What do you pay for ?

[Highfly 0]

When you go on a charter what do you pay for ?Is it the days fishing?, is it the knowledge? where do you draw the line.Obviously you may see new techniques for fishing, rigs, anchoring, times, tides. boat handling etc etc etc.But what about locations ?Should your operator take you to a location close enough in that you may be able to locate it again is it within your right to locate it ?Is it within your right to ask on these forums giving approximate directions in hope someone else will put you on it ?

[Ranger 48]

When I pay a charter I am paying them as professionals to put me on to fish.............doesn't always seem to work like that though.No I have no right to his fishing marks, no I do not expect to be able to find those marks.I think it's a bit immoral to take a charter, or fish with ANYONE, then go back specifically trying to find the marks they took me too.If I specifically want a fishing spot I dont know much about or cant find for myself, I have every right to search the internet, ask on a forum, look in GPS books, check notices for mariners, study google earth, ask a charter operator, sound an area, or any other resource available to me.

[plankton 725]

Great reply Ranger, spot on.

[urhookedfish 12]

Charter operator marks arent secret, Just because a charter operator has taken you to it does not means he owns that mark. No one owns anything in the ocean (of course there probably is exceptions to that), but what I am saying is if you can figure out where he was without taking a GPS with you and without asking him then you can return and fish it.For example if a local charter operator stops and fishes the Norma for whiting, and by rough direction and distance you suspect thats what their fishing, of course you can go fish it later.and surely there is no rule to stop you asking knowledgable fishing people on this site as to what you may have been fishing on/over etc?Having done many charters in spencers gulf, I learnt a great deal and even figured out precise locations that charter operators fished as operators kept returning to the same areas that were easy to recognise and figure out where they were.On the last Mad Keen charter I was on, I was up talking to the skipper (DEFINATELY NOT ASKING WHERE WE WERE FISHING) when he figured out that i knew a bit about spencers and told us exactly where he was headed for the day.I guess being a boat full of die hard snapper fishos probably made him feel more comfortable.from charters I have honed my favourite baits, worked out rigs that best suit me, worked out techniques regarding drifting for snapps and worked out anchoring distances to structure. All of which have been gained from taking notice of what the pro's do to put paying customers onto and catch fish.In my opinion there is no point paying for a charter if you are not learning stuff whilst your out there. This includes areas/regions of the gulf etc?

[Ranger 48]

I have a question I'd also like to put forth in relation to this one!A few years back, while at the ramp I had a brief chat with a charter operator operating out of North Haven. I was watching the conditions prior to launching, and he was undecided himself as to whether to head out. He asked me my thoughts, and I informed him that I was going.After this it seemed the guy was stalking me. Each time I was fishing and he passed, he would pull up in my burley trail, with all his paying customers, and begin fishing!I found this pretty damn rude, angering, and in fact quite stupid that a professional charter operator was performing this act. A blatant attempt to find gain from a lowly little rec angler in a 16' tinny.It was also a little laughable, because on some of those occasions I was only fishing for slimey mackeral for bait or the smoker, which meant that he was actually anchoring up to put all his PAYING clients onto a school of slimeys..........I know I'd be a bit p*ssed if I paid a professional $150+ for a day out and only got to fish for slimeys!Now, what if we reverse the situation! Do I in turn then have the right to pull up in HIS burley trail when I see HIM anchored out there and fishing, or do the rules all change then, and it becomes a case of the lowly rec fisherman trying to blatantly poach areas off a charter operator, taking from his livelyhood, and an unforgivable sin on the part of the rec angler? Does it work both ways? Is what's good for the goose also good for the gander? Should it be drawn pistols at ten paces? Is it simply not worth the arguement? Is it a case of fair game out there if you are spotted or pinged? Should I take the moral high ground and not lower myself to his level? What gives him more right than me, a charter operators ticket or business license? Do the rights of paying customers play a part in it?At the end of the day, no law has been broken, so I cant report the guy for his actions! It seems it's ok for him to take my marks, so that must mean it's also ok for me to take his marks too.

[Jack. 10]

Karma ought to have solved this issue.... Because if you're running a charter and can't get your customers onto fish I would think that you wouldn't be a charter operator for long.The thing a lot of snapper boaters would know, is the days of anchoring offshore with lights out, the days of upping anchor and free spoiling your fish when your spotted and all of those counter surveillance sort of shenanigans are OVER!!!With technology today, a radar screen will give you away. On a calm day when everyone can float offshore on planks of wood if they wanted, a decent radar will show all the clusters of boats out on every spot in the Gulf. GAME OVER.As for Charter operators.... I believe most of the spots are pretty much common knowledge.... Half of SA would know where the good charter guys go. The service they provide is simply a chauffeur system. If you haven't got an 8m boat that'll get you 30 kms out in average conditions.... Then a charter is a great option. Similarly, if you want to go out with 6 or 8 mates.... Why not get a ride on a charter :)Local knowledge and skill out there on the drops will get you a big fish and give you the heads up on how it's done. The friendly chit chat, the option to use their gear, the snacks, the bait and the baiting all add value to ya charter dollar :)Don't start looking at the chartplotter or smuggling electronics aboard :evil: YOU wouldn't do it to a mate, so why do it to someone you don't even know. You should know roughly where you are anyway, so best to chill out and enjoy yourself.The experience I've had with charter operators rocking up out in Spencers has Always been pleasant.Illusions/Steamer channel/jurassics, are full of charter boats and the woo hoos and thumbs up between crews and paying customers can be reAlly cool :) I think the cranky days of opening day sinker battles and cutting of anchor ropes is a thing of the past..... Although I wasn't out opening week this year :ohmy:

[urhookedfish 12]

Thats got to be one of the bests posts Ive read on StrikeHook in a long time Jack!!Cheers mate agree with everything youve just said:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[brenton 637]

Charter operators have probably pinged more grounds off either unsuspecting Recco's or their charter fishing competitors to not be able to complain too much if it happens to them, i wouldn't take electronic advantage as a paying customer because that not cricket but i would nave no problems otherwise and would still sleep well at night.As for what you pay for?? a day on the water without having to captain the boat or pulling the anchor and decent bag of fish would be a bonus. cheers brenton

[carps 1]

personally there is 2 main reasons i go out on charters..1-- on my boat i am always the skipper and this means no drinking ( my boat has a 0000 alchy policy in place for skippers) this means me so by jumping on a charter means i can have a few bevies and fish.. 2-- certain places it works out more efficiant for me to just drive and hire,for example the anual pilgramige to portland chasing tuna or wedge island would not be cost effective for me to tow my big lug of a boat to then run it all day trolling.especially as i dont know the place well and would prob come back empty handed as for taking their spots think of it this way if you hire a tradesman to come do some work at your house would you expect him to show you how to do the job so next time you can do it for your friends and dont need him anymore...i know i wouldnt..also if we take all their spots where are they gonna take us to relax and not work to find fish for a day.. my thoughts anyway

[Highfly 0]

Opinions change from year to year based on your knowledge so I dunno.... but at the moment,If I take someone fishn on my boat I try to show them a great day out and a great day fishn. I hope they enjoy the experience and are grateful for a great day out. If someone wants a mark usually all they have to do is ask, then you know if its on offer. If you dont ask but try later to locate it I think you know its not right.

[Ranger 48]

If someone wants a mark usually all they have to do is ask' date=' then you know if its on offer. If you dont ask but try later to locate it I think you know its not right.[/quote']Only common courtesy and respect!

[Mr_Willy 3]

I think a lot of people miss the point when stealing spots also.I fished with a guy during my recent holidays who only fishes certain spots until the sun comes over the Adelaide Hills. He then has other spots that fire on the run out tide, others on the dead tide, and again others on the run in tide...THAT is exactly why I went fishing with him because I might be able to steal his spots but buggered if I have the time to fish every stage of the tide and every time of the day to work out when the fish bite best.Charter operators also know this as they have the time and resources to try new spots, to try spots at different times of the day and they can bank this knowledge to make future charters better.THAT IS WHAT I PAY FOR