Charter Fishing on the Dream Rider

Dream Rider

I have been a commercial and charter fisherman for most of my working life, except for an interval of five years while I learnt the trade of boat building.  This trade has stood me in great steed over my life on the sea, allowing me to do all my own repairs and maintenance, including building several boats for myself and for other clients.  10 years ago I decided to build a fast 48fter to take me into my last few working years before retiring. 

The Dream Rider took me 16months to build from start to finish on my own.  She was commissioned just under 8 years ago, and in that time has become one of the top charter boats in the area.  I fish inside and outside the Kaipara Harbour. Which is the largest harbour in the Southern Hemisphere and the third biggest in the world. It feeds into the Tasman Sea and  is situated on the West coast of the North Island, New Zealand.  The predominant fish species that we target is Red Snapper (the no1 premium fish that everyone lusts after). Also Kahawai (sea trout), Gurnard, Travalli and Kingfish.  

The fishing method is predominantly bottom fishing using good sturdy boat rods with 2 or 3 hooks attached to the trace.  Good quality bait with a high oil content is a must. Mullet, Pilchard and Bonito are high on the list and if the fish aren’t interested in either of those baits, then we knew we were in for a slow day (which fortunately is very rare).  Our bag limits are very generous with ten Red Snapper per person per day.  Three Kingfish, and any other fish eg Kahawai, Travalli, Gurnard has a mixed max of 20.  On most days we would see clients staggering off the boat with their fish bins bulging, making for a lot of very happy, repeat clients. 

Charter fishing is like any job having its ups and downs.  Fortunately mostly ups, but when the downs come they really are downers, leaving me questioning my sanity.  I deal with 1500 - 2000 clients per year; most of them are repeat clients, coming out 10 – 12 times a year.  These are my favourite groups as they are not only happy with my set up but know how to deal with changing conditions that occur during the changing seasons. The new clients can be very rewarding to deal with as they often don’t have a too high expectation, and when they leave the boat with bulging bags their enthusiasm is infectious.  On the other hand some times we get clients that are impossible to please. 

I well remember a couple of years ago I had on board a group of ten Chinese gentlemen and I decided to give them a real treat by taking them over the bar out into the Tasman Sea.  Something I only do when conditions are ideal.  I knew the fishing would be exceptional, and I was out to make an impression with the intention of adding them to my long list of regulars.

After arriving at the required depth we started a zig-zag course to try to locate the feeding snapper.  Standing beside me was an old retired Ships Captain with his eyes glued to the color fish finder.  Now, he could not understand a word of English nor could I understand a word of Chinese, but we seemed to have a rapport going and enjoyed a lot of laughs together.  With both of us looking intently at the sounder it suddenly erupted with a huge mound of fish on the sea bed.  The Chinese chap suddenly leapt up and started getting very excited and demanded that I drop the anchor immediately (or at least I think that was what he was saying).  I knew we were on a honey hole so after dropping the anchor I told them to start fishing.

I always enjoy watching people catching fish, even after a lifetime of fishing, I still get a kick out of the radiant smiles that follow their first ever fish, or when they get a real beauty and proceed to claim bragging rites.  Its with this in mind I always position myself so I can watch, and render any assistance if required.  The old gentleman that had watched the sounder with me was so excited he was the first to get his line in the water, and I  noted that he had four hooks on his trace, “He means business” I thought, as I watched him lower his sinker to the bottom.  Within 20 seconds he was excitedly winding in his gear with his rod bending almost double.  When the trace arrived on the surface he started yelling at the top of his voice.  He had within 2 minutes from start to finish hooked four large snapper.  The look on his face was stunned incredulity.  He quickly removed the fish, re-baited then lowered his line to the seabed with exactly the same result.  Within 8 minutes he had 8 large snapper and his smile lit up the whole boat.  Until I held up two fingers getting the message through to him, that he could only catch two more.  The smile quickly disappeared, and he looked at me, then looked at his four hooks, looked at his watch, then looked at his hooks again, then muttering something unintelligible he whipped out his knife and cut three hooks off, and with a grin of triumph proceeded to lower the one hook.  The smile did not stay long however as he pulled up and lowered the line twice more with a beauty snapper at each attempt.

After pleading with me to allow him to continue fishing with out success he sat down and sulked.  While all this was going on the other nine Chinese gentlemen were having the same success with snapper coming over the rail at an incredible rate.

After only half an hour they all had their limit and we were heading for port. We were half way back to port when the leader of the group started to remonstrate with me that they had only been fishing for a short time, and they felt that they had not got their money's worth and was I going to give them a discount.  I politely but firmly told them that the law was the law and I could do nothing about it.  At the same time pointing out that they had been lucky enough to get some of the most exciting fishing that I have ever witnessed and that, NO......there would be no discount. 

For the rest of the trip back to port there was a stony silence.  Arriving back at the jetty, they staggered off the boat with their huge catch and left with out a word of thanks.  I have never heard from them since.  I guess you can’t please every body.

On another occasion I had another new group. On the way down to the fishing grounds I took the opportunity to have a chat with the leader of the very enthusiastic group.  I told him that it would be approximately one hour before arrival and that to tell the group that the first hour and a half would be the best bite time and for them to have all their gear set up and bait cut up ready for the “go” word from me.

After dropping the anchor I was heartened to see that every one already had their lines in the water and were already showing signs of good activity, except one.  This chap proved to me during the day that my patience was not infinite, and that I am only human.  When I saw him still setting up his gear, I went over to him and gently asked him if I could be of any help.  He briskly told me no, and that he was OK.  I shrugged and left him to it.  In the mean time every one was pulling in good fish and I knew they would get their limit in good time.  I grabbed the opportunity to make my toast for my breakfast.  Ten minutes later I came out on deck only to find this chap still messing with his gear.  Putting my toast down I went over to him and asked once again if he needed assistance.  NO was the reply and for me to p-ss off.  I doggedly told him that he was missing out on the best bite time, which was met by a stony response.  Half an hour had passed when he was finally ready to put his line in the water.  I could see instantly that it was set up wrong.  So being a tiger for punishment I once again tried to help him by suggesting a different rig and that I was willing to give him one of mine, which was rewarded with a snarled F--- off and that he will fish any way he wants to.

On the way home there was a very happy group of clients that had caught their limit, with the exception of the one chap who had only caught one fish for the entire day.  The crunch came when he stormed into the wheel house and none to gently poked me in the back and demanded an apology.  “What for” I asked not believing what I was hearing.  He got right in my face and preceded to tell me what a lousy captain I am, and that I had spent the whole morning giving him a hard time etc, etc.  I tried telling him that it was my job to give my clients the best day possible and that all I had done was to try to advise him on how to achieve it.  He proceeded to demand an apology, which I am sad to say resulted in my losing it completely.  Resulting in me telling him to get the f---  out of my wheel house and to never set foot on my boat again.  Not the best way to deal with a customer, but some times it’s the only way you can get through to some people

While all this was going on the rest of the guys were falling over themselves with laughter.  They later told me that this guy was like that at work and could not be told a thing, he knew it all, and that they had long since given up on him.  They apparently had been waiting to see how I was going to deal with him, and quite frankly openly admired my explosion.   Even though they had a great time and thanked me profusely for a great trip it still left me with a sour taste in my mouth. I felt that I had let myself down and that I should have been a bigger person

As I said at the beginning. The highs are numerous and I meet a lot of great people but there is occasionally that low spot that leaves me wondering what I am doing this for, it’s at these times I like to go bow hunting so I can enjoy the solitude of the bush and get my thought in order, ready for the next charter trip and what it might bring.

 -------- to be continued, as I will talk about a few experiences with sharks, and confectionary bait!!!!!!   

Ray Scott ( Dream Rider)

New Zealand