What Makes Party and Charter Boat Captains Tick??

[Gerry Zagorski]

I tried it myself......I had a boat, I knew how to fish and I got my Captains license all the time thinking " How cool it would be for me to make some money doing what I already have, know and love"? Plus I already had a site to promote my my charter business so it's a chip shot for me, right?

Well it turns out, it's not as easy as it seems

Showing up early to get the boat ready, baiting hooks and almost passing out from the heat.. Trying to manage schedules, who is in, who is out... What's the weather going to be, the pressure to put people on fish and not being able to drink a cold beer on my own boat??

It only took a few months for me to figure out it took something I knew and loved and turned into a job I certainly wasn't cut out for.....

That experience gave me a lot of respect for people who do this for a living but begs the question, how and why they choose to do this and what make these Captains tick??

[Dclark2]

Can't really say since I am not a captain but from being on quite a few charters myself and watching the captains I would venture to say....


IT'S THE PASSION

Look their face when your into a hot BITE

[Andreas Toy]

Get this question asked all of the time. All about giving
My customers the ability to catch fish they have been
Aspiring to catch and being able to deliver. That’s what drives me!

Andreas Toy new Slogan

Where we make Desires become Memories!

[Capt John]

Hey Gerry, it's a lot harder than you thought after we graduated from captain's school some 16 years ago.

Is it a tough way to make a living?.....you bet your ass it is. A very, very tough way to earn a buck. Luckily, I'm retired now and I don't have to rely on my chartering as my sole source of income. But my heart goes out to the guys who do. All..and I mean all, the guys I know and see when I'm out on the water work their tails off day in and day out. What a tough grind. Most of them do 2 a days...back to back morning and afternoon for a solid 3 to 4 months....incredible work load. Honestly, how they do it is remarkable. If any of them are reading this let me say now that I have the utmost respect for what you do....party and charter guys alike.

Between the costs involved, the regulations and the competition from the part--time "wannabe's", every year gets harder and harder. The attrition rate in this business must be incredible. A dear friend of mine told me when I first started "If you're still doing this after 5 years, then you've made it"....well here I am 16 years later.

Can't and won't speak for the others, but for me, I really love being on the water....I am with God everyday when I'm out there. The smell of the ocean, the birds, the sun rise.....ahhhh, it really is a wonderful place to be.

I consider myself to be very fortunate to have a great client base who love the way I run the business, post truthful reports and my crew and I give them an honest days effort trying to find and catch some fish.

Do we whack them every day....no, but it's not for a lack of trying and my customers see that and keep coming back.

Luckily, with my anglers, they know that on some days you hit a home run and other days you just strike out....mother nature works that way. But if we show them we are giving our best effort, we still get kudos for a day on the water.

Bottom line.....it's not about the boat or the rods and reels or bait. It's all about the captain and crew. If you like him and the crew, whoever they are, then show your appreciation and continue to sail with him. Your repeat business is his reward.....a pat on the back and a smile on your face goes a long way after exhausting day on the water.

Thanks for reading my rant....I hope yo'll think about this on your next trip. Let's go spring Stripers. :)

Tight Lines,
Capt. John

[Capt. Debbie]

Funny you voice the essence of business versus pleasure.

You have to keep in mind a happy customer is more important than LOTSA fish. You want them back. You try to breed loyalty and word of mouth on reputation. SO you have different priorities as a charter vs your buddies.


The most frustrating I ever had was a repeat group of four on an overnight to Chicken Canyon for YFT. It's dawn. I'm still diligently chunking butters off the transom. Beautiful day. Calm flat. 5 knot wind. The water is gin clear to 30 feet down. I can see multiple nice sized YFT's nailing my newly tossed chunks descending about 20 feet down. I lighten it up on chunks enough to hold them at boat. I want someone to do a "Baccardi toss" and let the baited hook free fall with a handful of butter chunks. Everyone is sleeping. One is one deck sleeping at the helm.

I bump into him hard by "accident" and tell him look at this. he eventually gets up, looks and goes back to sleep. MAN!!!!!!!!!!! That is frustrating. But they are paying for this to do whatever they want (within reason).

Or a family of 4 trying to catch a 10 fish per person limit of the 5-10 lbs bluefish in our slick on a night chumming trip. Despite me telling them they have 50 lbs of filets already. Then eventually switch over to C&R and ask me if I want a few at the dock. Such waste. I added a catch limit after that nightmare of waste unless they had good reason to be able to use more.


It's frustrating, the drunks, and the go/no go decisions. IT AINT FUN ANYMORE!!

[shrimpman steve]

So my sitch is a little different. I decided to use my capts license in a different way. I do swamp tours on airboats and love it. My goal on every tour is to make my costumers laugh have a good time and show them things up close that most have never seen. I’ve been doing it for three years now and love it. I don’t own the business so I don’t worry about maintenance, insurance, or where my next costumer is coming from. I get there at 9 drive the boats and leave at 530. I love it and am finally happy making a living on the water.

[dakota560]

Steve you're not feeding that big fellow with his mouth wide open shrimp are you!

Glad to hear you're following your passion in life and found the balance between the pleasure of the outdoors and making it your livelihood. Happy for you! Like Gerry alluded to, so often people take something that they enjoy doing, turn it into a business and it fails miserably or even worse they continue down that path and they're miserable.

Most people in life work to keep up with life's financial burdens. As the saying goes, "find something you enjoy doing and you'll never work a day in your life". Certainly easier said than done.

As others have mentioned my utmost respect and hats off to party boat and for hire captains and their crews, it's both a godsend and a boondoggle at the same time. Some are cut out for it, some aren't and like everything else in life it has its pros and cons. It's one of a few passions I have in life, never wanted to risk ruining that. I take a lot of people fishing for the first time for the camaraderie, the enjoyment they get out of the experience and new friendships. Personally I would never want to do it full-time as a primary or secondary source of income because of the pressures and downsides associated with making it your livelihood. It's been my experience in life that business and pleasure very rarely mix.

[AndyS]

Think about all the freshwater captains out there, not just saltwater. How many times it crossed my mind to start a guide business on the North and South branches of the Raritan river as well as the main stem. I still look at drift boats for sale till this day and wonder.
We pay Evan 400 bux for the day just to catch and release trout all day up in New York. :)

[Capt Sal]

When we had a flounder season and a weakfish run in the summer it was fun.You still have to pay for slip and insurance.I wonder how many don't have insurance.The regs now are very tough compared to thirty years ago.You have to love it but when it is no longer fun it is time to throw in the towel.My biggest thrill was watching young kids landing 30-40lb stripers.You can't make a living on stripers alone. Double edge sword -miss it but not the open boat part You have to be a capt. and a booking agent!

[Capt. Debbie]

Is that airboat on federally controlled waters and needs to be compliant with USCG regs as an OUPV. It's not an inspected but last quite a few regs like ALL TYPE I PFD's.

And you are restricted to 6 fares on board if you're running for fare services with an OUPV license.





So my sitch is a little different. I decided to use my capts license in a different way. I do swamp tours on airboats and love it. My goal on every tour is to make my costumers laugh have a good time and show them things up close that most have never seen. I’ve been doing it for three years now and love it. I don’t own the business so I don’t worry about maintenance, insurance, or where my next costumer is coming from. I get there at 9 drive the boats and leave at 530. I love it and am finally happy making a living on the water.

[shrimpman steve]

Is that airboat on federally controlled waters and needs to be compliant with USCG regs as an OUPV. It's not an inspected but last quite a few regs like ALL TYPE I PFD's.

And you are restricted to 6 fares on board if you're running for fare services with an OUPV license.

All our airboats are inspected vessels. Some carry up to 20 peeps. You need master license as we are on navigable waters. I also need a state certification which I have as well

[the directa]

It has to be in your blood. It’s not a choice. Constant hard work and dedication

[Gerry Zagorski]

Yes there are a lot of guys born into it, but what makes them stay and press on??

I see some of these guys who have a few days off for weather or repairs and they jump on some other boat... It's gotta be something in their DNA and they love it that much they'd rather not be any place or do anything else....

Some days I'm perfectly fine sitting around the house and laying on the couch, which Is what I do best, but not these guys...

Yes they have to make a living but there's a lot easier ways to do that, right??

Let me be careful to say once again that I admire them but makes them tick??

[1captainron]

Gerry,
I have thought about this post and with the passing of my Dad, it's all clear to me.
Passion, hard work, honesty, the ability to handle the Highs & Lows while trying to kick ass every day for your customers. The countless Friendships made over the years. Watching that Sunrise every morning, knowing you have been blessed.
It takes many years to become a knowledgeable, Respected Captain. Just passing the test is only the beginning and believe me, it's a long hard road. Knowing when to zig and when to zag. The Wind and tide can be your enemy or your friend, it's knowing where to be and when to produce the best conditions for your customers. It's a challenge every day but it keeps you on your toes.

To me, this is not a job, it's my life. How many men can work 7 days a week for Months on end sacrificing family time especially when, the only day off you get is not really a day for yourself but one to change Oil, repair your tackle so you could be ready to sail tomorrow.
Remembering all the awesome Men & Women over the years who have touched and shaped my life since I was 12, you can't put a price tag on that, that's what makes me tick. Knowing who is coming on Monday, Tuesday and so on hoping that today is the day they catch their fish of a lifetime, that's what makes me tick.
The fact that I had the most awesome Man in the World teaching me the Ropes my whole life, that's what makes me tick. I pray I can continue on without him. I know what he would be telling me right at this moment what the right thing is to do....Just can't grasp it right now....That's what makes me tick. Thank you Dad, YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Gerry,
I have thought about this post and with the passing of my Dad, it's all clear to me.
Passion, hard work, honesty, the ability to handle the Highs & Lows while trying to kick ass every day for your customers. The countless Friendships made over the years. Watching that Sunrise every morning, knowing you have been blessed.
It takes many years to become a knowledgeable, Respected Captain. Just passing the test is only the beginning and believe me, it's a long hard road. Knowing when to zig and when to zag. The Wind and tide can be your enemy or your friend, it's knowing where to be and when to produce the best conditions for your customers. It's a challenge every day but it keeps you on your toes.

To me, this is not a job, it's my life. How many men can work 7 days a week for Months on end sacrificing family time especially when, the only day off you get is not really a day for yourself but one to change Oil, repair your tackle so you could be ready to sail tomorrow.
Remembering all the awesome Men & Women over the years who have touched and shaped my life since I was 12, you can't put a price tag on that, that's what makes me tick. Knowing who is coming on Monday, Tuesday and so on hoping that today is the day they catch their fish of a lifetime, that's what makes me tick.
The fact that I had the most awesome Man in the World teaching me the Ropes my whole life, that's what makes me tick. I pray I can continue on without him. I know what he would be telling me right at this moment what the right thing is to do....Just can't grasp it right now....That's what makes me tick. Thank you Dad, YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN.

Well there you go Ron...Perfect explanation and you've had many years and the recent loss of your Dad to reflect on. This game is not for the faint of heart. Boats and people come and go like the tides but the ones who stick it out do it for a reason. Nothing like a hard days work to make you feel good but if you can't help/touch and become friends with people along the way, well then it's just a job.