A Captain's Perspective

[Gerry Zagorski]

This came from an undisclosed source and gives some good insight to a Captain's perspective of fishing with customers.

Figured other Captain's might want to pile on here :D

Top 10 (or so) things not to say, do, or try on a charter or party boat.

10. Don’t assume bluefish are always around, because they’re not, and when you say to the captain, “let’s go get some blues,” you sound like a complete hack.

9. Please don’t bring a 500 quart cooler on ANY boat to house your fish, food, ice, or drinks. Most legit boats have ample storage space and huge coolers really have no place on a charter or party boat.

8. Wearing penny loafers, dress shoes, or bringing a brief case onto a charter or headboat are simply not acceptable. We’ll just leave it at that. (Yes, we’ve seen them all!)

7. If you’re in the wheelhouse with the captain while going FORWARD, don’t ask if you can pull back on the black levers/CONTROLS, ever.

6. Applauding or congratulating the captain on backing the boat into the slip properly and safely is simply another form of hackery on your part. Captains do this everyday, and should be able to maneuver a boat into it’s slip, the same slip he does it probably 75-200 X a year, with pinpoint accuracy.

5. Breaking out a book with GPS coordinates or pictures of fishing areas for suggestion for the captain also makes you look dumb. Why? Take a look at the captain’s GPS, but don’t take any pictures of it.

4. Don’t ask, as you’re leaving the slip, “How’s the boat running?” Or the good ole “She sounds great!” – Typically you will be told that’s extremely bad luck, as most seamen are truly superstitious, so simply don’t say anything that remotely ridiculous.

3B. If you get seasick, don’t do the following: go inside the cabin, go into the head, and, please, please, pllllleeeassse, don’t puke IN the head, sink, or on the deck. Aim for the water!

3A. Don’t tell the captain or mate, “Hey, they’re catching them on that boat over there!” A good friend of mine once said to a client who said a similar thing, “You shoulda went with them then! Focus on catching fish here!” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

2. Bananas and spare change are strictly forbidden. Period.

1. And please, don’t recommend the captain fish a different location or offer up advice such as what was mentioned in #5. Don’t tell the captain that you think it’s good somewhere else, and don’t assume the captain will listen. He does know what he’s doing, he has a network, and he knows where to fish

[makosnax]

"Hows the boat running?" Thats funny! The ultimate whammy!

[Capt. Debbie]

Would it be in bad taste to ask:

Is all well since that fatal engine room fire?

Who is in charge of putting bait on our hooks... you know the master baitor?

So the Coast Guard finally left you alone?

So when did you stop beating your wife? LMAO





This came from an undisclosed source and gives some good insight to a Captain's perspective of fishing with customers.

Figured other Captain's might want to pile on here :D

Top 10 (or so) things not to say, do, or try on a charter or party boat.

10. Don’t assume bluefish are always around, because they’re not, and when you say to the captain, “let’s go get some blues,” you sound like a complete hack.

9. Please don’t bring a 500 quart cooler on ANY boat to house your fish, food, ice, or drinks. Most legit boats have ample storage space and huge coolers really have no place on a charter or party boat.

8. Wearing penny loafers, dress shoes, or bringing a brief case onto a charter or headboat are simply not acceptable. We’ll just leave it at that. (Yes, we’ve seen them all!)

7. If you’re in the wheelhouse with the captain while going FORWARD, don’t ask if you can pull back on the black levers/CONTROLS, ever.

6. Applauding or congratulating the captain on backing the boat into the slip properly and safely is simply another form of hackery on your part. Captains do this everyday, and should be able to maneuver a boat into it’s slip, the same slip he does it probably 75-200 X a year, with pinpoint accuracy.

5. Breaking out a book with GPS coordinates or pictures of fishing areas for suggestion for the captain also makes you look dumb. Why? Take a look at the captain’s GPS, but don’t take any pictures of it.

4. Don’t ask, as you’re leaving the slip, “How’s the boat running?” Or the good ole “She sounds great!” – Typically you will be told that’s extremely bad luck, as most seamen are truly superstitious, so simply don’t say anything that remotely ridiculous.

3B. If you get seasick, don’t do the following: go inside the cabin, go into the head, and, please, please, pllllleeeassse, don’t puke IN the head, sink, or on the deck. Aim for the water!

3A. Don’t tell the captain or mate, “Hey, they’re catching them on that boat over there!” A good friend of mine once said to a client who said a similar thing, “You shoulda went with them then! Focus on catching fish here!” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

2. Bananas and spare change are strictly forbidden. Period.

1. And please, don’t recommend the captain fish a different location or offer up advice such as what was mentioned in #5. Don’t tell the captain that you think it’s good somewhere else, and don’t assume the captain will listen. He does know what he’s doing, he has a network, and he knows where to fish

[mahigold]

should change tiltle to a"Good Captain's Perspective" . unfortunately i've chartered plenty of guy's over the years that definitely needed some help in more than one of the categories you list. One and done obviously.

[Gerry Zagorski]

A few I'd like to add here

- How do you like these black soled shoes I'm wearing to put marks all over your deck?
- 10 ounce sinkers swinging in the breeze and slapping the side of the boat
- I feel sick can you take me back to the dock and drop me off?
- Hey Cap..... Did I ever tell you what a great fisherman I am??
- Ummmm, how come this line is all screwed up on this reel?
- Do you have any butt wipes??
- We're all going to die!!!
- And my all time favorite " This spot sucks !!"

[Skolmann]

Betcha I know who the captain was in 3A.

[The Bill TM]

I was on an open boat charter once and one of the guys started the trip by saying it was his first time saltwater fishing. About 2 hours into the trip he says "Captain are you sure you know what you are doing because you really need to move, we are wasting too much time in a spot where there are no fish here"

My jaw hit the deck when I heard that.

[Flukemeister1]

should change tiltle to a"Good Captain's Perspective" . unfortunately i've chartered plenty of guy's over the years that definitely needed some help in more than one of the categories you list. One and done obviously.


AMEN!

[capt74]

How about " Can we go someplace where it's not so rough " Probably heard that one fifty times.

[tjd24]

I heard a guy ask a charter captain: "How many seas have you fished in? 'Cause I've fished in all 7"
Turned out the guy couldn't hook his own ass with a back pocket filled with treble hooks.

[Joey Dah Fish]

My 2 favorites
This spot sucks
Hey Capt does this boat know how to make a left?

[Fish Stix]

2 best ..... All in good fun... Hahahahaha

Customer looks at the machine(fish finder) points, touches it and says "what's that, is that a striper?" And leaves a finger print on the screen.

"Can ya read the fluke capt?"

Funny post Gerry!

[Capt Jimmy Elliott]

ARE WE GOING TO THE MUDHOLE ?

ARE WE IN OR AROUND THE MUDHOLE ?

I THINK THEY ARE BITING IN THE MUDHOLE


The everyday question.

[fishguy]

You see any fish on the radar?

[tombanjo]

What about pointing to bird life while jumping up and down? "Hey, over there, over there!

[Reel Class]

How about...

"Cap, can I cast this (insert lure name with multiple trebles here) overhand, or up in the bow to those breaking fish?"

"Cap, can we net our own fish?"

"We caught them on the full moon, at high tide, in that spot over there 14 years ago --- we should get over there now!"

:cool: :D :eek:

[lunkertaker]

I dunno know, but as a father I'll bet Capt's hear what I hear all the time

"How much longer till we get there?"

"Are we there yet?"

"I don't want to go home!"

"When are we going to the super secret hot spot?"

We gotta remember that today is today and the two best days to go fishing are yesterday and tomorrow!:eek:

[Fish Stix]

Some of these are just awesome. Fishguy hit it right on the money!

[Looksfishy]

Not a Captain but here are a couple I have heard while fishing an open boat:

"Van Staal and St. Croix never heard of them should have brought my zebco and ugly stik!"

"Capt I accidentlly dropped your rod over board do you have another one I can use."

"Hey Capt. ya know gulp clams are not as messy"

"Hey Capt. would ya teach me how to use that fly rod in the cabin"

[O'Connor]

From a customer perspective:

1.) Job is not harder or easier then most others. Never say your job is hard, bitch about regs, wind or tough fishing to customers etc. Don't like it, do something else. You are fishing fluke fishing in Jersey...not crab in the bering sea. nobody wants to hear a captain complain. nobody.

2.) never ask the customer what they think. we are paying for your knowledge

3.) never yell at a customer unless they are out of line or being disrespectful

4.) communicate your game plan to the customers before you leave the dock. let them know you are heading to the west side of the mudhole, the trip out will be about an hour, free lining the chunks with no weight has worked best etc, etc. a general snapshot of the plan will probably avoid at least a portion of the inevitable questions. the best captain out here in so-cal jumps on top of the bait tank before every trip and makes everyone gather in the stern. tells everyone his plan, introuduces the mates by name, says we will have a few hours ride till we start fishing, then goes over his rules on his vessel etc etc. it exudes leadership and confidence...and feeds the "hacks" need to know what is going on...even if it is just a small piece of information.



:)

[Cuz]

My favorite is: Can I drive the boat? (Capt. Chad on the Tagged Fish always tells me NO! My feelings get hurt all the time. I can't believe he doesn't trust an old salt like me!) Just because the wake behind us looks like a snake for miles doesn't mean I'm not heading in the right direction. We'll get there, eventually.

[Reel Class]

More...

"Cap, can we go buy lobsters from that lobstermen, straight off his boat?"

"Are these clams edible? I love clams on the half-shell..."