20 Minute Rule

[FishinMission]

I give my "Bud's" 20 minutes leeway to be late. I tell them at the getgo...that 20 minutes after they're supposed to meet me...if they're not there....I'm gone. How long do you wait?? images/icons/mad.gif

[FishinMission]

Oh yeah....and then I tell them to meet me at the ramp 20 minutes before I really wanna leave!!

[Bait O' Eggs]

I must have some flakey friends because they always seem to be late. Dont they know that 0500 really means 0445. images/icons/wink.gif

I dont wait very long anymore. Actually quit inviting one of my best friends along because they didnt give it a 2nd thought when I had to wait 30 minutes for them on a regular basis.

I waited a very long time earlier this year. Fishing partner was over 2 hours late that day. images/icons/shocked.gif Dont know if I was the fool to wait, or if I was the fool for setting up the trip. But either way I ended up being the fool.

I need a set policy, 20 minutes sounds good to me. Would that be 20 minutes waiting at the dock, or can I go fish and come back in 20 minutes and check. images/icons/rolleyes.gif

Late partners dont get invites back for a 2nd trip. Well maybe if their family died that morning and the car burned on the way to the ramp, they ran a couple 5 minute miles in waders carrying a tacklebox and they ended up only being 21 minutes late I might reconsider that policy. Get your a$$ out of bed on time, I do.

[ol tuna skipper]

If you gonna be late call, I might wait. Otherwise, 10 minute max. and I let them all know that. Don't get in my way when I'm goin fishin. I have several friends that never get invites to fish because I know they can't read a clock. Tough luck.

Bottom line is you better call if you want forgiveness. Otherwise I will treat you with the same respect you treaterd me and leave you high and dry.

Lets go Fishin

[ZaQ]

30 minutes. I only make exceptions for family. I was on the verge of leaving one this weekend, he couldn't find my new house. I was sitting in the Crizer at 0500 warming it up, ready to roll out, when my wife came running out in her PJ's carrying the phone. He was on the next street over. Lucky him, we did very well that day.
30 minutes.

[Oakie Drifter]

Wow, I guess Im hard-core....too many times of missing my spot and the fish from waiting for fishing partners. My limit is 5 MINUTES! Hey, you know, if Im invited to go with someone, you can bet I will be there 15 minutes early images/icons/grin.gif Get real, were talking about fishing here, not going to work images/icons/rolleyes.gif

[SteelieSteve]

If I'm invited to go I am on time or call to let the others know I'll be late, thats prior to being late. Always try to be a few minutes early.

[CAGEY]

I tell all those who want to fish in my boat what time iam leaving and then i say to them again, " i am leaving at 0500 sharp with or without you", and i do. If at 0459 hours i hear the sirens i give them 5 mins to crawl their bloody body to a phone and call me and then iam gone. This tactic is the only way to break them of being late. They either show up on time or they stay home. Like some of the rest of you i have some friends who very seldom get an invite anymore because they dont seem to care if they make me and others wait. images/icons/wink.gif

[Killertraylor]

Reading this made me think of one of my frequently late fishing partners and then another who is really cheap! I invited this guy to go sturgeon fishing at the mouth of the Columbia - I drove him all the way from Portland and back in my truck with the boat in tow - Full tank of gas for the truck. We stopped along the way to get groceries and beer - at the checkout line he reveals "I left my wallet in the truck" so I fork over the $30 thinking I'll get paid later. We stop and put $50 of gas in the boat (probably only used $15 worth on this trip) and he doesn't pay a dime. We then stop at the bait store - $16 for fresh anchovies and sardines and we are off for the dock. He still hasn't paid a dime. When we get to the dock I ask him to pay the $5 launch fee while I get the boat ready. He says...

are you ready for this....

"Do you have $2.50"

I could have killed him - I had already forked out close to $100 that day not to mention the $450/month boat pmt., rods, reels, gear, etc., etc. He never offered me anything and we had a great day of fishing -he cought his first sturgeon over 50" and we were in a pretty hot bite for several hours - not that pitching in with the expenses should depend on whether you catch fish - guys should pay whether you catch them or not. Needless to say I never invited him again.

I'm not saying that I expect everyone I take fishing to chip in with gas and bait - I really enjoy taking people fishing who have never cought sturgeon or salmon before and I never accept money from them. However, if you expect to fish with me on a regular basis, I think guys should pay $20-$30 a trip - or bring the food, beer and bait - doesn't that seem fair? How do the rest of you handle this - or does it just depend on the guy?

[rcl187]

if its the first time someones been fishing or their first time with me I usually cover most of the bill, if it is a longtime fishing partner we either split the bill on each trip or rotate on who drives, pays, etc. As for the launch fee its usually the one who isn't driving so the boat can get in the water a little quicker. As for Killertraylor's fishin budy he'd be on the dock (or back in portland) the next time I went fishin.

[Myfish]

Tell them the night befor ,what time to be there if your late I'm gone. I don't like to wait on anyone images/icons/mad.gif

[Pete]

....raw nerve!
When I get my forces in motion to hit the water I am not the least bit interested in waiting. I'll wait 15 minutes or so, but my blood pressure goes up steadily during those 15 minutes. Guys that fish regularly with me know to be early. If I said, "4:15", what I meant was "Let's be in the rig, seat belts buckled and rolling at 4:15".

I remember being late once. I totalled my car on the way to meet a friend for a day in his boat. It was before the days of cell phones, so I couldn't call. He heard about the accident on the radio traffic report, came to see if it was me and took me off for an outstanding day of steelheading.

One of my regular partners, several actually, chip in consistently. Even if we launch at the ramp down the street from his house he's right there with a sawbuck...but then, I always have to tie his knots, too. images/icons/rolleyes.gif

[brshooter]

This makes me think of the movie "A River Runs Through It". There are two things in the world you are never late for. Church & Fishing.
If someone is thoughtful enough to invite me to go fishing with them, I feel it is my obligation to be on time. What is wrong with being a bit early to see if they need a hand with any last minute details?
About tightwad fishing partners, if they would atleast offer to pitch in on fuel or food. I wouldn't necessarily take it, but I would appreciate the offer. Hey, maybe they are a bit short of cash, but a few ham & cheese sandwiches, some fruit, and a bag of the wife's homemade cookies count for something. It would help make up for the lack of cash.

[ 04-24-2001: Message edited by: brshooter ]

[BUGLEMAN]

You guys are cool. That's the way I see it too. Good luck this week to all.

eeeeeeeeeeeyouck!

[finclipped]

Two rules I live by.

1.) Never be late when it comes to fishing.
2.) Always pitch in for gas, bait or whatever.

The rest of fishing is only details.

[TheRogue]

I always stress the time that I AM LEAVING!!! To me, there is nothing more rude than to not plan ahead enough to get to an appointment or meeting or fishing partner ON TIME!! I don't wait, and I don't expect anyone to wait for me.

T.R.

[fishhead5]

Be early or don't bother!!! I don't wait. I'm always at least 15 min. early, to help hook things up and load my stuff in. The group of us that fish together don't buy gas for each other as it all evens out. If a new person fishing offers to pay I always tell them "no thanks" I was going anyway. If they don't offer to pay they are never asked to go again.

Fishhead5

[Pilar]

So lets review......

1) Act like its a big deal to get 3 or 4 guys to the same place with all thier stuff, respect it and show up on time.

2) Act like you're grateful for the seat on the boat and help out the guy owning the boat. Money, wifes cookies, clean up after, whatever.

3) Call if you can't show up on time. Then go home and organize your sock drawer while your buddies limit on Salmon.


Good thread. I think owning your own boat cures most of this bad fishing partner behavior.

[TH]

Pilar, you mentioned something that many non-boat owners over look.
CLEAN UP

When I go fishing, even in my drift boat, I clean the darn thing up that night, regardless if it's 11pm, dark and raining, I clean it spotless. I have a relative that dogged me one to many times.. after giving him a bad time for not helping, he replied with, "its your boat"
Needless to say he turned into a professional bank maggot this year, didn't take him once this winter images/icons/shocked.gif ... asked him to go springer fishing last saturday... returned home late Saturday night, that son of a gun stayed an extra hour and helped me wash the boat and clean rods... LESSON learned the hard way! images/icons/grin.gif
images/icons/shocked.gif

[ 04-25-2001: Message edited by: TH ]

[FISHFINDER]

T.R.,

The car leaves at 5:00 pm for Steelhead on Saturday and 4:30 am Sunday for springers. Will you be there?

FF images/icons/smile.gif

[FISHRUS]

Here's on for ya....invited a "friend" to go fishing on a drift boat. Then the night before she sent email saying she couldnt go; wrote "sh*t happens". Thats all she wrote. Well, after convincing Oakie Drifter to give her another chance, we did! We told her to meet us at the launch at 6:30am. That night before, the phone rang at 2:30AM images/icons/shocked.gif images/icons/shocked.gif ....again, it was her saying some story about blah blah blah. I couldnt believe that she couldnt of waited to call later, say 5am or earlier in the evening images/icons/rolleyes.gif . Kinda ruined our sleep from then on. Needless to say, another invite is NOT in the works! Personally, I think it was a bar thingy....hummmmmmmm hiccup!

[fsh4play]

I love this stuff, and I thought I was the only hardass about this!! Be on time or spend the dime to let me know, either way I go when I say. My fishing bud is the best, breakfast in the AM and always help's with clean up in PM. He caught his first fall chinook in my boat and his first steelhead also. I trained him well, but really Jim is the best! He now has moved up to the masterbaiter position in my book LOL images/icons/grin.gif

[ol tuna skipper]

Lessons learned. I now tell them on the way home weather I'm washing or not and you are expected to help. I only have one neighbor who slacks off on me. But then I don't take him out anymore. Crabbing is the essential cleanup. get the seaweed and any tiny creatures out of the boat since I store it in the garage. The wife hates smelling old sea skags when she opens the garage door.

A clean/tidy boat is a happy/safe boat.

[fishbait]

15 min is my max wait. I get frustrated after 5 - 10 and will say something. IF it happens often, I find another partner. I am on time and I expect you to be also...Period, this is fishing not some unimportant dribble. Personally I am usually 10 - 20 min early. And as for helping cover expenses, twice I have taken people and they have not offered anything to offset the costs. Never invited them again, never will

[Pete]

I'll never forget the look on one buddy's face, back in the days before my boat. I fished with this guy often. We stopped for gas on the way home. He filled his sled and his truck ... about 60 gallons worth. He went to use the potty before the filling was done. I picked up the tab which was close to a hundred bucks. But then, his was the guy that got me into my first steelhead ... how could I ever repay that favor?

[STRIKE ZONE]

15 minutes max,split the gas ect 50/50.Unless
it's a first timer,but they better offer gas
and bait money or they will never be asked again.I'm usually 10-15 early when roles are reversed,and then I'll give 50/50 for gas ect.regardless if they want it or not.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

[DanS]

If someone invites you to go, and it's your first time with them, you'd damn well better be ther 15 minutes early and you'd better offer to pay for gas if you're in a powered boat. If not, your chances at a second invite are slim..

When I'm fishing with my usual partner, I'm typically 15 minutes early and most of the time he is too. A few times lately, though, he's been late and it grinds at me when I watch 4-5 boats come in to the takeout, drop off their turnaround rig, and head up to where I ALREADY WOULD HAVE BEEN IF MY DUMBASS PARTNER WAS ON TIME. Once, he showed late, and then announced "I gotta take a dump" while another 3-4 boats came and went. images/icons/mad.gif

But, we've been fishing together for a long time, and I've slept in on him a time or two myself, so I try not to hold a grudge. I wouldn't be so forgiving of somebody I hadn't taken several times before.

I'll generally wait 10-15 minutes past the agreed-upon time and then I'm calling your house. If your wife gets ******, that's YOUR fault for not being on time. If I get no answer, I'll wait another ten minutes, and that's it. If I have my boat, I'll go put it away and bank fish instead......and another name gets added to the "black list" of those who will never fish out of MY boat again. I don't think that's too harsh unless you're coughing up a lung or someone died.

Taking somebody out for a day of fishing in your boat is a generous thing to do. You would expect to see some gratitude for the effort and expense. I don't think that's asking too much.