Fishing Charters - Consumer Fraud to anglers on board?

[Reel Class]

Originally Posted by shrimpman steve

One thing I know, reel class is a class act.

LOL Thank you for posting this Steve. I really appreciate the kind words

Just for the record, REEL CLASS has nothing to do with this post - only reason why I responded was because I was bored this morning and started reading, and felt like I had to interject my $.02

Completely agree with Joey Da Fish on this one. Don't post the Captain's name, it will potentially set a precedent and turn this great site into a sewing circle. If anyone wants the boats name, maybe Oceanroamer would consider providing it through a pm.....that's his decision. Simple lesson learned here is what's most important ask the captain before booking what the rules are including if a limit is attained by the charter and in this case the Captain or crew contributes to that limit does he as a matter of policy return early or do they stray out regardless for a full day, assuming conditions warrant. I would never have thought to even ask that question but after this thread will do so if I ever charter a trip. Doesn't matter who the boat is in this particular case if that question is asked.

Oceanroamer thanks for sharing your experience, I'm sure your post will be very helpful to members down the road. Sooner or later this will work itself out anyway with the boat you had this experience with because as we all know there's no more service intensive word of mouth business than the charter fishing business. The word will get out on it's own and I can't imagine the Captain in this case will be in business too long if that's his normal practice.

Dakota

[tombanjo]

I'll tell you one thing you won't be seeing here anymore, reports like "Limited out, back to the dock by 11am."

That one always left me shaking my head.

[Joey Dah Fish]

One would hope not. Capts be ware

[Capt. Jerry P]

Sorry to hear ur bad experience I Hear ur complaint all the time. Sadly its common pratice on alot of boats. And Ill try my best to explain from a charter Captains Owner point of view.

First off everyone runs their businesses differently... so better to ask up front to find out and find an operation that suites ur liking. Some guys are by the clock for a many reasons some will only catch one species some will only troll etc. Some go in after limits etc. So based on ur expectations choose ur boat wisely.

I understand what ur saying and always leaned on the customers side to provide what our clients wanted. For us that includes c&r and mixed bag ( when available) when fishing was real good or very slow and many days of Overtime when needed to ensure to the best of our ability the crew all has a good experience.

While Striper fishing over the years when the bite was very good it was pretty easy to know the timing of the bite..until something changed. So if we knew the stripers were gonna bite for an hr in the morning we would go off seabassin inside 3 miles after rather then run home to say we limited early... or play c&r.

If striper fishing was hack we often go for seabass even if it wasn't the charter first choice many days it saved the day many times while other drove around in circles knowing the end result.

Another year jigging was good in the fall we often let everyone play with blackfish while other ran in early. This in my opinion is what made some bodies great trip a trip of a lifetime.

With bottomfishing and fluking we rarely come in early unless a full boat limit was reached ( which usually took all day sometimes even later than scheduled time to return)

Also hear alot of complaints about guys trolling. Many days in the spring n fall we bust our ass to catch em on jigs or liveline. While others pull rigs and the guys sit on coolers. Now if that's what an inexperienced charter wanted that would b fine but I often hear the wanted to jig or live line n got stuck trolling. Of course at times this may b the only way. But many just do it bc it easier. No bashing anyone and it isn't directed at anyone in particular.

These are all things that are a MUST to ask when booking ur trip.

I often fish on trips and contribute fish to the box as well but usually I try for the customers to catch there limit (6 man ) and the crew to make up a boat limit ex 8 man. As well as fig out the bite and what the fish want to help the guys maximize their catch. On slow days the extra fish are welcomed to fatten up fillet bags or compensate for someone who had an off day.

When Blackfish is good We usually make a c&r after a charter limit or a drop top off a boat limit...look for big fish n life for another trip without beating the bottom to death.

Now on the other side of it I often had charters who wanted to go in after reaching a limit but that's something I felt is best left up to the charter Imho

All these combo trips, overtime, and catch n release all cost extra money n some guys just will not do ( which is fine its their choice) I always felt u make it up and the long run and rebookings. Some feel differently and actually have other Captains angered over it. But to each their own.

Again this is just the way we operate n again everyone is different...All u can do is ur best and I'm sure I have had anglers who didn't like the way I did something But in the end it should balance out if u do a good job.if u short change ur customers ur only cheating ur self in the end which leads to less trips in the book.

[Oceanroamer]

Pretty cool to join the conversation Capt. Jerry. Sure you can't please everyone all the time. No doubt. But you try. Good for you.

But in our situation, when the captain says, "ok we are limited, we are going in."

And the charter politely pleads, "Can we please stay and catch and release for fun and photos?" To get a wise guy response as if the question was out of line, that's hard to handle. All the guys on this charter were disappointed. We didn't argue, insult, curse, but we all looked at each other and weren't happy. Probably a common way of handling it.


And I'm getting PM's from guys saying was it this boat in particular? I've held off putting it on here and am torn, but look and see who says "Limited out on fluke or tog and back at the dock at 10:30" in the archives and you can start to put it all together. Bet many tried to stay on the water like our charter, but were not given the courtesy of the contracted fishing trip length stated ahead of the trip.

[Joey Dah Fish]

I think this is a great thread all sides weighing in with valid points. It reminds me what I need to do when booking charters. That's very helpful to me. I'm certainly glad I don't charter

[Joey Dah Fish]

Just because it's cold out and no fishing and the desire to keep this thread alive. You rarely hear a Capt and crew air out the the 6 guys showed up 2 hours late drunk out of there minds and couldn't catch a fish if their lives depended on it. They stunk like weed and liquor and threw up all over the boat. Slept 90 percent of the time. But thanks to the Captain and crew they all went home with a nice bag of fillets courtesy of the Capt and crew taking care of their alibis to their wives lol these poor guy sure do put up with some shit!!!!

[Capt. Jerry P]

Originally Posted by Oceanroamer

Pretty cool to join the conversation Capt. Jerry. Sure you can't please everyone all the time. No doubt. But you try. Good for you.

But in our situation, when the captain says, "ok we are limited, we are going in."

And the charter politely pleads, "Can we please stay and catch and release for fun and photos?" To get a wise guy response as if the question was out of line, that's hard to handle. All the guys on this charter were disappointed.

And I'm getting PM's from guys saying was it this boat in particular? I've held off putting it on here and am torn, but look and see who says "Limited out on fluke or tog and back at the dock at 10:30" in the archives and you can start to put it all together.

Any time I don't mind weighing in from the charter Capt owner side even tho I catch heat for it sometimes. I always runs trips and ask myself what would I want or feel as if I was the customer.

What boat wouldn't matter to me... but with that said u Make a good point. At the end of the day it's ur charter u paid for the day. The same thing that ur saying happened to me years ago down in Delaware... he knew we were all Captains and we showed up with our own premo bait. If he knew u could fish u would get a small fish drop and he would save his deep suicide big fish drop for guys who couldn't catch em. Bc they bit different... so when we got the inshore drop we just wouldn't swing then he would have take us where we wanted to go... shouldn't b that way but wasn't many options down there.

I agree with ya... but it happens all the time.. prob the worst is stripers. Although I don't know what anglers want on other boats... people may have wanted to go in. But again likely didn't have the option in many cases to c&r or go for something else.

Imho opinion 1030 is crazy early esp for blackfish trip no matter how good it was... most people would n happy just throwing a few back or looking for a big fish. And it gives whoever had a tough day a chance to redeem a day they weren't particular dialed in... After a charter has a limit its my favorite time to try another spot or area... Find life for another day n That's how ya get slob drops

I will say by the time u reach a boat limit of fluke unless it is crazy good the charter themselves have had enough and c&r isn't nearly as popular aswith blackfish.

Joe murray isn't happy u less we catch a limit of two species hahaha

[Sharkyispy]

Originally Posted by Capt. Jerry P

Sorry to hear ur bad experience I Hear ur complaint all the time. Sadly its common pratice on alot of boats. And Ill try my best to explain from a charter Captains Owner point of view.

First off everyone runs their businesses differently... so better to ask up front to find out and find an operation that suites ur liking. Some guys are by the clock for a many reasons some will only catch one species some will only troll etc. Some go in after limits etc. So based on ur expectations choose ur boat wisely.

I understand what ur saying and always leaned on the customers side to provide what our clients wanted. For us that includes c&r and mixed bag ( when available) when fishing was real good or very slow and many days of Overtime when needed to ensure to the best of our ability the crew all has a good experience.

While Striper fishing over the years when the bite was very good it was pretty easy to know the timing of the bite..until something changed. So if we knew the stripers were gonna bite for an hr in the morning we would go off seabassin inside 3 miles after rather then run home to say we limited early... or play c&r.

If striper fishing was hack we often go for seabass even if it wasn't the charter first choice many days it saved the day many times while other drove around in circles knowing the end result.

Another year jigging was good in the fall we often let everyone play with blackfish while other ran in early. This in my opinion is what made some bodies great trip a trip of a lifetime.

With bottomfishing and fluking we rarely come in early unless a full boat limit was reached ( which usually took all day sometimes even later than scheduled time to return)

Also hear alot of complaints about guys trolling. Many days in the spring n fall we bust our ass to catch em on jigs or liveline. While others pull rigs and the guys sit on coolers. Now if that's what an inexperienced charter wanted that would b fine but I often hear the wanted to jig or live line n got stuck trolling. Of course at times this may b the only way. But many just do it bc it easier. No bashing anyone and it isn't directed at anyone in particular.

These are all things that are a MUST to ask when booking ur trip.

I often fish on trips and contribute fish to the box as well but usually I try for the customers to catch there limit (6 man ) and the crew to make up a boat limit ex 8 man. As well as fig out the bite and what the fish want to help the guys maximize their catch. On slow days the extra fish are welcomed to fatten up fillet bags or compensate for someone who had an off day.

When Blackfish is good We usually make a c&r after a charter limit or a drop top off a boat limit...look for big fish n life for another trip without beating the bottom to death.

Now on the other side of it I often had charters who wanted to go in after reaching a limit but that's something I felt is best left up to the charter Imho

All these combo trips, overtime, and catch n release all cost extra money n some guys just will not do ( which is fine its their choice) I always felt u make it up and the long run and rebookings. Some feel differently and actually have other Captains angered over it. But to each their own.

Again this is just the way we operate n again everyone is different...All u can do is ur best and I'm sure I have had anglers who didn't like the way I did something But in the end it should balance out if u do a good job.if u short change ur customers ur only cheating ur self in the end which leads to less trips in the book.

Well put and great post from the Captain's perspective! Thus your reputation well earned.