“What should I tip the captain of my snook fishing charter?” It’s a question we hear all the time. Unfortunately, it doesn’t boil down to a yes or no answer. But what we can do is provide you with a couple of generally accepted guidelines when it comes to the nature of tipping your Tampa Bay fishing guide, so when the time comes, you’ll be better equipped to make the right decision.
Tipping Your Snook Fishing Charter
Simply put, if the crew did a good job, then you should tip around 15-20% of the price you paid. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with withholding a portion (or all) of the tips you were planning on giving. This is a service industry after all. Mates and captains understand that keeping the patrons happy translates to better tips. The snook fishing charter captains at Salinity Now in Tampa Bay go out of their way to keep our guests happy.
Keep in mind that if there’s a mate on board, they usually work strictly for tips. Crew compensation methods vary from boat to boat. Some mates receive a flat rate, others see a percentage of the snook fishing charter fare, and many receive nothing but tips.
“My Trip Wasn’t Successful. Do I Still Have to Tip?”
Sometimes you may not catch anything, but that doesn’t mean your crew didn’t do a good job or try hard. You’re going to have days where no matter how much work you put in, the fish aren’t going to bite. That’s just the nature of fishing in Tampa Bay.
On the other hand, you’ve got to step back to see the whole picture. You may consider withholding a portion of the tips if you can answer “no” to the questions below:
- Did the captain try different methods when it was clear the others weren’t working?
- Did the captain try contacting other boats to see if they were having success or not?
- Did the captain move the boat several times as it became clear there weren’t fish at any particular spot?
- Did the captain go out of their way to ensure you had a good time regardless of the fishing conditions?
Choose Salinity Now in Tampa Bay
Whether you’ve had a successful fishing trip or not is not the only factor to consider when calculating how much to tip your captain. If they at least tried hard to catch fish and made sure you had a pleasant trip, then make sure you tip the crew. If you’re looking for a personable fishing guide who will make sure you not only catch fish, but have a good time doing it, then call Salinity Now at (727) 480-3620 or contact us to book your snook fishing charter in Tampa Bay.
