I always see people asking, who is a good charter boat in the area or, how do I find the right charter to take my friends or family. I wanted to throw out a few suggestion out to try and help you make the best decision.
I will start off by saying that there are a lot of very professional charter guys out there and there are some not so good charter guys as well.
My first suggestion is to do your due diligence researching charters in the area you are going to. Read the reviews available on Facebook, Google and other sites if available. Remember throwing out the question on Facebook will get you a list of local people available but, do the research yourself.
Check out their websites or Facebook pages. Usually this will answer most of the generic questions you might have including price.
Talk to local tackle shops to get a recommendation. They will tell you the good ones but maybe not the bad ones.
Word of mouth is always a great bet.
Look at any affiliations they may have. Legit sponsors or pro staff gigs are not just given away, people have to earn these.
This one I think is very important. This may irritate a few people but I think in about 90% of the cases it makes a huge difference. Does the owner of the charter company run the boat or do they hire a captain? In most cases but not all if the owner runs the boat you will get a much better trip. Their livelihoods depend on them doing a good job. To others, a job is a job
Look at the boat itself. If it is well kept, clean then it’s a good thing. If it looks like crap and smells like old bait then move on. Newer is not always necessary but being well kept says volumes about what you can expect. The worst thing is to show up at the dock and realize you are going out on a bad boat.
All boats have unexpected mechanical issues but this is not the norm.
Questions to ask when booking or when you get to the boat. Things you should expect:
1. Are they a Coast Guard Licensed Captain? The answer must be yes. There are no other option here. Do not pay unlicensed people to fish with them
2. Are they licensed to charter fish in the state you are fishing in? again yes is a must
3. What type of permits do you have? Some are state waters only some are federally permitted. Both are good and both have limitations.
4. Are you enrolled in a Drug testing program? All licensed Charter boat captains are required to be enrolled in a random testing program.
5. Are they Certified in CPR and First Aid? Also a requirement for licensed charter boats
6.Does my charter time include running to and from the fishing area? A 12hr trip does not mean 12hrs of fishing. Depending on the speed of the boat it could mean half of your time is spent running. Check before booking.
7. Every Captain or their designee should give you a safety briefing before you leave the dock. They should ask if you are familiar with their fishing gear and if not show you how to use it.
8. You should expect the best effort possible on the part of the boats crew to make your trip enjoyable. Remember it is called fishing and not catching. Some days will be better than others. Always remember it is your job to catch the fish. The Captain and crew will do everything to help you but ultimately you have to hook and reel in the fish. So, pictures do not always tell the right story. Captain and Mates are not allowed to keep a limit on most trips
If your Captain or crew shows up for the day drunk or otherwise impaired. Please do not board and ask for your money back. Ultimately your safety and life are in their hands during the trip
Determine ahead of time what you like to fish for because in many cases certain Captains specialize in certain fisheries.
I hope this has helped you a little in your search. Please share this with your friends who might be thinking about planning a trip. We would love for you to come fishing with us but we also want you to have a great trip wherever you go.