From a customer perspective:
1.) Job is not harder or easier then most others. Never say your job is hard, bitch about regs, wind or tough fishing to customers etc. Don't like it, do something else. You are fishing fluke fishing in Jersey...not crab in the bering sea. nobody wants to hear a captain complain. nobody.
2.) never ask the customer what they think. we are paying for your knowledge
3.) never yell at a customer unless they are out of line or being disrespectful
4.) communicate your game plan to the customers before you leave the dock. let them know you are heading to the west side of the mudhole, the trip out will be about an hour, free lining the chunks with no weight has worked best etc, etc. a general snapshot of the plan will probably avoid at least a portion of the inevitable questions. the best captain out here in so-cal jumps on top of the bait tank before every trip and makes everyone gather in the stern. tells everyone his plan, introuduces the mates by name, says we will have a few hours ride till we start fishing, then goes over his rules on his vessel etc etc. it exudes leadership and confidence...and feeds the "hacks" need to know what is going on...even if it is just a small piece of information.
