The problem is I know next to nothing about fishing. I don’t mind baiting hook, casting the line, or reeling in my catch. Although, I will admit to some girly squeamishness about getting the fish off of the hook (sticking your finger in mouth of a fish seems like you are courting a disaster).
But seasons, limits, tides, rigs, lures, and in some cases, fish identification – that makes my head spin. And that’s where a good charter boat captain can help. They know all of the pertinent information and can help you find the good fishing spots.
If you haven’t chartered a boat before, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Fishing license – with a charter boat, the boat itself is licensed and includes anyone fishing from it. So if you don’t have a fishing license, you are covered.
- Gear – rods, reels, bait, lures, sinkers and other basic gear required to fish are provided. Though if you prefer to use your own, you are welcome to bring it aboard.
- Food – I don’t know what it is about sea air, but it makes me hungry. You’ll need to check with your captain to see if packing a picnic is essential or, if you are in the waters off the coast of Somerset, you may have the option of making a stop out at one of the islands (Smith or Tangier) for lunch at one of the restaurants. Lunch isn’t included in the charter fee.
- Bathroom – some have bathrooms, some don’t. Check with your captain about whether there is one available.
- Party size – The amount of people in your party will determine the size of boat you need. Most small boats can accommodate 3-6 passengers. Any more than that and you will need to hire a large boat. Ask your captain how many the boat can comfortably hold when making your decision.
- Charter boat versus head boat – with charter boats you get the whole boat and the captain for the amount of time you select. With a head boat, you pay per person (per head) to go out with others who do the same for a set length of time.
- Fee – the length of the trip and the type of fishing you want to do will affect the fee. Let the captain know if you want to go bottom fishing, light tackle or saltwater fly-fishing, and if there is a specific type of fish you want to catch.
- Be prepared – make sure to bring sunscreen. And bug repellent! Because, when you fish the shallows, sometimes it isn’t just the fish that are biting.
For a list of charter and head boat captains in Somerset County, please visit the Somerset County Tourism website at www.visitsomerset.com/pages/find_charter.html. For more information about the Somerset County area, please contact our office at 800-521-9189 or somtour@dmv.com.
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