[CatfishKing]

Last week I hopped aboard a Captree party boat which shall remain unidentified. The intended target fish was weakfish. There were a couple dozen fares on board that evening. Now the Captree fleet offers a nice diversity of targeted species at any given time of season. This time of year you can pick and choose between fluke, bluefish, stripers, weaks, and maybe porgies. My friends and I were eager to bring home a few weakfish for the dinner table. We chose the boat based on that preference. Well, we left the dock and entered GSB at which point I anticipated we would head to the east and the Kismet reef area. Instead, the captain turned to the west, headed past the Moses bridge, and I assumed we were going to drift the mussle beds just west of the old piers by the state police station. To our surprise, we sailed on until we reached the sore thumb area and proceeded out of the inlet. The captain started his first drift outside the inlet just off Cedar beach. Before long a few blues were brought on board. At that point the captain announces that since we got into blues we will stay on them for a spell. Needless to delve into the details off every drift and bluefish caught, it became apparent that the skipper really had no intention of seeking out the species that everyone had expected to catch. There were a smattering of short fluke hooked before the sun sank below the horizon, but for the remainder of the trip, we drifted the inlet area for the only gamefish there. blues!My theory is thus: As long as the captain can put a few fish on the deck, it makes no difference to him whether it's the species all the fares wanted or not. He made no attempt whatsoever to find weakfish. In my opinion, he was simply too cheap to expend the extra fuel in order to locate the weaks. Screw the paying customers. At least make a minimum of effort to fulfill your advertised goal. That, after all is why those people came aboard in the first place. I guess you just did'nt care as long as you filled your pocket. This is by no means the first or only time I have felt ripped off by these so called experts. You know what? from now on I'll hold on to my hard earned cash and find the fish of my choice in my kayak. Thanks for blowin' us all off Cap'n. You'll be sailing without this fisherman in the future.

 

[bloodnguts]

so funny that people choose a public forum to b1tch about a partyboat but you rarely see people starting threads about a positive trip on a partyboat.


did you ask the capt and was anyone else mad on the boat? personally...i haven't heard of a large body of weakfish in the long island area in a while.....not one big enough to make me want to target them....

at least you met a new friend aboard....(asian with short shorts)...

 

[bluto1899]

I can't think of any Captree Boats that advertise Weakfish specifically. The majority of the Night Trips are advertised as Blues/Weaks/Stripers. The Captain's job is to put the boat on fish. If there are no Weakfish in the area, I'm sure the majority of those on board would rather spend the evening catching blues than looking aimlessly for non-existent weaks. I've said it before and I'll say it again, saltwater fishing is a mixed bag. If you want a specific species that bad, go to a fish store.

 

[biteme4494]

like bluto said if there are no weakfish around the capt will try and put you on the blues not one boat at captree advertises specifically WEAKFISH.

 

[bonsiguy]

the pb capt must make a decition what to do would have rather fish for weeks and catch nothing than you would be crying obout how the capt took you for a bus ride and filled his pokets knowing there were no weeks to be cought . if you have yor mind set on a fish for dinner try the fish market in most cases its cheeper if money is a issue. in the future to avoid such disapoinment talk to the capt and crew before the trip so you can understand what is biting what they been catching as not to have to waste your time making you post silley threads like this that serve no poupose but to try and hurt mans a busness. or better yet buy your own boat and fish where you want how you want and blame yourself for a disapointing day fishing .

 

[638475]

No one specifically targets Weakies unless there is a HUGE body of them, the skipper did however settle the pool and caught the fish advertised, Did you speak to the captain and voice your disdain?
Show me on here where there is a boat advertising strictly weakfish?????

 

[celtic]

weakfish

at the very least the capt. should have announced him not fishing for weaks to give the customer the opportunity to stay or go. it's like going to a restaurant ordering a steak and getting hot dogs. when the waiter knew they were out of steak.

 

[Captneilf]

Hi,

Once again a negative post by someone with only a handful of posts to his credit.

If it made you feel better after sending this post then it was worth your time. Good for you.

I can only imagine what you would have written if weaks were targeted and none were caught.

Some day people will learh how to smell the roses and appreciate them for what they are. I hope!

Enjoy your kayak where you can have total control. That will be one less negative angler that might end up fishing next to me at the rail.

Neil

 

[codmaster]

Hard to pick a side in this case w/o knowing all the facts.

It would be frustrating thinking we were going for one fish and end up for another. I have seen it happen in RI PB's also and some guys get really upset. Was porgies vs fluke in that case. Happens in the GOM deep sea fishing sometimes - think cod and haddock and end up catching lots of big Pollock! some people often get upset there too.

Might not have the right tackle for instance.

HOWEVER, I would rather catch blues than fish for weaks and not catch anything, for sure.


IF the boat advertised Weaks, then the Capt should really have announced that they were not around (assuming that was the case) before leaving on the trip. and say they would try for blues, etc.

 

[AUDREYMAE]

24 Fares

Filled his pockets?????

 

[blacktmann98]

I'm sure everyone on the boat was extremely happy just having their rods bend with fluke and blues. Instead of jerk*** everyone off the capt put his fares on fish. That's what's important. Have fun fishing on your kayak. I hope you catch all the giant weakfish in the world.

 

[619627]

CatfishKing....

I hope you feel better now that you posted your report here on NOREAST.

One thing you have to keep in mind that many times in the fishing business you will see signs posted on party boats that say:

BLUEFISH-BASS-WEAKFISH

BLUEFISH-BONITA-ALBACORE

BLACKFISH-SEABASS-PORGIES

CODFISH-POLLACK

And guess what....the captain decides that the fishing for the intended species is not good enough, or poor, and has to go for something else to put fish in the pail.

Unless you have had the pleasure to run a party boat with a load of people on it, you have no idea of the stress that goes along with trying to put something in the pail for EVERYONE on a tough bite day.

Yes, you may have paid for a weakfish trip, and it turns into a bluefish trip. But in the fishing business, a captain will use his professional judgement and experience and will decide to fish for something else.

It may be one of those days where you follow the old adage 'never leave biting fish to go and hunt for something else that may not be around'. I and many other experienced captains have been down that road, and I cannot tell you how many times, you pick up and leave what you have, then end up with little or nothing when you move.

Sometimes it may come down to the fish not biting on the tide you fished on, or poor reports from other captains that fished that day....it could be the weather, the wind direction, a swell coming in from offshore, or some other UNCONTROLLABLE FACTOR, which forces the captain to make that decision and switch to another species, which you have no idea about.....but he does!

This is fishing, and putting fish in the pail is one of many things that captains who run vessels have to do.

Just ask yourself this....if the captain went hunting for weakfish for the whole trip and came up with goose eggs, would you been one of the customers onboard at the end of the trip saying 'well he should of tried to look for something else so that I would of at least went home with a few fillets'?

If anytime you have questions about anything that happened on your trip, the best thing you can do, is pull the captain over to the side and discuss it with him.

I know many captains would rather YOU do this, then throw up a RANT of this nature. He will be the best person to explain to you why he did what he did on that trip. Usually he will profusely appologize, and try to make 'some type' of gesture so that YOU walk away somewhat satisfied.

Believe me, this is not a easy business, and these days ALL the captains I know, will try to do anything in their power to make sure you come off their vessels as a happy customer.

Why don't you try that the next time, and leave the kayak for the lake. Don't allow one questionable trip sour you on the party boat business....everyone of these captains cares about your satisfaction when you fish on their vessels. Satisfied customers is a big part of what the party and charter business is all about.

EC NEWELL MAN><

 

[JACKSON]

CatfishKing wrote:
You'll be sailing without this fisherman in the future.

I'm sure he won't be too sad about that

 

[rastamon]

In his defense, same happened to me at Captree. Went for the evening rubber tossing trip, mates came around with spinners for everyone who needed a rod. I had my baitcasters and spinning gear. We left the dock, mate switched all the rods to boat rods and we went to Cholera and caught one bluefish and a needlefish. People puked, people went to sleep, no one was happy at all.

 

[Capt. Jamie]

You can please some of the people sometimes but not all the people all the time.If you asked me he tried, he could have stayed closer to the dock and put more money in his pocket. Plus it seems it was a night trip which is usually run, not by the owner, so the money was not going in his pocket.

 

[codmaster]

One other somewhat random thought about a Capt. deciding what and where to fish - I have had capt.s tell me that they wanted to do one type of fiishing because it would be a lot more productive BUT couldn't due to the type and skill of the folks on board. Specifically - wanted to do deep water drifting for cod, etc.in the GOM but instead went to a place to anchor in shallower water due to many inexperienced people on board.

Never would have known why he chose that attempt - unless I went to the capt. and asked him (nicely!). Could totally understand his reasoning after he explained!

Always worth asking the Capt. most will take the time to explain!

 

[bobbo]

Catfish
I can relate somewhat to what you are saying but what EC said is correct. Party boats don't target Weaks. They can be misleading when they advertise weaks but when I read that I assume they caught a few weaks with the blues or bass.

 

[codmaster]

Some party boats DO target weaks! or at least they used to - when I lived in Delaware, PB's in Lewes, DE and other DE ports would sail into the Bay and specfically fish for sea trout (weakfish) in Delaware Bay.

I haven't been in years but I would guess that they would do the same.

Course those DE fishermen could drift thru a whole school of breaking blues and never lift their squid baited rigs off the bottom while waiting for a sea trout or fluke to bite!

 

[steamboat1]

I'm guilty myself for responding.

Why do professional captains & fishermen have to answer posts like this?????????????????????????

It's a problem on this site that seems to get worse.

ATTENTION FISHERMEN !!!!!!!!!!!

CATFISHKING is now taking reservations for up to 50 passengers on his kayack targeting weakfish exclusively. All bait & tackle included.

AND HE GUARANTEES WEAKFISH OR YOUR MONEY BACK.

Give him a PM to reserve your spot!!!!





This post edited by steamboat1 11:44 PM 08/09/2008

 

[codmaster]

steamboat1

steamboat1 wrote:

Why do professional captains & fishermen have to answer posts like this?????????????????????????

Perhaps because a PB customer did actually have a question/problem on a trip, perhaps due to his lack of understanding of the capt.'s position and problem. And he and the rest of us appreciate a good honest answer from a PB professional!

How would anybody respond to this one.

A few years ago on a 6 pack charter for cod/haddock out of MA (the boat will not be named because it is not important).

We are fishing in a strong current and had a number of tangles that the mate worked on and untangled. (a few of the guys seemed pretty novice on this charter) Anyway, you could see the mate getting more and more upset as the tangles continued - Finally the capt announces that due to the number of tangles only 4 people could fish at one time. So 2 people would have to reel in and wait for a while then we would switch fishing. In other words 2 of 6 people would be paying not to fish and have to wait their turn.

Like to get opinions on this one. (the tangles really wern't that bad I don't think)