Mates fishing during charters. OPINION

[tautog]

Only time I have ever really put a stop to it is on trips were trophy blackfish are likely. It would sorta suck if the mate got a 16lber and the paying customers all caught fish under 10lbs.

[njfisherman1975]

As long as the mate helps out when needed...I never see a problem with it. Captain and mate probably like to fish as much or more than the charter and if the deck is taken care of every time needed...I say go for it.

[zhitoman]

Here is a little story that happened on a party boat out of Sheepsheadbay, not a charter but still. We were fishing for porgies, and this young mate was fishing non stop next to us. So he decides to go take a break from fishing and starts talking to other mates while his rod in a rod holder with line still in the water. I get a nice bite and start reeling in a nice 8-10 lb fluke on my porgy rig! I start screaming for net, and the same young mate nets my fish. As he nets the fish and brings it in the boat we see that his line is tangled with my line. He unhooks the fish turns around to me and says, that is my fish, it was on my hook! I start to argue, but other mates come to his rescue and tell me to watch my attitude. Well, that's not even the end of the story. At the end of the trip the young mate wins a pool with my fluke, because he was in a pool!

[NoLimit]

There is only one circumstance where a mate should fish and that is if no one is catching. This might help the group pick up a few hints.

Otherwise, no way.

Let's face it, there are only so many fish under a boat.

[SaltLife1980]

When i am working.. i enjoy dropping in a line for a lil.. If i am just standing there chewing down smokes i dont see the harm.. If the customer needs help or hooks up i reel in and help out.. once everyone is back in the water and fishing, i drop back in..

[joerosa1]

Maybe I am looking at it to simplisticly but the same rules of other (service based) professions should apply to being a mate on a boat. If I work at a movie theater should I be sitting and watching a movie if its a light crowd that day? Take a break to ride some rides if working at Great Adventure? Over the years except for cutting and netting the fish I tend to take care of myself but on most boats there is always someone to tend to. If you want to fish dedicate that day to fishing if one is at work they should be working.