Tipping and
Gratuities
What kind of fishing do you do?
Where are you located?
How many people can you take?
Where and When do we meet?
What do I need to bring?
Can I bring my own fishing gear?
What are your rates for
fishing trips?
When is Captain Keith Available?
What happens if the weather is
bad?
What is the refund policy for cancellations other than weather?
Does
Captain Keith have a "No Fish, No Pay" Guarantee?
How
should I dress?
Can I
keep fish?
Can I have a trophy fish
mounted?
What restroom
facilities are provided on The MTC?
Where are good places
to stay in the area?
Can I bring alcohol on The MTC?
Does Captain Keith
use bait, lures, or flies?
Tipping and Gratuities
I’m not sure how to approach this topic, but
I’m asked about tipping so often I felt I should address it. First,
the most important thing to me is that I am thrilled you picked me to
charter with—I know there are plenty of alternatives! Second, it is
important to me that you have a good time on our fishing trip. Those
are the two top things in my mind.
Tipping has become a standard in the
industry, with some guides “measuring their
success” by how much their tip
is. In my mind, a tip is secondary, but indicates that you think I
performed in an exemplary manner in all aspects of the day. My charter
fees cover the cost of running my business, but with a minimum of actual
personal income. Without a tip I am basically making not much
more than minimum wage, so the tip becomes a serious part of my income.
Also
remember that I often put in 12 hours of work for giving you an 8-hour
charter, and for me it is a reward for a job well done.
In our industry it is also common to tip
particularly well if you hook a challenging fish like a tarpon or sailfish,
or any unusually special fish like a very large one or your best fish ever.
How much is appropriate? I’ll leave that to
you, and I have had clients that tipped little and others that tipped
extravagantly, yet I believe they all had a great experience. What is
average? Around 15%-20%, but it is up to you, and I am just happy you are
fishing with me!

What
kind of fishing do you do?
Captain
Keith specializes in saltwater fishing only! He feels that a guide can
give you a true quality fishing experience only by specializing in a certain
type of fishing. He fishes Inshore for Redfish and Seatrout on the
flats year-round, and nearshore for Tarpon, Kings, and more during the
summer. You can find more detailed descriptions of these types of
fishing on the Info-Rates Page.

Where
are you located?
For both
Inshore fishing on the Flats, and Nearshore fishing out of Canaveral, the
fishing grounds are located about 45 minutes to one hour from Orlando.
The places we will meet will vary depending on the weather and fish
movements, but in general we will fish the Titusville area if we are fishing
inshore, and Port Canaveral if we are fishing nearshore.


How
many people can you take?
The MTC
Inshore will legally hold three anglers and the captain, but only two anglers are
recommended. Top-of-the-line flats boats like The MTC Inshore are designed to be small and get into shallow water quietly and will
not hold a large party. There is a $50 charge for a third angler
unless it is a child under 12.
On The
MTC Nearshore, Captain Keith normally takes one to three anglers, again with
the same charges for additional anglers if they apply.
If you have a larger party Captain Keith can set
up other boats and captains to work with us on that day. See more
details on the Info-Rates Page.

Where
and When do we meet?
Captain
Keith will have you contact him a day or two before the charter to arrange a
meeting place. The actual launch sites vary day-to-day depending on
weather, fishing pressure, and fish behavior. Typical start times are
6:30 am for morning charters and 1:00 pm for afternoon charters, however,
this will also change based on sunrise times, moon phases, and weather.

What
do I need to bring?

Bring
whatever you would like to snack on or drink during your charter (Ice and
cooler are
provided--no coolers please due to the limited space on The MTC), sunscreen,
sunglasses and a hat. You also might want to bring a camera. Nearly everything else is provided, including
fishing gear, lures, premium bait, and licenses.

Can I
bring my own fishing gear?
Sure!
But please be aware that specific types of gear work
best in this challenging fishing environment, and Captain Keith's gear is
excellent and designed to maximize your chances at catching these wary fish.
If you do wish to use your own gear please let Captain Keith know so that he
makes room on the boat.

What
are your rates for fishing trips?
The rates
vary depending on time of the charter and type of charter, and the details
can be found on the Info-Rates Page.

When
is Captain Keith available?
The
fishing in the area is year-round, with trophy gamefish a possibility on any
day of the year. However, Captain Keith tends to book up early, so
make your reservations as early as you can. You can easily request a
charter by going to the Contact Us page.

What
do I need to do to reserve a date?
Go to
the Contact Us page and get in touch with Captain
Keith so that you and captain Keith can determine a date and details for
your trip. After you have a date, a $100 deposit is required to hold
it. This deposit can be paid online through the secure PayPal
system (you do not need a PayPal account) or by check. The details for deposits are on the
Info-Rates Page.

What
happens if the weather is bad?
If we have
inclement weather on the day of the charter, Captain Keith will discuss the options
with you and a decision will be made. If it is just uncomfortable, but
safe, and there is a reasonable chance of catching fish, then the charter
will go forward. If you had planned on going Nearshore, but Inshore is
still fishable on the flats, then the charter will move Inshore. If
there is ANY safety issue the charter will be cancelled, and all deposits
and payments will be refunded.

What
is the refund policy for cancellations other than weather?
If Captain
Keith cancels the trip for any reason you will be given the option to go
with another experienced captain that Captain Keith will arrange, or he will
refund your deposit. If you cancel the trip ten days or more before
the charter date your deposit will be refunded, and if less than ten days it
will be credited towards another date within a year.

Does
Captain Keith have a "No Fish, No Pay" guarantee?
No. This is because there are
unscrupulous captains in our area that have abused this policy by fishing
for small or non-game species,
or
actually fishing themselves to make sure the boat gets a fish! A top
captain does not need to use gimmicks to attract clients, nor do the fishing
for them. Most clients are aware that fishing changes day-to-day, with
many variables to contend with, and a top captain will do his best to get
you on fish. While Captain Keith does not have a "Guarantee", he is
known for being very experienced (many tricks in his bag), extremely
successful, with a great track record!

How
should I dress?
Most of the
year it is warm and you can dress in your favorite warm-weather fishing
clothes or the same thing you would wear to a beach. For the summer, items that are
comfortable in heat and humidity, such as light fishing clothes or swimming
suits, are suggested. You will not
usually be fishing close to any other boats, so high fashion is not a
requirement. In the winter you may need a jacket, and if windy or
rainy weather is predicted, a rain-suit will make you more comfortable.

Can I
keep fish?
You can
keep fish per the Florida laws, and due to their complexity Captain Keith
will keep you informed to make sure you don't violate them. Please be
aware that the type of fishing that Captain Keith does is primarily a sport fishery,
and combined with both Florida laws on requirements for fish to be whole
until they reach their destination and local disposal requirements, there
are no fish-cleaning stations in most areas that we fish. You will
usually be required to take your fish home whole. Also, since
Florida considers this type of fishery to be a sport fishery, the limits are
not large. For example, the redfish limit is one fish per client,
between 18 and 27 inches long.
If you
do desire to take fish home, don't forget a cooler large enough to put them
in whole.

Can I
have a trophy fish mounted?
Absolutely!
It is a great memento of your day. In our modern age we no longer keep
fish in order to have them mounted.
Let Captain Keith know that you want your trophy mounted and he will take
the proper measurements and pictures required to give the needed information
to the taxidermist. The fish is then released, a taxidermist is
selected (if you do not have your own Captain Keith will be happy to refer
you to an honest, talented taxidermist), and you will get your trophy mount!

What restroom
facilities are provided on The MTC?
On the
MTC Nearshore, there are modest arrangements that can handle most needs.
On the MTC Inshore there are no facilities, however, privacy arrangements
are easily made to handle all types of requirements, and for even the most
finicky we are usually no more than 20 minutes from a "proper" facility.

Where are good
places to stay in the area?
In
Orlando there is a Plethora of places to stay. The same
holds true for Cocoa
Beach which is right near the fishing areas. Go to my
Shop & Save page for discounts on hotels,
attraction tickets, flights, and home rentals.

Can I bring alcohol on The MTC?
Capt. Keith allows alcohol on The MTC, but
there are a few considerations. First, nothing can be in glass
bottles, but must be in cans or plastic. This is a requirement of the
Canaveral National Seashore area where we do most of our fishing, plus a
basic boating safety rule.
Secondly, Capt. Keith asks you to please consume alcohol sparingly due to
its dehydration effects, an increase in seasickness, and the inherent danger
of being inebriated on a boat brings--especially when you are dealing with
sharp hooks and big, mean fish!

Does Captain
Keith use bait, lures, or flies?
All of them! After chasing these fish
for over 30 years, I consider myself multi-dimensional. I can fish
challenging flies with expert anglers that appreciate the skills an
experienced fly-fishing captain can bring, but I also can fish with bait for
either less-experienced anglers or for other reasons such as poor weather
conditions or targeting trophy-sized fish. Whether you want to fish
lures, flies, or baits, I can handle them all, and I'm always prepared to do
what is necessary to give my clients a great day!

Fishing near Orlando, Florida!
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