Rules & Response - input wanted

[J-GLOBAL]

Looking for input into what to do about something.
I've already made a decision. But, if it turns out I was way out of line, I can admit I made a mistake and apologize.

The situation is this. 3 guys (including myself) head from the mainland to the PA derby. My boat, reservations, etc., I make every year. I pay up front and we split the bill 3 ways at the end. One guy has been with me before -brings his own gear/tackle - we fish together from time to time on each other's boats and mix and match terminal depending on what seems to be working. The other guy (a friend) is new to this Derby, and brings nothing, using our gear.
We fish 4 rods. (4 tickets)
Rules are:
First to the rod gets the first fish, then 2 guys are fishing. First to the rod (of those 2) gets the second fish, then the third guy gets his fish.
Repeat as necessary.
Any $ prize is split 3 ways.

As I catch probably more salmon than the other two guys, I'm okay to be 3rd in every rotation.

Well, the fishing wasn't that good. But we land 6 fish.
Through the first 3 fish, everything is fine.
(two really, really, slow days - 3 fish total)

On the last day, the fish actually start biting a bit more. We land 2 fish early, and then I am up. At this point, the other two have 2 fish, and I have 1.

Fish hits. New guy grabs the rod. We all can see its a salmon as soon as he has the rod in his hands (turns out to be our first Coho).
Other guys says "thats a salmon". I say "thats a salmon", and stand ready for the hand off. Well, new guys plays and lands his 3rd fish. And then says "I thought it was weeds".
There's about an hour to go to pull out time. I put a smile on my face, and don't say a word, so we can enjoy the rest of the trip.

Total Bill comes out to $1200.

My question is - what do you think is an appropriate response?

Would you recommend having done things differently? What?

I've already made a decision, but I'm open to suggestions to try to prevent similar situations again, and if I'm too far off base, based on replies, I may have to apologize.

Open to any ideas.

Thanks



Drag'n'Fly
22' Blue & White Starcraft Islander

 

[Dogbreath]

quote:Would you recommend having done things differently? What?

Yes-Captain gets first crack and then he decides if he's has a fair turn (if it really was a fish or something else), then</u> second most experienced guy, then</u> new guy.

This is why I don't like to fish tournamentals-people get greedy and stupid. [V]

 

[profisher]

I go half hour shifts, flip a coin to get the starting order. The guy up has all the rods for his half hour, then the next in order gets them all and so on. Once you land a fish your half hour is done (even if you land it in the first 5 minutes) and the next guy is up. Also if someone limits, they drop out of the rotation for the day.

 

[casper5280]

Your Truck,Your Boat,Your Gear,Your Reservations, and Your Dough. Your RULES. They don't like it let them do there own program.People that I take, like you say I usually let play the frist fish and then when they have all had a turn then I play one.I would probably collect my money and bite my tongue and not say anything.But if they **** me off, my "New Friend" is coming next year.

 

[danthewire]

The guy knew the deal when he came. I wouldn't ask him again, nor would I say anything. Some get it, some don't. No use getting stressed about it.
Dan.

 

[nedarb2]

i really get my pleasure, and the smile on my face when i take friends out, none really who fish, and get them into fish and see them enjoying themselves. I know really ive caught every fish that bites the lines- I tell them, if we get a big fish its mine, other than that have at 'er.
My last 3 day trip at renfrew i played 2 fish all weekend, they probably had 15+ each between the springs, hali, and coho.

 

[Time]

I wouldn't be too quick to condemn the new guy.
Could be a case of buck fever. Depends a lot on his fishing experience.
If he is good otherwise, conversation and paying his share of expenses, I'd give him another try on a day trip, maybe not on a major trip. Then decide.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

Dont be such a crybaby. If the guys your friend, who gives a rats asss. Congratulate him on a nice fish. Its not like it was a derby
contender. If it was, Im pretty sure you would have found a way to have the rod.

Damn Gorbies

Fill the dam tub!

 

[J-GLOBAL]

quote:Originally posted by Island Fish Lifter

Dont be such a crybaby. If the guys your friend, who gives a rats asss. Congratulate him on a nice fish. Its not like it was a derby
contender. If it was, Im pretty sure you would have found a way to have the rod.

Damn Gorbies

Thanks to all for the input.

Out of curiosity IFL
What is a Gorbie?

Drag'n'Fly
22' Blue & White Starcraft Islander

 

[TenMile]

IMHO, you guys should probably have addressed it immediately as soon as you knew it was a salmon. Your response should have been, "that's a salmon, my turn...". If you do it later, you risk an argument and it's probably not worth it.

Otherwise I'd forget about it, it's not really a big deal. If you are splitting the costs and the prize money, then you are really fishing as a "team" anyhow -- playing the fish is fun, but it's just as important to clear the other lines, and net it properly and that's all part of good team fishing.

Make sure that the next time, you review your rules again and make sure everyone understands them before you start fishing.

TenMile
&lt;'((((&gt;&lt;

 

[wolf]

Draws tooth picks and go down the line if it takes 1 hour or more so be it everybody gets a turn, say your using 4 rods all 4 is for the guy up but its got to be a spring, then reset then the next dude is up. so on and so on.

If it was "just weeds" why was he reeling it in then??? id kick his butt of the boat thats being selfish and disrespectful to you and your friend dont need someone like that on a boat.

Had my cousin one time come down the road behind my father and i as we were looking at a ok whitetail buck along a tree grove we were just determing if it was a shooter or not show my cousin it it gets over a log to get a "better look" booooooom gun goes off dead dear My dad and I looked at each other WTF thats was the last trip we ever went with him on.

Wolf

Blue Wolf Charters
www.bluewolfcharters.com

 

[spring time]

the way we do it on my boat is with two experience guys one guy fishes one side and me the other and thats your side I don't touch your rods and you don't touch mine if three are on then each has own rod and the fourth is a floater then we rotate every half hour top rod to the bottom on both sides. and you play your rod until your limited out then he sits out. if it's me and the wife or someone who doesn't fish or a kid then I do all the work and they get the first fish and maybe the second

 

[searun]

The guy who bought the beer goes first...and in the event of a tie the guy with the ugliest mother-in-law gets the sympathy fish. If that don't work because the mother-in-law thing is a tie, go with rock, paper, scissors or odd to even coin toss, or good old fashioned strip poker..but that could be too disturbing to other boaters.

Searun

 

[Derby]

The guy who bought the beer goes first...and in the event of a tie the guy with the ugliest mother-in-law gets the sympathy fish. If that don't work because the mother-in-law thing is a tie, go with rock, paper, scissors or odd to even coin toss, or good old fashioned strip poker..but that could be too disturbing to other boaters.

Searun


Ouch Searun [8D]
I'm in on your boat anytime but the very last one [:0]
That is a little disturbingI may have to re think the Chum derby.
[]

 

[Peahead]

Interesting thread.....there are several ways to share the catching while fishing with one two or three friends but here's my choice:

I take out one or two people regularily and have tried various methods but the one I use now and find best for my situation and boat size is rotation of each person on ALL 4 rods until they play a fish. I find giving each person a time slot just too difficult to keep going very accurately. I don't like first to the rod cause that can be difficult in a small boat - also you can have a tie ...then what? Lost fish can be the result of fighting over a rod. I dont like giving a person a particular rod only because all 4 rods don't fish equally and should all be fishing as a "team" to get fish in the boat rather than individual rods compeating. With my routine one guy gets first crack at a salmon ( decided in various ways)then next guy and so on. If first guy looses a salmon, too bad ....the rotation moves on. If the salmon is undersize or not retainable, too bad, move on ( shakers don't count though) Because I get fish alot myself I go last in rotation or sometimes not at all and just "guide" the fish for friends. For example the other day I took a buddy out in bad weather for socs.....just withstood the weather long enough to get him his limit then ran for home. A halibut would also count as a turn.
If there is an very uneven catch it is discussed before hand if the meat will be shared despite who landed the fish.

 

[Peahead]

J-Global , sorry forgot to address what happened in your situation..... as some others have mentioned, deal with an attempt at a skipped turn at the very moment it happens. It wasn't the "friends" turn. On my boat it would have been dealt with emmediately. Weed or Coho, no matter, the guy shouldn't have been on the rod as it wasn't his turn. No big deal just remind the guy at the moment. Once the time has past no point in dealing with it ....you have to forget it and just realize you missed your chance to solve it and next time you know how to deal with it.

 

[Rum Buddies]

ah I think you're taking it too seriously. In the end if its your boat, your gear and you were driving, YOU caught the fish, just somebody else did the easy part and reeled it in.

To be honest I get just as much excitement and satisfaction running the gear and boat into fish then reeling them in. I also do not want a passed off rod, I want a fish from start to finish or not at all.

I really agree with taking turns though instead of guys running their own rod. First guy up gets any rod that hits then on to the next guy.

I wouldn't sweat it, take the guy out again if he was pleasant otherwise, if it happens again make a joke about him being a fish hog and he'll get the point.

Keep it fun and remember a guy like that might catch a dozen decent fish in his entire life and he's excited. We have the luxury of catching 100's - 1000's of great fish over our "season".

Oh ya, meat should be split regardless of who caught what, IMO

http://www.fishingvancouverisland.org

 

[Sea Ranger]

That all sounds a little too complicated for me. I have always fished with my own rod and if a guest comes on the boat he/she can use one of the spare rods. And for derbies its always been one ticket and one rod per person in any that I have been in. I can see sharing the rods may seem to even the chances of catching fish but I would have a hard time with when it comes my time on the rod only to get a shaker right off the bat then the next guy gets the rod and 10 minutes later pulls in a slab.
As for your situation.... laugh it off, it was probably only a one time thing, not worth losing a friend over.

And remember....Keep your tip up!!!

 

[beemer]

Poppa swiss and Sea Ranger got it right imho.

 

[King_Cod]

I asked my guests to bring their own gear and rods this year. I found that my rods were on fire compared to the guest rods. Eventually I pass mine off to them to make it even. I usually take first fish because it's 9 times out of 10 on my gear. With new guests I will give them first fish due to the netting process.

Make it known who is up next in the catching order. Prevents the whining and bitching! Especially if it's your boat!

Reel Chaos