Charter Boat Policy Question

[tombanjo]

Sincerely not trying to cause trouble here....for a change.

Open boat trip, mostly strangers to each other. Boat limit doesn't happen but you, being a decent (or lucky) fisherman, catch a fish while a novice or three doesn't. Why are you forced then to share with people you don't know, (even with the one guy that showed up 20 minutes late causing you to miss most of the early bite), if you don't want to? $150 (with tip) isn't chump change and perhaps you want several dinners out of it to defray the cost.

[dakota560]

General question for the charter boat captains on the site. If you have a six pack license but sail with only three guys for fluke, how many fish can the boat retain for that trip. Does the mate and or captain factor into the equation of allowable catch as well? I'm not questioning charter captains so please don't take it that way, you have an almost impossible job as is. Just curious what the regulations mandate when a six pack charter sails with less than six passengers as it relates to possession limits.

[slammer]

tombanjo. I dont think all open boats or split charters make you share your catch.Unfortunately when doing open boat or split charters there is always a chance someone is running late and holds up the boat.Its annoying,especially if you get to the grounds late and miss the bite and paying more for the open boat fair than a party boat.

[Duffman]

Sincerely not trying to cause trouble here....for a change.

Open boat trip, mostly strangers to each other. Boat limit doesn't happen but you, being a decent (or lucky) fisherman, catch a fish while a novice or three doesn't. Why are you forced then to share with people you don't know, (even with the one guy that showed up 20 minutes late causing you to miss most of the early bite), if you don't want to? $150 (with tip) isn't chump change and perhaps you want several dinners out of it to defray the cost.

How are you "forced" into sharing your catch?

[tombanjo]

Well, not forced at gun point but they hand each person a bag of fillets and if you question it they say it's their policy.

[SaltLife1980]

If you have your limit whats wrong with catching a few for the guys that are not doing well.

[Duffman]

Well, not forced at gun point but they hand each person a bag of fillets and if you question it they say it's their policy.

Gotcha. I'm guessing you'll get the "all details should be hammered out before sailing" stuff from everyone....which is probably true.

[a-baum]

If you have your limit whats wrong with catching a few for the guys that are not doing well.
I don't think that's what he's saying. Here is what I think he is saying:

6 guys show up for open boat. When it's time to reel em up and head in, 1 guy has his limit while 5 guys got skunked. In the OP's case, 5 guys are going home with something, while the guy who did all the catching got shafted with 1/6 of what he caught.

I can see this policy being the norm for canyon trips or trips where you are otherwise trolling most of the day when the boat works together. But for when you are individually fishing (like for stripers, fluke) and skill can come into play, I disagree with the equal sharing policy.

[porgylber]

Gotcha. I'm guessing you'll get the "all details should be hammered out before sailing" stuff from everyone....which is probably true.

Definitely true! A good friend found out the hard way about 5 years ago. He chartered a boat out of Cape Cod. He then caught a beautiful blue fin tuna, about 300 lbs.
The boat comes in, and he doesn’t get the fish. Why? On the contract it states the boat keeps all fish.
The really screwed up part? The boat didn’t cut him a break on the cost of the charter!

[Fisherman120]

Every boat has a policy. Several charters let you keep your own fish. Honestly you should know this going into the trip.

[NO MOJO]

One day you might be the guy that doesn't catch anything. Most open boat trips that I've been on the catch is divided equally.

[tombanjo]

One day you might be the guy that doesn't catch anything. Most open boat trips that I've been on the catch is divided equally.

Understood though I would agree more on a tuna trip when really hurts to come away with no meat.

[NO MOJO]

The policy of the charter should be stated in advance.

[frugalfisherman]

I go on party boats. You stick your fish in your cooler and keep them. Don't need to pay over twice as much for an open charter to put up with this.

[Skolmann]

If you have your limit whats wrong with catching a few for the guys that are not doing well.

It’s my u derstanding that once you catch and keep your limit of any species you can only legally catch and release your next keeper of that species. You can not give it your buddy, son, father or a stranger. But of course we all know that’s what happens. I’ve been on party boats were one person reached his limit while his friend had not, he then caught another keeper and gave it to his friend. Unknown to either of them an undercover game warden was aboard and witnessed this. The give was given a fine.

Now if you reach your limit and hook up then pass your rod off to someone without a limit that from my understanding is legal since you did not catch the fish.

[Oasis]

I’ll do you an even better one, 2 years a go I was on 6 pack open boat bottom fishing and fished hard, stayed at the rail all day and another “fisherman” (who was very familiar w the captain) fished for less than 45 minutes total between naps and beer breaks and by 12:00 he was completely out till the end of the trip. By the time the mate finished cutting the fish he was the first to grap the first and heavyweight bag of filet..... I couldn’t believe what I saw and when I asked the captain he said it’s the boat policy. Needless to see I never went back on that boat again.

All what I can say is live and learn.

[Reelron]

Not many boats I go on that don't have the "Shared Catch Policy." Could you imagine getting on a sixpac open boat and everyone has their own cooler? I usually catch and I am always happy to share both fish and advice. Only two boats I can think of offhand that don't. Even if they don't have a shared catch policy I am still happy to give someone a few fish so they don't go home empty handed. Or, if I only have one or two fish, I will give them to someone else, so at lest one of us has a nice mess of fish. I like to think of it as Good Karma.

I have also noticed that the Captain and the mates are usually watching, even if you don't think so, and they will find a way to pay you back at some point. More Good Karma. :-)

I fish to enjoy myself not count fish. Except Tog, I count Tog!

PS. Find a boat and a day that has consistent catches and consistent people showing up on certain days.

[Dclark2]

The boats I fish on have the shared catch policy. Seems those boats have better fishermen and better people willing to help and give suggestions. Went on one trip where their was four people on the boat and one big guy went down sick. When it was time to make the bags the mate had 3 bags not 4. I told him that 4 people shared the cost of the charter not 3. He started to tell me that only 3 people fished and he should't get a share of the catch. I promptly told him to get another bag or kiss his tip good bye.

PROBLEM SOLVED

[billsonthewater]

sincerely not trying to cause trouble here....for a change.

Open boat trip, mostly strangers to each other. Boat limit doesn't happen but you, being a decent (or lucky) fisherman, catch a fish while a novice or three doesn't. Why are you forced then to share with people you don't know, (even with the one guy that showed up 20 minutes late causing you to miss most of the early bite), if you don't want to? $150 (with tip) isn't chump change and perhaps you want several dinners out of it to defray the cost.

should i wake you when the boat is sinking?

[Capt. Debbie]

Limit numbers include the crew and capt.

I never took fish from anyone unless it was given,

Remember keeper counting in the capt and crew lets a few people catch over the legal personal limit. And no you don't get to leave boat with more than legal limit. The fish are reassigned to go home with someone else.

And on a open boat walk on like that every angler pays the same. You can control your days if the boat is exclusively yours. Otherwise that supposed pain in the ass counts as much as the "Pro" does,

[TBONENJ]

Get 5 friends.

[fishy]

I was on a head boat in Florida and they put all fish in a central box just clipped a fin here or there and that was your fish.

[BT67]

Been on both sides, had good days, some not so good days, and it was always nice to bring something home. Obviously a simple question to the boats captain before booking or sailing and you'll have your answer.

[rwp2101]

I've mostly seen the shared catch policy on six packs, but it should really be mentioned beforehand. If it's not, you should ask as you're shoving off. Like another poster said, live and learn.

[WESTWIND]

On our boat if you catch , we notch it and it's yours. If you want to share you catch, that is up to you.. Just like being on a head boat. The fish you catch should be yours.. Best..Capt. Mike

[tombanjo]

On our boat if you catch , we notch it and it's yours. If you want to share you catch, that is up to you.. Just like being on a head boat. The fish you catch should be yours.. Best..Capt. Mike

Agreed

[Scrubby]

If you have your limit whats wrong with catching a few for the guys that are not doing well.

I agree Jeff, I think its the policy most boats that run open..

[Uncle Nicky]

Like many have said, most open boats split the catch, some keep the fish seperated., get it straight beforehand. I never minded splitting the fish, even on days when I was red hot. If it was about the money spent versus the poundage of fish brought home, we'd all quit & buy tilapia or swai at the supermarket.

[Oasis]

On our boat if you catch , we notch it and it's yours. If you want to share you catch, that is up to you.. Just like being on a head boat. The fish you catch should be yours.. Best..Capt. Mike

Agreed. Open boat is an open boat and a charter is a charter.

[Tony Cav]

lways, always, always,. Get the policy straight before hand. ESPECIALLY on tuna trips.
If your not familiar with the particular boats policy, get it straight over the phone when your booking the trip.
The policy that the Captain/boat gets all the fish is bogus.

Of course in a situation where the Captain and mates are hired by a wealthy boat owner and are working for peanuts, the fish are relied on to feed wife and kids (either selling or eating)

Otherwise I think it's just greed to demand all the fish kept.


Having been on both sides, I personally believe that every one, if possible, should go home with some filets.

[Joey Dah Fish]

It is the customers job to inform him or her self on policies prior to booking a charter. That’s pretty much it.

[fishy]

The only charters i know of that keep fish is a giant tuna charter during the commercial season and it's always told prior and most give a free trip if the catch.

[EddieG]

The open boats I fish on all kind of have the same unwritten rules...let's just say were blackfishing and the limit is 6.if I caught 4 keepers and some guys caught one or two..those 4 are still mine unless I give some away...same goes for if I'm over my limit the fish goes towards the boats catch..at the end of the day I pick my 6 fish I want to go home with and the other guys split up the rest.

[Four Strings]

When I was running my charter, my co-captain and I would switch on and off mating while the other one fished. I lost track of how many times we gave all of our fish to customers that had a bad day. But we never made our people share their catch. That's a bad policy.

[Capt Sal]

Agreed. Open boat is an open boat and a charter is a charter.

Exactly!!!