Porgy Thief on the High Seas 12--> 6 --> 2

[the1jonc]

So my buddy and I were on an offshore seabass trip last week. NS boat. Great Capts and Crew. The day started out with a lot of huge porgies. We must have caught over dozen, which we shuttled to our cooler at the front of the boat as our bleeding bucket got full.

When it came time to fillet the fish I pulled out and counted all of the seabass to get cleaned. I leave the porgies whole. To my surprise there were only 6 porgies in the cooler. I scratched my head and figured I counted wrong and went in to sleep after putting my fillets back in the cooler.

Then when I got home there were only 2 porgies in the cooler.

I know it's not a big deal but I hate thieves.

[Foul Hook]

There is a turd in every punch bowl! Sucks!!

[Joey Dah Fish]

I would certainly bring that to the attention of Capt of the boat

[dakota560]

There are way too many incidents of things like this happening these days. It's hard to believe some folks are that desperate and duplicitous. Personally if I ever found someone stealing my fish on a trip, it would be the last time they tried after the consequences. Next time unfortunately somehow mark your fish with a slit somewhere and if necessary I'd go cooler to cooler until I found my marks. Shame it has to get to that but this kind of story is becoming way to prevalent whether it be tackle or fish. Makes you wonder if it's worth Captain's efforts to place some hidden cameras on board and run a sting operation. Have them taken away in cuffs when the boat docks. If the word gets out, maybe some of these a-holes will think twice.

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience........really detracts from having an enjoyable day on the water.

[jlrotary]

Friend of mine had a bag of filets taken of the hood of his car. They confronted the suspected men to find the bag of filets in their cooler Fter they denied taking them. SMH. I will never understand some people.

[tautog]

Sorry about that Jon. I forgot to leave an IOU in the cooler.:eek:

[bulletbob]

I only get out a few times a year these days, so I was VERY disgusted and dismayed when this same thing happened to me TWICE this year.. Once on a June open trip on a charter boat.. We had 4 ling to go with our seabass catch.. One ling was a pretty nice one, the rest were smallish/average.. We counted them and knew how many we had.. This boat has a center section thats really a cooler, and each fare has his own bucket within this large cooler... Anyone can quickly slip a fish from one bucket to another as its open to all fares to deposit their catch,, There were not many ling on that trip, mostly seabass, and some dirt bag swiped that nice ling which was right on top of our bucket.. Pissed me off...
Second time was in the fall.. My son and I bailed big porgies on opening day of Sea Bass season.. We only got 12 sea bass, but were hammering massive porgies all day.. Guys were freaking out wondering what were were doing as we could not stop getting large porgies.. We sucked at sea bass, but did a number on scup, for what reason I'll never know.. Midway through the trip while the boat was moving I gave a few to an older gentleman on the opposite side of the boat as he was not doing well.. In any case, we started fishing again and same story,, Our sea bass fishing was not as good as some, but our porgy catch was above most of the guys around us.. We probably had 40 or more big Porgies along with our dozen or so sea bass.... As the boat sailed in my son and I went into the cabin and both went dead asleep in preparation for the 250 odd mile drive home...
When we checked the contents of the cooler later , it was only about half full .. a LOT of the porgies were gone, and a few of the Sea Bass, they took 3 CBass I think, and around 20 porgies.. This boat was PACKED too, probably 60 guys.. Every single rod holder on the entire boat was taken, and to move a foot either way, you stepped over a tackle box or cooler.. Somebody saw something I am positive,, Someone knew we were both out like lights for an hour or so on the trip in, and took advantage.. Someone knew we loaded up on big scup and wanted some.. I never complained, as I am sure the captains and mates knew nothing of this.
I don't blame either crew in the least, and like and respect both boats and their crews.. The boats were too crowded and they had plenty to do..
Sad to say, both boats are long time sponsors here.. I won't mention them here, it doesn't matter anyway, it wasn't their fault at all.
I am sad because they are good boats and crews, but they carry some unsavory characters I guess.. I like to think these "fishermen" were not readers of this forum.. From what I have seen here, that sort of "I need meat, so I'll just take it" mindset doesn't exist among this membership... However, these incidents made me realize that we now live in a very sad era.
No respect, no civility, no honor... If the fish crooks would have asked, I would have passed them some of our scup with a smile and a pat on the back telling them to enjoy them.. We had more than we could use, even with 20 we brought home after getting pilfered. These were big scup!... Anyway, I was pretty saddened, not angry really.. I will watch our catch better next year, although I am disappointed that it has to come to that.. I have come to expect more from fishermen over the years, and have only rarely been let down... No biggie, just wanted to share and vent after reading the OP story... bob

[RussH]

That's ridiculous... I hate that we have to watch our stuff so well now. I'd never imagine someone taking a fish from a cooler. Are you that pathetic and desperate? I would hope nobody, at least not a regular, from here would ever do that. Hell if you need the fish that bad just ask.

[Duffman]

WTF? Seriously?

C'mon. That is really sad!

Getting tuna gear stolen offshore I can almost understand ($$$)...but PORGIES and FILLETS??? Jeez

[HighHook94]

Wow, I've never heard of that happening... especially for a couple porgies. When i go on sponsor party boats, I always leave my stuff laying around. Never really though of someone stealing it because everyone seems like good guys - but i guess there's always one bad apple in the bunch.

[tautog]

I only steal sea ravens....

[bulletbob]

Wow, I've never heard of that happening... especially for a couple porgies. When i go on sponsor party boats, I always leave my stuff laying around. Never really though of someone stealing it because everyone seems like good guys - but i guess there's always one bad apple in the bunch.

Thats the point really.. I am 61, and have been fishing head boats since I was a teenager.. I never even thought about someone stealing fish.. never, in well over 40 years.. Then this year, it happened twice, actually come to think of it, it was on consecutive trips.. The numbers don't lie. We had those fish counted. Pretty pathetic. bob

[Mike S.]

That's beyond pathetic. Sorry you had to experience that Jon.

[Jpell15]

I usually leave my stuff laying around while I go in and sleep on the ride in...makes me think twice about doing that now...really pathetic to steal some fish

[NJ Dave]

The last time I fished with JoeyDaFish he stole my snickers bar

[italianfisherman]

trust no one.

[Taxman]

I had my dignity stolen on PUOSU :eek:

[shrimpman steve]

The last time I fished with JoeyDaFish he stole my snickers bar

That's funny. Last time I fished with him I stole his numbers:p

Seriously. I would injure someone if I found out they stole my shit

[bunker dunker]

gotta lock our coolers now.what happened to going out and having fun.

[AndyS]

I've had just about everything stolen on party boats over the years, cigarettes, beer and fish, you name it. A friend of mine installed a hasp with a pad lock on his cooler it got so bad.

[CCMPmonmouth]

What happenned to the good old days, when you only stole beers and sandwiches when the guy falls asleep? Maybe take a rod on your way off the boat. But stealing porgies!what has this world come to?

[Capt. Debbie]

Definitely tell the captain so he can be on the look out for return customers from your trip.

Kids will do stupid stuff like that. Adults ... it's just wrong.


I would certainly bring that to the attention of Capt of the boat

[jmurr711]

you get shot for stealing porgies in philly id rather them take my sea bass

[slammer]

This crap happens more than most people realize.I had a jig with a fluoro leader and a crusty lime green tail on my cooler.I went to the head and come back its gone.I start looking around I find my jig tied on to this guys rod.He cut the swivel and fluoro off and tied it directly to his line.It was not a rental rod.I gave him a few choice words and made sure every one on the boat knew who the POS was.You cant leave anything laying around.It sucks you have to fish with dirt bags.

[b_mac]

A-holes everywhere but Jersey seems to have more per capita from my experience. Don't get me wrong I love it here but relocation is sounding better and better. Maybe NC? Any other recommendations?

[bulletbob]

the bride of my youth is always telling me, I am naive', gullible,too trusting, too good natured, too willing to believe in the inherent good in people ,etc. I guess she's right, but I have a big problem thinking that we have come down this far.. I always thought of party boat fisherman as a "fraternity" of sorts.. You know, big hearted guys that would give you the shirt off their backs, and you were never a stranger, only a friend that hadn't been met..

Thats the way I like to think about everyone, but I guess thats my inner hippie from 1969 coming out well over 40 years later...

I mean really, even if the entire boat was limited out, and I was totally fishless, I would never even THINK about stealing a fish... I can't wrap my head around that mind set.. My wife is right.. I am naive'.... bob

[jerseyhunter]

My dad saw a mate one time steal from customers on a cod boat , naturally years ago. He went to the mates cooler and took the fish and gave 1 to each passenger who didn't catch anything as he knew not where they were stolen from. The mate found out his cooler was bare . And really took his life in his hands, He wanted to my dad , when my dad told him he did. The Capt'n saw what was going on at the dock and pulled his piece on on the mate (to save his life) from my dad. As my Dad was reg since 64. The funniest thing is he old man went up to Forsberg's Viking Fleet where he was also well known and the mate happened to have the spot next to him. Any one who knows the boats back then were all reserved and paid in advance. The so called ahole soon left his position. I don't think he could have handled the cold water after being to so. Best part is the old man usually won a pool and left the winnings at the booth so he always had a spot. He was born in Bergen and always had a sign on his Viking Chevy truck, "Viking Cod" Years later we were set lining. Sorry for the rant and braging but I was just looking at old pics from years long gone.


Bullet Bob, you would be a guy I would call my friend. It be possible we fished together and never knew it. I learned of this site on sandy hook beach by one of our dearly departed. Also fished PB's from AH - PP. Been on the water since 64

[Scrubby]

Just don't let jerseyhunter anywhere near your thermos..

:D

[TheFishSlayer]

HAHAHA omg i really cant believe that. its hilariously sad....

[dakota560]

This behavior isn't new but definitely seems to be more common place these days than in past. People are more desperate or brazen today. About 10 years ago I was outside on the top deck of a well known local party boat coming in from an off shore giant sea bass trip. Good trip with most anglers limiting out. Couldn't sleep all the way in so went outside and climbed the ladder to the upper platform with about 20 miles to go. Mates were done filleting, deck was pretty much empty. While standing up top, I saw a guy bring his cooler to the back of the boat. 10 minutes later he came back and started taking fish and fillets out of other people's coolers and putting them in his. He didn't see me looking down. I couldn't believe the balls on this guy. After realizing what he was doing, I walked down and told him if he puts everyone's fish back I wouldn't tell the captain what he did. Wasn't sure how this maniac would react so tried being less confrontational. As far as I could tell, he emptied his cooler but God only knows who got what back. I ended up telling the Captain and pointing the guy out to one of the mates but not sure anything was done since it was my word against his.

Point is this can and does happen anywhere and in any state. Maybe NY / NJ have more than their share of low life's but people have less values today than in past. It's a shame but fair warning for anyone who frequents party boats, trust in your fellow man will almost assuredly cause you to have a similar experience if you're not careful.

[Leif]

When you go on a Party boat, start grumbling to yourself and utter obscenities to yourself and the guys you are fishing with. Tell everyone around you to keep their hand off your stuff and to not touch your cooler, rag, knife , ect.

Keep an eye on your equipment and cooler. Write your name on the cooler lid in large letters. This may help.

LOL. Seriously, I've had sinkers stolen right off my rig.

Leif

[the1jonc]

Thanks for the anecdotes and kind words guys.

I will be more diligent next time. I usually fish on charters with the Fisharks group or on 6 packs, a lot on the Russian Roulette, so I have let my guard down a bit.


I told the Capt and he was sympathetic and mentioned some guys were locking their coolers, but if I have to resort to that I may just switch to Tilapia from Shoprite or become a vegan. :eek:

[Fisherman120]

In 2013 I was on a sponsor boat out of Belmar, midway through the trip(it was a very nice day) a couple of Asian guys went up to my gulp jug and gladly took a few pieces of grubs...... I'm not a confrontational sort of guy but I went right up to them and sternly told them that was mine and to put it back immediatley. If they didn't I would've taken it up to the Capt/mates and put matters in my hands if nothing was done. They said "we thought it was the boats" and gave it back to me which was total BS for a few reasons. People will try and get away with anything if they can, doesn't matter where you are people people will always be people.

Also, I have no problem with giving away a few pieces if somebody is a decent guy.... But to just outright take it is pathetic.

[Castaway]

I did a offshore seabass trip on a non sponsor out of point pleasant last week and they would only allow 4 coolers in the stern where I was fishing. There where at least 10 guys fishing the stern so the rest of us had to leave our coolers 60 feet up the side of the boat where we couldn't see them. I thought for sure fish were going to disappear out of my cooler but thank god they didn't.