CaptLevi

Hey Fellas! I don't know if this should go here or classified but here it is: Due to a cancellation I have Sunday May 13 (Mothers Day) available for the St. Joe Challenge Powder Puff Tourney. I could just fill this date but thought it might be cool to invite some members here to bring their wifes/girlfriends/daughters/kept ladies:lol: out for a day of tournament action. You fellas can set lines, help navigate, and net fish. The ladies take the rods from hook up to net. THIS IS A GREAT TIME OF YEAR TO FISH ST. JOE! I can take 6 people. That's 3 couples if you guys wanna join in. Cost is $100 per fishergal or $185 per couple( 1 fishing-1 helping). I will pay the entry fee . If we manage to win any $$$ I will deduct it from the cost of the trip up to the total cost. Anything beyond that belongs to the boat. As soon as anyone commits and submits a deposit I will consider it booked and unavailable to the regular public. If I book this previous to anyone here commiting I will recind the offer and remove the post. If we only get a few interested I will enter my wife as part of the team also.

It's a good thing they were caught. And a shame that they did it at all. Somehow a lot of young folks have lost respect for our outdoors and our hunting and fishing heritage. Hopefully they have learned their lesson. Try to take the time to teach our youth about the importance of stewardship in the great outdoors. It's the tie that binds......

I'll be there with a least one of my Grandsons. Primarily for the taxidermy exhibits. We will cruise the floor once though. I like to check out all the funky looking new fangled gadgets. Trying to see if they will really produce is one of my vises. I'll also hopeto meet up with some old friends in the industry that fish the pro trails or sell hunting and fishing adventures. I may visit in a few booths, but probably I will just be visiting, catch up on family and reminising on times gone by. This is about the only time we get to visit anymore. Such is life in the fast lane! I can't keep up with them!(plus after charter season, I hide in my deer woods for about 3 months:grin: )

I was up in the air about this subject for a long time. Then I took the advice of a few very good businessmen and fisherman. This is what they said: A guarantee is only as good as the product. You may get a five year guarantee on a car, but if it's a piece of you know what to begin with, who cares. it's more hassle with the break downs, repairs, and time to collect on the guarantee than what it's worth. So do your best, try to give your customers a fun day on the water regardless of the fishing, and be flexible when nessasary. I've only had to worry about no fish one time. A free trip was offered, but as a return customer with great previous trips, they declined and rebooked anyway. So I bought a few rounds. Most the charters in port were coming in with similar results. Next day found Sportboat in 325' of water of St. Joe and very much alone. Can you say middle of the lake? We went 14 for 18 that morning with an actual fishing time of 2 hours. The rest was running time. Next day we had a floatilla of vessels hot on our heels. So I guess I really don't see the need for a guarantee. After all we all expect to get paid if we do our best at work don't we? My advertising company gets paid whether I get trips or not. (although they seem to be getting good results). And if you show up on an assembly line or machine shop but for some reason no production is realized do you expect to get paid? Of course. Just my $.02

Actually I have had all of the Fish Dog Boys and their guests onboard for different outings. (Usually bachelors parties:D ) Good times indeed! They are all great guys, good fisherman, and good friends. And I wasn't always a charter either. I have swilled many a brew around the campfire with the MS boys and shared some fun excursions with them as well. Can you say chum line? A lot of members from here and other sites call me frequently on the phone and radio as well as PMs. I try to help all who ask. (unless I'm too busy netting fish and resetting lines). And some occassionally come into the boathouse, grab a brew, and pull up a chair when I happen to be there. Just ask em, I love to talk fishing just about as much as the act of fishing itself. But not quite! And for pic's, go to my site: www.sportboatcharters.com to the photos page. I post all I can(good days and slow ones too). Unless I forget to charge my camera batteries! (and usually a few weeks or more after the charter when I actually get to go home:) )

I forgot one. On occasion we have enjoyed huge returns running the Fisher Tackle Co. Twin Slam in Orange glow. These are a tandem in-line spinner rig with silver blades and large orange super glow beads. On both riggers, dipsies, and off the boards. An Oslo would also work wll too I figure, as would most spinners. Just another tool in the arsenal. Give 'em a try!

Welcome aboard Capt. Keith!

Don't know that I'd hire someone to run my rig mid week if I had a reg. job again. I'd want my rig just like I left her last weekend. Course if I had a reg. job, I'd save my boat for me and my buds!

That's about right Mark. During the charter season, I am busy fishing, and not usually close enough to a computer to post. But if you really want to know what's working for us, and when, how, and where.....get a bunch of guys from the site together and book a charter for an on the water seminar! Heck, book several of them!

Dan, I've been getting those all winter! I really thought we were all savvy to the scam. guess I missed the boat and should have posted it here before. Sorry. Thanks for the heads up!

Welcome Aboard Larry. This is a great site, with some great folks to chat fishn with. Enjoy your stay!

...........and you get to hang out with kewl people like ME!

I actually thought they messed with my spread also. Especially if we got near a beach. they had a tendency to attack swimmers without provocation.

Nice lookin ride! And a large swim platform to load up with swimsuit models! don't forget to post the pic's!

I run charters during tournaments. My guests have the option of entering or not. If they want, we go in as equal partners, or they can opt to just hire me and Sporty and if we were to get lucky enough for some dough they can have it all. I run for the charter fees, the rest is just for the fun and excitement of the competion.

Unfortunately, most folks are aware of rip currents but believe it can't happen to them until it's too late. At least it will remind them as well as remove some liability to the City.

Nice lookin rig. Comfy, but stealthy.

Those are some awesome fish! My largest king came in 1974 on the Muskegon river in October. Snagged in the dorsal. 50 lb. test and a broomstick snagging rod. I was only 14 and it was 36 on the scales. I've not managed another 30+ lbr. since but have come close at Frankfort one time with a three man 15 fish limit and only one was under 20 lbs. Awesome memories, but no pic's. I'm hoping that the reduction in plants in LM will restore our larger fish sizes like predicted.

Very nice rig. Looks like you need the room for those monster LO kings!

Very Nice! I know I have the itch. Almost everyday for late April/early May is booked solid with just a couple left and a few afternoons still available. I hope the weather cooperates. Time to put the smack down on those brutes!

I am running a couple the second week of March on DR. Guiding actually. First trip on LM is in April. Friday the 13th.

I've got enough tools onboard to change the motor in yer car, rewire your house, and build a boat factory! My tool box is my third mate!

If youda just bought a brand new Tiara you wouldn't be having these problems.

I can't make it. Think maybe they can vote me as honorary winner?

I don't know bout the rest of you, but I still can't bring up GLA. They musta got hit hard. Dang 13 year olds anyways. Someone needs to teach 'em how to fish!