Saturday, August 8, 2009

Not All Gold Coast Fishing Charters Are Equal

By Kim Raymond

So you have decided you want to experience a Gold Coast fishing charter but you are not sure which operator to go with? Read on and you will get some useful tips to help you make this decision. In fact, the guidelines provided, have applicability all across Australia beyond Gold Coast fishing charters.

Before divulging the differences between Gold Coast fishing charter operators, let's be clear about what is common amongst them all. Charters are available every day of the week in the form of full day (nine hours) and half day ( five hours) offshore fishing experiences. They usually leave early in the morning but are also available in the afternoons. All the equipment including bait is provided as well as food and beverages.

In doing your due diligence, you are advised to inquire about the boat being used and the type of fishing being undertaken by the various Gold Coast fishing charter companies. These are key considerations which will impact the quality of your experience.

The kind of boat utilized by Gold Coast fishing charter operators vary between the larger fiberglass boats that have a single hull (mono hulled) to catamarans (dual hulled) and aluminum boats that are usually much smaller.

Amongst the Gold Coast fishing charter operators, which kind of boat should you go for? A larger mono hulled is preferred for those people where comfort is really important since they are more stable and better able to deal with less than perfect weather and seas. It's true that many catamarans and aluminum boats can travel at higher speed but they do challenge the body in doing so.

A Gold Coast fishing charter operator may offer a speedy trip and more actual fishing time. However, whats the point if ones body is aching or the skipper has limited knowledge of where to go to catch fish.

A Gold Coast fishing charter operator may promise to get you out to the destination fishing reefs in record breaking time. However he probably would not be saying to you that the destination is some, close by, unproductive reefs. In the back of his mind could be thoughts of how much he can save in terms of his fuel bill.

Bear in mind that the Gold Coast area is a popular tourist destination and therefore, Gold Coast fishing charter companies cater essentially for those fishing for the first time and/or novices. If you are a person with a lot of fishing experience and/or have some particular target fish in mind, you may have to adjust your expectations.

Is it better to go for a full day or half day Gold Coast fishing charter? If you can, go for the full day simply because it enables the skipper to provide more fishing options. A full day provides ample time to travel to distant reefs that have been fished less.

Exclusive bookings enable you to have a discussion with your skipper about customising the charter to suit your particular group.

Finally be aware that most Gold Coast fishing charter skippers are quite professional but "cowboy" operators do come and go. The best option is to find a professional skipper who has worked the same charter business for an extended period of time. These Gold Coast fishing charter skippers know where to fish and most importantly, they know their boats.

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