good or bad mate???

[Bluewater Sportfishing]

ok..people...
What do you look for in a mate? what are the duties of a mate?
what would describe a super mate.....I.E. MY MATE IS AWSOME i WOULD NEVER GET RID OF HIM.....OR the other end of the spectrum..my mate is so bad the sharks wont touch him.....
In other words what makes a good or bad mate??

[Moveable Assets]

job gets done without lots of unnecessary communication. He/she knows and anticipates what you are thinking. Clients have a good time.

[Capt. kapoc]

one that is open to learning and entertaing to the clients.... if you are on a 12 hr troll and hit 2 tuna but the clients are happy at the end because of the mate he is good. If i can look at a mate and he is ahead of me before i can say somthing he is great ...but everything takes time

[Deep C]

To me an ideal mate is one who works with and gets along with the passengers first and foremost. My mate has been with me about six years. Most of the year I don't run with one but when he's there its a load off my shoulders. Little things mean a lot.
For example: When bottom fishing he's my anchor man... Doesn't seem l;ike a big deal but if we have to move a few times even pulling my Albemarle against wind and tide can flat ruin me for days to come. For wahoofishing he's gonna be the one who gets the detail of pulling the planer.
He's a gift from above when dispatching Makos. I leader and he plants the flyer like a well oiled machine. Good on big fish but sucks gaffing dolphin. Knowing this and not getting mad about it just has me gaff them.
I like to rig most of the baits but when its busy having him do uis share really keeps the rythm going quick and smooth.
On the island trips he can tell when I'm whipped and will step in to even do the cooking.
Over there he keeps the hooks sharp, the knots fresh, the baits clean, makes samwiches or sushi for lunch, carries the bagage, catches live baits at night, gaffs the fish, either washes the boat or cleans the catch, etc. On this side on the tourney boat, I get the tackle set up and he keeps it all fish ready the rest of the time. He clears the pit and walks the angler forward so I pay attention to the driving and can get right on the fish quick.
A good mate shows up on time every time. Only rarely do I need to bark at him for being a touch slow after a night of a little too much.
After all these years he's starting to think like I do and is anticipating my next move before I make it. Also getting good enough for me to ask for his input as to a next move and value it
Needs to be flexible. I often change up styles or approaches to fishing. For me its a slow transformation but after a few months apart its new to him. Again years are on his side and he is good on the learning curve.
Mate is a valuable tool. Possibly the most valuable tool in the captains kit. Without a good one your working at a disadvantage...

[flatbottom]

One that is very confident in his life. Like shaving in the shower with out a stainless mirror and not cutting your ear off. If he can do that...rigging a hoo, or maneuvering a sportfisher in tight quarters is old hat. Good post Captain Kobey and welcome back man.....missed ya brother

[blackwell50]

All of the above,plus cooks dinner for his captain and does'nt fart to much in the crew's quarters.

[reel fishy]

I have the luxury of working on both sides of the deck, sometimes the captain sometimes the mate. The freelance thing is my game right now and I love doing both jobs, keeps me thinking. I like to use a mate that is as good as or better at fishing than me. In his or her off time they should be learning a new rig or technique to improve our chances of catching more fish. We are a team and everyone should contribute. We both sit down and look at the sat shots and charts at night and plan tomorrows adventures. After all if for some reason I can't perform my duties then someone else on the boat might need to be able to. But all my mates know when the battle is on that the captain gives the directions. Yelling gets you no where unless it's loud in the cockpit and the mate can't hear you.

I have worked with a few captains that think their way is the right way and only way. I agree and do whatever they want and never work with them again. If you work with me then professionalism is a must. If you're getting paid then we are past the childish behavior. No getting wasted and coming in the morning with a hangover. Don't stay out all night partying and get 3hrs sleep. Don't smoke like a chimney if the clients are non-smokers. Keep the cockpit area clean and neat. No fighting with other crews, I don't care what they said about you. Kill them with kindness and take care of that stuff on your own time. Prove them wrong by doing your job better and cleaner than everyone else. When someone walks by the boat and wants to talk, greet them with respect no matter how much they pretend to know. If they are asking too much just tell them you have to do something inside and walk away. Always ask the cap if there if anything he wants you to do. Treat the boat like it was your money funding it. End of the day get the boat clean and dry and prepare the tackle for tomorrow. If your captain is good he will be right there with you to speed up the process. Always remember we work in a career where networking is everything. If you help out your capt or mate find his next job then he may return the favor sometime when you are in need.

[Bluewater Sportfishing]

all good responses here......flatt down in mhc trying to kill a GBT or two......
so what about apperance? if your mate shows up at the dock looking like a slob or a bum that just walked off the street what would you do?...what if the mate didnt bring any clothes with him/her?..then what? I would assume that while trolling the mate shouldnt be inside the cabin sitting down in a chair while the charter is up and about in the cockpit? What about sleeping while the boat is getting ready to leave the dock..is that a no-no?
please i need more about the good and bad.

[blackwell50]

all good responses here......flatt down in mhc trying to kill a GBT or two......
so what about apperance? if your mate shows up at the dock looking like a slob or a bum that just walked off the street what would you do?...what if the mate didnt bring any clothes with him/her?..then what? I would assume that while trolling the mate shouldnt be inside the cabin sitting down in a chair while the charter is up and about in the cockpit? What about sleeping while the boat is getting ready to leave the dock..is that a no-no?
please i need more about the good and bad.

Everything you just said and a few more no's,not checking tackle before each trip and after every catch.All knots and leaders and hooks.I like to see new biminis tied for every trip.Also this is a big one telling me something has been done when in fact it has not.Ans also DON"T fart in the crew's quarters,it's way to small.That is for live aboard crews only though.A good mate will also follow the captain into the engine and want to learn as much as possible about all ship's systems.

[GALAZIO]

all good responses here......flatt down in mhc trying to kill a GBT or two......
so what about apperance? if your mate shows up at the dock looking like a slob or a bum that just walked off the street what would you do? POINT THEM THE OTHER WAY UP THE DOCK...what if the mate didnt bring any clothes with him/her? HER? HOW GOOD LOOKIN' IS SHE ACTUALLY, I WOULD HAVE SHIRTS PROVIDED BY MY BUSINESS OR SPONSORS OF EQUIPMENT USED, THAT'S MY TAKE...then what? I would assume that while trolling the mate shouldnt be inside the cabin sitting down in a chair while the charter is up and about in the cockpit? HE/SHE BETTER BE OUTSIDE, EVEN IF IT'S DOIN' MAGIC TRICKS OR LYING ABOUT THE GRANDER HE CAUGHT ON A TLD 20, IF THE CUSTOMERS ARE OUT THERE, HE'S OUT THERE. What about sleeping while the boat is getting ready to leave the dock..is that a no-no? BEDS ARE FOR SLEEPIN, BOATS ARE FOR FISHIN'
please i need more about the good and bad.

Now I know some of the saltier guys are shaking their head saying I got a lot to learn... but I do know a thing or two about product endorsements / sponsorships and what they expect other than a boat that can catch fish, or a guy that can drain 6 footers. I guess it boils down to what kind of business you are running and the targeted demographic of your customer.

Good thread... I'll stay tuned to see how bad I get beat up.