Customary Etiquette When Invited to Fish on a Friend

This overview of fishing guest/skipper etiquette is a thought of combining boat-less persons with boaters where a common interest may prove beneficial to both. This was put together in hopes that boat-less persons can get together with experienced boaters & share a common interest in fishing.

Many times the boat-less person will be shy and not want to intrude, because he/she does not know the fisherman/boater well, or thinks that the boater already has his/her "fishing buddies". At fishing club meetings or gatherings, not many boaters wear a sign on their backs advertising they would like to make a partnership. Therefore if you meet someone at meetings, whom you find owns a boat and with whom you have seemingly started a friendship, mention that you don't have a boat and would appreciate an opportunity to join them, should they ever have a spot open. Or if your boat is smaller & does not lend itself toward a open water fishing trip, this could be a opening to accompany them next time. There is however the possibility that this person could be professional guide, in this case you might add that intend to pay their professional guide fee.

Here is examples of fishing trips that can be shared with others, with smiling results

On the other hand, many boat owners welcome someone to go along at times & to share expenses. It can get to be a hardship at times for one person to launch, and to recover the boat by ones-self especially from a busy launch site or on a windy day. Some retired fishermen may like company. They also may have become partially physically handicapped, (we know most fishermen are mentally handicapped) & can not perform as they once did, so they possibly could use the help. They could also have become “gun shy” of having aboard another possible slob who thinks he is so important, brags about his feats all the time, and has his head up his lower anatomy so far that oxygen has to be piped to him to keep him alive.

If you have enjoyed fishing with boat owners, & yet you however remain boat-less for numerous years, but still let it be known that you want to be an invited guest, your name may not be high on the guest list. (Remember, you may not be the only one who may be boat-less.) And the boat owners after a while, may like for YOU to share the same joys, responsibilities & expenses that they have of being a boat owner.

OK, there may be extenuating circumstances, like living in a covenanted complex that forbids outside storage at you place of abode, or an apartment with no off-street parking. But there are rental storage lots or buildings available if you are really interested.

A fisherman/boat owner may at times find that his boat is not of a size for a particular outing. Take for instance, a 24' ocean fishing machine is not the boat to ask to do the job of a 16' river jet sled or drift boat & the other way around. In instances like this, it may be common for two boater/fishermen to exchange being guests with each other when the need arises.

If you feel that since you got an invite to go fishing, that the skipper is offering to take you out at his expense each time, because HE invited you, WELL READ ON. You may not receive too many re-invites, unless you happen to be a beautiful, curvaceous, vivacious, intelligent, rich widow, and an extremely talented boater/fisher-lady all rolled into one.

It is not just the cost of fuel used for a days of fishing, but the oil mix for the motor if it is a 2 stroke, or oil changes if a 4 stroke, fuel for the towing vehicle also has to be added into the equation. Of course the towing vehicle will have to be large enough & with enough power to tow the said boat, & usually unless it is a relatively small boat that means no great fuel economy for the towing rig. Then the boat owner is not that smart to not carry boat insurance.

Trailer maintenance is also a ongoing thing, especially if it is used in saltwater, as for tearing down & replacing wheel bearings & lights. Even cleaning it up & repainting occasionally is needed.

This trailer was used right up to the minute it broke when the boat & trailer was stopped by a farmers fence. The tongue was only replaced 10 years before.	Obviously not much maintenance care was extended here, & this trailer was used only in upper tidewater far above salt influence. Luckily no one was hurt & no damage to the boat or motor.

Then there is also a launch fee, & not to mention the actual cost of the boat & maintaining it. So you can see that the boat owner may have considerable expenses. And the thought if he is going fishing anyway, then a $10 tip is sufficient, may well be totally out of line.

The following suggestions are not absolute, but represent a set of fairly reasonable "guidelines" that should make you more comfortable with your first few invitational boat trips. The boat owner also has some responsibilities as explained later.

When accepting an invitation to fish on someone's boat:

(1) Bring your own Personal Floatation Device, (life preserver, to you land-lubbers). If you don't have one, the skipper MUST provide one or he gets the ticket. Oh yes, if the skipper is wearing a PDF, doesn't it make sense that you should wear one also.

(2) If bringing a child, (approve it with the skipper beforehand) make certain a child size PFD is available, if not then bring one that fits the child with you. If you do bring children on your trip, be aware that boat ramps are extremely dangerous places, during the day or in the wee hours. Do not let kids walk around unattended on ramps or the docks. If you do bring a child with you, be sure they are wearing a properly fitted PFD from the moment before they step on the dock, to the time they return to dry land.

(4) If you bring food/coffee/snacks for yourself, consider bringing enough to offer to the others on the trip also. If you drop part of your doughnut, pick it up, uneaten food on the deck gets squashed & kicked/washed into the bilge. DO NOT bring peanuts or sunflower seeds in the shells, they raise havoc with bilge pumps. Were you born in a barn?

(5) Ask if you need to bring your own tackle, lures, bait, etc. Bring only what the skipper agrees to, as cluttered boats can very well be a problem. Most fishing boats of the size we will be using here have LIMITED storage space. Do not bring extra rods, the skipper will probably have an extra anyway.

(6) Do however bring warm clothes, rain-gear or a big brimmed hat and sunglasses if the weather may suggest.

(7) If bait is suggested, offer to bring it for the whole boat, but inquire as to exactly what size & whether it should be fresh or frozen. Ask the best place to purchase the freshest bait.

(8) Ask before lighting up a cigarette. Do you usually smoke while sitting on a 40 gallon gasoline tank. Ask first -- dummy.

(9) Be at the appointed meeting place on time, or better yet, ten to fifteen minutes early.

(10) One gripe most skippers have is jumping in the boat with dirty shoes. If on a sled, that launches off a gravel beach, or muddy launch this doesn't mean the skipper really wants a boat full of mud, sand or either, so sitting on the gunwale before actually climbing into the boat, just do a little dip the shoes in the water or scrape, it's all it takes to clean most fresh mud off.

(11) If the meeting place happens to be at a launch, & you approach the boat ramp in your vehicle before daylight, turn off your headlights. Your parking lights will be more than adequate for the slower driving at the top of the ramp. This is to prevent those at the bottom of the ramp from being blinded by your lights and letting you know through hand gestures that you're #1 with them.

(12) Don't show up for a days fishing, then explain how you need to be home at 2:00 PM for the "big game".

(13) Offer to pay for the launch or sling fee, which can run from zero for a WDFW owned site, to usually $5.00 to $7.00 or $10.00 for a privately owned site.

(14) Offer to help launch the boat. More often than not, the tasks assigned will be menial, like possible guiding the back-down process, & or holding a bow line after the boat is in the water & pulling the boat to the dock & holding it from rubbing or scraping the dock or shore while the driver is parking the towing vehicle & trailer.

(15) Once aboard, ask the best place to stow your gear, clothes, tackle box if approved, etc. Ask where the skipper wants you to sit to balance the boat, as in many small boats this is a critical issue. If you move around while the boat is underway, you very well could be changing the balance & the skipper may be having problems controlling the listing of the boat side to side. It could even be dangerous if the skipper had the boat trimmed & you moved from one side to the other at a bad moment like while crossing the bar or approaching large waves.

(16) Ask what area of the boat that you should stake out as your fishing location for the day, and which rod holder you should use, if any. Many times the skipper, if he is to fish also, will have one location that is better suited for him to fish from, so that he can see his rod & yet operate the boat effectively. Remember he likes to fish also, otherwise why the boat?

(17) Many different styles of fishing will catch fish, e.g. mooching, jigging, trolling, etc., but let the skipper decide where and how the boat will be fishing that day. Go with the flow. Use only the type lures, techniques, etc., that he suggests. If after using his methods, & later in the day you would like to try something that has worked for you in the past & is compatible with his methods, ask if he minds if you try it if it will not interfere with everyone else. Most times the lures, weights & line weight need to match closely otherwise the lines will have a very good chance of tangling.

(18) Ask the skipper to let you know what tasks that you can help with throughout the day, e.g., steering, especially while netting a fish if trolling while he is rigging his rod. Do not grab the net & try to net a nice fish UNLESS YOU ARE VERY PROFICIENT with it, as most skippers usually being more experienced want to do this themselves.

(19) Offer to wet wash the deck to remove blood or scales, etc. as soon as the action is over & before things dry out. If the boat has a wash-down pump, this is an easy chore, otherwise, you may have to use a bucket.

(20) Be on the look-out for floating debris or crab pot floats & warn the skipper ahead of time so he can maneuver away from them. If you need to call his attention to something or another boat ahead in the water if he is busy untangling gear or re-baiting, use the numbers of the clock method of designating the location in front of the boat, with 12 o'clock being straight ahead, & 3 o'clock being 90 degrees to the right.

(21) If you are prone to get sea-sick, let the skipper know before departure, & he possibly can help with proven sea-sick remedies. If the time comes that you have to puke, be sure to do it over the leeward side (away from the wind). And afterwards, wash off any that gets in or on the side of the boat.

(22) Bring an ice chest, but leave it in your car, so you will have a container to take fish home in if you are successful. Purchase some ice bags to cool the fish for the trip home.

(23) If you intend to bring alcoholic beverages, ask first, and IF given the OK, make certain your consumption is modest.

(24) Don’t talk constantly all day long, it not only gets boring, and if you shut up & listen you just may learn something new.

(25) If you break or loose any of the gear, replace it with exactly the same equipment. Most skippers/fishermen are very particular with the equipment they use. However it may be best to then simply reimburse them for it. Don't argue over the price if you think you can get it cheaper at Wal-Mart. Rods are not all the same, a Zebco $29.95 rod surely will not replace a broken Lamiglas $200 rod.

(27) Offer to help clean the boat & trailer at the conclusion of the trip. If the trip was on saltwater, all the salt spry needs to be washed off before it dries or is there for any length of time.

(28) If you caught more than the skipper, (which may well have been because of his efforts), offer to share part of your catch to him.

(29) Offer to share expenses for launch fee, moorage, gas, oil, bait (if you did not buy it). Keep in mind that fuel expenses alone, depending on the boat & trip taken can be expensive. For example, many typical high performance fishing boats may well burn from 10 to even up to 20 gallons of fuel per hour when traveling with a full load. It is not impossible for a trip to the saltwater fishing area and back if there is a run time of a couple of hours, along with a day of trolling can easily add up to $100 or more for fuel alone. I was on one halibut trip a few years ago out of LaPush where the fuel costs alone were $160 per day for a 26' boat. Ask the skipper his fuel consumption per hour & try to make a reasonable estimate yourself of costs then divide by the number of people on the boat, and offer your fair share. Also be aware that fuel cost at marine locations are usually more than at the freeway self-service pumps.

        No one expects a quest to shoulder the entire cost of a trip, but custom and common sense call for all participants to chip in and share the trip expenses. However if you were the one who asked for certain fishing dates so you could take your father-in-law on a vacation, then the skipper should not have to share any expenses. Boat owners expenses are not for fuel alone, as the boat & motors need to be maintained. There are also expenses of maintaining the towing vehicle & fuel for it to get to the launch & back home. Also boat insurance seems mandatory these days & does not come cheap.

There is always maintenance to do on boats & more so on the ones that are used on saltwater. Trailer lights, wheel bearings & brakes that are submerged in saltwater need to be continually looked at, maintained or replaced.

After reading these guidelines it is hoped that you now better understand both sides of the issue. If you follow these general guidelines you probably will enjoy yourself a lot more, and you can convey a clear message that you appreciate the opportunity to have fished on someone else's boat.   This will greatly increase your chances of getting another invitation with this boater & possibly others also as the word gets out.
On the other hand, some people's personalities are just not compatible, therefore it is the skipper who is calling the shots.

The boat owner/skipper also has some responsibilities:

(1) Brief your guest on where you will be fishing beforehand so he can inform someone as to where to look for you if you do not come home on time. At this time also inform the guest as to your boat make, size & color, boat name, boat call name & VHF or CB frequency you can normally be reached on

(2) If you are trading the trip with one person at no cost to him & there are say 3 of you aboard, & the order of the day is "just cover my fuel", make sure that the odd man does not get hung for a large fuel bill if the trip happens to be longer than normal & the fuel bill is enormous.

(4) Have your gear & the boat ready the night before so that no time is wasted on the water.

(7) Brief the guests on your boating rules, life vest location & installation, emergency procedures, bilge pump switch location, etc.

(8) Brief the guest on starting the boat, basic functioning of some of the electronics, and some navigation in case YOU have emergency health problems.

(9) Ask the guest if he/she has any health or physical handicaps that might create a problem.

(10) Advise the guest on how long you plan on remaining on the water under normal conditions.

(11) If guest gets seasick, be considerate, & consider carrying some form of seasick medication on the boat.