Charter Boats

[Prelude]

Hi,

 

I am a part time charter skipper based in the Thames Estuary and would like to ask anglers opinion of charter boats in general.

 

I am sure you will agree, angling is no longer cheap, and I would like to try and offer a service to the angler which is seen as value for money, fair, and reasonable.

 

I currently offer anglers the chance to book the boat, book the boat with tackle and some bait included and I also offer individual days once a month.

 

Can you suggest any other options that you would like to see offered, any suggestions to make your trip enjoyable, any ways to improve charter angling in general - all comments will be treated in confidence.

[chesters1]

less advertising

[Salar]

chesters1:

less advertising

That's a bit extreme! Sounded like a genuine enquiry to me.

 

Prelude, I can't help really as I run my own boat so don't charter any more, but when I did, it was the attitude of the skipper that made all the difference. If you want to attract business, then a web site kept right up to date with news and photos will keep people visiting your site. Check out the US based charter skippers, they know about service and variety - and marketing! In winter, offering hot food might appeal - a mug of hot soup or stew is very cheering when its cold and wet. Maybe family days - inshore marks where you are bound to catch plenty but not too big, and encourage kids/partners to join in the fun. Specialist days - night time inshore after stingray; not sure how big your boat is but I'm sure there's a market for small specialist trips to places not visited by larger boats. Good luck with the venture anyway.

[kentangler]

How about a big blond with large boobs to warm your hands on|!

[Spur-Hound]

I agree with salar, that wasnt realy as much of an advertisment but more of a genuine enquiry,

 

Unfortunetly i cant help a great deal, But a good positive skipper who works well and hard always looking for fish and diffrent options if the fishing is slow always keeps punters happy and coming back,

[Ian FG]

Hi Gary and welcome.

I used to hire charter boats years ago with a bunch of mates. When we got out to a wreck it was very good but the thing that annoyed us most was when we would phone the skipper the night before and ask about the conditions and they would say that it was a bit rough but should be OK in the morning. We would set off from Berkshire for the south coast only to met by a hurricane and the skipper would insist it would be OK and took us to some useless inshore mark where we caught nothing. I know these guys were only trying to earn a crust but it put our little club off sea fishing altogether in the end. Hope this is some help to you.

[spasor]

A big kettle! No laughing matter. Some very good skippers have had bad reports, due to the lack of a kettle.

Apart from trips with the lads on this site, I only ever book as an individual. You get less plonkers on individual trips?

As you`re a part time skipper, I take it you have a full time job, or self employed.

I have the luxury of the odd weekday off. That`s when I do most of my trips. It`s amazing how the same group of individuals manage to fish together so often. Big boats on the S.coast seem to offer very little discount mid-week. Those skippers are mad. Lots of angling club members get the odd day off, then look for a boat that does individuals? A half decent trip with a friendly skipper, can lead to more bookings than all the advertising in the world!

So try a few more individuals days. You don`t have to cut your throat to get enough anglers on board. Most of the skippers I fish with, didn`t come from adverts. But mainly from mates that asked if I was interested in sharing a car for an individual trip. Some of which resulted in the skippers phone number getting placed in my, little book.

Club bookings are all very well. But many end up a few members short on the day. If the fishing doesn`t end up too good, you`ll have a load of whingers on board. `Cos they`ve had to split the cost of the boat between them?

Individuals are generally much more understanding. They`ll book another trip with a skipper they think, has tried for them.

Paul.

[Stoaty]

I have my own boat but I still go out on charter boats. Both myself and the wife fish. We book with a group of friends at least 24 charter trips a year and have two separate weeks in Alderney every year. Over the last 30 years I have been with many charter skippers, some of them very well known some almost amateurs. We do wreck, reef, inshore fishing, we are not paranoid to get big fish when the condtions say otherwise. Flounders today, sharks tomorrow. What's important to us, is not a big bag of fish, not even any fish really. Just a good day out. Our favorite skipper, not a big name, can be a bit of a muppet at times. But we always come home happy after a good laugh and plenty of leg pulling. He's the skipper that takes us to Alderney and gets a dozen bookings as well. A good charter skipper makes a day out. He won't take you out on a day you should be at home and he works hard at making your day fun even if your all blanking. Those grumpy skippers (and there are loads of the whinging old farts) Have only seen us once.

[Norm B]

Gobio:

Hi Gary and welcome.

I used to hire charter boats years ago with a bunch of mates. When we got out to a wreck it was very good but the thing that annoyed us most was when we would phone the skipper the night before and ask about the conditions and they would say that it was a bit rough but should be OK in the morning. We would set off from Berkshire for the south coast only to met by a hurricane and the skipper would insist it would be OK and took us to some useless inshore mark where we caught nothing. I know these guys were only trying to earn a crust but it put our little club off sea fishing altogether in the end. Hope this is some help to you.

:cool: Unfortunately there are still some that do that and not just on the south coast. They don't get many repeat bookings but are responsible for a whole port losing bookings because the word gets round and all skippers from the port are tarred with the same brush.

[Salar]

Hi Prelude again, I just noticed it was Post Number One, so a very warm welcome. You'll need a thick skin to fend off the grumpy old men but its worth it, plenty of advice and banter and the more you put in the more you get out. Hope to see you around for a long time!