Seeking Feedback

[Chi-cong]

I took a charter on Lake Ontario Wednesday 8/5 out of a south shore harbor near Buffalo.  The boat was very nice, clean, and organized.  The Captain was on time, safe, polite and very professional.   Our group of five limited on Brown Trout in about three hours.    The Captain set all the gear.  Our setbacks were about 30-40 feet.  Dispey's were farther back.  When there was a release, the Captain leapt towards the rods, set the hook, and reeled the fish in half-to-three-quarter's the distance.  He then handed the rod to whoever was up to reel in the fish the remaining 10-20 feet. Once in the boat, he netted them, bled, them and put them in the cooler.   On the trip home, he cleaned all the fish.   If you attempted to touch the net or any gear, he stopped you immediately.  Immediately.  

 

Is this normal?  I thought it sucked.  During the trip I fantasized about jumping overboard and swimming to shore.  I knew, going in, that taking one of these charters, it is a pretty passive activity.  I expected the Captain to do a lot of the work.  But, this was out there.  For a $1000 less, I would have preferred to buy a can of night crawlers, sat on shore, and caught nothing.   It was that extreme.   Maybe that's what people want.  I don't know.  Again, the Captain worked very hard and is good at his craft.  

 

I'd be curious what others, including Captains, think.    

[HB2]

I feel your pain 

 

 

[Salty Nut]

Having been on 6 or 8 charters i would say its nothing i ever experienced. I can tell you from taking people on my boat, sometimes i "adjust" my approach with people by level of experience. The captains have significant investments in the boat and gear, dropping a rod/reel combo overboard by mistake taking it out of a rod holder is like a 400 dollar loss. I guess i would say once the fish is hooked and he or the first mate gets the rod out of the rod holder, it should be handed to customer.

I would also suggest getting your expectation negotiated before you hire the charter.

There are guys over on the west end that are a blast to fish with!

Go again, go after kings, you'll love it!

[Sk8man]

Your experience is very unfortunate. I don't  however think it is typical. That might be the approach that might be used with a very young child, but is not appropriate for most adults ( perhaps someone with a specific disability (e.g. limited use of their hands etc.). I also think most captains would gauge experience level of the client by either verbal or observational indicators  and adjust things accordingly. Sounds like some OCD going one there

As Salty Nut indicated there are a variety of valid concerns a captain might have about equipment, but it sounds as though he sort of micromanaged too much. The captains I have fished with or have known over many years are sensitive to the customer and would do everything possible within realistic bounds to ensure that the trip made or exceeded the clients expectations within their span of control which usually includes trying to get a handle on the clients expectations and prior experience doing that type of fishing. 

If it were me I would communicate to him the exact problem privately from your perspective rather than some public response e.g. on his website etc. to give him the benefit of a response, but barring satisfactory resolution I would certainly not select him or recommend him to others in the future.

There is obviously a great range of experience of charter captains as well as personality attributes, and communication skills. The large majority of charter captains male and female on Lake O are highly skilled, anxious to provide a satisfactory and pleasing experience for their customers, and will often go out of their way to make it happen. I wouldn't let this experience prevent you from selecting another experience with one of them. To aid in your next experience I would outline your expectations while setting up the charter and ask pertinent questions (e.g. such as "will I be able to handle the rod completely or to what extent" etc.) to enhance your experience. There is a good selection of captains right here on LOU

[ifishy]

To echo others most captains that have been around awhile have lasted because there clients are happy with the trip. Having conversations with the captain about what your goals are for the trip are important ive taken trips where i told the guide i wanted to learn the basics of the fishery enough that i could bring my own boat and have a chance and those trips have been great learning experiences with lots of questions and more dropped knowledge than i could possibly absorb in one  trip others its been i want fish but i do t want to have make decisions or feel obligated to work hard sounds like your caption put in the work and thats a reall important thing so maybe wasnt the right trip for you but conversations at booking are a good way to set the right expectaiand the right boat for what you want

[rolmops]

12 hours ago, Chi-cong said:

I took a charter on Lake Ontario Wednesday 8/5 out of a south shore harbor near Buffalo.  The boat was very nice, clean, and organized.  The Captain was on time, safe, polite and very professional.   Our group of five limited on Brown Trout in about three hours.    The Captain set all the gear.  Our setbacks were about 30-40 feet.  Dispey's were farther back.  When there was a release, the Captain leapt towards the rods, set the hook, and reeled the fish in half-to-three-quarter's the distance.  He then handed the rod to whoever was up to reel in the fish the remaining 10-20 feet. Once in the boat, he netted them, bled, them and put them in the cooler.   On the trip home, he cleaned all the fish.   If you attempted to touch the net or any gear, he stopped you immediately.  Immediately.  

 

Is this normal?  I thought it sucked.  During the trip I fantasized about jumping overboard and swimming to shore.  I knew, going in, that taking one of these charters, it is a pretty passive activity.  I expected the Captain to do a lot of the work.  But, this was out there.  For a $1000 less, I would have preferred to buy a can of night crawlers, sat on shore, and caught nothing.   It was that extreme.   Maybe that's what people want.  I don't know.  Again, the Captain worked very hard and is good at his craft.  

 

I'd be curious what others, including Captains, think.    

Maybe he forgot to take his ritalin.....

[Gator]

This sounds like a very odd experience. Fishing for browns when the king bite is on fire? Strange choice. And simply reeling the fish in, as if there's no fight? That sounds like walleye fishing to me lol.

 

Anyway, all of the above, ditto - I wouldn't expect a captain to routinely let new clients set rods, and maybe they'd even be reluctant to let them set the hook on a strike (particularly on a slow day where every bite counts), but reeling the fish in most of the way is unheard of. I know there's some captains who fill a limit as quickly as possible, but it's not grocery shopping (unless you're fishing walleye, again lol).

 

I'd ALWAYS talk to a captain about their philosophy and your expectations prior to booking. 

[fisherdude]

For some people charters are not their cup of tea ( I'm one of them ). If you didn't like the experience don't go again. Invest your money into your home or something that will pay u back in time .

[sherman brown]

The first charter I was on did the same thing, and I hated it. The feel of the fish on its first run and setting the hook is the best part of fishing. Anyone can reel fish in, but the adrenaline rush when you first feel the fish after setting the hook and then the first run cant be matched. That was my first salmon charter and my last one.

[Silver Fox]

On my boat, fish hits I grab the rod, reel in slack and make sure the fish is still on. Then I hand it off. I probably don’t have that rod in my hand more than 5 seconds most times. It doesn’t seem right to hold the rod for any longer. I also don’t race to get everyone there limit. If the fishing is great, I have less rods out.  My 2 cents…

[turkeykiller2]

As a charter captain on lake ontario,  first, I would have talked to the captain at that time to let him know what you want to do.   I ask my clients each time out,  what they feel comfortable doing and I will help them but they do as their experience shows.   I have clients that I allow to net fish etc.  I may be the exception in that way.   I wouldn't bash a captain as they normally do what they think the client wants.  Talk with them, they are all good people and will normally do what is asked up to their level of comfort.  Their level of comfort meaning some captains only allow them or the mates to net or remove poles from rod holders as they have lost them in the past.   On my boat, this is just me,  my client normally fish for the day, if that is what they pay for,  I push them to only keep what they want and to put back any small fish or ones they dont want and i encourage them to let me know as soon as the fish is netted as the fish is normally good to be released.   I dont push to limit out quick unless that is asked for.  I my boat, as I stated above,  the clients let me know what their level is, this includes grabbing rods and netting, and I may help the first few to ensure they know exactly how its done so we don't lose a rod.  This is my opinion and my boat.  My suggestion as others have said,  talk to the captain in person,  doing so on forum is sometimes not taken well.  They are doing their best to get the quota and show you a good time,  you can always talk with them an let them know what you would like to do...

 

Captain Todd

[Chi-cong]

47 minutes ago, turkeykiller2 said:

As a charter captain on lake ontario,  first, I would have talked to the captain at that time to let him know what you want to do.   I ask my clients each time out,  what they feel comfortable doing and I will help them but they do as their experience shows.   I have clients that I allow to net fish etc.  I may be the exception in that way.   I wouldn't bash a captain as they normally do what they think the client wants.  Talk with them, they are all good people and will normally do what is asked up to their level of comfort.  Their level of comfort meaning some captains only allow them or the mates to net or remove poles from rod holders as they have lost them in the past.   On my boat, this is just me,  my client normally fish for the day, if that is what they pay for,  I push them to only keep what they want and to put back any small fish or ones they dont want and i encourage them to let me know as soon as the fish is netted as the fish is normally good to be released.   I dont push to limit out quick unless that is asked for.  I my boat, as I stated above,  the clients let me know what their level is, this includes grabbing rods and netting, and I may help the first few to ensure they know exactly how its done so we don't lose a rod.  This is my opinion and my boat.  My suggestion as others have said,  talk to the captain in person,  doing so on forum is sometimes not taken well.  They are doing their best to get the quota and show you a good time,  you can always talk with them an let them know what you would like to do...

 

Captain Todd

Nobody bashed anybody.