A Captain's Perspective

[Gerry Zagorski]

This came from an undisclosed source and gives some good insight to a Captain's perspective of fishing with customers.

Figured other Captain's might want to pile on here

Top 10 (or so) things not to say, do, or try on a charter or party boat.

10. Don’t assume bluefish are always around, because they’re not, and when you say to the captain, “let’s go get some blues,” you sound like a complete hack.

9. Please don’t bring a 500 quart cooler on ANY boat to house your fish, food, ice, or drinks. Most legit boats have ample storage space and huge coolers really have no place on a charter or party boat.

8. Wearing penny loafers, dress shoes, or bringing a brief case onto a charter or headboat are simply not acceptable. We’ll just leave it at that. (Yes, we’ve seen them all!)

7. If you’re in the wheelhouse with the captain while going FORWARD, don’t ask if you can pull back on the black levers/CONTROLS, ever.

6. Applauding or congratulating the captain on backing the boat into the slip properly and safely is simply another form of hackery on your part. Captains do this everyday, and should be able to maneuver a boat into it’s slip, the same slip he does it probably 75-200 X a year, with pinpoint accuracy.

5. Breaking out a book with GPS coordinates or pictures of fishing areas for suggestion for the captain also makes you look dumb. Why? Take a look at the captain’s GPS, but don’t take any pictures of it.

4. Don’t ask, as you’re leaving the slip, “How’s the boat running?” Or the good ole “She sounds great!” – Typically you will be told that’s extremely bad luck, as most seamen are truly superstitious, so simply don’t say anything that remotely ridiculous.

3B. If you get seasick, don’t do the following: go inside the cabin, go into the head, and, please, please, pllllleeeassse, don’t puke IN the head, sink, or on the deck. Aim for the water!

3A. Don’t tell the captain or mate, “Hey, they’re catching them on that boat over there!” A good friend of mine once said to a client who said a similar thing, “You shoulda went with them then! Focus on catching fish here!” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

2. Bananas and spare change are strictly forbidden. Period.

1. And please, don’t recommend the captain fish a different location or offer up advice such as what was mentioned in #5. Don’t tell the captain that you think it’s good somewhere else, and don’t assume the captain will listen. He does know what he’s doing, he has a network, and he knows where to fish