The charter/party industry...
 

You can curse me, bash me, do anything you want to me but i am going to bring it up because i continue to notice it.


Why does the charter business continue to grow the wrong way? lower fares. I am an a completely different businesses and i see it happening in all industries, but the charter and fishing industry is the worst.

Could you imagine if everyone got together and made a standard price across the board? or is everyone a little to worried about their abilities to do so?

I see some boats popping up and in the industry getting less then 100 bucks a head for a full long long day, my question is WHY?

When it comes down to numbers and dollars and cents, you are not making any money. The charter business is hard enough yet we are paying 750 a day down here compared to over 1000 bucks a day else where.

I have no problem doing both, of course i would fish less paying 1000 a day, but why can not one boat around here get that much, or atleast 900 a day? the real reason is because there will be someone out there doing it for 100 for the same day, people do not look at numbers enough to realize that they are losing money.

I am just not understanding the logic behind it, getting into business now a days and not looking to optimize your profit potential, instead just make nothing and go fishing every day. Pretty sad, and although it is a free world, if you are retired, or have enough money to own a boat and just want to do it as a side business, find some friends, stay out of the business, it is saturated enough for everyone, why make it any worse?

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

Don't have an an answer to your question(s) but I will offer you a counter view/question.

I recently returned from Florida and had intended on fishing a party boat (got blown out). Anyway, I found 2 different boats that offered full day trips. By full day I mean leave at 8 AM & return at 5 PM. Fare was $60 and for $10 more you had rod/reel rental plus an egg sandwich for breakfast and your choice of a burger, hot dog or sandwich for lunch with all the water, iced tea, soda you wanted. Not a bad deal for $70. Where can you find that on any NJ party boat?

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

The miss cape Canaveral does that. You can't beat it

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

Steve, that's the boat I was booked on. I have several friends in the area who highly recommended the Obsession (out of the same port) but all the sterns spots were taken, thus I booked the Miss Cape Canaveral.

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

i diagree a bit i think if Boat A is charging $140 for a 6am-4pm charter and Boat B is charging $110 for the same, i'm not going with boat B just because it is cheaper. I'm going with whatever boat is going to put me on fish, have a kick ass CD on loop & put up with my shenanigans.I think that is true with most anglers so it wouldn't matter if someone raised there prices a bit above average I think if they produce they will book no matter the fare. My neck My back

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

I am with you on that one, but people who are uneducated on the fishing business and who to fish with, will usually take the lesser. and also if that is the case mr murray, why don't the said "boat a" charge 180 or 200 for the day? lol

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

thats just silly Vincent stop giving people these ideas of $200pp ahahahah

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

Maybe worried about laws against collusion?

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

I slightly disagree here too. Times are getting tougher and every industry is getting more and more competitive, why do you think fishing is any different?? The average middle income home/family is trying to save pennies any where possible. Middle of the week trip for fluke, $50 headboat vs $125 open boat charter is kinda hard to justify... The charter guys doing it full time are the ones that I feel for, the guys that do it part time who tend to offer the cheaper charters have another source of income to rely upon and don't need to charge "full price" for charters.

Owning a boat and taking a bunch of guys bucktailing off the rocks with the rest of the fleet doesn't make one guy better then the next. Try talking to the guys down my way that don't have all the different structure you northern guys do is a little different! We don't have rocks or mussel beds to fish. A captain that can consistently put limits of big fluke in the boat in the middle of the summer down my way might be able to get away with charging the higher rates...

Re: The charter/party industry...
 

Could it be that there are so many part timers with 6 pac tickets ? We all know at least one guy in our Inlet that does it because It's an extention of his hobby . He just wants to write off his boat/expenses and fish when he wants to . Carry a few charters/open partys break even. Most of the part timers that I know are good people who fish hard and need the money. attrition doesn't work if it's not a major part of your Living Expenses .