Intro

When 3 (or 4) people are on an 18 foot skiff for 8 hours, things can get real good or real bad. Add some high winds and picky fish, and you’ll soon realize who makes a great fishing buddy and who should be left at the dock. 

To help you be the one that gets a call when the fishing is good, here’s a few things to remember:

Rules

PACK LIGHTLY:  

Don’t bring a ton of gear. Space on the boat is limited, so leave the Yeti Go Box at home. There’s no reason to bring 6 rods, a tarpon stretcher, and another cooler. Try to fit everything in a boat bag or small dry bag.

KEEP THE NOISE DOWN: 

Try to keep noise to a minimum. We all love to play music and cheer a great catch, but when you’re looking for fish, keep the noise down. Slowly lower hatches, don’t slam the cooler lid, play your Turtlebox at low volume.

SNACK PATROL: 

Boat snacks. Everyone loves a partner that brings good food. Jerky, M&Ms, fried chicken, cold beer, a flask of bourbon…all good things to bring with you.   

AN EXTRA SET OF EYES:

Help out with spotting fish. Maybe you’ve been at this longer than your boat mate, or maybe you’ve got eagle eyes; help out by scanning the flats in search of fish.

TEAM PLAYER: 

Be a team player. Help with managing your buddy’s fly line, offer up your fly box, bring the beer. Everyone is on the same team in the boat. Play like a champion.