I have noticed lately that the word "Captain" is losely used sometimes. A true Captain knows the lay of the land under the ocean's waters. He has fished over many years and he knows the word "structure". He follows the sand bars that come and go with every storm...the bays and inlets are his backyard. He's seen fish action in a variety of conditions. He knows what is a productive drift and what is not. He is a true fishermen and he knows his trade. He has paid his dues...getting up before the crack of dawn, talking to the boys who are already out there and sums up a game plan for the day. Not just one, but an even dozen. Putting out his best, is his pride. Not just a clock to punch in and out.
I've fished with the best and the worst. Once you've fished with the best, you know the truth. Of course, there are always weather and water conditions that will dictate some days. Sorry Charlie. If the bait leaves the area, the fish move with it most of the time, and the Captain of a ship needs to do a little exploring to produce his catch. That's a true Captain to the letter.
Now for the others who use the name so losely. Those who don't know anything but a hand full of numbers that were handed to them by the real Captain. He is not a fisherman, maybe a fashion statement whose hands have never gotten dirty doing a little hard work. He'll take you for a 4 mile drift over the badlands of the Dead Sea. He passed the structure and the cloud of bait 45 minutes earlier...people have started staring at each other...why didn't he just ask for the money at the front of the dock and say "thank you sucker for the cash." They have their new, clean sneakers...they hide in the pilot house watching Jerry Springer. So sad, so very sad. They don't hold a candle to the real Captains of the Island. Recently, I went on a boat that drifted for an hour nowhere fluking, while this so called "Captain" compared himself to other real Captains. I wanted to get truly sick.
I've heard some stories about the Viking that were definately not about Capt. Steve. Steve goes the distance to fish. If the fish shut down or move, well, welcome to fishing...but the majority of the time I have had more experiences of great fishing on the Viking for cod and tuna, that blows away most of the others. I use Steve as a measuring scale. I've fished the Barnegut Light and watched a pro produce fish 90 percent of the time...not luck, just pure experience. Greg on the Ocean Eagle is a true fisherman...if he is not catching fish, he is stomping around and moves the boat until he finds them. He will tell you straight up, what is going on. Walter on the Miss Point Lookout is one good fluke man...he will pound and pound to produce for his customers. The Captain of the Nancy Ann is the number one smoking blackfish fisherman that I've ever had the luck to fish with. Captain Mike and Tony in Howard Beach produce, produce, produce. I must mention Capt. Bobby from the Brooklyn V...a great fishing machine, period. As for you hacks (and you know who you are) take up shoemaking. I've heard there's a truck route open for a Good Humor man, maybe you should call quick...so you can sell ice cream cones without the ice cream.
P.S. There are many other great, great Captains that I did not get to mention. These are just a few that I happened to use as an example...don't hang me guys. As for the others, karma does come around in spades.
God Bless! ScreamingReel Dave.
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