Mates fishing during charters. OPINION

[hammer4reel]

Problem with letting a mate fish is that most of them are good fisherman, and many guys who charter get jealous when the mate or captain catch more or bigger fish than they do . as they feel they were entitled to a chance at those fish. and since they are the ones paying for the trip I understand that.

There are other charters that like seeing fish caught ,and keeps them fishing at the rail harder on tough days. so its def a two edge sword

[HDMarc]

I've seen in some instances where the boat had 2 or more mates, one of the mates would wet a line and when he caught some fish, he gave them to the customers who were getting the skunk while the other mates were tending to the customers when needed. Seemed to be a good way to send people home with fish when they just couldn't catch em' themselves. This is of course on the bigger party boats, not a six pack charter.

[Blind Archer]

I second the previous plus. It helps the Capt. determine if the fishin is dead or the fisherman are. I've seen the charter get wasted or just waste their rail time and nothin is coming up even though the fish are there. Also more bait in the water can get a chew started sooner. I have seen mates abuse the charter by droppin on top of them and pullin the fish off their piece, laugh at them and move on to the next guy struggling. I go back home if they're the only boat running that day. As tough as it is to make a living at this, few Captains would tolerate anything but productive responsible mates. Their good name is important and repeat customers keep them in the water.

[Chico]

I think the last three posts are RIGHT ON!. I have seen plenty of great mates make sure that no one goes home without fillets, (and that has included me!) I just came home from a charter in SW Fla. where the captain fished almost all day, and all the fish he caught went to the sixpack who chartered the boat. The result was a crap load of fish on the boat, and a big tip for the crew!!

[pcrawf]

No problem with mates fishing as long as they dont forget about the client and are willing to put the rod down to net a fish. NOBODY wants to hear "wait a second, I have a fish on" when they have one at the surface trying to get off the hook.

[BCinerie]

Had a mate tell me on a tuna trip not to fish because he did not want me the customer to tangle him up! While he was fishing with a 30 lb outfit! I told him to kma and told him he must not want me to tip him! Service gets tips that crap do not fly with me!

[Capt Derek Fisher Price 3]

As long as the charter doesnt mind and the customers are taken care of, there is no problem with the mate fishing. Sometimes it helps when the mate fishes to add fish to the box.

@bigbassjim.. by the way dont tough my rod in the cabin

[SaltyAngler]

All for it as long as the customers that aren't as fishing savvy are taken care of. I've always had a blast fishing with mates and captains.

Two winters ago I was on a tog boat. It was a scratchy day but fish were there. I pulled in a keeper or two and had some life building in front of me. One of the mates came over and starting inching backwards step by by step until he was literally half way in front of me. The boat wasn't crowded with maybe only 15 fares but for the principle of it I didn't move at all. Sure enough he swings and pulls up a nice 7 or 8 pound fish from where my line would have been had I had some elbow room. Biggest fish of the day for the boat. The kicker is the capt was cheering him on standing near the wheelhouse directly over my head. I don't mind a mugging but not from the paid help. That was the one and only time I have ever stiffed a mate and haven't been back on that boat since. I also tell anyone who will listen.
But other than that situation , I really enjoying fishing with the mates and capt. I watched the capt of a boat I frequent last time I was out when he came down to fish for a few. I picked up new tips and he encouraged the educational value of that. I did what he did, selected a different size crab, rigged it a little different from what I was doing, and therefore limited out plus some and landed the two biggest of the day.

[JBird]

I agree with Derek and others, as long as the customers are taken care of its totally fine. I can't tell you how many times I have hooked a fish and passed it off to a kid or lady to reel in. I've also fished to show skeptical people that the fish are, in fact, there and willing.