The slow death of Party Boats

[Abrasion]

Do you guys think its a function of restrictive government policies or is it the "Captain In a Box" crowd offering charters for a bit more money than a party boat? Is it something else? Anything that can be done to reverse it? A healthy party boat population is essential to bring in new fishermen from all walks of life. I would guess the vast majority of you first caught a saltwater fish on a party boat.

My first fish was on the Barvic.

[travisboy]

my first saltwater fish caught on the SEA KING off STATEN ISLAND .

[Capt. Lou]

Without doubt , Belboy, Perth Amboy , cut my teeth on salt species ! PB's will survive if the fisheries do , when there's a lack of fish then no one will survive !
Look at GOM Cod season 1 month 1 fish ! That's tough & to survive u have to adapt or give it up ! Plenty of other fish up there but cod was money fish !
Maybe they can make doggies a sport fish , they did a great job regulating those!

[bowhunter]

The rise of open boat charters has to be taking its toll. I personally would be on head boats a lot more if I couldn't cruise the internet open boat forums and catch a ride on a charter at the last minute.

[BCinerie]

1977 bluefish on the Gambler ! On a bengal banana.

[lingding]

Whiting on the Teal out of Shoals Dock Staten island. I was a kid and helped the mate clean the boat. They let me on for $7.

[tombanjo]

Bingle banana. Bengal was the striped version.

Fluke on the Rainbow, 1960.

Not sure if Abrasion wanted to trip down memory lane with this thread.