The Pay Scale for Sportfishing Captains

Introduction to Captain’s Compensation

I’m often asked about how much a captain should get paid. Sometimes, I’m asked by the captain and sometimes I’m asked by the owners. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason on what a captain should or shouldn’t make.

Debunking the Grand-Per-Foot Myth

Back in the day, there was an unwritten rule that a captain should make a grand per foot. I don’t know who came up with that¦but it was ignorant.

The Value of Experience in Captain’s Pay

A captain’s pay should reflect the value of his experience and the demands of the job”, not just the size of the boat he runs. Do you mean to tell me that an experienced captain on a 52-foot boat, running 1000 hours per year should be paid the same as another inexperienced boat driver running 200 hours per year on the same boat? It makes no sense. Experience is what I would use as a gauge on paying a captain.

The High Cost of Inexperience

Some captains Ive witnessed recently (and there are more than you’d think) are making top dollar despite the fact that they have little to no experience. They call for service on every little thing that goes wrong or isnt working properly on the boat. These guys don’t know how to use a voltmeter or how to change a water pump, let alone troubleshooting whatever the problem may be. These kinds of boat drivers with a captain license cost their owners thousands of dollars a year in service maintenance because of their lack of experience. Their claim to fame is that they’re “fishy” (meaning a good fisherman).

Traits of an Experienced Captain

On the other hand, there is the experienced captain. Not only are they fishy, but their experience shows when you’re in a situation and the owners and guests onboard are totally dependent on him to properly handle problems at sea. Whether it taking on water, a loss of power or stormy weather, the experienced captain will know just what to do without panicking. These captains can troubleshoot and fix systems even if it means something temporary just to get back to safe harbor.

The Real Value of a Good Captain

A good captain is worth every dime you pay and probably more. Ive been around awhile and I’ve seen plenty of stupid decisions.

A Call to Boat Owners

For all you owners out there, if you’re getting ridiculous invoices from service companies that are costing you thousands of dollars annually regarding things that should be addressed by your captain, you might want to pause and rethink the situation. Owners which have good captains should compensate them accordingly. Take note of the money a good captain saves you by not calling for service for every little thing that goes wrong. If your captain takes care of things himself when operating 800 and 1000 hours per year while not leaving the country, that’s a lot of hours of maintenance. If your captain is doing all that and keeping a good attitude, pay the man. Good captains can make or break an owner. I’ve seen owners get out of the fsportishing business due to a bad crew.

Paying for Quality

So, to answer the question of how much to pay a captain? A good captain is worth generally what he asks for. Captains without a clue will cost you dearly in the long run.

About the Author: With over four and a half decades of dedication to the sportfishing world, Capt. Scott Murie has navigated waters from Venezuela to Cape Verde, he’s pursued offshore pelagic species with an unwavering, old-school work ethic. His vast experiences have given him unparalleled expertise. Today, Capt. Murie channels his passion into managing, selling and operating sportfishing boats, in his hometown of Destin, Florida.

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