Blog

  • Communication is Key

    By Captain Mike on March 20, 2023

    In my years as a Charter Captain, Communication with my Clients has been the key to successful trips and happy customers. There is no such thing as too much communication and you will find that your clients will have a greater comfort level fishing with you, especially if you do a good job of setting … Continue reading Communication is Key

  • Welcome Aboard!

    By Captain Mike on October 24, 2022

    In the Charter Fishing Business, there is no substitute for good, old fashioned hospitality. That’s right. I said HOSPITALITY. When a client joins you aboard your vessel for a fishing charter, they’re essentially coming into your home for the next several hours. I take pride in welcoming my clients aboard as though they are coming … Continue reading Welcome Aboard!

  • How To Handle Referrals

    By Captain Mike on July 10, 2022

    As your Charter Fishing Business begins to build momentum and your calendar fills up, you will soon have potential clients seeking to book trips on dates that are ALREADY BOOKED. What should you do? As a charter fishing captain, you want to take care of potential clients as well as existing clients. You can’t book … Continue reading How To Handle Referrals

  • Don’t Forget to Ask for Reviews!

    By Captain Mike on May 17, 2022

    If you’ve been paying attention to The Charter Fishing Business Kit or to our helpful blog posts over the years, you should know that online reviews can make or break your Charter Fishing Business. It is extremely important to ask each and every customer to leave a positive review on sites like Google My Business, … Continue reading Don’t Forget to Ask for Reviews!

  • Tackle Tips for the Professional Fishing Guide

    By Captain Mike on May 7, 2022

    As Charter Captains, we are presented with a nearly limitless number of choices when it comes to fishing tackle. With those choices come many questions: Monofilament or Braid? How much to I spend on reels? Should I buy cheap stuff to let the clients abuse it? Should I buy top-end rods and reels so that … Continue reading Tackle Tips for the Professional Fishing Guide

  • Have A Pricing Strategy…And Stick To It

    By Captain Mike on February 24, 2022

    During the pandemic and post-pandemic, you will likely have to deal with “price shoppers”: potential clients who want you to reduce your charter rate. What do you do? We Live in a “Priceline” World The Internet is littered with websites and services dedicated to saving you money on everything from travel to hotel rooms to … Continue reading Have A Pricing Strategy…And Stick To It

  • Don’t Forget to Use Checklists

    By Captain Mike on January 1, 2022

    As Charter Captains, we are creatures of habit and we have our own routines. We’ve successfully built our charter fishing business by creating repeatable outcomes. Translation: We catch fish on every charter trip. However, we’re all human and can forget to take care of something that may affect the preparation for our trip…or worse. What’s … Continue reading Don’t Forget to Use Checklists

  • Marketing Tip: Video is a Game Changer

    By Captain Mike on February 26, 2020

    As every seasoned Charter Fishing Captain will tell you, that phone needs to be ringing to book trips and make money. The challenge facing all of us in this business is how to make it easy for clients to find you and how to do it for little to no marketing cost. I have experienced … Continue reading Marketing Tip: Video is a Game Changer

  • Should I Take Deposits?

    By Captain Mike on January 31, 2020

    Here at Charter Fishing Business, we’re frequently asked whether a charter captain should take deposits when booking trips. I recommend that you take a Deposit whenever possible but you should also remain flexible and “go with your gut.” Let me explain. Time Is Money It bears repeating: Time is Money. To extend that cliche even … Continue reading Should I Take Deposits?

  • Donating Charter Trips: Everyone Wins

    By Captain Mike on January 14, 2020

    We have detailed numerous ways to market your Charter Fishing Business that should lead to increased bookings. There is another method to get your name out there while also giving back to your community: Charter Fishing Trip Donations. I. Find a Worthy Cause When you decide to donate a Charter Fishing Trip, you need to … Continue reading Donating Charter Trips: Everyone Wins