Help me with a deep sea fishing charter.

March 8, 2008 12:04 PM

Fishing filter: Can you help a total novice with a deep sea charter in Key West? I’ll be in Key West for a few days in a couple of weeks and I’ve decided I’d like to try deep sea fishing. Here’s the thing: I am as noob as possible when it comes to fishing. Never even held a rod and reel, so I need your advice. 1) How should I go about finding/selecting a charter boat -- anything special I should look for? 2 ) Is there anything I need to know/do/say to mitigate the inevitable embarrassment of inexperience?
posted by dzot to sports, hobbies, & recreation (8 comments total)

Ask at the front desk at your hotel. There are tons of charter companies and they all cater to people who don't know what they are doing. Please consider one of the boats that does catch and release so that little fishy can go on to live another day after posing for a snapshot with you.
posted by 45moore45 at 12:56 PM on March 8, 2008

Don't go with the cheapest charter you can find. Successful sport fishing requires a captain with lots of experience to find the fish and hard working mates to help you land the fish once you find them. Don't worry about your inexperience at all. Any crew worth their salt will help you reel in a monster without a second thought. You're almost certainly not the most clueless person they've ever had onboard. Lastly, if you have any tendency toward motion sickness, take some dramamine before you get on the boat. Nothing ruins a $1500 fishing trip more than puking your way through it.

You're going to be a little early in the season to land any big monster billfish like Marlin or Sailfish (which you really should catch-and-release), but you should have a good chance at some big Mahi-Mahi or Tuna (which you can definitely keep and eat) and probably a ton of other species too. Have fun!

If you want advice on specific captains, send me a MefiMail... I don't know off the top of my head who's the best, but I can definitely find out.
posted by maniactown at 1:11 PM on March 8, 2008

I second maniactown about not to worry, a good crew takes care of everything. The charter I took was off of Louisiana, in the Gulf. The crew picked out a pole for me, cut the bait, put it on my hook. When I caught the fish, the crew took to fish off, put the little guy on ice and repeat.

The only thing they didn't do was drink my beer for me! Do take the dramamine a few hours before boarding, one you start feeling a little off, it is too late. Also stay on the deck as much as possible in the fresh air. Fight the urge to go below if you start feeling bad, seeing things swinging around will tip you over the edge. If by chance you really need to throw up, do not attempt to do so in the head (toilet). It will go everywhere, some poor crew member will have to clean it up, your fellow passengers will hate you. It is much better to puke over the side of the boat or even on the deck itself, a bucket of sea water washes it all away.

Have fun, spitting on you bait works ;)
posted by JujuB at 1:47 PM on March 8, 2008

A few years ago, a DJ here in Dallas told about his adventure with this. He was on the boat, doing the "manly fishing" as he called it, and it was his first time out. He'd always wanted to go deep sea fishing and finally one year he did it. During that trip, the crew caught a Marlin. His daughter was with him at the time (I think she was around 9 or so), and both of them had never seen such a large fish before. He was telling his daughter how beautiful the Marlin was and because of (insert something about observing God's laws and whatever else), they were going to put the fish back into the ocean so it could go to it's family.... when the captain started whacking the fish upside the head with a hammer. So obviously, not all of them will be catch and release.

I remember his daughter went veg after that. Anyhoo, not that you're into animal cruelty/"cruelty". Just an FYI.
posted by damnjezebel at 5:13 PM on March 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

damnjezebel: Most sport fishermen (and fisherwomen, of course) are vehemently opposed to killing billfish (Marlin, Sailfish). The fun is in the hunt. Catch-and-release affords the ability to fight the same majestic fish year after year. Now, pulling a nice big tuna out of the ocean and having the freshest sashimi you've ever tasted right there on the deck... well, that's another, extremely delicious, matter entirely.
posted by maniactown at 6:22 PM on March 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

These boats are used to dealing with people just like you who have never held a rod and reel. They will kindly guide you every step of the way.

Something I don't think has been addressed here is there are two basic types of recreational deep sea fishing: trolling and bottom fishing.

Trolling involves dragging an array of baits or lures behind the boat while it's moving. This type of fishing is characterized by long periods of inactivity to the point of extreme boredom punctuated by sudden extreme, adrenalin-pumping excitement like when you see a giant fish come up to the surface and start batting a bait around with its bill before your very eyes, then engulfing it. You're watching this. Your reel begins screaming as the fish starts stripping your line off. He's running. It's fun.

However, there is no guarantee you will catch fish while trolling. It is not uncommon to troll all day without a single strike. OTOH, there are days that are red hot. You can maximize your chance of catching fish by going at the right times of the year and choosing a reputable boat with a good record.

Trolling involves chartering a boat and costs several hundred dollars and up, depending on how long you want to fish and how many people in your party. They provide all gear and bait. You also have the option of bottom fishing on a charter boat.

Bottom fishing can be great fun, too, and there are party boats that cater strictly to bottom fishers. These boats will charge fifty bucks or less per head and load up the boat with a bunch of people and head out to some known reefs. They also usually supply all rods, reels, and bait and the crew will handle taking the fish off the hooks and everything. You bring your own beer and sandwiches, although some boats have a galley and sell crap.

You are virtually guaranteed to catch something on a party boat, even it they're small. On a good day you might get into some good size grouper, snapper, amberjack and many others. Triggerfish are the best eating fish in the world and you'll prolly get some of these. You cannot troll from a party boat. You won't get a bill fish.

Whether charter boat or party boat, at the dock a deckhand will clean your catch for a price. Please, take no more fish from the sea than you can use.

Seconding staying up on deck during seasickness. It helps to be able to see the horizon for some reason, orientating the inner ear or something, I suppose.
posted by wsg at 11:33 PM on March 8, 2008

"Trolling involves chartering a boat and costs several hundred dollars and up, depending on how long you want to fish and how many people in your party. They provide all gear and bait."

The above sentence would have the reader believe that the people in your party provide all gear and bait. This is not the case. The sentence is poorly worded. To clarify, the boat provides the stuff.
posted by wsg at 11:42 PM on March 8, 2008

The crew on a charter boat don't care what you know. They assume you know nothing. The only thing they care about is that you catch fish (which is 100% their problem, not yours), and that you have fun.
posted by popechunk at 4:25 PM on March 9, 2008