Need Help what license to obtain?

[PeltHunter]

Yeah they dont run on hope and dreams.  I just take family and friends out and my gas bill is usually around $2000 to 2500 each summer.  $2k for slip fee for Lake Michigan.  Last years gear switchover and electronics upgrade was another $3k.

 

At $20 a head, I'd just need to take 350 people fishing to break even for last year

I'm surprised its that little. I go to school in Oswego so I brought the boat with me this last fall semester and between fuel costs for the boat and truck, snacks and soda, ice, tackle and the fact that I had to buy a parking permit to keep the boat on campus I spent about $1000 of the $2500 I saved from the summer in 4 weeks. Worst part is some of the kids that wanted to go so bad and caught their first King or Brown in the process were reluctant to throw in money for gas or anything. I think very few people realize how much this passion costs. Sometimes I wish I never went out with my dad and uncle and caught my first king when I was 8 years old because I'd have a heck of a lot more money in the bank. LOL

[fisherman85]

Lock me up then....... a$$,cash, or grass No one rides for free!

) jakeybabys funny

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[vetting]

I'm surprised its that little. I go to school in Oswego so I brought the boat with me this last fall semester and between fuel costs for the boat and truck, snacks and soda, ice, tackle and the fact that I had to buy a parking permit to keep the boat on campus I spent about $1000 of the $2500 I saved from the summer in 4 weeks. Worst part is some of the kids that wanted to go so bad and caught their first King or Brown in the process were reluctant to throw in money for gas or anything. I think very few people realize how much this passion costs. Sometimes I wish I never went out with my dad and uncle and caught my first king when I was 8 years old because I'd have a heck of a lot more money in the bank. LOL

 

I usually burn $130 a week taking an average of 2 fishing trips and 1 river cruise.  During our 9 day tournament last July, I went through $700 in gas in one week.    

 

Total last year summer was 900 miles on the boat.  At 2 mpg it works out to be 450 gallons of gas (wish I could have bought a tanker of gas when it was at $1.99 this winter).  At $4.80 average for gas at the marina it works out to be $2160 + tips.  Luckily out of Milwaukee, the farthest we travel to fish is 15 miles and most trips are only 4 miles away before we set up.  Ahhh I need a new hobby.  Now the beer cost, thats a whole different matter  Thats why I had to acquire the taste for beer thats sold in 30 packs.   

[jason]

Just go fishing! if friends and family members give you gas and replacement tackle money, who cares. Now if some guy with or without kids you don't know asking to take you out for a fee, then no you can't do that.

[Rich s]

I been reading through the threads and great to hear about sea-v interested in learning. I was a guide ( stream, hunt, hike & camp ) for 11 years. For me it was about trying to help and teach others the things I enjoy. The only downside ( if it were ) is you are the instructor not the student meaning , they hunt, they fish. It really limited " my" outdoors activities so I decided to turn in my badge.

All that said, :

If you really have to ask how much things like that cost or start adding up the costs and scratch your head, then it's best not to get that involved . Very, very few ever recoup the amount of time and money invested. Yes some do make a living at that game but its a small percentage .

My only thoughts as to bringing folks out on my boat :

I only bring folks out that I chose . I only go when I can afford to. If I expect or have to ask for compensation then its because I can't afford to go. At that point I don't . If friends I bring help chip in then I accept, if they don't then its no worries because I feel they are unable, we are still friends and I will still ask them to go fishing when I can.

Good luck to everyone this boating season

Rich

[hawkeye625]

Well that's the thing I am not sure about. I do take a lot of people out and they offer up money and it adds up. Now granted I just put it back into the boat whether it be fuel or gear and so on. Not that I care what Uncle SAM knows but I do run a business outside of this which affords me the ability to get out and enjoy fishing. Last season I made a good penny but like I said it never got pocketed. I know that it's frowned upon in the charter community that's why I dont advertise anything but yet people talk and my number is given out and I have turned people away just cause the risk involved. I could do it and keep my mouth shut but if God forbid something happened I would feel awful. Plus I am just to damn honest

 

Maybe I'm missing something here but to me, making a "good penny" is more than taking friends fishing.  On my boat we split the days costs equally among the crew, including myself.  I pay what everyone else does for the day.  I don't think anyone would argue an extra dollar here or there for a lost spoon or spinny, but it sounds like you are doing a little more than that.

[Sea-IV]

No I really am not doing any more than that. My boats has a 168 gallon fuel tank and I am the one who foots that bill which on a outing for 8-10 hours I usually go through a quarter tank per trip. Now that equates to roughly $150-$200 a trip. I don't put that on anyone who comes on my boat nor do I ask for it. They all know what it costs and they decided what to give me in return for the experience and the expense. I have never in any trip asked for a dime just because I figure it like many others. If I am going out then I am going out and if they want to go they go but at derby time or a Pro-am that's a different thing cause we are in it to win and the group is the same no matter how long the tournament goes for so now we split everything equally including any winnings. Basically it makes me no different than a weekend warrior taking Joe Smo out and getting some money for expenses. I don't ask anyone to make my boat payment or pay for the 2 new motors on my boat or any gear that was lost. I put that money forward and would do it regardless. I do take wounded warriors out fishing and people that normally wouldn't get to go fishing and don't ask for anything but a fun time. I also do a lot of work with kids to get them interested and keep them off the computer, phone and video games. Could I profit from it, sure I could and that's why I started this thread was to get opinions as to what others thought.

[Rich s]

Not trying to stir it up but sea -v it sounds like you are trying to justify the means of taking " clients " out , not so much friends or folks you invite aboard.

You should go the route of getting a captains license .

Just another way of looking at things here:

If you invite someone to stay over at your house or for dinner , would you expect them to pay board or chip in for food ?

A good gesture from someone invited is to maybe bring a bottle of wine/ case of beer or desert but I would never expect that nor would I ask.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Rich s

[Sea-IV]

99% of the people that come aboard my boat are friends co-workers and otherwise. I don't take random people out or parties such as a captain or charter boat would. I usually refer those that inquire to other charters. My boat doesn't advertise nor do I. If someone blindly walked up to me in the marina and offered me money to take them fishing I would turn them away cause I don't do that. Like I mentioned in the beginning my family has done this for a business for over 40 years so I know the routine. I could also put a lengthy list together of the friends I have told to put there money away cause we just had to much fun. I just received all the books and charts that I bought through a school and was skimming through the pages and I would say that a lot of the captains license has to do with commercial fishing which definitely isn't my intention to catch and sell and so on. I have my CPR and first aid certification through my business. Also have taken 3 USCG safety courses as refreshers with my wife and kids. So it's not that I don't want to do it but it's really out of how many boats out on this lake how many actually have there license and what makes me any different. I am not a full time fisherman even as much as I would like to fish 24/7 I wouldn't have anything cause the wife would take off. Lol

[Rich s]

No worries. I just don't understand the need for the captains license unless you are interested in getting paid a " fee" for taking people out on your boat.

As others have said and I will as well, if you take friends or folks you invite out and they help share the expense then what is that any different then going anywhere else ( deer camp, fishing or dinner ) ?

"Providing a service " by definition is how it makes things different then just sharing the expense of a fishing trip aboard your vessel .

IMO

Good luck

[Sea-IV]

Yes now you see the cross roads I am at cause legally according to a previous post if a buddy hands me $20 for fuel or any expense I could be ticketed if caught. My response was the same if I gave that same buddy a ride to work and he gave me $20 for fuel would that be illegal also cause there really isn't a difference. $20 $50 what's the difference, except if I said well it's $50 a head then yah that's a business even though if I was a business then I would charge much more to be competitive to others but I don't charge it's called a gift in which legally you can take $9,999 as a gift from anyone if the gov't really has to know

[bandrus1]

Carry Lollypops on board and sell them for $25

[Sea-IV]

Damn straight. Even though a beer costs $10 a can also but the water is free just jump can have all you want.lol

[Chas0218]

I spend about $200/week in gas just in the boat. The sad part is that's running my kicker 80% of the time.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[Sea-IV]

I wish I could put a kicker on but have twin outboard setup but feel for the amount of fishing I do it's not bad really

[Tim Bromund]

kidding me right?

So I collect $20 a guy after we go do a little derby fishing and I'm illegal? That's impractical. Then 95% of guys are illegal on the lake. I can't believe you made that comment with a straight face, true or not.

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It's actually NOT true.  My understanding is that you can't ask for it, but if it's offered as a means of sharing real actual expenses, it's not illegal.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Tim Bromund

[finsntins]

why cant you have twins and a kicker?????

[bandrus1]

wouldnt you have to have a hell of a transom? 

[Sea-IV]

My platform is pretty much full with the twins and no other place to mount one

[finsntins]

there should be some type of bracket out there to doit.i have seen a few boats out there with twins and a kicker.my beam is only 8'6 and have plenty of room.my buddy custom made the bracket

[Sea-IV]

It would have to be a custom bracket. The extended transom goes maybe 6" past each side of each motor and rounds off. I don't have any issues with the big motors running they are built for it that's why I went with them. Just like I/O's I alternate them so that the hours don't get out of balance and it tells down to 1.5 mph so it's not that big of a cost and really don't want to add any more weight to the back.

[finsntins]

if i had new 4-strokes i probably wouldnt have a kicker,but dont have 40 grand laying around!!!!!!it was alot cheaper to go the kicker route.the old 2-strokes run great,but dont like to troll.i have alwys been a 2-stroke guy,but manthem 4-strokes are so smooth and quite!!!!!

[Sea-IV]

Both of mine are 2 stroke motors. Evinrude E-Tec's 200 HO's. The oil isn't cheap but gets my boat up and going damn quick and trolls with no issues

[TileMan Dan]

Jason. All that snow around your boat is depressing. Hope you NY guys are having a decent melt this week. This winter has been a real kick to the gonads!!!

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[machzrcr]

My 2 cents is why not spend the 1500-2k. And do the time for the license and then not worry about it? If you spent 200k on boat stuff that should be a drop in the bucket. You do learn stuff that is useful in marine navigation and marine rules of the road. So its not like you are wasting your time taking the classes. : / and then u can charge for taking people out!

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