BOOKING A TRIP
WHAT YOU NEED TO GO FISHING
When booking a trip, a minimum of $100 deposit is required to reserve your calendar day. Cash or check is OK for reservations. The balance of the money is due at the dock before departure onto the lake. Only cash will be accepted at the dock for the remaining balance owed. All day trip fees include an 8 hour trip dock to dock, or limit out. Departure time is 6AM. I will also fillet your fish unless you specify differently. Fillets will be loosely bagged and presented to you for transporting home. I recommend a good washing of your fillets before consuming or freezing.
I supply all of the necessary safety and fishing equipment for a fun filled fishing excursion on the lake. Porta potty on board the Sportcraft. Full size head on Tiara. To make the trip even more enjoyable, here is a list of things that I recommend that you bring with you. Some of these items are mandatory for the day.
CURRENT PA FISHING LICENSE (most important) with a minimum of a Lake Erie stamp. I recommend the Lake Erie combo stamp in case we hook into some steelheads.
SEA SICKNESS MEDICATION is a must, especially if you are prone to motion sickness. Take at least 2 hours before trip.
SUN PROTECTION to protect you from the suns powerful rays. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, as well as any protective clothing that you may need.
RAIN GEAR because you never know.
PROPER FOOTWEAR in the form of light colored and soft shoes only. No hard soles and NO BARE FEET.
CELL PHONE with camera to capture those trophy moments for your album.
PERSONAL LUNCH COOLER. No large coolers on the boat.
LARGE ICE FILLED COOLER to transport your catch home. Keep this in your vehicle. Ice is available at the marina.
ALCOHOL is permitted on the boat. Canned beer only. No glass. No hard liquor. No illegal drugs. Prescription drugs only. See my rules on alcohol and drugs under "Trip Rules".
CURRENT PA FISHING LICENSE (most important) with a minimum of a Lake Erie stamp. I recommend the Lake Erie combo stamp in case we hook into some steelheads.
SEA SICKNESS MEDICATION is a must, especially if you are prone to motion sickness. Take at least 2 hours before trip.
SUN PROTECTION to protect you from the suns powerful rays. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, as well as any protective clothing that you may need.
RAIN GEAR because you never know.
PROPER FOOTWEAR in the form of light colored and soft shoes only. No hard soles and NO BARE FEET.
CELL PHONE with camera to capture those trophy moments for your album.
PERSONAL LUNCH COOLER. No large coolers on the boat.
LARGE ICE FILLED COOLER to transport your catch home. Keep this in your vehicle. Ice is available at the marina.
ALCOHOL is permitted on the boat. Canned beer only. No glass. No hard liquor. No illegal drugs. Prescription drugs only. See my rules on alcohol and drugs under "Trip Rules".
TRIP CANCELLATIONS
Trips can be cancelled for many reasons. First, let's talk about acceptable cancellations that will result in a refund of your deposit money.
Sometimes, no matter how well you planned your trip and how much you looked forward to your Lake Erie fishing experience, the trip on the water has to be cancelled. The weather is so unpredictable and extreme weather conditions can create serious safety concerns which will result in a cancellation of your trip prior to trip departure. Sometimes this can be just minutes before departure. I will sometimes wait out the current weather situation hoping that the weather will clear up and calm down. If we do have to delay the trip for an hour or so, we will still fish for 8 hours from the new time of departure. But as the captain, I have the right to cancel at any time. Other reasons for cancellations that are out of my control are illness, family emergencies, mechanical failures, etc.
If the trip has to be cancelled for any of the reasons stated above, your deposit money will be returned to you, or, you can reschedule another trip at a later date with the same deposit. Sometimes, foul weather can be accurately predicted a day or so before your reserved trip. In these cases, I will give you plenty of advance notice for cancellation so you will save yourself a trip to Erie.
If you are already in Erie when your trip is cancelled, don't let this keep you from having fun. Erie is a beautiful city and it has a lot to offer. There are shopping malls, restaurants, Waldameer Park, Splash Lagoon, Presque Isle with various beaches, and many wineries, etc. Take advantage of your trip to Erie and visit some of these places to occupy your time. You won't regret your non-fishing adventures.
Now let's talk about unacceptable trip cancellations which are because of negligence on your behalf. First, if you have to cancel the trip for reasons of your concern, you must cancel at least 72 hours (3 days) before your departure time of the day of your trip. Any shorter cancellation notice on your behalf will result in forfeiture of your deposit money. Also, if cancellation of the trip is because either you did not show up or if you were deemed unfit and unsafe for the trip, excessive intoxication for example, then your deposit money will not be refunded. See my rules and fees that may be incurred for cancellation when the rules are broken. (See Trip Rules).
For mid trip sea sickness issues, the choice here is to take the affected individual back to dock and then continue on the original 8 hour fishing schedule or terminate the trip at docks return. The cost would be a flat $200/hr dock to dock rounded UP TO THE NEAREST HOUR with the total cost not to exceed the original trip price. The other choice, although not recommended, is to have the affected individual be tough enough to endure the whole trip until the end.
Sometimes, no matter how well you planned your trip and how much you looked forward to your Lake Erie fishing experience, the trip on the water has to be cancelled. The weather is so unpredictable and extreme weather conditions can create serious safety concerns which will result in a cancellation of your trip prior to trip departure. Sometimes this can be just minutes before departure. I will sometimes wait out the current weather situation hoping that the weather will clear up and calm down. If we do have to delay the trip for an hour or so, we will still fish for 8 hours from the new time of departure. But as the captain, I have the right to cancel at any time. Other reasons for cancellations that are out of my control are illness, family emergencies, mechanical failures, etc.
If the trip has to be cancelled for any of the reasons stated above, your deposit money will be returned to you, or, you can reschedule another trip at a later date with the same deposit. Sometimes, foul weather can be accurately predicted a day or so before your reserved trip. In these cases, I will give you plenty of advance notice for cancellation so you will save yourself a trip to Erie.
If you are already in Erie when your trip is cancelled, don't let this keep you from having fun. Erie is a beautiful city and it has a lot to offer. There are shopping malls, restaurants, Waldameer Park, Splash Lagoon, Presque Isle with various beaches, and many wineries, etc. Take advantage of your trip to Erie and visit some of these places to occupy your time. You won't regret your non-fishing adventures.
Now let's talk about unacceptable trip cancellations which are because of negligence on your behalf. First, if you have to cancel the trip for reasons of your concern, you must cancel at least 72 hours (3 days) before your departure time of the day of your trip. Any shorter cancellation notice on your behalf will result in forfeiture of your deposit money. Also, if cancellation of the trip is because either you did not show up or if you were deemed unfit and unsafe for the trip, excessive intoxication for example, then your deposit money will not be refunded. See my rules and fees that may be incurred for cancellation when the rules are broken. (See Trip Rules).
For mid trip sea sickness issues, the choice here is to take the affected individual back to dock and then continue on the original 8 hour fishing schedule or terminate the trip at docks return. The cost would be a flat $200/hr dock to dock rounded UP TO THE NEAREST HOUR with the total cost not to exceed the original trip price. The other choice, although not recommended, is to have the affected individual be tough enough to endure the whole trip until the end.