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Warning! Worst charter experience ever!

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16K views 81 replies 60 participants last post by  Dave G  
#1 Ā·
8/2 Newport tuna Sorry it's kinda long, wanted to share the whole story.


Well, since I have had a ton of issues with my boat this year, I finally talked my friends into spending the $210 dollars to go chase tuna on a charter. With the usual charters we go out with all booked up we hit up Newport Marina and store charters. Arrived Sunday at 4:30 am, got checked in, and headed down to the dock to board the Umatilla 2. It was very obvious as soon as we arrived on the boat that the captain was not in a good mood! The captain (Gary) told us it was a waste of his time to be going out tuna fishing with only 6 paid people on the boat (12 people on the boat counting deckhand and captains friends). We were soon off on a 3.5 hour ride out to the tuna grounds (very slow boat). Not long after arriving at the grounds we see some jumpers. Motor over to them but no luck. Start trolling around and after about 5 minutes hit a fish on a hand line! With 4 of the 6 paid customers on board being new to tuna fishing hearts started pumping. The deck hand pulls in the first fish on the hand line.... Wait I'm confused.... aren't we the paying customers? I blow it off and move on. Soon after a pole gets hit!! Captains friend gets to reel this one in..... Getting more confused..... Shouldn't the guys who paid $210 to fish and have never caught one go first? While the tuna is being fought guys are told to run to the front of the boat and start casting swim baits. We run up there and there are no poles left. Captains wife and deckhands are fishing and once again the paid customers are standing around and can't fish! Long story short this scenario happens many more times during the day. Fished until 1:15 then told to pick up the lines and we were headed home on a 4.5 hour ride to the docks. 10 fish, 3 of them brought in by deckhands or captains friends who didn't pay, and one guy who has never caught a tuna and paid $210 dollars doesn't even get a shot at one!! On the way back in the deck hands are drinking beer and telling stories about females that I can't share on Ifish. One of the deckhands even stood up on the top of the boat and urinated which sprayed on a couple of the paying customers, there coolers, etc. By far the worst experience ever on a charter. Told the manager about the issues when we arrived back at the store and all we were told was "sorry, it's not our usual deck hands." I would not suggest anyone use this charter service!!!! Hopefully this saves someone else from wasting there time and money like we did!!!
 
#5 Ā·
Well that sounds to me like a horrible trip~! I appreciate you taking the time to tell us about it! Umatilla 2 aeh , Ill be sure to pass the name along with others i know! I can assure you that people talking here on the oregon coast about charter companys, can and will affect there buesness over the long haul! Hope your next trip out is better.
 
#7 Ā·
Wow

Tough trip. I know that there are a lot a great charters and guides out there. The problem with this is that this one bad trip will kill any future business, good will needs to be earned. The experience is what puts people back on the boat regardless of the catch rate. The trip described is plain nuts.

Dr Jay
 
#13 Ā·
I think you guys were the ones watching the deck hands clean fish when we were across the cleaning station cleaning ours. I felt really bad for you guys. Thought you got ripped off. The one deck hand was running his mouth the whole time.

If it was you guys and you want to make a complaint, I will bolster it with the offer he made me to visit his restaurant buddy with me and sell the Blu Fins we had. I know this will jeopardize a guide license.

My name is Jerry Mott (because I bad mouthed a Charter and own my statement).
 
#14 Ā·
Man what a bad Deal there....I Have only used Dockside out of Depoe, And have had above average fishing and hospitality and I fished with Loren, Lars, Dick and Laird and all of them were excellent captains and made the boat a fun place to be. I also see they only charge $200 for Tuna...I'am looking forward to my trip later this month. I'am very sorry for your experience out of newport.
 
#15 Ā·
Head boats are going to suck regardless, but this takes the cake. I'd have chewed the captain's junk once we hit the docks. However, you were correct not confront him while underway.

Demand your money back from the charter.
Demand an apology from the captain for his crews behavior.
Write a letter to the local paper.
Write a letter to the OSP.
Write a letter to the local chamber of commerce.
I'am not sure if the Charters are governed by the OSMB or the US coast Gaurd but who ever it is would be gettting a complaint from me. Again Sorry for the bad Experience.
 
#17 Ā· (Edited)
i agree if this story is 100% then they r n big trouble, i deckhanded and the legal limit of alcahol is half that of the pavement! ZERO FOR CREW. so i think 2 beers might put a smaller sized man pretty close too that? paying customers always boated the first fish!!! and i only fished on the SLOW days and then id hitchike 4 lings n such and let little kids n older folks have a chance at fish of a lifetime, been offerd to drink many many halibut trips but that was an absoulute no no in my book!

i am disgusted at the way they run their fishing trips i knew the kid who used to work as the deckhand kelly but not sure if he did anymore i never met the cap either.

hope u get your money back:twocents:

heck if u ever wanna try for some newport rockfish lemme know we can hit they jetty and its free:D
 
#20 Ā· (Edited)
I would be livid as well. The last couple of days I have been planning on a coho and later a tuna trip with a charter. Not sure which one to go with....this post just erased one charter business. Thank you for informing us of such an unbelievably bad trip. I am still shaking my head. Sorry for your bad trip and pursue all means to get your money back or at least make complaints to deal with this business.
 
#42 Ā·
I would be livid as well. The last couple of days I have been planning on a coho and later a tuna trip with a charter. Not sure which one to go with....this post just erased one charter business. Thank you for informing us of such an unbelievably bad trip. I am still shaking my head. Sorry for your bad trip and pursue all means to get your money back or at least make complaints to deal with this business.

Please understand that just because one charter captain sets a bad example does not mean the other charter captains and thier crews are like that as well.

My uncle runs the Charter boat MRS RAVEN out of South Beach and he does not allow this kind of stuff to happen on his boat!!!!! I have been out with him many times and the paying customers Always have top priority and he makes sure that everyone is having a good time. I can not even begin to count the number of times when I myself or another one of his non paying guests stopped fishing to help out a paying customer with a fish or broken line or whatever just so thier trip would be a nice memoriable one.

I know my uncle would not condone or support that type of behavior and such aboard his boat.
 
#23 Ā·
I once had a bad experience with a guide (not exactly a charter but same idea, paying to fish) but your beats mine hands down. I would call again and ask for a refund, nicely at first but if you don't get the answer you want, don't lay down. I know that it isn't fun to be confrontational sometimes, but these guys should not be taking peoples money.
 
#25 Ā·
Call CHRIS and explain your issues and demand a refund, contact CG, and contact Oregon State Marine Board. ZERO TOLERANCE is the rule I learned in captains school!
:yeahthat:

Definitely call Chris. He needs to know what happened. I've always had good luck with the boats chartering out of Chris' office...
 
#31 Ā·
Sorry to hear of such a bad trip out for tuna. I have never fished a tuna charter but on two different occasions in the last two years I have had this exact boat almost run me over while we are fighting tuna. Both times we had fish on and were jigging and casting to fish with good success and the Umatilla II shows up trolling right towards us. Not a bee line but directly at us then stops well within casting distance from my boat while we are fishing and landing fish. I litterally hit his hull with a cast. I tried calling him on the radio on channel 16 as he was drifting right towards us and just yelling across at them to try to talk to the captain as it was not the customers fault I tried to be polite. No answer from anyone and his boat showing up turned off the bite so we ran a ways away(5miles) till he couldn't see us as he would just run up to us again.

The first time I thought that it was pretty rude. The second time I was in the cuddy getting somthing and I hear my crew asking if this boat heading towards is going to hit us and I jokingly ask if it is the Umatilla II and they are amazed because I was right. Kind of a funny moment but he did the same thing so we picked up and left then too.

I posted this last year also. Hopefully we can keep bad experiences like this from happening in the future.

Luke Erickson
 
#33 Ā·
Sorry to hear of such a bad trip out for tuna. I have never fished a tuna charter but on two different occasions in the last two years I have had this exact boat almost run me over while we are fighting tuna. Both times we had fish on and were jigging and casting to fish with good success and the Umatilla II shows up trolling right towards us. Not a bee line but directly at us then stops well within casting distance from my boat while we are fishing and landing fish. I litterally hit his hull with a cast. I tried calling him on the radio on channel 16 as he was drifting right towards us and just yelling across at them to try to talk to the captain as it was not the customers fault I tried to be polite. No answer from anyone and his boat showing up turned off the bite so we ran a ways away(5miles) till he couldn't see us as he would just run up to us again.

The first time I thought that it was pretty rude. The second time I was in the cuddy getting somthing and I hear my crew asking if this boat heading towards is going to hit us and I jokingly ask if it is the Umatilla II and they are amazed because I was right. Kind of a funny moment but he did the same thing so we picked up and left then too.

I posted this last year also. Hopefully we can keep bad experiences like this from happening in the future.

Luke Erickson
ill be on the lookout for those guys,maybe its time for others to play nasty.searaider out
 
#35 Ā·
8/2 Newport tuna Sorry it's kinda long, wanted to share the whole story.


Well, since I have had a ton of issues with my boat this year, I finally talked my friends into spending the $210 dollars to go chase tuna on a charter. With the usual charters we go out with all booked up we hit up Newport Marina and store charters. Arrived Sunday at 4:30 am, got checked in, and headed down to the dock to board the Umatilla 2. It was very obvious as soon as we arrived on the boat that the captain was not in a good mood! The captain (Gary) told us it was a waste of his time to be going out tuna fishing with only 6 paid people on the boat (12 people on the boat counting deckhand and captains friends). We were soon off on a 3.5 hour ride out to the tuna grounds (very slow boat). Not long after arriving at the grounds we see some jumpers. Motor over to them but no luck. Start trolling around and after about 5 minutes hit a fish on a hand line! With 4 of the 6 paid customers on board being new to tuna fishing hearts started pumping. The deck hand pulls in the first fish on the hand line.... Wait I'm confused.... aren't we the paying customers? I blow it off and move on. Soon after a pole gets hit!! Captains friend gets to reel this one in..... Getting more confused..... Shouldn't the guys who paid $210 to fish and have never caught one go first? While the tuna is being fought guys are told to run to the front of the boat and start casting swim baits. We run up there and there are no poles left. Captains wife and deckhands are fishing and once again the paid customers are standing around and can't fish! Long story short this scenario happens many more times during the day. Fished until 1:15 then told to pick up the lines and we were headed home on a 4.5 hour ride to the docks. 10 fish, 3 of them brought in by deckhands or captains friends who didn't pay, and one guy who has never caught a tuna and paid $210 dollars doesn't even get a shot at one!! On the way back in the deck hands are drinking beer and telling stories about females that I can't share on Ifish. One of the deckhands even stood up on the top of the boat and urinated which sprayed on a couple of the paying customers, there coolers, etc. By far the worst experience ever on a charter. Told the manager about the issues when we arrived back at the store and all we were told was "sorry, it's not our usual deck hands." I would not suggest anyone use this charter service!!!! Hopefully this saves someone else from wasting there time and money like we did!!!
Advice- Do not give up on tuna. In that neck of the woods go with Nalu charters. Mikes professionalism and passion will actually make you forget about that trip. The backdeck of the Sea J will have you singing "Sunday Bloody Sunday" as Mike shows you how to paint it red. This is what tuna fishing is.
 
#36 Ā·
Any ifish sponsor boats would be a good bet.

Nalu, Maverick, Gene (Tackle Time), Tron, etc.

Crackerjack in Newport, and Loren (Affair) out of Depoe are also a good bets.

Tip-Sea, although I have sympathy for you, it might have been avoidable if you had used "Nalu's list of excellent questions to ask a charter service before putting down a deposit."

This is very much a "buyer beware" issue.