We were able to watch one of the sport fisherman boats gear themselves up for a big fishing trip. They worked for 3 days getting the boat ready to go. Filling it with supplies, fuel, ice. Then they had to put out all the fishing rods and other paraphernalia they needed. They were planning on traveling 120 miles out for a fishing trip with the owners. They had some very impressive and expensive fishing rods.
Colorful line
Nice Rods, see the covers?
We never could figure out what these were for. Maybe they filled them with ice?
What????
They use this thing to help reel in the lines on their outriggers.
Outrigger helper
See the electric cord? Apparently they troll with some big bait using the outriggers to get the fish to come to their boat.
Here is the fighting chair
Fighting Chair
It has two chrome grabbers
Chrome bars
They had a guy come down to tie on the line that covers the chrome bars. I don’t really know what they are for but I bet when you are fighting to get the fish in and you need some extra leverage, the line on the chrome bars will keep them from getting slippery.
So the Captain and his crew waited for the owners and their friends to show up. They were supposed to leave at 7 PM. The owners showed up at 8:30, but they are the owners so they can do whatever they want, right? They ended up leaving shortly after that and they returned about 11 the next morning. 220 mile round trip and they didn’t catch a thing. Let’s see, assuming they get 1 mile per gallon, it cost them 220 X $2.85 = $627.00, just for fuel. I think I’ll keep buying my fish at the grocery store :).
Touch of Class 
The person in the chair isn’t holding the bars. The end of the rod goes in the cup between their legs and they would be pulling the rod with one hand and reeling with the other. I don’t see the harness to hold the person in the chair and the rails may be part of that, or for helpers to hold the chair with one hand and help pull the rod up to reel in the slack line. There’s no way I would be fighting an 800 lb marlin without a harness to keep it from yanking me over the transom….:o
I went deep sea fishing in Hawaii and when a fish hit the line, I had to get strapped in the chair, even for the 5lb behemoth that I hauled it.
You forgot the cost of the crew, provisions and the boat…could’ve been a $10,000 fishing trip…;)
Looks like the weather has finally warmed up for you guys. Looked a little “chilly” for the parade again this year. I don’t know if Colleen will want to be collecting beads the traditional way next year in 30 degree temps…:)
It is warming up here nicely. And I think I’ll just push the kids out of the way to get more beads next year 🙂
Wonder why they went out at night to fish? Maybe the fish hit at night. I recall the best mileage we ever got at around 1800 rpm w/o genny runny was 1.75 mpg. One MPG seems pretty good for a boat that big. I wonder what speed they were cruising at? Must be nice to have a crew setup the boat for the trip. I wonder if the owner even drives. Take care.
Most seem to leave at night. I figure it is so they can arrive at daylight to start fishing. They seem to go out quite far. Gary said they get less than 1 mile per gallon and I doubt the owner drives, they are probably too busy drinking 🙂
But they can say they went fishing.
When folks come in and ask “Where are they catching?” We always answer “Morey’s” Its the fish market up in Brainerd.