It has always been a dream of mine to work on a sport fishing boat but if you weren’t brought up in the business it takes some work to get there.
Everybody has to start somewhere and for me it was inshore fishing with my dad and brother on an old nitro bass boat.
I remember watching all the charter boats coming in and thinking to myself, “I can’t believe people are getting paid to go fishing”.
Little did I know there is a lot more work that goes into working on a boat than just backing down on blue marlin and washing the boat.
If you want to work in this industry you must be eager to learn and willing to do some work for free.
I remember being excited when friends would let me hang out in the cockpit while they cleaned the boat. I would always make sure to help and ask a thousand questions about fishing while doing it.
Finally, I started getting asked to come ride along and that’s when my addiction set in, I knew that I wanted to make a career out of it.
What I lacked in knowledge I made sure to make up for in work
First impressions go a long way and what I lacked in knowledge I made sure to make up for in work.
There is always something to do in the cockpit and there is no reason to sit down.
Making the mates job easier will lead to another invitation and make them more willing to share their knowledge and experience. 
Some of the best experience you can get is when you go fish on other boats, everyone has their own way of doing things.
As I started to fish with different charter boats and fill in for other mates I started to develop my own methods.
I would always, and still always, write detailed notes in my log book
Whether you’re watching the captain drive on a fish or watching the crew do something a little bit different, you can always take away knowledge every time you go out.
I would always, and still always, write detailed notes in my log book on the way home about things I liked or new ideas I came up with. 
The sport fishing industry is small and word spreads fast, each and every boat you step on could be a new job opportunity or a reference to add to your resume.
Before someone hires you for a job they are going to make sure to call around to other captains.
Make sure to present yourself professionally and remember your next job opportunity could be right in front of you.
Patrick Brogan
You may also enjoy reading: The Southside Report July Fishing Forecast
