Why does fishing suck right now?

CATCH AND EAT · 10-02-2001, 08:13 PM

Basically because I have to work to make a living. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] Being my own boss brings with it the stresses of life and employees that think it is ok to sluff off and no service the clients the way they know they should. Thus cutting into any free time I might have to go after the nooks and ho's in the bays and rivers. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

Sadly, these two employees will be unemployed on Friday at the end of the day [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] This sucks because I really like these guys but they just are not getting the point that I expect there best all the time. Right now I am only seeing there mistakes; dumb mistakes that cost a lot of money. Please note, they have been warned. They have not responded.

So, now I have to rededicate myself to restoring the business image and hopefully return to a successful financial position that I have enjoyed in the past.

Fishing sucks because I cannot get to them fish in the way I wish to target them. So I can only talk about it a little with you folks.

There is a little lesson for all of us here. Those of you that play hooky and lie to your boss about sudden illness. You stink and not just of fish blood. Remember, there are a lot of people that depend on you whether you are union or not. Your company gave you a job to do. Do your best and don't lie just to go fishing. Be honest about what your going to do. If your boss is cool (like me) he/she will make allowances for your addiction.

Think about how valuable your job is to your family. Without it, well... you might have a lot of time to fish but not any money to buy bait. Hopefully you are a successful fisher person because that fish may be your only dinner of the week worth eating.

A word to bosses out there. Give your employees words of encouragment and a pat on the back for a job well done. They need it. They want your approval. It goes a long ways to building moral and improving the work environment. And profit!

Profit='s, Food, bait, vacation pay, benefits, new rods, boats new and old, gas, shelter, hopefully a happy spouse ect....

Just show a little appreciation both ways folks. Hopefully I will get more time and get back to fishing soon. Looks like I will be a weekend warrior for a while.

Fishing also sucks because there is no rain and the rivers are to warm. Please someone do a rain dance and bill BPA!

fishbait · 10-02-2001, 08:42 PM

C & E,
Sorry to hear of your troubles.........Remember, the only thing worse than being unemployed is self employed.. I absolutely agree with what you have to say, I have over 30 employees and consider them the biggest asset my company has......IT ***** me how some people think this world or some company owes them a job. Let them lay awake at 2 AM worried about meeting the next payroll or keeping people working during the slow times....As for fishing, get your replacements hired asap if you can.........I think this might be one of the best fall seasons since the 70's, and you need to get out in it....my parting words, if you begin feeling reel sorry for yourself, go visit the shriners childrens hospital......

NEUTRON · 10-03-2001, 06:26 AM

C&E, great post, I appreciate you sharing. Difficult situation you were put in, hope it turns around. I talked about calling in "well" many times when the fishing is good but never been able to do it. Last week my boss gave me an excused absence (no pay), sometimes it pays to snivel (used up all my vacation).

finclipped · 10-03-2001, 06:42 AM

I have a great boss that even though he doesn't fish himself, he has always given me a lot of lattitude in taking vacation days or afternoons off with very short notice.

I think it works both ways though, those loyal employee's need to be rewarded and compensated at "market" levels. From what I have seen, most employers wait too long before rewarding their employees. Most bosses "react" to employee's who are ready to leave. Offering to match a competitors salary is often too little too late. Then they will replace the lost employee by someone new and pay the new employee a higher wage, because the empoyer has to meet the "market" wage. It happens over and over again. The most successful bosses I have seen, are willing to increase salary's and offer incentives to those who deserve.

CATCH AND EAT · 10-03-2001, 07:08 AM

Thanks for letting me vent a little folks. I appreciated you imput and observations. Each of you covered the different perspectives that I am fully aware of. Sometimes we just need a wake up call no matter what our positions in the work force are. We all depend and need each other thats for sure.

My employees are all well paid and have a good work environment. It seems that they just got tooooooo comfortable and did not believe I would react. Poop will hit the fan on Friday. Not a very happy weekend. Top it off, funeral for a friend on Saturday. Fortunatly, its for a friend that was ready to meet his maker.

As far as fishing? I am only hearing a few good stories right now. Just waiting for the rain. The replacements have been arranged to start on Monday and I know what these boys can do. Seen them in action before and they are excited to be coming here. I will be excited to see what they can do. Things should take a real turn for the better.

Bernie

Pilar · 10-03-2001, 07:45 AM

Catch and eat, I hear you. Can't say I've never had the fish pox before. Nowadays it is my good fortune to get days off for extra hours worked.

Before that though my employer was not so flexible. I got caught one day when I called in from the payphone next to the boat ramp and the call was recorded. The next Monday my boss played it for me. You could hear the gulls, the 2 stroke sleds revving at the ramp and guys saying 'get some crab bait'. All the sounds of the Garibaldi boat ramp at 6 am in October.

We then came to an understanding about me working 80 hour weeks a thousand miles from home.

Weekdays off to chase the fishies is a good thing.

fishchaser · 10-03-2001, 08:34 AM

C & E You might take this as a good thing and a bad thing. A good thing is you now have 2 less goof-offs on your payroll and just think, everybody out there is laying off right now, and there are a lot of good hard working people out there that would be happy to work for you, hard and without playing hookie. They know which side their bread is buttered on.

I was a lucky worker when I worked. I worked for the government and they have a policy that is "Why do today what you can put off till tomorrow." So I was able to call in and use my vacation time for fishing. God help you if you called in sick, and went fishing. You usually got caught, so I NEVER did that. Plus my sick days would build up and if anything serious happened to me I was paid even though I was sick. I guess there were some perks for working for the feds. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Silent Lucidity · 10-03-2001, 08:42 AM

Don't become confused, CnE. Fishing NEVER sucks. Catching may very well suck, but fishing is ALWAYS good.

THE REEL HEY_YALL · 10-03-2001, 09:45 AM

I lose my sick days at the end of the year if I don't use them, and I never get sick. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Although work never interferes with fishing too much; it's usually the other way around. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Grant Betts · 10-03-2001, 03:29 PM

The fishing probably is not that good because too many people fish for the meat instead of the sport. I have noticed that the trout fishing in Washington sucks. I catch & release only.

CATCH AND EAT · 10-03-2001, 07:02 PM

Again, thanks guys, I sure appreciate your imput and kind words. Things will be looking up next week. New folks that are good folks.

Also with the threat of rain, I may be forced to at least take a few morning hours off. That way I can wet a line. If things start going real well, I might even take a day off. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

willierower · 10-03-2001, 09:17 PM

My job has the perfect schedule for an avid angler. We work 3 and 1/2 days a week. That leaves alot of time for fishing. Another neat thing you can do to get more time is trade someone a day. Thats what I did this week, Now my next weekend will be 4 and 1/2 days long. Hopefully the chinook will be ready to play.
Bernie,
Get your new guys lined out before the ran hits. Then get after the fish.....