9 Ways to Tick Off a Charter Captain

If you are on vacation or don’t have much experience fishing a particular waterway, it makes sense to hire a reputable charter captain who knows where to find the fish, and what specific fishing techniques are going to prove most successful.

Once you’ve booked your trip and before you get on board, just make sure you read these tips on how to mind your fishing manners. Why? Because you will seriously tick off your charter captain (and your fellow anglers) if you do any of the following 9 things:

1. Not tipping the captain and/or the mate. On a large party boat you should tip the deck hand $10. On a private charter boat tipping 15-20% is customary.
2. Backlashes. If you are not familiar with how to avoid backlashes and/or line tangles, ask the captain or crew. They don’t want to spend the entire day re-rigging and untangling your line.
3. Sunbathing or talking on your cell phone. You are paying the captain to put you on fish, not to work on your tan or catch up on the latest gossip with your girlfriends. Be respectful.
4. Reckless care of fishing gear. High quality rods and reels cost several HUNDREDS of dollars. Use care when handling all fishing gear.
5. Eating on boat and not sharing with the captain or mate. If you plan to bring snacks or sandwiches on a charter, it only takes a few minutes to make a few extra and offer them to your captain and crew. Courteousness goes a long way.
6. Being loud and obnoxious, thus scaring off fish. Self explanatory, just “SHUT UP AND FISH!”
7. Asking to keep undersized fish. Never expect or ask the captain to “bend” any regulations for you. Release all undersized fish so they have a chance to mature. More importantly, it’s the law.
8. Getting intoxicated on the boat and becoming a safety hazard. Ask the captain beforehand about his or her policies on alcohol. With sharp hooks, gaffs and jumping fish on and around the boat, the captain has enough to worry about without having to take care of someone who is intoxicated. If you can’t practice moderation, stay home.
9. Screaming, whining or refusing to touch the bait. Fishing involves baiting lines and taking fish off of hooks. If you’re the type of person that freaks out over every little wet and slimy creature that goes into or comes out of the water, you shouldn’t be fishing. Period.