booked with Dave's Guide Service include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle (Browning, St. Croix, and Pflueger reels )
  • Live bait (When used, prepared before the trip)
  • Lures
  • Catch cleaning & filleting
  • Fly fishing equipment
Dave's Guide Service offers the following types of fishing:
  • River fishing
  • Lake fishing
  • Inshore fishing
Dave's Guide Service offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light tackle
  • Spinning
  • Jigging
  • Fly fishing (3 can fly fish at once)
  • Drift fishing
Top targeted fish species with Dave's Guide Service include:
  • Brown Trout
  • Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)

Your captain

David Welch
David Welch
David Welch

Branson, Missouri, United States

8 Fishing Reports
ID & license verified
465 Customer reviews
Typical response within an hour
Member since November 2018
Angler's Choice

The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.

Captain David Welch has been fishing these waters for over 30 years. He runs the family business, after fishing the ozarks As a local, he knows these waters intimately and will make sure you have the best possible time out there. He takes great pride in this, and will even help with any lodging questions you have. Capt. David looks forward to welcoming you on board for a great day of fishing.

8 Fishing Reports
ID & license verified
465 Customer reviews
Typical response within an hour
Member since November 2018
Angler's Choice

The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.

Captain David Welch has been fishing these waters for over 30 years. He runs the family business, after fishing the ozarks As a local, he knows these waters intimately and will make sure you have the best possible time out there. He takes great pride in this, and will even help with any lodging questions you have. Capt. David looks forward to welcoming you on board for a great day of fishing.

The fish you can target

Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)

Real catches by this captain

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What is the boat like?

Boat image
Boat category
Center console boats
Capacity
5 persons
Boat length
22 ft
Year built
2016
Boat manufacturer
Alweld
Boat type
Center console
Engine model
Mercury
Powered by
1 x 150HP

What kind of fishing will you do?

River Fishing
Lake Fishing
Inshore Fishing

Which fishing techniques you can try

Light Tackle
Spinning
Jigging
Fly Fishing
3 can fly fish at once
Drift Fishing

Which amenities are available onboard

GPS
Fishfinder
Live bait well
Wireless trolling motor
Ice box
What's included in the trip price
Rods, reels & tackle
Browning, St. Croix, and Pflueger reels
Live bait
When used, prepared before the trip
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
Fly fishing equipment

How cancellations work

Free cancellation up to 3 days prior to trip

You can cancel or modify your booking up to 3 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.

More details

What the listing policies are

Pickup agreed upon reservation

Transfer to/from departure site may be available and included in price depending on your location and distance from the dock.

Child friendly
Min. age 5
You keep catch
Catch and release allowed
Disabled accessible
For trout trips

How you can pay

Book with 15% deposit, pay rest to captain

When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 15% deposit to guarantee your reservation.

The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:

 Cash

 Visa

 Mastercard

 American Express

When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 3.5% charge will apply.

What’s biting in Branson right now

Brown TroutBrown Trout
Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)Rainbow Trout (Steelhead)

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