It takes 2 to Tango

[gottaflylee]

This is not a thread I am starting to debate who is or has the most important job on the boat...it is to make all those who do not get out every day to think about how you run you boat and crew...about the TEAMWORK you have going on in your boat and hoping that it will make you think on what you and your crew can do to more meatnyourbox.

What makes a great Captain great or a great mate great. In my mind it takes "Teamwork". The Captain and mate have to work as one...words and actions played out with out a word said. A lot of work done without even eye contact and when eye contact is made...volumes are said with out a word spoken.
If it were not for a great mate you would not have a great captain...if not for a great captain, there would not be a great mate. Each has the most important job on the boat.

Captain has to decide where to fish as well as how to fish that area and how the boat needs to be run to get the most bites, to maneuver the boat to get that fish in the boat, commutate with the mate when the pointy ones comes into the spread or any other thing needs to be done. Yes we do a little more than just drive the boat. Key word is commutate...

The mate has to rig the best bait possible, put them in the right position, figure the spread to run that day, change up the spread when needed, wire the fish to the boat, gaff it, put it in the box, do a prefect drop back to the pointy ones, know when to set the hook and when to drop back some more, then, commutate with the captain when the chase is on...again the key word is commutate.

Would the Beast have the reputation he has if it were not for the mate's ability to close the deal that Brian started...no. Would the Box have the reputation he has, if were not for the great captains he has worked the pit for and kept them great...no, it takes 2 to Tango. It takes 2 of the best to have the best of either. If it were not for Warren in the pit on the "Predator" boat would I look as good...no. He and I have that unspoken ability to work together with out talking and sometimes without even looking at each other...maybe its a greater understanding of what each other needs to get the job done.

Sometimes it works out when a captain and mate starts out together and other times it does not. Last year on the "Bite Me", Marty and I seemed to gel quickly and working together came easy...at least for me, just as OSeaD and the Beast on the "RunOff" have, on the other hand with Warren having to be gone from the "Predator" boat as much as he has this fall finding someone that I could work with has been tuff, guess I've been spoiled and expect to much.

The point of this is, at least a on a big boat, I can't be my best with out having someone that is as good in the pit, being their best, to do their part. You need to work with your crew to make you, your crew and your boat, a Top Notch Boat. Let them know what you need from them to get the job done and what you except from them, "commutate", then you need to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE together to make it work = teamwork. Put it all together and you have 2 that can "Tango"

[WAHOONBOX]

I LIKE TO TANGO TOO.......

I LIKE WANGO TANGO

I LIKE CABO WABO

I LIKE WAHOO BOXO

TEAMWORK............

THAT PRETTY MUCH SAYS IT ALL

IF YOU EVER NEED A MATE ON DA PREDATOR....IT AIN'T BUT 83 MILES TO THE SOUTHERN

I REMAIN LOCK'D N LOADED 24/7

[Sweet Caroline]

What makes a great Captain great or a great mate great. In my mind it takes "Teamwork". The Captain and mate have to work as one...words and actions played out with out a word said. A lot of work done without even eye contact and when eye contact is made...volumes are said with out a word spoken.
If it were not for a great mate you would not have a great captain...if not for a great captain, there would not be a great mate. Each has the most important job on the boat.

Very well put, it does not any more straight forward than that. I realize this and I am struggling trying to get the rest of the crew to realize it. I am basically a weekend warrior that just cannot do everything myself. I have tried to groom, and educate different regulars on the boat with the hopes someone would take charge of the pit or the helm so I can fill in the other spot. It seems like they just want to fish and not do the work to get them. Trolling this year was tough with all of the weeds and when you do not have a crew that will keep the lines clean you should stay at the dock. When the passengers decide they do not want to clear the grass anymore I have to regroup and try and find a spot without grass that will still produce fish.

Being the weekend warrior we just split the costs at the end of the day. This leaves no steady pit monkey that I can rely on trip after trip. We are always looking for people to go fishing to help keep the costs low so if anyone can run a pit and is willing to come along and split the costs at the end of the day let me know. I am hoping to do a handful of charters a year at some point in time so this may be a good opportunity to come along, learn the boat and there just may be a captain or mate job down the line.