InTheBite

What it Really Takes to be a Captain

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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!

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Something’s Running: Crew Turnover

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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.

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Hiring the Right Boat Captain

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captain driving a boat

By Dale Wills

Hiring a boat captain is easy. Hiring the right boat captain is another story. Whether you’re succeeding in business or putting together a heavy caliber fishing team, one common thread is this: you’re only as successful as the people you surround yourself with. The process of hiring the right boat captain and crew is no different.

One question that’s frequently posed to me is, how can we as an industry better educate the new boat owner so the enjoyment of their purchase leads to a longer-term passion for boat ownership and sportfishing. We’ve all heard the worst case scenario of an owner selling the boat after two years due to the unforeseen (and often arduous) task of managing a revolving or dishonest crew?

Whether you are a mate or captain, understanding what it means to be a true professional is an integral part of our sport not only for your own career but the bigger picture of a thriving industry. [Read more…]

Keeping the Boss Happy: Advice from Veteran Captains and Owners

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By Jan Fogt

When it comes to pleasing the boss, all the usual applies. Like keeping the boat clean and well maintained, keeping meticulous maintenance records, reigning in any bad behavior on the part of the crew, being prepared for travel and trips, tournaments, etc. In other words, when it comes to the boat, the secret to longevity on the job would seem to be to keep the boss’s life as hassle free as possible while watching out for the bottom line. As most captains will attest, if you can manage all of the above while taking care of fishing, you’ve got a job for life.

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The Best Learning Techniques for Captains and Mates

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By ITB Staff

Like a career in business or entertainment, as a sportfishing professional you must stay relevant. Lawyers, doctors, counselors, and real estate agents must all attend something called continuing education credits to keep their licenses current. While there is nothing like this in fishing, that doesn’t mean that getting a fulltime job on a boat is an excuse to stop learning.

Staying informed of the latest and greatest evolutions in fishing and learning from your mistakes are two central ways of doing this. The following provides a few of the best options to expand your fishing horizons – and build a well-rounded resume – even while working full time.

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Capt. Newt Cagle: Forever Grateful

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captain newt cagle at helm

By Capt. Jen Copeland

“Forever grateful.”

Aged just seventeen, Newt Cagle left his South Carolina home of Sullivan’s Island. On Captain John Mumford’s Hattitude, he was en route to all the usual new mate, cut-your-teeth destinations. The standard travel circuit seems to continually spit out the good new mates, and swallow up the bad: Florida, Mexico, Bahamas, Dominican Republic and St. Thomas. If you can survive the nighttime antics of this billfish boot camp, you’re usually good. If not, you’re on the first plane home – to grow up.

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In Sportfishing, Attitude is Everything

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By Captain Scott “Fraz” Murie

Have you ever been around someone whose attitude is always negative or whiny?

You see this type of person in the morning and say, “Good morning, how are you?” Their response is usually, “Good morning, my belly hurts, my arm hurts, my head hurts, etc…” Then for the rest of the day you hear him pouting and whining about someone who was mean to them or they wanted to go marling fishing but their boss wants to go grouper fishing.

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The Perils of the Paper Captain

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By Captain Scott “Fraz” Murie

“Paper Captain.” That’s the term I use for some of these so-called captains that are at the helm of multimillion-dollar sportfishing boats these days. Paper Captains don’t have a clue as to how or what it takes to maintain or operate these vessels.

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