Ever Left Someone at the Dock?

[RonCat]

I did once years ago. Guy who knew I fished allot and worked in the same building asked if he could go with me, no problem. A couple Saturday’s later (it’s June or July) he is at the ramp waiting for me when I pull up. I put the boat in the water and tie up to the dock to pull out a couple things. I only have a 3 rules on the boat—life jacket on when big motor is running, use anything you want in the boat, have fun. I hand him a life jacket and he says he’s not wearing it, I basically said, “No life jacket, no ride.” He dug in, said it was hot and he wouldn’t put it on. Told him to get off the boat which he did. Monday he comes by my office, half-ass apologizes, says he’d like to go. Somehow our schedules never matched and I moved the next year.

Almost left a new club member once. He showed up at launch time with about 5 catfish rods and a hard Stanley tool box on wheels. Told him just leave it all in his car, rigged him up a swim jig on a spinning rod and he caught a couple fish, including his PB a 4. He was disappointed when Tourney Director told him he could not take it home to eat….he was never to be seen again (not the TD!).

[ECobb91]

Kinda; both times were my cousin too. He was known for being late, skipping out on gas money and entry fees, and just a messy coangler.

first instance was when we held a benefit tournament for his brother the year he died in a car crash at age 19. He was over an hour late to his own tournament he was hosting because he woke up late. I sent everyone out 10min after the proposed launch time.. he was mad that we didn’t wait for him

second time was for a club tournament when I was the TD; he arrived 20min after take off. I sent my coangler with the boater my cousin was originally paired up with and had the club president send everyone out 10min early. I purposely kept my boat on the trailer until he got there to make a point that he screws over his boater when he doesn’t show. He was mad my boat wasn’t in the water waiting for him.. that was the last tournament he fished.

[Highcentered]

Never have left someone at the dock but wished I would have left a co-worker years ago. He got a crash course on boat etiquette and how the front deck was my personal space while fishing.

[borderbasser]

I've never left a co-angler out to dry, but I've been left at the dock once or twice, by some jokers too lazy to get up. Called the guy and he says he's not planning to fish today.... Dude, I talked to you three times this week and now you tell me this crap when I'm at the dock. That was my last day of tournament fishing...

[Idaho Sandman]

Never left anyone at the dock or been left myself. Everyone I’ve had on my boat has been cordial and I will invite anyone on the front deck so we can fish thoroughly or show them how to use a technique and where to cast if new to the game.

[Jocephus]

Honestly, I’ve been lucky as a boater to have some very good to amazing experiences with my co angler draws so I have no complaints there.

That being said, there’s a few boaters I’ve been paired with back when I was a co angler where my experience was so bad with them thet I have zero respect for as humans.

[SGrem]

I had a customer had a trip booked with me for a couple months. Met him morning of a little before daylight. Boat is in the water at the end of the dock. He shows up with his buddies and starts walking towards me. I extended my hand and said Howdy good morning, I'm Captain Grem....."

He shoulders past me without acknowledging me at all and throws his bag in the boat from ten feet away and starts the day like this "I don't want to hear any of your guide BS about the moon or the winds or the tides or should have been here yesterday....i know all yalls games. This is MY boat for the day and you ain't gonna slow boat us around. You are gonna run that thing WFO every where we go. You are gonna take us to your best trout spot I know you know where they are.....and we are gonna limit out....but dont think you are leaving one second early....when we finish our trout we are going for reds and if there is one minute left you are taking us after flounder. Don't play games with me boy."

We had communicated for months....i have no idea why he came off like that but I didn't interrupt i let him have his talk. I responded with "well sir I don't think I can make you happy under any circumstances so I don't think I will be taking you today."

He said "YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND I HAVE A TRIP BOOKED WITH YOU....YOU HAVE MY DEPOSIT....THAT IS MY BOAT AND YOU ARE GOING TO DO JUST LIKE I SAID."

I reached in my pocket and took out his deposit, showed it to him, put it in his bag and put his bag back on the dock.

He said "you are out of your mind we left Dallas at Midnight to get here on time...."

I said "well sir that is very unfortunate for your friends but I bet the conversation all the way back to Dallas is what an A-hole you are and you can't treat people that way. But I'm not here for that, i don't need your money that bad, and i don't want to be trapped on the boat with you."

At which point i untied and pushed off the dock. He is livid at this point jumping up and down screaming and hitting the pilings...."wtf do you think you are doing....i hired this boat for the day this is my boat."

I said "well I'm taking your boat and your bait and I'm going fishing cuz I have the day off.....yall have a safe trip back to Dallas."

And I went fishin....

[marshman]

I like fishing by myself…. I’ve had people ask me to take them and I’ll usually say sure whenever but I always keep vague and just act like i don’t know when I’m going next…. I really am pretty spontaneous and unplanned with my fishing tho.. I’ll plan to go tomorrow and not wake up and just go late or just wait and go the next day…. I like to fish conditions moreso than just going fishing… Give me overcast prefront and outgoing tide, I’ll quit a job, early out of work or cancel a date or break up with a girlfriend, whatever it takes to be in the marsh because I absolutely KNOW them green fish are going to EAT!!

[geodebasser]

Only time I have ever been late was in the seventies when my car broke down. It was before cell phones and there was no way to call the boater. Other than that I have never left anyone waiting.
I personally have never had to leave anyone at the dock until I was treasure of a club. I think all clubs have this non boater that owns a boat but never offers to use it. In addition he would show up at the ramp and say I forgot my wallet or some excuse and not have his entry fee. Of course we should have had a rule that said you had to pay before tournament day but we didn’t. He also was known to be a tight wad that never paid the boater for gas or very little if he did pay. I told him he would have to borrow the money from someone if he wanted to fish but I could not do it out of club funds. This wasn’t his first rodeo so no one would lend him the money. He threw a fit and started cussing me. I told my non boater if he would not mind that he fish with this guys boater as no one would lend him the money. I fished by myself that day and left him at the ramp. Unfortunately when I got in someone had keyed my truck. I called the sheriff who told me I would never be able to prove the guy did it and he never showed up to a club meeting again.

As far as Captain Grem you did the right thing, I think every business gets a customer like that. I have told people like that I can’t please you if I had a limb off a pleasing tree and that you need to find someone that can,

[AndrewM-Fishing]

I have no problem leaving a co-angler at the dock. I've done it a couple times over the years. Puck drops at 7am, be there on time or stay home.

[basscatlildave]

I never have.

[Rider99XX]

Nope. Never have.

[dean c]

I had a customer had a trip booked with me for a couple months. Met him morning of a little before daylight. Boat is in the water at the end of the dock. He shows up with his buddies and starts walking towards me. I extended my hand and said Howdy good morning, I'm Captain Grem....."

He shoulders past me without acknowledging me at all and throws his bag in the boat from ten feet away and starts the day like this "I don't want to hear any of your guide BS about the moon or the winds or the tides or should have been here yesterday....i know all yalls games. This is MY boat for the day and you ain't gonna slow boat us around. You are gonna run that thing WFO every where we go. You are gonna take us to your best trout spot I know you know where they are.....and we are gonna limit out....but dont think you are leaving one second early....when we finish our trout we are going for reds and if there is one minute left you are taking us after flounder. Don't play games with me boy."

We had communicated for months....i have no idea why he came off like that but I didn't interrupt i let him have his talk. I responded with "well sir I don't think I can make you happy under any circumstances so I don't think I will be taking you today."

He said "YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND I HAVE A TRIP BOOKED WITH YOU....YOU HAVE MY DEPOSIT....THAT IS MY BOAT AND YOU ARE GOING TO DO JUST LIKE I SAID."

I reached in my pocket and took out his deposit, showed it to him, put it in his bag and put his bag back on the dock.

He said "you are out of your mind we left Dallas at Midnight to get here on time...."

I said "well sir that is very unfortunate for your friends but I bet the conversation all the way back to Dallas is what an A-hole you are and you can't treat people that way. But I'm not here for that, i don't need your money that bad, and i don't want to be trapped on the boat with you."

At which point i untied and pushed off the dock. He is livid at this point jumping up and down screaming and hitting the pilings...."wtf do you think you are doing....i hired this boat for the day this is my boat."

I said "well I'm taking your boat and your bait and I'm going fishing cuz I have the day off.....yall have a safe trip back to Dallas."

And I went fishin....

You’re too nice Steve…I know there’s a bunch a guides down there that would have done way worse to that clown.

[jbassman87]

Should have but have not.

[Okie Poke]

I've had to fish solo in team derbies before because partner overslept. We were meeting at a place on way to the lake so no leaving him at the dock. It only happens once, though, with that said individual. Had it happen twice with two different people. One time it was fun fishing with a neighbor that thought he was a bass fisherman. The second and last time was with a co-worker that thought he was a bass fisherman, too.

[rjvana37]

Years ago, a coworker kept asking me to take him fishing. After repeated requests, I finally agreed and told him to be at the dock by 5 a.m. on Saturday. Since my home lake was only three miles away, I arrived on time, launched my boat, and got my gear ready. By 5:15, I checked my watch—no sign of him. At 5:30, I decided to fire up the engine and head out.I fished until 11:30 a.m., and when I returned, I found him standing at the dock, looking frustrated. He told me he had arrived at 6 a.m., expecting to still join. I simply told him, “When I say 5, it doesn’t mean 6.”
He never asked again.

[BigFishSteve]

Glad I read this. When I get my boat recarpeted, I'm going with two colors. One to denote my personal space and a second one to let other know their place.

[Mcfish]

I have a few times. I don't wait more than 10 minutes after scheduled departure time.

[DaveBrabec]

Yes. Told them to meet at ramp at 5:30. I went fishing. They called around 7:00. Wondering where I was.

[NCrappie]

Sorta. I canceled the trip when he said he was on the way with his BIL and his neighbor. Then I went out on my own. Then he got upset about it. I mean who invites other people when you invite just them?