So,
you want to book a Charter?----good
idea !! (lMore links at botom
of page)
There
are many great reason to book a fishing charter in an area that you will want
to fish often. The singular best reason is simply, Information. The following
are some tips and suggestions regarding booking a charter.
1)
Always check to make sure the boat and captain are licensed
for charter fishing. In large marina's that have charter fleets, usually
all captains have to meet certain qualifications before they can be accepted into
the fleet. Chartering a company in small lakes and impoundment's, is usually where
you will need to check on the captain's qualifications. Even if a captain's license
is not required by the Coast Guard on a particular lake, it is still a good idea
to go with someone who is Coast Guard Licensed. The reason is for obvious safety
reasons, having an experienced, trained captain at the helm is always a good idea.
2)
Finding a good charter company is usually pretty easy.
The best way is to contact the local tourism agency in the area that you want
to fish. They will most likely have charter information for the surrounding area,
and will be dealing with companies that are actively looking for business. This
is not only a quick way to get information, but it is the start of the "weed
out, or selection process" If a charter company has a bad reputation, and
is not properly licensed, chances are the local tourism authority will not be
supporting them. It is not a bad idea to get reference's, make a couple of phone
calls, etc. Checking out the boat is a good idea as well, look to see if it has
a suitable life raft to hold the number of people on board.
3)
Do not be afraid to ask the Captain and first mate many
questions regarding the trip. Fishing locations, best season, structure
issues, tackle tips, etc. You are paying for the trip, get the most out of it
and learn from the charter. I am always amazed when I go on a charter and no one
on board inquires about anything. Guest just expect to go catch fish, without
ever learning why they are catching them. Captains and mates will not share all
their secrets, however they usually will give you a lot of information that can
help your next angling outing
4)
Take your gear. We have fished with more fantastic
charter boats than I can even name, and they all have one thing in common, heavily
used gear that is not always in the condition of your own fishing equipment. In
defense of the charter boat, they are in the buiz to put fish in the boat, and
do it quickly. This means heavy tackle in all aspects. If you like light tackle
angling like I do, you will want to talk to the captain and make sure it is OK
to bring your own rod and reel. This is something that we always do, and I have
never had a captain ever say no. For most saltwater fishing, we just bring along
our trusty Abu Garcia 7000's, and hop on board. The first thing you should do
is review your rod and reel with the first mate (or captain) for their recommendations
as to line, leaders, and various rigging that will apply to the catch of the day.
I may bring my own rod and reel on board, however I do not even THINK of telling
them how to rig it! Remember, you are paying the charter for their expertise,
listen and learn from them.
5)
GPS - "gee should I take my hand held?" I
always take mine and mark everything I can, but only with the captains permission.
I have been on charters where they do not allow hand helds on board, in this case,
we leave the GPS in the truck. Taking a GPS with you is just something you should
talk to the captain about before you hire the charter. Most captains I have dealt
with do not mind. For those that do, we respect their wishes, you should too.
6)
Preparation for your day on the water and sea sick tips. The night before
your long day on the water, HIT THE HAY EARLY! This will help folks who may be
prone to sea sickness. Keep in mind that a day fishing offshore (or anywhere)
will take a lot out of you, get plenty of rest the night before. Stay away from
fried foods and eat a light dinner. Try not to drink a lot of Alcohol the night
before a trip. I have seen this scenario too many times, good friends go out and
party all night, then get on a boat at 5:30am and head offshore. Everyone on the
boat is past out and half are sea sick. On one trip many years ago, I was a guest
on board a bluefish charter that was full of drunk, passed out, seasick, businessman
who had partied all night long. The only two people who could even stand up and
fish was the first mate and myself. You may think that because a trip is paid
for by the guest, that guest can do anything they want on a charter. This is NOT
true, safety on board is always a serious issue. If you are going do the heavy
partying, save it for the hotel room when boats and cars are not involved.
While to much
alcohol on a boat can be a bad thing, a little bit can be a wonderful cure for
sea sickness. For an adult, many times one beer can help a churning stomach. Also
Coke a Cola can aid in helping settling things down. It is also a good idea to
always have something on your stomach. Plan on having an early Breakfast (no coffee
or heavy caffeine) and a good snack on board during mid morning. An empty stomach
on large sea swells will make one queasy for sure.
Sea sick medicine
can vary in effectiveness. My wife used Scopolamine and it worked well for her.
Later the drug was taken off the market for efficacy studies. Not sure if it is
available today. Best thing to do is talk to you family physician if you are prone
to sea sickness. I personally do not get sea sick, however I have tried different
over the counter sea sick pills over the years. Everyone I have tried pretty much
knocks me out and I feel much worse than if I had not taken anything. My best
advice is to be well rested, always have something on your stomach, and do not
drink much caffeine.
7)
Here is a tip, tip! That includes the first mate
the captain, and of course the fish cleaner. With a large amount of fish to be
cleaned, it is always a good idea to have the fish cleaned by the marina (fish
cleaning) Here is the reason, it just speeds things up and does not make others
have to wait. The fact is, I really enjoy cleaning fish. It is something I have
done since I was a child, we always kind of looked at it as a "Celebration"
or reward for the long day of fishing. With 10 to 30 other Charter boats behind
us, I leave my filet knife in the bag and let the marina clean the fish. It cost
some money, but it will help move things along for the marina. How would you like
it after a long day of fishing, one boat decides the party will clean their own
fish, drink beer, take their time, and hold up the entire marina for everyone
just because they wanted to save a couple bucks.
Use the fish
cleaner!
8)
Other items to take on board. Sunglasses are a must,
as well as sun screen. A still camera is good to have especially for catch and
release fish. Comfortable boat shoes, (no sandals, or chances are you may get
cut by flopping fish) an extra jacket during the off season, and some towels that
you will not mind getting dirty. A nice packed lunch (bring something for the
mate and captain) and bring plenty of drinking water. Do not bring large fish
coolers on board, however make sure you have some in the car ready for your filets.
9)
Try to plan a second trip while in the area. This
is something we always try to do. For example, if we are Cobia fishing out of
Hampton VA for a day, the next day we will plan a quick river trip for Croaker
and Flounder. If we are fishing offshore Hatteras one day, the next day we will
try to take in some surf fishing. This is a great way to get the family more involved
in the outdoor experience. This is what I call," Rounding off your trip"
If you are not familiar with the area enough to put together a second trip, contact
the tourism agency in the area, and talk to the captain of the charter for advice.
In freshwater, your big day on the water may be Striper fishing. Before leaving
the area, try to take in some panfishing, or maybe some smalmouth river fishing.
You will find that by broadening your outdoor adventure, you will enjoy your future
outings much more.
J.B.
