Tourists filet their fishing trips
Short on cash? Take the short trip.
People visiting the Emerald Coast and wanting to drop the line in the water seem to be opting for some scaled-back fishing trips.
"The five and six hour trips ... that's been the bread and butter trips," said Frances Montalvo, who books the charter boats at HarborWalk Marina.
"And a lot of them are last-minute trips," she added.
People used to book fishing boats days, weeks and months in advance and take the 10 to 12 hours trips, but not so much this year. With an economy that seems to be more choppy than the gulf on a stormy day, many visitors are watching their wallets.
"We've had more walk-on groups, and not as many company trips," she said. "And loads of turn-around trips."
A turn-around trip is when a captain has a sixhour trip in the morning and then turns around and has a four-hour trip in the afternoon.
"People are cutting their vacations short, from seven to five days," she said. "We used to be slammed on Sunday, but people are waiting to come on Monday."
Why are vacations and fishing trips cut short?
Montalvo says "fuel prices are the biggest thing and the economy. People are not sure of their jobs anymore."
But insecurity in the job market doesn't stop some as long as they have plastic in their pocket or purse.
The women in the reservation booth at HarborWalk say, "It's amazing at how many they've got in their wallets."
They say some customers have four or five credit cards declined before finding one that will go through for payment on a fishing trip.
The trend toward the short hasn't escaped the notice of local captains.
Capt. Chip Godwin of the JustinTime says he hasn't had a lot of advance notice on trips this year.
"I'd say I have had 80 percent more shorter trips this year," he said.
When he says shorter, Godwin is referring to the six-hour trip.
"I've only had four fourhour trips and not many doubles. I feel fortunate to run one a day. And I've only missed a handful of trips," Godwin said. "I think what they are doing - if they have a little leftover money - they come and take a short trip."
Godwin says increased limits on red snapper may also be playing a role.
Fishing for red snapper in federal waters ended Aug. 5, however, anglers can still keep two per person from state waters, which is up to nine miles out in the Gulf.
So what can a customer expect to catch on the average six-hour trip?
"A handful of red snapper, king mackerel and an occasional grouper or scamp ... because you can't go real far."
Nevertheless Godwin said, "I've been fishing here my whole life, and it's been good the last two years."
Capt. Scott Robson of the Phoenix says he is still getting some bookings for long trips, but not as many.
He said the cost of the six-hour trip is what the eight-hour used to be.
The average cost of a six-hour trip is $960, according to Jamie Reese at Fishing Fleet Charters.
"We've had more si-hour trips this year than we've ever had," Reese said. "The eight-hour trip is now our long trip."
Reese also noted that they have had "more group-up trips"than usual. Those trips are where two or three groups combine to cut the cost of the trip.
"Everything has whammied us this year," Reese said pointing to the economy, fishing limits, leap year with an early Easter, and the change in the school year.
"That's what I see from where I sit," Reese said from her booth at Fishing Fleet Marina.