Fishing charter: I just finished a charter in Florida. I feel a little ripped off. I paid for a 4 hr trip and we spent the first 1 1/2 hrs hustling bait. Shouldn’t the crew have...

Jdeforest Loc: Nassau Bay TX

I just finished a charter in Florida. I feel a little ripped off. I paid for a 4 hr trip and we spent the first 1 1/2 hrs hustling bait. Shouldn’t the crew have secured bait on their own time instead of using my paid for time to get bait?

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

Jdeforest wrote:

I just finished a charter in Florida. I feel a little ripped off. I paid for a 4 hr trip and we spent the first 1 1/2 hrs hustling bait. Shouldn’t the crew have secured bait on their own time instead of using my paid for time to get bait?

I’d sure say so. Any charter I was ever on spent the full time fishing. Everything was rigged up and ready and they didn’t include time to and from the fishing spot as part of my fishing time. I’ve spent lots of 4 hour fishing charter trips where we were gone from the harbor for 6 hours and fished a full 4 hours.

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

IMO...hell yes you got ripped off.

Would you wait patiently, after giving your order to the waiter, while the chef runs to the grocery store to get the ingredients ?

Sinker Rig Loc: Tampa area

Jdeforest wrote:

I just finished a charter in Florida. I feel a little ripped off. I paid for a 4 hr trip and we spent the first 1 1/2 hrs hustling bait. Shouldn’t the crew have secured bait on their own time instead of using my paid for time to get bait?

I believe you should identify that charter so others won't use them, sounds like an inshore charter

Jeremy Loc: America

Does the charter company have several boats? I would call if so. Hopefully can get another trip or 1/2 price or something. I go on Pacific Ocean just about monthly and have a few boats / Captain & crew I prefer. When a Captain is an Arrogant jerk I don’t go back. If I felt ripped off as you did I wouldn’t either.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Jdeforest wrote:

I just finished a charter in Florida. I feel a little ripped off. I paid for a 4 hr trip and we spent the first 1 1/2 hrs hustling bait. Shouldn’t the crew have secured bait on their own time instead of using my paid for time to get bait?

Other than that, did you catch fish and get your limits ?

Jdeforest Loc: Nassau Bay TX

Caught 3 monster sting rays. Really wanted drum or redfish. All he Yusuf was cut whiting and 1” pieces of shrimp. We had a live 5” croaker. Can’t guess why he didn’t use it. I will be more directive on my next charter.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Jdeforest wrote:

Caught 3 monster sting rays. Really wanted drum or redfish. All he Yusuf was cut whiting and 1” pieces of shrimp. We had a live 5” croaker. Can’t guess why he didn’t use it. I will be more directive on my next charter.

Yes sounds like you got the short end of the deal. too bad

captjim Loc: Antioch Ca

Jdeforest wrote:

I just finished a charter in Florida. I feel a little ripped off. I paid for a 4 hr trip and we spent the first 1 1/2 hrs hustling bait. Shouldn’t the crew have secured bait on their own time instead of using my paid for time to get bait?

Years ago I went on a Charter on Lake Tahoe. It was a half day trip and we spent the first hour going around and emptying the skippers bait traps. Once we started fishing the bite was really on, and tapered off through the rest of the trip. I understand the value of fresh live bait, but I wished we had spent that first hour fishing considering how quickly the bite dropped off. Considering that same bait would be used on his afternoon trip, the skipper should have made the departure an hour earlier. The afternoon trip spent 4 hours fishing and the morning only 3, and the hour we missed would have probably been the best of the day. After that experience I knew what questions to ask when booking a trip.

USAF Major Loc: Sea Bright, NJ

It is not uncommon for guides to cast net for bait in the morning. It never should take an hour and a half!

captjim Loc: Antioch Ca

Jdeforest wrote:

Caught 3 monster sting rays. Really wanted drum or redfish. All he Yusuf was cut whiting and 1” pieces of shrimp. We had a live 5” croaker. Can’t guess why he didn’t use it. I will be more directive on my next charter.

Not sure how it works in Florida but here in California live bait is unnecessary for sting rays. Frozen squid works great. Starting off as a customer, and then eventually running my own charter boat I can say that when booking a trip ask every question you can think of. Targeted species, what if targeted fish aren't biting. Bait onboard to start the day When I talked to potential customers that asked lots of questions it told me they were serious about catching fish, not just a booze cruise,

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

captjim wrote:

Not sure how it works in Florida but here in California live bait is unnecessary for sting rays. Frozen squid works great. Starting off as a customer, and then eventually running my own charter boat I can say that when booking a trip ask every question you can think of. Targeted species, what if targeted fish aren't biting. Bait onboard to start the day When I talked to potential customers that asked lots of questions it told me they were serious about catching fish, not just a booze cruise,

I bet you have some interesting booze cruise stories.

captjim Loc: Antioch Ca

ranger632 wrote:

I bet you have some interesting booze cruise stories.

Too many. Had a bachelor party out one time. 6 guys bring 6 cases of beer, and 1 of the guys did not drink. The groom drank to the point of stumbling, slurring words. I got out a life jacket and asked he put it on. Good padding as well as floatation. He balked which told me he did need it. I told him " if you fall out of the boat you will be a lot easier to get back in floating rather than sinking. You get more drunk and I will tie a rope on you so I know where you are." Then he put on life jacket. Those guys had 2 six packs left at the end of the day. Missed more fish than they caught but had a good time doing it.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

captjim wrote:

Too many. Had a bachelor party out one time. 6 guy... (show quote)

Good story, wonder no one got hook

Weekend Hooker Loc: Clyde, Texas

Jdeforest wrote:

I just finished a charter in Florida. I feel a little ripped off. I paid for a 4 hr trip and we spent the first 1 1/2 hrs hustling bait. Shouldn’t the crew have secured bait on their own time instead of using my paid for time to get bait?

I learned a lot with this post. Thank you gentlemen.