HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION HERE.....

[neilinov]

I keep looking at this thread and thinking about it. I can take the long hours, the brutality of day after day of fishing, and the low pay. The thing that I think that I couldn't stand is the people. People are a$$holes! Sure you get some great guys that charter, but those couple every few weeks that are "on vacation" would drive me bananas. On my boat I go fishing with who I want when I want.

The other thing I think that I would hate is that 90% of the charters are meat fishing expiditions. Don't get me wrong, I love to catch a tuna, but when the White Marlin bite kicks into high gear in mid August- early September, the last thing I want to be doing is wasting an hour with an inexperienced angler slugging it out with a 60# tuna on a TLD 25, or worse yet having the charter insist on going tuna fishing when I know that the White bite is going off the hook another 30 miles another direction.

I think that I have a great job that allows me to pick up and go when I want. I don't think that I would trade it even on the worst day of work with 70 people screaming at me from all directions. I think that is what I like best about fishing. I can get away with my family or some good friends and just enjoy the day and not have to produce anything for anybody. When I want to go take my daughter out and catch spot I do that. When I want to drift the rips and catch rocks I do that. When the tuna bite is hot I will do that. When whitey comes out to play, don't even call me. To turn it into a job and fish on other peoples time and preferences, I think would diminish some of my enjoyment.

[Old Salty]

Hi,

I've read almost all of the replies here.
And to tell you the truth, my answer would have to be NO
way could I deck hand 150 days out of the year.
That position takes a very patient, and talented individual.
I have been in the fishing business all of my life, I love to fish
there is nothing like the bloodrushing excitement when you have a YFT
peeling line of your reel. The deckhand, or 1st.mate work there @ss
off for very little money. It truly pisses me off when we're out fishing on a charter, and at the end of the day people dont tip the deck hand.
Rule of thumb in my book is 25% of what the offshore trip cost you. I usually tip him before we even leave the dock in the morning. Its only money, and I do this to show my appreciation all the hard work done by the deckhand.
You usually get better service also. Another thing is when you go out with inexperienced people and you have a triple onand the deck hand is running around trying to help everyone out, he works his but off trying to insure everyone on the boat brings there limit in. Step back and watch sometime,
could you really do this everyday The best thing to to is step in if he allows and help out in anyway possible so there isn't a complete
cluster f@@k happening, lines tangling etc. etc.
I thank ALL the hard working deckhands/Pit Crew out there.
You're truly under paid, and are the working machine when things heat up on the back of a boat.
There should be a "Pit Crew Day" here on SFC
A day off with pay to "The True Pit Man or Women"


Good Fishin' to ALL,

[frankypettolina]

I have read most of the responses here, and here is my answer (and part of my story). I did the summertime thing working on Dad's charter boat until I got out of college. I wanted to jump right in and fish year round, MOM told me no and had me go through Chapman's for the marine surveying gig. Right after Chapmans I started freelancing abit in S. FL and then came home to OC. Did some surveys and charter fished on Dad's boat. Got the right call that fall to go to S FL and fish out of Sailfish Marina. Then for the next hanfull of years I was out of the country about 7 to 8 months a year (charter and private boat fishing)and fishing and surveying when I was up in OC. I was in my early/mid 20's. Averaged 200 plus days a year underway either travelling or fishing. Would I trade it for anything, hell no. Couple of thousand billfish, over two dozen grandslams it was awesome.

Would I do it now??? EVEN A BIGGER HELL NO. It is a young man's game. Yes there are alot of older full time cockpit men. Not all of them move up to the bridge. Some of them are the best in the business. I admire them. Do I envy them. No. I am happy with the choices I made. I have a successful business that still allows me to go 50 to 70 days a summer in OC and 20 or so in MHC. Went to MX again 2 years ago to relive old glories (no it wasn't the same, but it was cool nonetheless). But all that being said, I would not ever want to go over 100 days a year again.

Believe me, it is not all umbrella drinks and white marlins. there is plenty of waxing, varnishing, washing, wrenching, painting etc, etc, etc. And there are some annoying folks that charter a boat. I have been fortunate not to have too many bad expereinces, but they are there.

Nope, no more for me, it is the Gaffman and Reel Fool and other such fellows turns. Good luck guys and catch a few for me. When you cut off your 30th sail of the day, or pull on one of those monster blacks just think about me thumping on a hull with my plastic hammer, and enjoy every minute of your time out there on the rip.

[rocksandblues]

no, having it as a job would take a lot of joy out of it. i am not a big enough people person either.

my marine related fantasy job would be a delivery capt. love driving. hardly ever put the auto pilot on.