Sponsor Party Boat Captains Suggestion

[Billfish715]

I just returned from a short fishing trip/visit to the Panama City area on the Gulf of Mexico. The weather is always hot and the party boats do not allow coolers onboard. To help keep the customer’s freshly caught fish from spoiling in the heat, the boats are equipped with onboard slush tanks. When a customer catches a keeper, the mate puts it on a numbered stringer and submerges the stringer in the ice bath.

Back at the dock, the customers retrieve their stringers from the mates according to the numbers on their boarding tickets. No fuss, no mess, and the fish are in great shape. There is a fish cleaning service available at the dock for a fee of 70 cents per pound.

It’s just an idea, but, having a slush tank would definitely improve the quality of the fish that are taken home. I can see how it would help in many ways.

No one wants to hear about the no alcohol or drugs allowed onboard, but on the boats we were on, that was the way it was..........and no one complained! It was backpacks only as well. If you could fit some drinks and ice and tackle in your pack pack, you were set.

Different strokes for different folks. It’s always a good thing to see other ways to do things and hOw things are done.

Finally, there’s nothing better than a well-cared for fresh fish. Bled quickly, iced and fillets soaked in a mild kosher salt/ice bath preserves the taste and texture of any fish.

[capt74]

Try doing that with 70 people on the boat. Not happening.

[TopRod]

Yea ok….

[Billfish715]

Originally Posted by capt74

Try doing that with 70 people on the boat. Not happening.

Is that because you don’t want to do it or you tried it and it didn’t work? Is it wrong to ban booze onboard, or drugs? Is it a bad idea to have a slush tank onboard to keep fish fresh? Is it better to put bluefish into plastic garbage bags or burlap bags on a hot summer day?

The party boat we were on in Florida had over 70 fares and everyone complied with the rules and everyone had a great time. So, again, is that something that can’t be done or is it something you don’t want to do.

[hartattack]

Originally Posted by Billfish715

... a fish cleaning service available at the dock for a fee of 70 cents per pound. .....

So one 20 pound NJ Striper fileted would cost as much as 20 lbs of NJ Sea Bass? Fuggedaboudit..

[Ol Pedro]

Billfish, I fished out of Daytona Beach back in the 70's and they used the stringers. The extreme heat and limited deck space makes it a good choice for them. The boat that I fish on supplies totes and has ice available. She also has plenty of room for ice chests. On tuna trips they have slush tanks and are trying stringers for Mahi when the bite is on.
As far as drugs are concerned it's 0 tolerance. Alcohol is a different thing. Most people are responsible drinkers so why should the vast majority suffer for a few who push the envelope?
The boat owners decide the best way to operate their businesses. I would think that they would listen to suggestions and use what fits.

[AndyS]

People need to bring on large coolers for the 5 days worth of food they packed for a 3/4 day bluefish trip.

[june181901]

I was stationed in the south and I noticed that down there if someone says 'no alcohol' people shrug their shoulders and comply. Up here I doubt if that would fly and folks would find a boat that didn't object to alcohol consumption.

[Skolmann]

Just some thoughts:

-Not sure I’d like to wait around at the dock for them to clean my catch (let alone pay $0.70 per pound)

-I like the no drug policy. Last few party boats trips I was on, there were a few smoking weed (yes I know it’s legal now & I actually have nothing against people smoking it but not in a public setting)-as it was each time I was down wind of them and got somewhat of a contact high (headache, dizziness) made for a less than a 100% enjoyable time.

-I’ve been on boats where the rule was no more than a 6 pack of beer per person. No hard alcohol allowed.

-If I’m using my own rod/reel, I’d want to bring a tackle bag in addition to a soft cooler for food/drink

[Billfish715]

The 70 cents per pound was the price IF YOU WANTED the fish cleaned. With the size and bag limits in NJ, it would not be profitable for the mongers.

The idea of “No way! It can’t be done” is bogus. Was there social distancing and masks for PB fishing not long ago? If people want to fish in a drug free, alcohol free, big cooler free obnoxious fishermen free environment, they will find boats that will oblige them. If patrons don’t understand “Not Allowed”, they can always find a captain who will take their money and look the other way.

Newer backpacks will accommodate tackle (flat sided boxes) and food and drinks and personal items. Why bring a big cooler on a fluke trip? Even if you catch a limit, how much room do 12 fillets take up? A couple of big Igloos filled with ice and belonging to the boat can serve as cold storage for keeper fish. Kept on a numbered stringer assigned to a customer, the fresh fish will remain fresh until they are cleaned onboard or taken home.

All it takes is a captain who is willing to go one or two steps farther to keep their patrons happy and coming back.