Sooke- the new Mexico

[salmonboy]

Salmon boy...lets be real clear...I'm not booked up all summer...this will be my worst year ever, even worst than my 1st year in the biz. That is what the guys who charge low ball rates are doing to the few guys like me trying to make this a serious profession. I don't blame the guy looking for a charter who discovers that some very good fishermen are fools who under value their services and work too cheap. In most towns 90% charge appropriate rates consistent with costs and a reasonable profit for what is a short season. In those areas there is also the 10% new comers or part timers who undercut to get some work. Those 10% have a minimal effect on the other 90%. In Sooke 90% are undercharging and are making it impossible for the other 10% to survive. So far I'm happy with the debate pro and con by this post....however one comment made back on page one gets my goat. The comment that my costs only involve a few bucks in fuel to run 5 minutes to the Island. Most of you in Sooke know I seldom fish the Island and often move around going where ever it takes to produce a catch. The amount of fuel I burn doesn't enter my mind because my prices allow me to forget about it and do what it takes. Lets not forget well over 100K for the boat, 30K for the diesel truck to pull it around, the 7k trailer, marketing costs, insurance, moorage, accounting fees, bait, gear etc etc.... Did I mention that for the other 24 busy years I had no summer with my family, working 7 days a week...out the door at 4am and often not home until 7-8pm. Time to eat, return calls, shower and off to bed. Sound like fun? Then deal with the public in a very small space for 10 hours, on 4 or 5 hours sleep all summer long. Try it!!! Many of the guys who were guides back when I started are gone, divorced and had to start over. I'm not sure how I escaped that fate....guess I found a keeper for a partner.

Rollie easy now! Like i said your a good fisherman and earn every dollar u make! I was just trying to say , that we should not tear a guy down on a public forum! U and I both know hes not making money( i dont even know the guy), and your right theres alot of sacrifice if your a guide, i didnt mean to sound offencive toward u, that the difference between typing and talking! If he wants to run his business like that, his time will come! Your a well established guide and should not worry about cheap charters like u said " 25 years" and your still around! Anybody that knows anything about salmon fishing should book a pro...for the rest of the population that cant afford that kindof money, its a good cheap way for them to get out fishing. And thats what its all about! What i mean about fishing the winter as to the summer is that the guides fish the bank in the winter and summer and on average catch the same size fish, but charge double in the summer(they do go for halibut in summer)..do u see what im saying? I'm not out to get u bud, but u have a dream job(I ll trade u 10 formans for 3 guests anyday)Dont take that the wrong way, im j/k...anyway I hope u lose the "big one", so it gives me a chance to catch it!......regardz

 

[cabazon]

Too much bashing BS here' unrelated to fishing. Suggest the mods get screening this out.

 

[profisher]

Salmonboy, I just wanted to convey that while I have been around a long time and fairly well on the Island that it is becoming impossible to make a proper profit in Sooke. I could be busy every day if I lowered my prices to match what is being charged. I can't do that. My rates haven't changed much in 10 years and costs have increased substantially.
As for the groupon, I purposely never mentioned anyone by name on the public forum, would never do that. My winter rates are the same as the summer. The only change is that both morning and afternoon trips are minimum of 4 hours, while in the summer the morning trip is minimum 6 hours. Most people don't want to fish any longer than 4 hours in the winter.

 

[salmonboy]

Salmonboy, I just wanted to convey that while I have been around a long time and fairly well on the Island that it is becoming impossible to make a proper profit in Sooke. I could be busy every day if I lowered my prices to match what is being charged. I can't do that. My rates haven't changed much in 10 years and costs have increased substantially.
As for the groupon, I purposely never mentioned anyone by name on the public forum, would never do that. My winter rates are the same as the summer. The only change is that both morning and afternoon trips are minimum of 4 hours, while in the summer the morning trip is minimum 6 hours. Most people don't want to fish any longer than 4 hours in the winter.

geeze....we've beat this 1 to death....Like I said let a few big ones get away, so I can have a chance at catching them! Jackel read the post.....it was a joke!
As for the groupon guy, I think it wll blow over....u can only lose money for so long, you said yourself,"26 years and your still married, and have your business".
Your ahead of the game, and your own boss, and do something u love for a living! Wish i could say the same thing! regardzzzz..............

 

[reelfast]

you sweat everything into building a business. along with that you build your overhead, profit margin and life style. then the global economy tanks and what you experience are young guys sweating to do exactly what you did, build a business. survival in this economy pretty much demands thinking all of it through once more and making whatever adjustments are needed to survive. one size won't fit all.