[616787]

I thought about this reading the post on "Party boat Tips", where someone mentioned something about the crew fishing.

My friends and I were fishing on a party boat out of Sheepshead Bay last year, blackfish and porgies on the menu.

A tremendous day of fishing for all, and I won the pool, with the biggest blackfish. But, there was a strange occurrence during weigh-in time.

The mates had a great fishing day too, mostly nice sized blackfish. On the way back, they were talking about how times were tough, selling thier catch. Up until that week, the fishing was marginal. But anywayz, My fish was inching out others on the scale, and the mate asked, "anyone else"? After no response for a few moments, the fish came off the scale, and he was reaching into his pocket to hand me the pool money. Just before he pulled it out, he looked over toward the front of the boat, as if someone was signalling him. He shoved the money back into his pocket, and this fellow brings over this sudsy, live blackfish to be weighed. I thought it was odd, being the mates had their fish in a big cooler, with a hose running in it. I said, "isn't the weigh-in over"? He said "nope".

Anyway, after he looked at the scale very carefully, and along with the urging of others, saying to me "yours is still biggest", my fish musta won by an ounce.

It really didn't occur to me until later, that there mighta been some funny business going on. Such as, part of a prearranged scam, a mate taking one of his fish, giving to one of his friends who goes out on every trip - this guy seemed that way - and maybe splitting the pool money. The mates seemed kinda surly, and too business-like too. They weren't that helpful.

I told the captain, but he said no way. I told him that I'm not accusing anyone, I just wanted to bring the peculiarity to his attention.

Has anything like this ever happened to anyone else?

 

[618128]

Yeah, that happens all the time down there. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a scam going. It doesn't matter what time of year it is your gettin hosed if you win the pool, the mates over there usually take half the pool and then ask for half from you. Not all the boats though, some are very honest, but others are "not the most favorable."

 

[skatemaster]

Well there are some explanations for what probably happened, but they may not be acceptable either.

My advice is learn how the pool works on a boat before entering. If that takes a couple trips, so be it. The odds are not with you if you are a newbie on any boat.

 

[leakyrivot]

Stuffed fish scam

I've heard that one too.. here's another one a friend of mine from florida jokes about. The small charters down there will urge their clients to stuff "trophy" fish.. It's a big production, the van shows up from the "taxidermist", pictures are snapped, fish are carefully weighed and measured. A fat check is cut in advance.

The "taxidermist" takes the catch around the corner, dumps it or sells it. An order is placed for a replica to be made "one 53 inch barracuda coming right up!".. The crew takes 50% or more right off the top.. the client gets a replica plastic fish.

Jon

 

[612579]

scams scams and more scams

Ever hear the one about the fish just shy of the pool, the sand pale, and the stomach? Or how about the fish just shy of the pool, the 16oz. sinker, and the stomach? I always like to see what the pool fish has been eating myself. I'd be more worried about other fisherman rather then the crew. If you routinely go on the same party boat you will quickly find out how honest the crew is but it's always a different group of people fishing.

 

[618128]

There is alot of honest boats out there, just not many in The Bay.

 

[partyboater]

Slightly off topic but I have heard that people have had reels stolen and the rods thrown overboard by other fishermen! Does this really happen?

(This post edited by partyboater on 02/07/2003)

 

[skatemaster]

Not sure about that, but I have heard of people throwing their own rods and reels overboard and accusing someone of stealing them. Seriously.

On California partyboats, where a lot of trips start and end with you crashing in a bunk, theft is a big problem. If the theft is spotted before the boat gets in, most captains will not pull into dock until the culprit hands back the goods. Even the mates steal reels out there.

 

[flukerr]

Pool...

I know for a fact, that the pool money on alot of boats gets skimmed before you get it.Not all boats, but often enough........

 

[SurfaceStrike]

Party Boat Scams

I was fishing on a charter off Ft Lauderdale and we had a good day of Dolphin and Sailfish. The 1st Sailfish I caught the mate was trying to convince me to bring it back to the dock. He said his brother was a taxidermist. I'm a catch and release fisherman most of the time so I let the Sail Fish go to fight another day. The mate was .

 

[leakyrivot]

SurfaceStrike - Sounds like the scam to me. Good thing you are catch and release, huh?.. The silly thing is those plastic fish can be ordered without keeping the fish - the skipper could've made a litte $$ off you just by offering the replica. The process was actually designed to allow for catch and release, with a trophy still for your fishing shrine at home.

Jon

 

[618128]

They steal the nice Newell, Shimano, and Calcutta reels, then throw your rod over and put your reel in their bag.

 

[Captneilf]

Wether I worked deck or ran the boat I would always announce how many folks were in the pool and how much money was in the pool.

My intregrity is most important to me and no pool has equal value. I have always tried to instill this into the young mates I worked with.

 

[gottog]

The party boat I go on most frequently always announces the amount of the pool while out to the fishing grounds.

If its a light crowd the mates will fish, especially during tog'n season. I'm a regular on the boat andfriends with the mates. Occassionally we'll throw all our fish together in a cooler. If I do get a pool contender it does go into a seperate cooler and is kept alive.

I've been on other boats were the pool money has seemed "light" That just gets reflected in the tip, which is usually half the pool $$$ for hard workin mates.
Mates fishing doesn't bother me as long as they are around to do their job.

Haven't really experienced any shadey stuff with the pool except when a group of anglers pool their catch and only a few of em actually paid to get into the "pool."

 

[616787]

I think the model of *how to treat your customers on a party boat* is reflected on the LAZYBONES in Montauk. We go out there every summer with a few couples for 3 days, and fish on thier boat 3 or 4 times. Anyone who has ever been on thier boat knows what I mean

 

[Joe]

Mike is a class act. Once I left my hat on the boat. It was there 2 or 3 weeks later. Mike said it was so ugly that Butch wouldn't wear it.

 

[624079]

I worked on party boats in captree, huntington. and port jeff.
All the boats would announce how much the pool was in advance so we would not have this problem. if the pool money was a very large sum we would run a second place pool.
so that one guy would not walk away with $300 and give the crew $5
just my experience
wreck

 

[Striper77]

I had the Florida Taxidermist deal, but the Capt was straight with me, told me he got a cut, and all he needed was measurements and a photo to match it in plastic. He got his cut, my son got a good model of his first large blackfin, and everyone was happy. It's not the amount, its a question of being straight with everyone. If all involved are upfront, everyone is happy.

 

[618209]

back in the day

there was a time when being a mate on a partyboat was quite a thing , the days of the old woodcleft canal when capt. al was there , the 2 aloma boats , the starstream, and all of us mates had to hussle and hawk people starting at 5 am and the boats i worked on we didn`t dare screw with the pool on anyday if we weren`t taken care of we let al or spider know and they spoke with the customer and usually the guy had a change of heart , who really knew how much to tip??? but those men in freeport ran a business all of them had some family invoved so they took care of there customer s and crew because without either of them you were out of business.

 

[tom_loves_cod]

THe long island party boats ive never had a problem with but down in the bay, one boat really screwed my friend over. 60 fares on board, five dollar pool.......and when my friend beat the mates friend, the mate only forked over $ 45. Needless to say, we dont ever fish that boat any longer. Live and Learn.