Home Page Home Page II Captains Page 33ft Hat Trick Availability and Rates Photos Tips on Booking Charters Links to Worthwhile Sites Fishing Calendar

TIPS ON BOOKING CHARTER BOATS:

It seems that these days anyone can have a web site. This allows even the smallest of businesses to have a "big business" appearance in cyberspace. It also seems that anyone with a Captains license has a charter boat for hire. So that's why I've put together some tips for finding and hiring quality charter boats. Whether you choose one of my vessels or one of my competitors, I feel that if you fish the Space Coast/Port Canaveral area and have a good experience, you're likely to return. Either way, it's good for me.

1.   Since anyone can advertise, it's tough to tell the "full time" seven day a week operations from the "weekends only" charter boats. In our area approximately 25% of them are full time. The advantage of fishing with a full time operation is obvious. It makes sense that they will be more informed on the location of fish because they fished yesterday and the day before. There are many quality part time charter boats out there…. I know several. However, the chances of being disappointed are higher if you don't ask the key questions. Ask them how often they fish a week/year and whether they comply with all Federal, State and Local regulations, to include the Coast Guard safety requirements. If they are not willing to elaborate on these issues with specifics….. BEWARE!   Ask whether they are members of a charter boat/captains association. This means that on the surface they have committed themselves to improving professionalism within the industry. Remember too that possession of a captain's license does not mean he is good at fishing. This is a big Myth! It just means he has the legal right to take passengers for hire! The best fishing captains have a rich history demonstrating success as an angler first and foremost. The captain's license is just a legal formality.

2.   You will also want to make sure the vessel is suitable for your needs. Match the boat to your level of comfort and experience. If you don't want to be exposed to the sun, wind and elements all day, an open style boat is not suitable for you. Does the boat have bathroom facilities? Is it a bathroom, porta-potty or bucket? Perhaps neither!! Does the boat have ample seating for everyone? Does it have advanced electronics and tackle? Is it suitable for kids? What ages does the boat allow? Many times the skilled angler prefers a smaller faster boat instead of paying for frills.

3.   Are the captains fishing style what you have in mind? For example only a few boats specialize in bottom fishing and some boats only troll. Perhaps you want to try both. You must discuss these issues with your captain. Seek out a captain that will tell you what you're most likely to catch and what are currently the best opportunities. If you want to catch fish reliably and you don't have a strong preference, leave some of the decisions to the captain. He's in the business of bringing fish back to the dock. Seek out the business that "tells it like it is".

4.   Let's talk about pricing. In general, the price of a boat is usually consistent with others of the same size range in a given area. If a boat is exceptionally higher or lower than other similar boats, you may want to investigate why. It could be worth the price,or perhaps not! See what the price includes and shop carefully. Also some boats fish with mates and some don't and that's fine. A tip is usually customary beyond the boats price, similar to tipping a waitress in a restaurant. Don't assume a tip is not appropriate if a mate is not used. A range of 10% to 20% is average for gratuities worldwide. Sometimes more is appropriate for exceptional service. Discuss this with the captain ahead of time. Many of the very best Captains in Florida operate without a mate because the boat is specially designed and they are highly skilled to do it all. If you watch the fishing shows on TV, you already know this.

5.   Remember that captains are ordinary people too. They come in all personalities with varying levels of people skills. Talk to your captain and try to get a feel for his nature. It is strongly recommended that you pick a captain who is enthusiastic about his job. Some are owner/operators and some are "for hire" captains while some operations have both. You'll find the crew he employs will closely match his personality. A good captain will be knowledgeable, informative, enthusiastic, skillful, helpful, safe, prepared and entertaining.

I hope this helps,

Capt. Tony

Email: Hattricc@aol.com

---

These pages were written and published by: Don McCutcheon of DM Enterprises and all material is ©Copyrighted as of 1 April, 2000 to 1 April 2006 by Hat Trick Charters.