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Evolution of a Bluewater Sportfishing Boat Owner

January 9, 2023 By InTheBite Magazine

Graph of the sportfishing evolution
By Dale Wills

As so-called fishermen, our minds run the gamut when we think back to the first time we tried to catch fish. For many of us, our childhoods exposed us to ponds, ditches, lakes and beaches. We looked at these bodies of water imagining what fish were ready to be reeled in.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Featured Stories, News Tagged With: advice, fishing career, Human-interest, lifestyle

Good Captains and Great Captains

November 16, 2022 By InTheBite Magazine

boat entering harbor

By John Crupi

Do you motivate and manage those around you? Do you inspire others to care and take pride in their work? Do you lead by example?

I believe one of my greatest accomplishments and rewards is seeing those that have worked under me move forward and thrive in what is becoming an increasingly competitive industry. I would never take credit for their achievements, but I hope that my leadership and mentorship played a role in their path to success.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Crew, Featured Stories, General News, News, People Tagged With: advice, Captain, career advice, crew, Mates

A Good Captain Versus a Great Captain

October 7, 2022 By InTheBite Magazine

(Photo/Bayliss Boatworks)

By Winslow Taylor

There are many “good,” but far fewer “great,” captains and mates floating around the industry. The age-old question from owners, captains, and aspiring captains is how to make it to the top echelon, make a name for yourself and maintain that status as a great captain or a great crewmate. For many, the answer might not be what you expect: a symbiotic relationship amongst all the members of the crew, even the owner.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: advice, Captain, career advice, crew, Mates

The Art of Negotiating a Raise

April 21, 2022 By InTheBite Editor

captain and crew talking at dock

By Jan Fogt

After talking to owners and captains about the best way to ask for a raise, we came away with this startling conclusion: most captains rely on their boss’s goodwill to provide cost of living and merit raises even though such raises usually are negotiated upfront in the business world.

Considering the majority of big game captains today manage hard assets costing well over a million dollars we think being a licensed sportfishing captain should be considered a professional occupation. Yet few captains and owners see the owner-crew relationship quite that way.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Featured Stories Tagged With: boat crew pay, boat owners, Captain, negotiating a raise, offshorefishing

What it Really Takes to be a Captain

April 6, 2022 By InTheBite Editor

Sport fishing captain at work By Dave Ferrell

Taking the helm of a sportfishing boat, traveling the world’s oceans in pursuit of billfish, represents a “dream job” for a whole lot of people…many of which have never spent much time offshore. The image of a tanned captain, beard wagging in the sea breeze, steering the boat over the horizon with nothing but freedom and fishing on the calendar for the days ahead, fuels a lot of daydreams in corporate boardrooms all across America. It’s like being a quarterback for the Dolphins (Give me a break, I’m from Florida!)…you just can’t imagine having a bad day at the office!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: Captain, fishing jobs, Sport fishing jobs

Life After Being the Big Skipper

February 23, 2022 By InTheBite Digital Editor

the big skipper

By Captain Scott “Fraz” Murie

What is life like after being the “Big Skipper?”

What do captains do when they want to quit traveling and spending many months each year away from home? Well, I have observed that many captains who have been at the helm for 20 or 30 years, have changed careers so they can stay at home and do things they never had the time to do as a traveling captain. Things that may seem simple to people in other professions—like spending time with family and friends, personal travel, and attending some sporting events—are sometimes not possible for traveling captains.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Featured Stories Tagged With: boat owner, Captain, fishing career, offshore fishingl, retirement

Something’s Running: Crew Turnover

December 7, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

boat crew headed out to sea

By Captain Scott “Fraz” Murie

I’ve witnessed a few crew changes over the last several months on some pretty nice sportfishing boats. Let’s face it, crew turnover is inevitable. Sometimes a mate will take a job opportunity to try his luck at the helm. Other times a mate will be fired or quit for one reason or another. Maybe an owner will fire his captain and mate at the same time hoping for a fresh start. Whatever the circumstance, it is a small world in this business. At times like these, it seems everyone has an opinion or theory on why so-and-so got fired or quit. It becomes quite dramatic, akin to the Housewives on the Waterfront with all the dock talk.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Featured Stories, Fishing Tagged With: boat owner, crew turnover, fishing crew, fishing jobs, sportfishing

Boat Driver or Captain?

November 24, 2021 By InTheBite Editor

boat captain

By Capt. Scott “Fraz” Murie 

It seems like everyone wants to drive the boat these days. The mentality of a lot of crews these days is that the captain has the easy job. So why not get a captain’s license and be the captain?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Featured Stories, General News, News Tagged With: boat driver, Captain

The Pay Scale for Sportfishing Captains

October 11, 2021 By InTheBite Editor

pay scale for sportfishing captains

By Scott “Fraz” Murray 

So many times, I’m 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.

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.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Crew, Featured Stories, Fishing, General News, News, People Tagged With: center consoole, Fishing Tips, kite fishing, kite spread, pay scale

Dometic Marine Steering Technology Critical to Fishing Success

September 14, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

hang em high sportfishing

Clay Shidler’s Hang ‘Em High Sportfishing fleet runs 1,400 charter days per year, taking anglers from across the U.S. and around the world out to enjoy the epic variety of fishing opportunities found off the Florida Gulf Coast. They fish inshore waters for popular species like snook, redfish, tarpon and speckled trout, hit offshore wrecks and reefs for big grouper, mutton snapper and cobia, and chase pelagic wahoo, dolphin and blackfin tuna offshore.  During the months of August and September, they switch to fishing out of Marathon in the Florida Keys. Thousands of hours on the water, thousands of miles traveled and enough fishing action to keep hundreds of customers happy each year.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice, Careers, Charters, Fishing, General News Tagged With: boat steering, dometic, hydraulic steering, Offshore Fishing

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News

  • Builder’s Choice Repeats as Marina Casa de Campo Open Champion

    Builder’s Choice Repeats as Marina Casa de Campo Open Champion

    Builder’s Choice, a 64-foot Jarrett Bay, hasn’t fished the Marina Casa de Campo Open for two years, but the team never missed a beat. The boat led the field of 14 boats from the start to win the 2023 Marina Casa de Campo Open, which concluded last weekend in the Dominican Republic. With Capt. Brent Gaskill at the helm, the... [Read More...]

  • 2023 Chub Cay Classic Won by Following Seas

    2023 Chub Cay Classic Won by Following Seas

    Following Seas, a 58-foot Viking run by Capt. Charlie Vanderbeck, claimed top honors at the 2023 Chub Cay Classic billfish tournament. The third annual event was held March 9-11 at the Chub Cay Resort and Marina. Following Seas released a blue and white marlin to earn 700 points to top the field. Under the all-billfish release format, blue marlin scored... [Read More...]

  • Massive Sargassum Weed Line Approaches Florida

    Massive Sargassum Weed Line Approaches Florida

    If you’ve ever headed offshore in search of dolphin under patches or lines of sargassum weed, you know the weed can be difficult to find at times. That seems to happen every time I fish a dolphin tournament at least! But all that may soon change. Sargassum, an algae that’s commonly mislabeled as a “weed,” is headed toward the U.S.... [Read More...]

  • InTheBite Hires Industry Veteran John Brownlee as Editor-in-Chief

    InTheBite Hires Industry Veteran John Brownlee as Editor-in-Chief

    Dale Wills, Founder and President of InTheBite, has announced the hiring of marine industry veteran, John Brownlee, as ITB’s new Editor-in-Chief. “Under Brownlee’s leadership in editorial and digital media, his intelligent perspectives and vast industry knowledge will move the brand forward with his long list of proven skill sets,” Wills said. “It’s only fitting as we move past our 20th... [Read More...]

  • Proposed 10-Knot Restrictions

    Proposed 10-Knot Restrictions

    It’s Not Over! The Viking Yacht Company and the marine industry’s grassroots campaign to stop the advancement of a proposed 10-knot restriction along the Eastern Seaboard continues into 2023. And now, thanks to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), we have a tool at our disposal that makes it super easy to make your voice heard. In one click, send a pre-written letter... [Read More...]

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