I have always gone out fishing with my family and we make a day of it.  Usually we don't catch much fish, but we enjoy each other's company.  My husband and I decided to try a fishing charter because we wanted to actually catch some fish and have fresh fish in our freezer.  With the cost of living increases currently going up we have been looking for some cost cutting ways to survive in this world.  

When we decided to do the fishing charter I decided I was going to do some research to see how to make the most of our trip.  There is a lot of information out there and depending on where you are fishing there are multiple tips and tricks.  If you are Halibut fishing in Alaska you would not use the same gear for Rockfish in California.  I am going to go over some of the tips I have found for fishing off the coast of California and see how they work.  So there will definitely be an update where I will share what worked and what, if anything, was caught.

There is more that goes into fishing that you might realize.  From the location to time of day to types of bait and tackle.  These are the main things to consider, but there are many more.If you are a beginner I definitely recommend the charter (and I haven’t gone yet) because the captain of the boat already knows where to go to find fish.  They have their spots where they know certain types of fish should be.  That is what he or she does. Then they have a crew and the crew will help you with your poles and line, hooks, weights, and bait and how to have it all set up.  That is what they do.  These guys and gals live on these boats.  They also know the more successful you are fishing the better gratuity you may give them. (Yep they get tips!) 

All in all the crew is there to make sure everyone on the boat has a successful day fishing and goes home with some fish in their coolers.

You also want to see what all they offer with the charters.  Do they have equipment you can rent or purchase?  If you just one day decide to go out fishing you need gear to do so.  Do they clean your fish for you?   IF you have never gone out fishing before you can’t be expected to have all the gear and know how to clean the fish for consumption.  The charters that get a lot of beginners will have pole rentals, and be able to offer one day licenses.  If you are out in the ocean you still need a fishing license.  Starting with a one day license can help you decide if you actually like going out and catching fish.  Should you choose to keep doing it you can always purchase an annual license later.  And if you don’t … well you have some fish and you never have to go out again. 

  Don’t feel bad if you are the green person hanging over the railing.  It happens.