On 15 Mar 2007 09:29:30 -0700, "Olebiker" wrote:

Does anyone else find it silly to hear a fishing guide call himself
"Captain"? Maybe I'm just being nitpicky but it sure seems
pretentious to me. I was just looking at a fishing tabloid in which
Scott Martin has a column. He is listed as "Captain Scott Martin."

I've got the real story for you because I was down there when
this was going on. This "ya gotta have a captain's license to be a
fishing guide" trend started back in the 80s down in Florida when some
of the bigger fishing businesses (ie. Nix's) were trying to force
other fishing guides out of business. The problem they were having
was that these bigger fishing businesses were trying to hire out as
many guides from "their" business as possible (ie. "I've got 17 guides
running tomorrow"). Not only did the fishing businesses get a take of
what the guides made, but they also made em' buy all their stuff from
their particular business. IMO, it was a pretty ugly business and I'm
sure much of it bordered on down-right criminal.

As a result of this, I know many people who would have nothing to
do with some of the businesses that were involved in trying to force
things like this through.

Taking the captain's license is a good idea for any guide on big
waters. However, trying to force out fishermen from being in the
guiding business...because they don't get a captain's license is wrong
IMO.

I knew several people that got a captain's license for Okeechobee
who didn't refer to themselves as a Captain blankety blank too. I
don't have anything against anyone that wants to call himself Captain
or Colonel or whatever...but it does sound a tad pretentious...unless,
of course, you are serving in the military...

--
Dwayne E. Cooper, Atty at Law
Indianapolis, IN
Email:
Web Page: http://www.cooperlegalservices.com
Personal Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/OnTheWater
Dog Fishing: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/onthe...fishing040.htm
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