Making the Job Last in the Sportfishing World

By Capt. Scott “Fraz” Murie 

What’s considered job security for sportfish captains and crews? I believe it’s something you must try to earn because there is no real job security in our business. As a private boat captain and crew, our job is ultimately for the enjoyment of the wealthy. We always have to keep in mind that the boats we fish and crew on are not a necessity for the owner.

There is no doubt in my mind that the first things the owners get rid of in an economic downturn are the expensive toys: the boats and the airplanes. This is followed by laying off their captains, crews and pilots. However, there will also be times when an owner might just get burned out and owning a boat becomes too much of a burden.

A captain should always keep up with what’s going on in the world. I believe you can earn job security by proving to the owner that you can be trusted with the responsibility of maintaining, operating and managing their multi-million dollar hobby.

You must set their mind at ease by treating their money as if it were your own, especially if you know that their business is being affected by economic and/or political circumstances that are beyond their control. It means a lot to them knowing they can trust you with managing their funds and not spending money foolishly. You might remember that managing yourself and your crew is also very important to them.

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of crews come and go. Loyalty, honesty and trustworthiness are the key components to a job that will last a long time. The captains and crews that have these key assets make the owners do everything they can to keep their boat and try to make it the last thing to get rid of in tough times.

It’s pretty easy to tell the crews that aren’t going to last very long just by the way they handle themselves around the docks. Conversely, the same goes for the crews that have been on their jobs for a long time. Just look at their work ethic and the way they conduct themselves: it’s night and day. So keep your priorities straight and you can make it last.

—That’s my two-minute warning.