Reply With QuoteNow I know your not talking about a few so called deckies on this site not that I would name names.
After reading this there's probably going to be a few skippers wanting a refund on their current deckies.
Anyone who aspires to deckie regularly on someones boat should be like this guy.
First up, he turned up early, with ice. I usually pick it up on the way to the ramp. As usual the deckie drives my ute and trailer to a parking spot after I drive the boat off. When on return I reverse the trailer down to load the boat on, because I'm 6'2 and most of my deckies are shorter, they move the seat forward to drive and I have to move it back when I get in. Now I know it's not a big deal at all and I'd never taken much notice, it happens, but when I got back in, the seat was back ready for me to drive, my deckie is 5'10. BTW, a deckie that can actually reverse a trailer AND get it square to the ramp so it's sitting level in the water and get the depth right, would be a bonus. So far Ive fished with one guy who can, but he's a B-Double driver and can reverse those things so . . .
On the way to the bar, he rigged up lures and a bait jig to be ready to go. As soon as we reached the bait area and slowed to start the hunt, he was ready with the jig and had floating lures out to drag around as we searched for baitfish.
After 30-40mins hunting and no luck, he served up some pieces of fritata (baked egg and bacon with some onion and garlic capsicum tomato etc thrown in), whilst we ate he tidied up the rods and got the boat ready for the run out wide. On the trip out, he tied double dropper rigs ready to bottom bash and by the time we got there both our rods were ready, I mean baited up, ready to drop! I lost a rig on a snag at the end of our drift, by the time I'd moved us back to start a new drift, going a bit further because I had a rig to make, he'd done it, hooks on, sinker on baited ready to drop. After a few hours fishing he provided a ham and salad roll and a piece of fruit, stuck in the top of a cold Corona. For lunch he served up cold roast lamb with chutney and salad rolls.
All the time we were fishing, if he wasnt actively fishing, he was cleaning up blood and bait splatters off the boat or washing out the kill tank so it didnt get foul with old blood, taking fish from the kill tank to the brine esky and placing them in upside down and straight. The deck was kept clear and whenever he used the net or gaff, it went back where it lives. Rods NEVER got leant on the gunwall while unhooking fish or rebaiting etc, always in a rod holder with drag backed off. Every time we repositioned for a new drift, rods were secure in rod holders and hooks secured to the bait board or the rod and sinkers secured not flying around bashing the boat with hooks snagging clothing etc etc.
To be fair, I must explain, that this deckie I write about, is a mate, whom Ive known for a long time and fished with many many times. He works as a deckie on game fishing charter boats and has worked on some bigger privately owned boats travelling to Thailand etc. This recent trip was the first time we'd fished together in about a year, he's done a lot of gamefishing charters since and I guess maybe Id not noticed how easy it was to fish with him previously, after a year of fishing often with newbies or lazy crew.
I thought I'd post this an example of what a good crew member should be doing, maybe minus the food service, that was exceptional, even for him. (so was re-rigging and rebaiting my line)
Lancair
Now I know your not talking about a few so called deckies on this site not that I would name names.
After reading this there's probably going to be a few skippers wanting a refund on their current deckies.
I got a good one just don't let him tow down the Bruce no more (last time I asked got told where to go)
I hope all deckie out there read this & take notice,, man now I can't wait for my next trip ,,
Hard to find a good deckie, I find the best ones have a boat themselves.
It is not hard to be a good deckie, there is a difference though between a deckie and a person on board.
Did he come back to assist in the wash down of the boat and engine flush?
I don't care about the Lunch and a few other things minor, what I would not mind is not having to deal with small cuts to the vinyl at back of the boat due to careless attention to sharp hooks flying around the deck when not in use. Only learn from experience but by then its too late. Will have to invest in a repair kit.
Scalem
You guys have it all wrong........
Kaypee has the perfect deckie
Anyone else is just a compromise
Skippers (owners) need to let the deckies run the deck, that is what they are there for. If you want to 'micromanage' everything you may as well fish by yourself.
Might be a good reason I fish solo on my boat
G
S***fish & chippy
the difference between a recreational deckie and a professional deckie (besides the quality of the work) is that the pro gets paid. i hope you didn't forget that part
fishing's as simple as 3 P's - patience, perserverance and PLASTIC!
So I should have payed you for the trip, not the other way round.......Originally Posted by netmaker
the difference between a recreational deckie and a professional deckie (besides the quality of the work) is that the pro gets paid. i hope you didn't forget that part
It still shits me that you "payed for fuel", if I couldn't afford to run my boat, I'd get a smaller boat.
I never ask for deckies (or punters) to pay for fuel, I only ask that you enjoy yourself.
G
S***fish & chippy
Please tell your deckie that if ever he wants to come tuna fishing off Portland to contact me. Come to think of it you can include snapper, whiting, squid and anything else I can think of. I think he should run deckie courses for all my mates except Murf, as I'll be his deckie and I don't want him to know what he's missing out on.
Lancair, you sure this isn't just a dream you are sharing with us
If your a deckie reading this and you get asked out every weekend you have it sorted, if you haven't been out for a while read it twice
One of the 2 I took out last trip filleted and vac sealed my Fish for me !
The other returned home with me and helped wash the boat as if it was his own.
Neither of those examples where expected from me as I asked them both out, But that's what mates do & at the end of the day arnt we talking about going fishing with our mates ?
Its like reading a biography about myself!!!
It's so frustrating when you have people on board who just can't think ahead of the game. I actually prefer to fish solo but it's hard to get decent video footage and fight fish at the same time :-). I know what you mean with regards to backing in the trailer "straight" and "deep". A previous deckie just wouldn't listen to me and insisted that I needed to learn how to drive my boat on properly. Funny thing is, I explained that to do it properly the trailer needs to be square to the ramp and wheel guards fully submerged. He just wouldn't listen. Gone!!!! My neighbour who is 20 years younger does is perfect every time and doesn't even need to be told. Makes fishing so much more pleasurable when people actually give a sh*t and respect your property. Good post Lancair.
Cheers
Dave
It's the term 'deckie' I don't like to use when fishing on the boat. If a deckie was to come aboard, then he/she shall be doing all the work. The term 'mate' is welcomed on my boat as he/she shall fish beside you with all the sledging in the world to put warney to shame.
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