Page 95 - Play Coastal Mississippi - Fall26 - Winter27

> Entire families can fish on many charters.
“I encourage everyone to talk to the actual captain,”
Schindler advises. “The captain knows what he or she can do
on the boat. If the potential customer has a bad experience
talking with the captain on the phone or in person, that
person will not have a pleasant trip on the boat.”
Don’t hesitate to ask the captain questions. Ask about the
boat and equipment. What does the captain provide? What
should the guest bring? Inquire about any extra fees such as
fish cleaning services and tips.
Let the captain know how many people will get on the boat
and a little information about them. If the party includes
young children, how does the captain feel about that?
Some captains cater to family groups and welcome
youngsters. Others only want adults. Don’t surprise the
captain by booking a trip for four people and showing up
unexpectedly with one adult and three young children.
Captains and customers also need to discuss what the party
really wants to do on the water. Some people only want to
fish a special way or catch a specific species. Others just
want to relax, enjoy the day and don’t care what they catch.
If Plan A isn’t working, the captain might suggest a backup
plan.
“It all comes down to communication,” Schindler emphasizes.
“The captain needs to know what the client really wants to
do, and the client needs to know what the captain can do at
that time.”
> Charters off the
Mississippi Coast can
fish for many species,
like speckled trout.
> Bailee Daniels shows off a speckled trout.
Since most charter services stay busy during prime fishing
times, schedule an outing well in advance. Don’t call at 9
p.m. Friday and expect to book a charter for 5 a.m. Saturday.
Genuine emergencies do happen, but that person should
contact the captain as quickly as possible so the service can
try to arrange another trip.
After booking a trip, customers must show up at the
designated time and place ready to spend a day on the water.
After returning, don’t judge an excursion by the number of
fish caught, but by the total experience.
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