Often asked charter questions and their answers.

[Walleye Express]

[b]I thought that some of you fishing veterans might be entertained and some beginners might gain some insight by a blow by blow roadmap of questions I get asked on some or most of my summer walleye fishing charters during an average day on the water.

I plan on printing and passing these out to all of next years summer clients. It's not that I'm bothered by the same questions from day to day, well, maybe a little. And it is not intended to make fun of or belittle the many great (non-fisher-people) I take out for thier first walleye fishing trip every year. But I really like to (zone out) and (tune in) to the set up program when we start fishing at the start of the charter day.

I guess the first questions are asked on the way out of the river and the river channel connecting to the Saginaw Bay. How far out are we going today Captain? This often depends on the time available, rather it's a half day or whole day charter. Unless I know for a fact that the fish are biting great in a certain area far away or off shore, I won't waist 40 minutes to an hour running one way and shaving almost 2 hours off your 5 hour day hoping we hit some fish. I'd rather spend the time saved trolling with lines in the water.

Are we going to be holding the poles or casting today while we fish? You gotta know when to hold em. All our fishing today is going to be trolling. Covering as much water as possible to locate feeding walleyes. Unlike Lake Erie, where drifting and casting spinners, harnesses and other weight forward meat rigs works, the rods stay in the holders until one has a fish on it. The casting/drifting technique has been tried on the Bay with limited success. We do not have the massive schools of foraging walleyes on the Saginaw Bay like Erie does. This may change in the future. And I would love for that technique to become viable in the future.

Can we help set lines? I set a few goals for myself to achieve on every charter trip. I want you firstly to have a fun, safe day on the water fishing. I really want everybody to at least catch one fish, with any more being very welcomed. 99% of the people I take have never fished using the techniques or equipment we'll be using today. The trolling technique we'll be using (even though not rocket science) demands almost precise settings and knowledge. I prefer to set the lines.

What do those Orange things called Otter Boats do? Do they Keep the boat straight in the water? This question/statement alone reinforces my "Can we help set lines" answer. These Otter Boats are called planner boards. They plane/pull out to the side and allow me to run as many as 5 lines per side on them without having them get tangled, as they would if all were let out behind the boat.

How do we tell when there's a fish on? I watch for three different things to signal when a fish is on. All the rod tips after being set will pretty much act and bow the same in the holders when they are all running smoothly and debris free. If one looks out of place or bends down heavier or sags, something is going on with it. If one of the rubber bands I use off the main lines and connected to the release clips is stretched longer than the other one's, odds are there is a fish on and being dragged behind or weeds are fouling the crank. If the rubber band completely detaches from the release and the line falls back behind the boat, fish or heavy weeds.

Are all those fish we are seeing on the graph walleye? I wish. Saginaw Bay has about 100 different species of fish. I've learned that even catfish suspend at certain times and separating or identifying one specie from the other with the graph is almost impossible.

How much of the bottom is being shown on the graph? The 20 degree cone is wide and the beam progressively spreads out and takes in more area the deeper it is to the bottom. In our situation on the Saginaw Bay where 12 to 23 FOW is the normal depth for fishing, you are not seeing very much of the bottom below the boat.


Heres one I only heard once, but it made an impression. How come all the fish on the graph are going in the same direction? From right to left? Wow!!. Because that's the way the graph scrolls and operates as it works.

How far down are our lures running? To begin with I set one side of the boat shallow and the other deep unless we really hit on a high or low pattern. This is achieved with the help of the line counters on the reels and knowing or checking on a specific lures running depth with a chart that shows how far down each type lure runs versus line out.

How fast are we trolling? I try to vary my trolling speeds and let the fish tell me what speed they want. I pay attention to details and note if I catch a fish on a stall or turn and just what side it came on, as that determines the fast or slow theory.

Do you ever use crawlers? I never did on charters until this year. Both the time and mess involved running up to 10 lines never seemed worth the effort. I also never used spoons until this past season. Both have helped me box a few more walleyes this season and will become part of my arsenal and game plan in the coming years.

How do I reel in the fish? I prefer that you simply hold the rod high and steadily reel in the fish. I prefer you do not pump the fish in unless it's a very large fish and drag slippage becomes a concern. In which case you recover quickly the slack line on the down stroke. If the fish comes to the surface, reel quickly and skate his butt in. Do not quit reeling until I have the fish in the net.

[Terroreyes]

In other words........"SHUT-UP & FISH"!!!! :):)
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[Gilligan]

Capt Dan..no one asked to drive the boat?

[Walleye Express]

>Capt Dan..no one asked to drive the boat?

[b]Gilligan.
Heres a story for you. We were about 10 minutes into a charter one day and I was in the process of setting the third rod on the starboard side. I hold the release along with the rubber band in my teeth while I pull in the tether cord going to the planner boards to attach the release. The fish grabed the Tot and almost pulled my teeth out before the rubber band broke free. When the rubber band broke away from the main line, it slapped me in the face when it broke. I handed the rod to one of the young ladies we had on board that morning.

I asked the guy closest to the steering wheel up front if he could steer a boat. The auto pilot was working fine but we were headed into some heavy boat traffic. He answered, "Why, I have a 30 foot Century and fly my own plane, I think I can steer your boat". "Good deal Charles Linburg, I answer" Grab the wheel anb keep us clear of those other boats while I net this fish. I was about 6 feet from netting a really decent walleye still looking back and confident in my choice of first mates when I here a voice yelling, "Hey you ^%$" "Turn your boat". I look over to the Port side and this guys port planner board is about 10 feet from my boat and 40 feet inside my Port board.

I drop the net grab the wheel and put the boat in neutral. The boards tangle and the tether line tightens. I watch and pray the boats stop before my Double planner boar mast rips out of the front deck of my boat. About an hour and 30 minutes later we have the mess straightened out and are back fishing. I'm biting my tunge for a long spell. With all his engineering knowledge and savvy for such things, he failed to grasp that every boat out there was taking up 100 feet of water space pulling planner boards. Finally the guy says. "Well, Capt: Dan" "It could have been worse" "Yup, I agree I say" "We could have been in your plane" No tip, never seen them again.

[Gilligan]

LOL!

[wish list]

I'm sure you're a good charter Capt. and you must be providing a good service to your customers or they wouldn't come back. But if my first fishing experience had been with someone who drove the boat, baited the hook and set the rods in a holder and then handed one to me when the fish was hooked. Well I guess, even pasture pool might be my favorite pastime, or watching paint dry. I always thought about doing a charter some day, but I think I'll just scratch that one off the list. Thanks

[Rippin_Eyes]

You forgot the all time best question.. How soon before they start to bite!!! That is my favorite when I have a first timmer along!!

[SUPERTROLLER]

LOLOLOLOLLOLOLOL! This one just cracks me up to no end! "Yeah, piece of cake, no problem!,,,,, I got the wheel for ya!"

[Walleye Express]

>I'm sure you're a good charter Capt. and you must be
>providing a good service to your customers or they wouldn't
>come back. But if my first fishing experience had been with
>someone who drove the boat, baited the hook and set the rods
>in a holder and then handed one to me when the fish was
>hooked. Well I guess, even pasture pool might be my favorite
>pastime, or watching paint dry. I always thought about doing a
>charter some day, but I think I'll just scratch that one off
>the list. Thanks

[b]Wish List.

Re-read the post. I had not even placed the rod in the holder after letting out the crank when the walleye hit. That's why I handed the pole to the young lady after getting rubber whipped with the band. But to a degree your right. The trolling trips are not fun for everyone. It's not the most (Hands-on) technique and is enjoyed most by people wanting to get together and enjoy each others company in a relaxed atmosphere, interrupted occasionally with a fish-on firedrill. Some will simply take the trip to see and learn the techniques. Some to spend a day doing something with Dad, Son or Daughter in this hustle/bustle world. Some just want to see how, when and why it's done. Fact is, it's still cheaper than owning and maintaing your own boat year after year if your fishing interest is only a casual one.

[Olyolson]

Well said Capt. Dan. I just don't think that Wish List gets it. When taking people out on a charter, the fact of the matter is 75% of the people are novices and don't know the proper techniques to setting a line when multiple lines are used off the boat. If they pay attention they can and will learn something. To me a charter trip is supposed to be a fun learning experience. I would rather let someone who knows what they are doing run the show than spend half my day un-tangling everyone else's lines because someone on the boat thought they knew what they were doing. Just sit back and relax the fun is soon to begin.... fish on!






A famous Al once said " woyms always woyks unless they are all tangled up at the back of the boat."

[wish list]

I was referring to your general description of how a typical day goes for a client. I'd rather go duck hunting and pay to be the retreiving dog than reel in a fish somebody else caught. But that's just me, obviously some people dig it.

[Erie charter]

I can't imagine not getting the customers involved in setting lines, popping dipsies, netting fish (after we've put several in and explained the procedure). After all, the trip is suppose to educational as well and most customers fall asleep if all they get to do is set there and watch the motor run. But, to each his own.....

[Terroreyes]

I don't even run a charter and I won't let anyone set up the dipsey rods when I troll. When I take buddies out trolling, I tell them to stand up on the bow and just watch the rods for strikes while I'm getting them all out. I've got a game plan, dials set different, and I know what goes where and how/where to drop it in. The last to go out are the bottom bouncers down the middle and I let passengers do those.
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[pwrfshn]

Wish List and Erie Charter,

IMHO you guys missed the point. I'm sure if Capt. Dan or anyone else (myself included as I guide) had experiecned fisherman on the boat, we would make sure they were as involved as they wanted to be.

On my trips, I explain what will be done and how it will be done. Then I ask the client what their goals are. I'v ehad many tell me they want to reel in fish and could care less about what I do and I have had others tell me they want to know everything and could care less about catching fish. This is usually ascertained before they book and then I act accordingly. I've had people come out and take notes and write down everything I did and then had me make a list of all the lures I used and what depth they were running.

It all depends on who your customer is and in any business "know your customer" makes it better for both sides.

Capt. Dan,

Thanks for putting it in print, I can never remember all that stuff, but I think it has all been said to me. My autopilot is invaluable for the very reason you mention, but there are those times....

Thanks,

[times two]

I guess it's all in the perspective. I have been fishing Lake Erie and Lake Ontario since 1984, starting with my brother in a 12 footer with 2 manual riggers and a 15hp. I get out as much as I can, aboard my 22'. But I still take at least a charter a year, sometimes because I want to learn more, most of the time for the laughs with my friends. I've yet to find one that has done "everything" all day and simply handed each rod to me. I think its a measure of the experience, each Capt. once I've been on board for a while and chatted, has "allowed" me to reel in stuff when its
being changed, and to set the odd rod. One guy even told us up front that he would not grab any rod....if we didn't see it first, he would direct our attention, but that he wanted us to get the rods.
The last guy had me drive his 33 Sea Ray for a while as he and the mate worked on a problem with the 10 color.

Point being....for me its always been about more than catching a limit....its about the fun on board, and having someone else do all
the work for a change.

As the saying goes..."A bad day of fishin is better than a good day
of work".

[Walleye Express]

>I guess it's all in the perspective. I have been fishing
>Lake Erie and Lake Ontario since 1984, starting with my
>brother in a 12 footer with 2 manual riggers and a 15hp. I
>get out as much as I can, aboard my 22'. But I still take at
>least a charter a year, sometimes because I want to learn
>more, most of the time for the laughs with my friends. I've
>yet to find one that has done "everything" all day and simply
>handed each rod to me. I think its a measure of the
>experience, each Capt. once I've been on board for a while and
>chatted, has "allowed" me to reel in stuff when its
>being changed, and to set the odd rod. One guy even told us
>up front that he would not grab any rod....if we didn't see it
>first, he would direct our attention, but that he wanted us to
>get the rods.
>The last guy had me drive his 33 Sea Ray for a while as he
>and the mate worked on a problem with the 10 color.
>
>Point being....for me its always been about more than
>catching a limit....its about the fun on board, and having
>someone else do all
>the work for a change.
>
>As the saying goes..."A bad day of fishin is better than a
>good day
>of work".
>
[b]Times two and others.
All good sound arguments and explanations. Fact is no two charter Captains will act or do the same thing the same way. Some love the way I do things, and I'm sure some do not and will simply not come back. This is an acceptable trade off for me, and I'll even admit desirable. I'm having fun when the peole aboard are having fun. To (wish List) and any others, I'd suggest going to my web site and clicking on my (Guestbook) link. I won't post it here as this thread was not started to advertise my charters. These are real people who spent the day with me doing what I do. Some are commenting on the other facets of my labor, such as ice trips and river trips, but none were coached (comment wise) when signing my guestbook.

Each Captain has either learned because of what he does and where he does it, and probably (a big part) what he fishes for as well. Things become a lot easier when fishing bodies of water where 45 to 50 walleyes a day is the norm. Mistakes made on these waters don't equate into a 4 fish day as the case on waters less blessed with a hungry hord. Back in 1988 and 1989 on Saginaw Bay, if you owned a Hot-N-Tot (any color), anything that floated, and you could propell it to a trolling speed with any means, you had your walleye limit by 10:30am on any given day. NO MORE.

Personally, I hate wasting time on a charter. Clients pay good money for a full day fishing. When I have to untangle 5 lines because the last rod was let out to far by a guy wanting to learn and fouled the others, it's wasting his and his buds fishing time. I've been guiding/chartering for 20 years now. I used to put almost to much pressure on myself for a long time to produce as many fish as I could. I soon found out that by simply staying focused and doing things right the first time, learning by any mistakes made, things work out for the best for everybody.

[ScottL]

Capt. Dan, I would very much enjoy an outing with you, I went on my first charter trip this summer, for the very reasons you just said, big unfamiliar water (Lake Superior), family outing with three 75+ year old uncles, and I wanted to learn tips and techniques used by charter boats to enhance my fishing and trolling skills. It was worth the full addmission price to see the captain spread 15, yes 15 lines across the back of the boat with stationary planer boards, dipsies and down riggers. The look on my 80 year old uncle's face when he got the biggest lake trout of the day "PRICELESS"

Regards,

Scott Lee
Since there is six times as much water as dry land on earth, any fool
can plainly see the good Lord meant for man to fish six times as much as he works.

[Terroreyes]

Another post just reminded me of probably the most common question I hear from people who don't fish much. "There's actually fish in the Detroit River"?? Wouldn't they be surprised to hook into one of those 10-12# spring hogs! Not to mention one of those 50" muskie, or a big 'ole sturgeon.
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[Walleye Express]

> Another post just reminded me of probably the most common
>question I hear from people who don't fish much. "There's
>actually fish in the Detroit River"?? Wouldn't they be
>surprised to hook into one of those 10-12# spring hogs! Not to
>mention one of those 50" muskie, or a big 'ole sturgeon.


[b] Terror.

To add to your post. I also get the "Can you/Do you, eat fish out of that river/Bay?" Now, even though I quickly answer with, "I've been eating them for 20 years, and look how frail and sickly I look at 6'2" and 325 pounds", there is a real genuine concern and worry that I do seriously address when asked.

I first explain that the State has a published guidline for the amount and frequencies for eating most fish species from the Great Lakes and their natal rivers. Some of these guidlines and tests were performed under different criterior, as some fish were totally blended skin, bones and all then tested. While others were cleaned, trimmed and filleted before testing. I usually end my honest answers with my personal (fish care) formulas for making the fish taste it's best after catching. Then add "If you don't want to take any home, we can catch and release, but I need about 3 to top off my own stash at home".

[Erie charter]

IMHO you missed my point Mexico. I am also a guide and I have yet to have a group that doesn't want to become involved in setting rods, pulling rods, netting fish, etc. I didn't say that I just let them do as they please, but many or most are there for experience. Capt. Dan was right "it is not rocket science".... If I get a group that just likes to sit and watch I'll let them do it but it hasn't happened yet...

[Backwater Eddy]

My favorite "Bad Question" is, "Do I look fat in my new swimsuit?

Well...If your ever asked that question by a female guiding client...my best advise is to impale a 8 O/T circle hook in your finger, stick a fillet knife in your leg, whatever it may take to divert her attention from the question.

JUST for the love of God do no answer the question.....whatever you do...well...just don't!

:D

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

"(Vege-tar-ian), An old Indian word for "A Bad Hunter".

><,sUMo,>

[Olyolson]

Soprano - old Indian word for man who answered swimsuit question.

[Fred R.]

Capt. Dan, I have to agree with you on the hands off approch just for safety sake and convinence. One seemingly small mistake can take time off the clock to undo. I take a charter once or twice a year. The reason is I can get the grandkids together on one boat and let them reel in fish. This gives me time to relax, tell fish stories to the kids, and have good conversation with the Capt. Sure it's great to hook your own fish, reel it in, and net it, but these kids know grandpas boat isn't big enough for all four of them at one time. In the meantime I'll be the buffer to fend off most of the silly questions, but you still got to answer some. i.e. where's the motor (inboard), how come grandpas boat doesn't have a bathroom, why isn't your boat "shiny" (poly), can you really catch as many fish as my grandpa? These were some I heard the past ten years or so. Good fishin,
Fred R.

[Schnauzer]

This has been a fun thread to read through. I love the stories.

[Walleye Express]

>Capt. Dan, I have to agree with you on the hands off approch
>just for safety sake and convinence. One seemingly small
>mistake can take time off the clock to undo. I take a charter
>once or twice a year. The reason is I can get the grandkids
>together on one boat and let them reel in fish. This gives me
>time to relax, tell fish stories to the kids, and have good
>conversation with the Capt. Sure it's great to hook your own
>fish, reel it in, and net it, but these kids know grandpas
>boat isn't big enough for all four of them at one time. In the
>meantime I'll be the buffer to fend off most of the silly
>questions, but you still got to answer some. i.e. where's the
>motor (inboard), how come grandpas boat doesn't have a
>bathroom, why isn't your boat "shiny" (poly), can you really
>catch as many fish as my grandpa? These were some I heard the
>past ten years or so. Good fishin,
>Fred R.

[b] Fred.

Your right on the money my friend. And like I tried to get across to all, charter fishing services will vary given the place, time, specie and Captain's personalities. I have regular clients that have fished with me for years. In those cases, (mostly river fishing) I'm pretty much regulated to just finding the spots, dropping the anchor and putting the boat in the proper position, then pointing out the better spots to cast. I can't teach these guys anything new, they know all my secret baits and techniques, but they show up every year.

One group of my clients thought I was a #### cat, after the tasksmaster they had on Lake Michigan. That's all this guy wanted to do was drive the boat, and screamed at them whenever they made any little mistake. They said when a rod went off, nobody wanted to grab it for fear of being yelled at. And God forbid if they lost the fish.

They said he told them at the trips end, that it was all to both educate them and land as many fish as they could. I've been known to embarrass rookies into adding a little more rod pressure to aggressive fish, but screaming at anybody seems a little excessive, even for me.

[Fred R.]

Capt. Dan, I agree with you. Most people don't know how tough guiding can be. Besides just finding fish and getting them to bite, you have to be host, accountant, mechanic, and wear a dozen other hats that most don't take in account. Usually I go with Capt. Gary on Superior cuz it's close and I don't have the equipment for salmon and lakers. He's not the best for numbers, but is very respectable and one of the nicest people I ever shared a boat with. On the other hand probably the best fish catching guides in the area is a true butt head and rude and crude with his clients. No way could have I taken 4 kids ages 5-8 years ago on his boat. Gary was more than willing and a great entertainer for them. Once they were acting up and I threatened to end the trip after only an hour out and Gary said the right thing that settled them down. After I told him his job didn't include babysitting, he said kids are a walk in the park after some nitemare trips with drunk "adults"! Thanks for all the time spent helping others on the water and off.
Fred R.
P.S. The reason grandpa doesn't have a bathroom on his boat, Gary told them he's to cheap and old fashion and still uses an outhouse! Guides have all the answers!!

[Hook N Book]

>One group of my clients thought I was a #### cat, after the >tasksmaster they had on Lake Michigan. That's all this guy wanted to >do was drive the boat, and screamed at them whenever they made any >little mistake. They said when a rod went off, nobody wanted to grab >it for fear of being yelled at. And God forbid if they lost the fish.

Capt't Dan,
Was this charter out of St. Joe Michigan???

Good luck and be safe...See Ya! :)

[Walleye Express]

>
>Capt't Dan,
>Was this charter out of St. Joe Michigan???
>
>Good luck and be safe...See Ya! :)

[b]H & B.

The guy that told me this was the guy I took on the Pere Marquette River this year for Kings from this board. I won't give his real name, but his board name was JZ Stiff. Him and his brother related the story to me on the river as we were fishing. I'm thinking they mentioned the Boat and Captain were out of Ludington. This isn't the first story I've heard of Captains being lets say, over-zelous with their clients.

Like Fred mentioned, there's often a fine line when you have as many as 6 actual strangers aboard your boat and you have no idea of their personality types. All the Captain gets in the beginning is everybodies name, and I soon forget half of them before I'm done setting lines. Hopefully by the trips end, through jokes, fishing excitement and common interest, a new friendship or at least a professional respect is formed.

[Trophy]

I'm not a charter guy, I have only had a few enjoyable trips on the 3 dozen trips or so I've taken through work, or old classmates wanting a Miniature class reunion. I do take many different people out with me who want to go out on Erie. I do troll with big boards and make sure they all understand that runnining the boards requires a total team effort to be tangle free. I have found that most people are more than efficient at setting lines, and steering the boat if you give them simple instructions at the start. Granted I hang with outdoor minded guys who hunt and fish at every chance they get, and that more than likely makes them quicker to pick it up than Johnny Stockbroker who gets out once a year.

[jake]

going out on a charter isn't about being involved in the operation of the boat and lines. it's about catching fish, learning new water and techniques and relaxing and not having to worry about wrecking a boat and losing equipment. i don't charter, but i bring friends and their friend out all the time. at the end of the day if i have't been with someone who fishes with me on a regular basis, i'm usually wondering why i took them out and i'm making mental plans to fish by myself the next time out.