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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

[a-baum]

Originally Posted by SaltLife1980

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.

[Skolmann]

Originally Posted by SaltLife1980

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.

[Scrubby]

Originally Posted by SaltLife1980

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..