Trish:  Thank you for your comments. I, too, was disappointed that we did not land that very respectable king mackerel. If you will recall, we discussed my proposed plan for your trip the previous evening. We discussed fishing near shore to start because that is where the fish have been, then moving offshore to try for some bigger fish. During our conversation the evening before your trip, I informed you of the weather forecast with SE winds 14-18 knots and seas 3-5 ft. due to the hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. I also mentioned that fishing near shore would give us some reprieve from the rough seas. I covered all this material a second time right after we left the dock on the day of your trip. At no time did anyone in your party express any objections to my proposed plan. After our nearshore catch, we went to fish a wreck 13.5 miles offshore. The wind and waves increased steadily as we went farther offshore. Going father offshore in those conditions was simply not safe. In addition, your son was suffering from sea sickness. After fishing the wreck, we went to Treasure Island artificial reef (5 miles offshore) for another opportunity at larger fish since we had no action after several passes on the offshore wreck. The fish did not cooperate. When we talked by phone on the evening before your trip, I explained to you the chances of larger fish offshore and I believe your response was “I know, there is no guarantee.” Your statement was correct. Our standard rate for a six-hour charter is $800. Other comparable boats charge comparable rates. Smaller boats and party boats do charge less. With a private charter, it costs the same to operate the boat whether you catch fish or not. We did our best to fulfill your expectations as we understood them. If at any point we were not fulfilling your expectations, it would have been helpful if you had let us know. Your husband was up on the flybridge with me for much of the trip and could have spoken with me in private. I am sorry but we are not able to refund you from the operating costs for your trip. Maintenance on a safe, comfortable boat is not “free” as you seem to believe.

Trish:  Thank you for your comments. I, too, was disappointed that we did not land that very respectable king mackerel. If you will recall, we discussed my proposed plan for your trip the previous evening. We discussed fishing near shore to start because that is where the fish have been, then moving offshore to try for some bigger fish. During our conversation the evening before your trip, I informed you of the weather forecast with SE winds 14-18 knots and seas 3-5 ft. due to the hurricane in... Еще