Gulf Coast Tourist Fishing - Part 2
The trip was terrible. Expectations had been set by the captain and mate, knowing full well that they would not be met. And this is where I have the problem. Tourists come to areas like that with expectations. They pay good money to fish for a day, and they deserve to know what to expect.
There was no other fish on their mind that day, unless it would be a stray king mackerel, and it is still too early for them.
This boat was going to troll for mackerel from the time it was first booked!
So, with that, I have two pieces of advice. One is for the angler and one is for you captains.
If you plan on fishing a charter or party boat, ask the right questions. Do they offer a guarantee? What type of fishing will we do - bottom fishing? Drifting? Trolling? Casting? What did you catch yesterday? If possible go to the dock the day before you are to looking to fish and see for yourself what was caught on the boat you are going to book.
For you captains out there, take the advice of some frustrated anglers. I get complaints all the time about this very thing. We know that fish just turn off from time to time. It may be weather, water temperature, or any numbers of other reasons. We can accept that if you can just be honest with your customers! Tell them what to expect. Don't set expectations that you know in your heart can not be met.
And finally, captains, don't assume that everyone who climbs on your boat is a tourist from Kansas that has never seen saltwater!
I know there are lots of good captains, great mates, and great fishing boats out there. I have fished on quite a number of them. So, don't take this as an indictment against charter fishing. Take it as a report on an unfortunate fishing trip.
EPILOG
I received a number of comments and emails after this article was published. All of them were from guides and charters in the area; several of them could actually name the charter I had taken, although it was never mentioned in the article. It seems my particular experience was one that a number of others had been through over the past year.
So it is with a great deal of pleasure that I plan another trip, this time with one of the captains who invited me over to see what Mississippi fishing is really like!
There was no other fish on their mind that day, unless it would be a stray king mackerel, and it is still too early for them.
This boat was going to troll for mackerel from the time it was first booked!
So, with that, I have two pieces of advice. One is for the angler and one is for you captains.
If you plan on fishing a charter or party boat, ask the right questions. Do they offer a guarantee? What type of fishing will we do - bottom fishing? Drifting? Trolling? Casting? What did you catch yesterday? If possible go to the dock the day before you are to looking to fish and see for yourself what was caught on the boat you are going to book.
For you captains out there, take the advice of some frustrated anglers. I get complaints all the time about this very thing. We know that fish just turn off from time to time. It may be weather, water temperature, or any numbers of other reasons. We can accept that if you can just be honest with your customers! Tell them what to expect. Don't set expectations that you know in your heart can not be met.
And finally, captains, don't assume that everyone who climbs on your boat is a tourist from Kansas that has never seen saltwater!
I know there are lots of good captains, great mates, and great fishing boats out there. I have fished on quite a number of them. So, don't take this as an indictment against charter fishing. Take it as a report on an unfortunate fishing trip.
EPILOG
I received a number of comments and emails after this article was published. All of them were from guides and charters in the area; several of them could actually name the charter I had taken, although it was never mentioned in the article. It seems my particular experience was one that a number of others had been through over the past year.
So it is with a great deal of pleasure that I plan another trip, this time with one of the captains who invited me over to see what Mississippi fishing is really like!
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