Even on a perfect weather day, with fish biting every time you put a hook out, it can happen. “IT,” are those accidents, questions, or behaviors that make you go nuts. I have always called it “Getting Your Goat.” I have no clue where the expression came from, but my goat has been got many times. What really gets my goat, when I am on the water, is used cans or bottles going back in the drink box. Sometimes the smell from a good beer, soda, juice sludge at the bottom of the drink box takes a day or two to get ripe. Most of the time I toss the unused drinks out, that smell just sticks to them. Guess if I had a pet goat, it could eat the cans?
No matter what your occupation, there are things that will happen, that will constantly drive you mad. Charter boat captains are not immune to having their Goat Get Got. I was chatting with a few guides just recently and I asked them all the same question. “What Gets Your Goat”? Here are their answers, enjoy…
Capt Peace Marvel | Venice, LA
Peace Keeper Charters • 504-858-TUNA(8862)
“I have to just bite my tongue on days when I have people tell me where to go and how to fish. Don’t get me wrong, I learn new things constantly, while I am on the water. Having someone who has never fished get on the boat is when we seem to come up with new techniques, because of their curiosities. Kind of like have a fresh perspective on the boat. But, to have someone who has not been on the water in years tell me how and where to fish after I been running charters for weeks straight(catching fish), just gets to me. Let the guide guide you know. After we put a few big tuna in the boat, they usually come around”.
Capt Kenny Shiyou | Bay St Louis, MS
Shore Thing Fishing Charters • 228-342-2206
“Every time the lids on my fish box and live well get slammed, my blood pressure goes through the roof. The fiberglass on fiberglass sounds like a shotgun blast. I have changed the shocks and even put down rubber pads to try and quiet them. It doesn’t matter if my niece, my friends or even my momma slams them, it drives me bonkers. Of course the worst of the worst is when I get in a hurry an accidentally slam them myself”.
Capt Jeremy McHugh | Long Beach, MS
Still Water Charters • 228-697-2002
“A good part of my charters are wade fisherman. After all the work that goes into getting everyone out there and on fish, to have another boat run up to where we are casting just burns me up. Some of these people wait all year to come on these trips, and to have that happen is just hard to take”.
Capt Andy Cook | Venice, LA
Captain Cook Charters • 504-457-8927
“I have gotten big into the deep water jigging and have several rods rigged just for it. Often times, you just can’t drop 6 jigs 200-400 feet down. Some days we have big crews on the boat and not everyone can drop down at the same time. On more than a few charters I have guys who don’t want to wait. They grab my wahoo baits or marlin lures on 50 wide trolling rods, trying to get in on the action. I can’t really get upset, they just wanna fish. It does not really get to me anymore, but it used too.”
Capt Brian Gagnon | Gulfport, MS
Southern Way Charters • 601-299-0726
“The one thing thing that gets to me, is when I take someone fishing and they go wild on the internet. I don’t mean putting up a post about the area we caught them. I am talking about someone saying we caught them at the third point down from the piling. When I pull up with customers and all of the spots I had to myself for weeks are covered up with boats… I think that would get to anyone”.
Capt Mike Gallo | Slidell, LA
Angling Adventures of Louisiana • 985-781-7811
I have been speaking at shows and seminars for years. I always try to help people catch more fish. If they are coming to my area to fish and need help, I tell them to shoot me an email. I usually recommend 3 or 4 good spots to check out. I only ask that they give me a fishing report when they get in. That report can really help me, especially if I am off the water the day before. One out of every 10 people I send those emails to sends a fishing report back to me. I get a little ticked off, but I still send those emails to anyone who wants some tips”.
No matter what you do or where you do it, sooner or later something will “Get Your Goat.” Fishing for a living, is no different than a 9 to 5 in any office(you just get a better view). Most of the time you have customers that you need to produce for. You have equipment that you need to take care of. First and foremost, you must strive for a safe and happy working environment. Little things will get to you, it is just human nature. Open lines of communication, some thick skin and a good sense of humor will keep your time on the water much more stress free. As always, have fun and be safe.
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