Article by Capt. Mark Sampson
This year millions of fishermen will board charter or head boats for what they hope will turn out to be a fun and productive day of fishing. Hopefully, most will step off the boat at the end of the day feeling that they enjoyed the fishing experience they had been looking forward to and that their money and time were well spent. While much of the perceived success of a trip will depend upon how well the weather and the fish cooperate, as well as the personality of the captain and crew, there’s a lot that the anglers themselves can do that will “help” or “hinder” the success and enjoyment of their trip. The following list highlights a few details fishermen might want to consider before heading out on a for-hire trip.
Know what time you need to be at the boat. Most captains like to leave the dock right on time, some a little earlier if possible, but never later. If you show up late for a private charter the captain probably won’t be happy about it, but he’ll wait for you. If you show up late for a head boat you won’t be fishing that day unless you’re a fast swimmer. When booking a trip always ask what time you need to be at the boat. Remember that “at the boat” means you and your gear on the dock a few feet away from the boat, not just pulling into the marina parking lot.
Know where the boat departs from and how long it will take to get there. I don’t know how many times I’ve had clients book my boat months in advance, but they wait until the morning of the trip to call and ask where the boat is located. Such a call usually results in a late departure and lost fishing time. There are about seven major marinas in Ocean City that have charter boats. Some are small enough that finding a particular boat is easy, others are huge and it might take a half hour just to park, locate the boat and get your gear over to it. A little advance scouting to know exactly where the boat is moored will save a lot of headaches on the day of the trip. DON’T assume your vehicle’s GPS will guide you to the boat. Every summer I have clients show up 2-miles away at my house because they plugged in the wrong address.
Whenever possible book your trips in advance. It’s very possible to book a charter or buy a ticket for a head boat the very day of the trip, but advance booking gives both the anglers and the crew plenty of time to get properly prepared for the outing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a week, a month or a year ahead of time, I always suggest to my clients that as soon as they know when they want to go that they go ahead and make a reservation. Obviously, when making advance bookings always ask what the cancellation policy is in the event something comes up and you need to change plans.
Make sure you know what will become of any fish that are caught. If your intention is to bring home any edible fish you catch, it’s very important that you know ahead of time what will be allowed. What may or may not be kept is controlled by state and federal regulations. Some boats also implement their own limits that are even more restrictive. Anglers should always ask about what they can and cannot keep before going out so they will not be surprised out on the water. Anglers should also ask ahead of time whether or not they should bring their own cooler and ice to keep their fish in or if cold storage is provided on the boat.
Tell the crew ahead of time if you have no intention of bringing home any fish to eat. Because most anglers want to bring home good eating fish, the crews of charter and head boats usually assume that their clients will want to keep whatever legal fish they land and they prepare for it by ensuring the boat has enough ice and fish box capacity to accommodate the expected catch. Anglers who have no desire to bring anything home can save the crew some hassle and expense of getting ice by letting them know ahead of time. When the clients don’t want fish, the crew might wish to bring some home for their own consumption, but they’re never happy to find out at the end of a trip that they brought back a cooler full of fish that nobody wants.
Have the necessary fishing skills. Very little of the charter and head boat fishing that goes on in these parts requires a high level of fishing skill. In most cases, rank beginners can board a boat and, as long as they follow the instructions of the crew, they should be able to catch whatever it is they’re targeting that day. However, if the type of fishing requires precision casting, you had better be able to cast. Or, if the fishing requires fighting big fish on heavy tackle, you better have a couple muscles in your arms and back. A good crew can help someone overcome most angling deficits, but it might take half the day to get them to where they can start catching fish. Anglers should find out before they go what skills they’ll need and, if necessary, spend a little time practicing before the trip.
If you book a private charter, make sure your captain is able to contact you in case there is a problem with weather or anything else that might interrupt the trip. Too often we’ve had severe weather move in and I know that tomorrow will not be fishable, but because my client either hasn’t left me with a good phone number or won’t answer when I call, I can’t let him know. Consequently, everyone ends up meeting at the boat the next morning just so I can give them the bad news that I could have given them the night before, saving them the aggravation of getting up early, packing lunches and heading all the way down to the marina.
In a nutshell - good communication between clients and crew will always help to ensure the most productive and enjoyable for-hire fishing trip.
Captain Mark Sampson is an outdoor writer and captain of the charter boat “Fish Finder”, docked at the Ocean City Fishing Center.