Response from Joe:
Richard, I am sorry you had a bad experience, and do apologies. my company is growing and yes I am trying to grow my company bigger like everyone else. Im up to three Captains and 3 boats. I only bring on the best I can.
My very first text message to you explained that Captain Chase was going to be your guide for this trip. If you had a problem with that I wish you
would have expressed your concerns at that time and I could have cancelled your trip or rescheduled you. Richard you responded by "Fine, hope we can catch on artificial but we will do what is necessary. My grandson and his friend are accomplished bass fisherman, this will be their first saltwater trip" My next text message was would you like to try wade fishing, I expressed that its not for everyone but that we have been catching fish with live croaker wading. You agreed, and even wanted to try some top water lures. I also explained to you that this is more advanced technique but since your group was accomplished bass fisherman they should catch on quickly. The age of my Captains has nothing to do with how good of a captain he is, We are both coast guard certified, both have captain licenses. When your in the water its hard to hold an accomplished fisherman hand while wading. you have to listen to the captain and use your fishing abilities to catch the fish. You even caught the first trout of the day, the area Captain Chase took you too had fish, yall just had trouble hooking up, as a guide we have to ask you to watch the way we cast and work the bait in the water, also we use fish bags so the fish that everyone catches can be measured and either kept or released. Why would you move fishing spots if the fish were in the area, you cant get upset for not being able to catch fish when other are able to catch. Your boys were casting next to captain Chase and still couldn't hook up. Chase was saying watch how I am working the bait and rod, they just couldn't get it down. I believe you tried top water off the front of the boat while Captain Chase and your boys were already in the water. Also once yall saw Captain Chase hooked up on fish everyone quickly changed to live bait. Fishing in the bay is much different than a lake or bass fishing, we have to deal with wind, tide and water clarity. Due to the large area we fish, we rely on our teammates to help each other get on fish. That is nothing new. it's called networking.
Also, your comment of you feel victim of bait and switch is not true, I explained everything every step of the way and even the morning of our trip, and you texted back and never mentioned you didn't agree with any of the information I sent you.
We as guides can help you catch your limit but can't count our limit as part of your catch. That is a rule by Texas parks and wildlife not us.
Richard, I believe you would have been disappointed either way and your expectations were just not realistic, If Captain Chase wouldn't have not fished and stayed next to you and your boys and pointed out everything you were doing wrong or how to improve your cast and technique you wouldn't have had any fish to take home. Its hard to try something new and expect to catch everything out there. It doesn't work like that. Chase was able to catch a 4 man limit of trout with no help, and yall are complaining fishermen and should have caught fish. Also, everyone knows if your catching fish you don't leave, you stay catching till the bite turns off, you don't leave just because someone cant catch fish.
I wish you would have voiced your issues with using a different guide when I texted you, when you mentioned that yall were accomplished bass fisherman, wading should have been a breeze. that bait and switch goes both ways. Please don't tell people yall are accomplished bass fishermen then complain you cant catch fish. then complain you want to catch fish with plastic but couldn't catch fish with live bait.
I do apologies for taking you at your word and you using the word accomplished loosely. I back up my Captains and only hire the best that can put customers on fish and help customers catch fish when they are struggling. Thanks for the opportunity you gave me and sorry you were disappointed. We try to make every trip the best we can. Thanks.
