advice

[Pawpadawg]

Hello I am new to this. I am 50 a and looking to retire from my county job in 10years. I was born and raised in oregon however am now living in west texas ( dont ask.... LOL). My plan is when I retire from my job to move back to oregon. Get a boat and land.....plan is to supplement my income if needed by fishing.....not looking to do this full time or compete with anyone.....I love the ocean and I love fishing......what I seek is advise on how to achieve my goal......what kind of boat? How big? Gear? Salmon and tuna? Grabbing for personal consumption? Is it expensive? Maintenance?
As I am a mechanic by trade mechanical work be no.problem. any advise?

[SteelheadStalker]

I'm putting together a boat to start commercial trolling for salmon on the south coast of Oregon and its a 26ft fiberform cabin cruiser...I have pics posted on my thread 26ft troller help... Everything I have learned so far is from these guys on here, youtube, and the docks in brookings...I've never fished commercially a day in my life...neither has any of my family or anybody I know besides these new fellows I have met since I started this adventure...I'll tell ya its easier on the pocket book and the stress levels if you start out smaller then if it works out, great! move on up to a big boat! Also a trailerable boat lets you jump port to port cheaper than skipper your boat up the coast...everything is expensive no matter what you do and boats are constant maintenance and you know the acronym for boat right? Break Out Another Thousand!!!

[Cfood]

Recreational BOAT, Commercial boat is spelled BOATT-Break Out Another Ten Thousand

[Lulu]

You have to love doing this. Think about getting up at 2-3 am so your lines are in the water by day break, fish till dark, shut it down and drift, or run to an anchorage (if available) and then do it again for 4-5 days in a row. And if the weather permits, turn around and do it again. IF you catch 5 tons in a season, your going to move 30 tons for all the times you have to move the fish. Don't ever think about how much you earn by the hour because no one wants to think about the time in the off season fixing what you broke last season. You can make more picking up beer cans on the side of the road.

OH, we haven't talked about the weather. The flat calm, sunny days are fare and few between. Try fishing in 25-30 knot winds with 10 foot comers coming at you every 10-11 seconds and trying to crawl in the pit, or how about pea soup fog that you can't see past the bow of your boat. If your in OR, how about the 15 foot swell breaking on the bar---that will get your attention.

And if that's not enough to cause pause, think about the cost of slip fees, licenses, insurance, fuel, ice, tackle, maintenance, repair just to get started. And you haven't bought the boat, which is usually someone else problem that your buying and will have to rebuild. Or how about snagging a crab pot, tangling all wires and losing everything? (+$200/spool of wire, $2/lb for leads, $10 per flasher, $3-4 per spoon, $.25/hook, plus the leader material, sleeves, snaps, hoochies. And the floats? $300 a set if you can find them.

It's less expensive to get a water fix on a party boat, and you can pick the days.

[Crawfish]

Fog....
Who doesn't like fog?
I love fog, especially when you have to slam it in reverse and back over the top of your dog lines to prevent a collision.

But my 2nd favorite is when its blowing 25 and foggy. Nothing like running through a fleet in the fog when there is sea clutter mixed with real targets every where on the radar. Bonus points if it's at night.

You know what my #1 favorite is .......

Container ships going 19 knots in the fog at you.
Thats my favorite.
Or Super Tankers, I seem to attract those also.

[joeman79]

You have to love doing this. Think about getting up at 2-3 am so your lines are in the water by day break, fish till dark, shut it down and drift, or run to an anchorage (if available) and then do it again for 4-5 days in a row. And if the weather permits, turn around and do it again. IF you catch 5 tons in a season, your going to move 30 tons for all the times you have to move the fish. Don't ever think about how much you earn by the hour because no one wants to think about the time in the off season fixing what you broke last season. You can make more picking up beer cans on the side of the road.

OH, we haven't talked about the weather. The flat calm, sunny days are fare and few between. Try fishing in 25-30 knot winds with 10 foot comers coming at you every 10-11 seconds and trying to crawl in the pit, or how about pea soup fog that you can't see past the bow of your boat. If your in OR, how about the 15 foot swell breaking on the bar---that will get your attention.

And if that's not enough to cause pause, think about the cost of slip fees, licenses, insurance, fuel, ice, tackle, maintenance, repair just to get started. And you haven't bought the boat, which is usually someone else problem that your buying and will have to rebuild. Or how about snagging a crab pot, tangling all wires and losing everything? (+$200/spool of wire, $2/lb for leads, $10 per flasher, $3-4 per spoon, $.25/hook, plus the leader material, sleeves, snaps, hoochies. And the floats? $300 a set if you can find them.

It's less expensive to get a water fix on a party boat, and you can pick the days.

Then call me and talk to me!!! lol. Let me tell u it is one EXPENSIVE Dream Job!!! I figured the other day to break even for last year alone I need to catch at least 2000 Cohos above and beyond whatever else I catch this year. But I just knew I was smarter and could make it pencil out!! I will be doing double backflips if I even come close to breaking even!! But Damned if I aint gonna try my darnedest to try and reach that goal!!!!!
And like Lulu said it would be much cheaper for me to get my trollin fix by deckhanding for my Buddy for a month or a season. I would at least go home with a Filipino bankroll!!!! Not a boat without a motor!!! Lol. But guess I am a slow learner can't wait to get back on the old boat!!

[Trnaround]

Well they say if you want to make a small fortune trolling start with a large fortune. So true.

[Jackson]

My general rule of thumb, even when crewing, has been to double my expected expenses and half my expected income. We'll see how that works out this year. Hopefully I'll only have to sell one kidney.

[Salty]

Oh oh, the guys on this site are catching on to the whining. Now I will start to have to extoll the wonders of trolling to balance things out. There is a lot of humor in this business like hearing a bunch of trollers try to figure out how to use electronic media to make a decision.

[Crawfish]

Well they say if you want to make a small fortune trolling start with a large fortune. So true.

Hey that's my saying!

[Lulu]

Salty is right. We all know about the tuff times and pending disaster 30 seconds in front of us. On the other hand, the friendships forged over many years are like brothers and sisters. I do anything for buddies knowing they'd (and have) do anything for me. It's hard to find that kind of commitment on the beach. Those peaceful moments just as the sun comes up or goes down can't be described, take a picture that lasts longer, but still doesn't do justice to the moment. The feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when you plug the boat, they're coming 5 to a wire, everything is shaking, and poles are about to fall off the boat. These are some of moments that keep me in the game; I just can't walk away. What would I do? Watch TV, mow the grass, paint the house again. I'ld rather have the wind in my face, smell the salt in the air, and enjoy the ride.

[Salty]

Well said Lulu.

[joeman79]

Very well said LuLu. In any new adventure there are trials and rewards. Sometimes I dwell on the negative to often.

[BoldVenture]

......what I seek is advise on how to achieve my goal......

Two words of advice - Business Plan

[Crawfish]

Hello I am new to this. I am 50 a and looking to retire from my county job in 10years. I was born and raised in oregon however am now living in west texas ( dont ask.... LOL). My plan is when I retire from my job to move back to oregon. Get a boat and land.....plan is to supplement my income if needed by fishing.....not looking to do this full time or compete with anyone.....I love the ocean and I love fishing......what I seek is advise on how to achieve my goal......what kind of boat? How big? Gear? Salmon and tuna? Grabbing for personal consumption? Is it expensive? Maintenance?
As I am a mechanic by trade mechanical work be no.problem. any advise?

Type of boat= Fiberglass on a trailer 25'-28' range. Get a pre owned troller. There have been some fully rigged boats with no permit for less than $5,000.00 recently. Craigslist is your friend. Albacore is a less likely option unless conditions put them within 30 NM of where you are at. Ability for longer range will be limited by fuel capacity/weather keeping abilities. Crabbing is no problem on a small boat. Mechanical experience is a double bonus as with most older equipment something always needs to be done and new equipment still needs proper maintenance. Business plans are always a good idea. One thing to keep in mind is to have a plan B as there is always turmoil in the industry fighting over fish, water, habitat and a symposium of other "issues".