Guest on boat....ettiquette

I'm soon to be purchasing my first fiberglass bass boat. I'm currently on my 3rd aluminum.
Over the years many mishaps, spills, bumps, gouges, etc have been taken in stride.
However, when I see damaged seats in bass boats I know that many times it is from people stepping in the seat to move from front to back or vice versa.
It has long been a pet peeve of mine.
My rule...
If you step on my seats you never step foot on my boat again.

I'd love to read your opinions on this and any other "guest rules" you like to adhere to.

Go!

On most dual consoles, it's almost unavoidable

It's a pretty big step up and across especially for older folks fish. Maybe consider laying a towel on top for them, the young whipper snappers shouldn't have a problem. Only things I ask is don't [censored] or spit on my boat and the 3rd time you hang up break the line. Other than that let's have some fun.

They are made to be stepped on. I find you'll see more damage when someone tried not to step on them and makes that awkward wide deep step down and loses their balance and crashes into your graph or something else. Only rule I have is to help me clean out the trash at the end of the trip.

my rule is there are no rules other than common sense..I'm not going to deliberately tear my boat up but it is a frigging fishing boat not a prized heirloom..every boat I've ever owned was bought with one purpose in mind....catch as many fish as possible and enjoy the use of the boat which includes smoking,dipping,spitting,passing gas and peeing over/on the side...there are no rules against stepping on the seats......if it means idling through bushes, over stumps and/or mud flats to get to the fish,that where my boat goes..if my boat bangs up against a dock while flipping,that nick or scratch just gives it character...
and after a tournament the last place you will see me is over in corner of the lot detailing my boat for the ride home....if I'm not up near the stage to collect a check,I'm up there listening close trying to find out how the guys caught more fish than me....

I'll allow all of the above too.....but NO CATFISH!!!!! Slimy POS fish.

Bad back made me give up bass boats. Would be all I can do just to get up out of the seat so I switched to a bay boat. Greatest move I ever made. No seats to tear up, no carpet to stain or tear up, more room to fish with several people on board, handles rough water better, drafts less water so I can get where some can't. So far the only negatives I've found are it's slower, and higher gunnels makes it sometimes harder to sling fish over the side.

I would guess you don't have a lot of people lined up to go fishing with you.

Never? C’mon man. I get taking care of your boat but not at the expense of having fun.

Good luck. I say the same thing but alas I end up stepping on them from time to time.

When you put it all in perspective, it's just a boat. Do I want people stepping on my seats. spitting their tobacco juice, spilling spike it or pi##ing on the top cap , well of course not. Am I going to loose my s##t over it, nope.

Now cigarettes and catfish slime, neither of those are welcome in my boat...

Well....that didn't take long.
Good thing is, we all know the old saying about opinions.
It certainly applies here.

Blows my mind that people come up with “rules” for getting in their bass boat.

Sounds like your a little uptight about material things and you should value your friends more. if they really mistreat something tell them to cut it out or you'll be on the evening news saying " I don't know . . . He fell out and was swimming back but then he went under and didn't surface again". Your friends will understand.

Unfortunately, common sense....not so common. Other than that, if you are ever here in Tx, I got a boat just like this yours
and your welcome aboard anytime!!!

Not uptight about material things...am uptight about jackholes not respecting property.... I've had a couple fishing partners who were less than respectful when it wasn't their dollars involved...again just my opinion...

I don't care too much about spitting or pissing off the side of the boat. No smoking and no alcohol allowed in my boat. Try not to step in the seats if you can avoid it.
But I am the guy wiping down my boat when I take it out of the water. Keeps it looking nice and for the money they cost, I want it to be nice as long as possible. Not to mention the fact that mine is going to command top dollar when I get rid of it. Sold my last boat for 1k less than what I paid for it - had it 7 years.
I don't need to stand up front to hear what someone else did to catch their fish - I'll find my own and they can mail me my check if need be.

You shouldn't let jackholes on your boat no matter how they treat it.

Basscat seats are designed to be stepped on. Carpet, Gel coat and Fiberglass are all relatively cheap. [censored] happens from time to time. Blatant disrespect is uncalled for and I don't tolerate it. But if one of my buddies messes something up they usually offer to fix it.

we have a simple rule in my boat, loser buys the beer. I end up buying lots of beer for my friend even though we in my boat! lol

I was the same when I first got my boat but now I just do my best to have fun! I can buy new seats and carpet if accidents happen!

My rules for guests are simple: 1. PFDs will be worn by both of us when running, no exceptions. I would have a hard time getting over seeing someone go under the water and not come up. 2. No alcohol of any quantity is allowed. . 3. Dip N Glo your baits prior to loading, or use a pen. Before we got our boat someone spilled it in the main storage and it still smells. Other than that just please try to help keep the boat from banging into stuff.

I feel like it's usually an old school guy thing to not like people steppin on your seats... but heck, I'm 20 years old and I hate people stepping on my seats. In my triton I have the center seat pulled and a plastic step up to the back deck in its place. If someone is stepping on the seat, it is just them being disrespectful. I think that's my biggest pet peeve above all.... a boat is for fishing, and as such, I don't really get mad about anything. I'm a really chill boater. But the one thing I can't stand is just being disrespectful toward my stuff. As long as I can tell you're being respectful toward my stuff, all else is fair game. Don't mind you fishing on the front deck with me, heck most of my partners run the trolling motor and I don't care. I'm there to fish and have fun. Although.. I do absolutely HATE cigarettes. Would highly prefer they stay out of my boat but some people can't help it.

I hate guests who are unorganized. Nothing like having one clean area on the deck, backpacks on the floor all the tackle boxes spread around, 3-4rods hanging off the sides and on the floor not in the rod locker , go pro cords chargers and bags everywhere etc. Im all about fishing solo because guests unless they have a boat can be a pain in the rear.

I agree

Give me the front or the back, and I'll stay there. Now, you gotta let me do what I wanna do when you put me there. All I ask that you don't "Mike Iocanelli" bounce all over the boat when you catch a 2-pounder like it's the first fish you ever caught.

I used to take a guy fishing that always wore lace up boots with those 4 wheel drive soles on them, he would step on my seats and I would just cringe, finally one day he tore one of the seats, I said thats it, either tennis shoes or no shoes for you.

Hate can drinks on the boat. Never stays in the can while running the lake. Plastic bottle drinks only and put the cap back on when finished. If you are running the trolling motor do not crash the boat into heavy brush to get your $5 bait back, just break it off. Hell I'll give you the $5 to save me from buffing out scratches. If you get your shoes muddy at least make an effort to clean them before stepping on the boat. I understand not always possible but do not just jump on like you did not know and use my deck as welcome mat. Keep items stored out of the way and do not just sit in the passenger chair watching me put everything up to make a run. I do not power load the boat up the ramp. It is faster and easier for the person in the truck to hook up the boat to the trailer then pull the boat out.

If I'm in my own boat the only "rule" that I have is that everyone puts on a PFD while the big motor is running. Other than that - have fun. I fish by myself 98% of the time..only other person who fishes with me usually is my Dad...which about 1 out of 10 casts we'll have to go get him untangled from something on shore...somehow he still manages to catch more and bigger fish lol. I try not to worry about every little thing in my own boat.

With that said - If I'm in someone else's boat I try to be extremely careful with everything I do. Only drink water, no dip n' glow, etc. Last thing I want to do is make a mess of someone's boat - even if it was "just" an accident.

OK I did read something that guests do that I have to say something about, and its novice fisherman, rods sitting up ( like in floorboard over the consoles!) or hanging off side. I get hung casting on them and just move them myself most of the time, they dont even know.

I only fish with a select few. It's such an honor to be in the boat with me most just sit and watch me fish.

Like previously stated....opinions are what they are.

epic

If you hook me first ... I will reciprocate, but not immediately. If I hook you first, it was an accident (probably). Anything else I am OK with.

Your boat, your rules; however, taking the center seat out solves the problem. When you have a third person in your boat, they can use the throw cushion in the center seat position.

Thats not a problem for me, I own a Ranger with the fold down middle passenger seat that acts as a step/platform when not in use, which is always because very rarely are there 3 people fishing out of my boat
My peeve is mud on my carpet, if we have to load up in an area without a dock, please try to keep your shoes as clean as possible before climbing in the boat! And beer, if you want to drink beer on my boat please enjoy, but be careful not to spill it, dont want my boat smelling like a bar especially if or when the game warden pulls up.

you DO let them work the net for you......right? Fetch fresh plastics for you too?

I removed my middle cushion so it acts like a step. I thought most bass boats had the option? My current skeeter is my first real bass boat so maybe I'm confused. In any case, I guess some of you guys have more friends than I do. I can't be banning people over petty stuff. I already fish alone more often than I'd prefer.

the middle seat on my Skeeter flips forward and has non-slip stuff on the back side..intended to be a seat or a step.

im probably to most laid back boater on the TFF, lol

Buy the captain Gas and a can of Copenhagen and you are welcome anytime. No catfish on the carpet. Middle seat flips down for a step. A Yeti Roadie fits nicely in between the two consoles and makes for a deck extender on my Skeeter.

All I ask is Don't Be Late and Keep Talking to a Minimum

Its a tool use it as one, won't see me get pissed over spills or seats stepped on

there's a step in the middle for a reason

I'm with you, step on the seats and you ain't fishing with me

That was Awesome!

If a person is extremely anal about their boat that's fine. You need to tell the people your taking fishing the do's and donts. Me personally I agree with the guys that bought their boat to fish out of. I don't get a new boat every few years . I buy one and run it till it's done so I'm not much worried about resale. I'd much rather be catching fish than worrying about bumping a stump or bridge pillar or dock or if your shoes are dirty or blah blah blah. My 2 cents. End of the day. It's your boat make your own rules. You don't need to ask advice from anyone. Do what makes you happy bro.

Please,
No net or live bait
If you keep a bass out of the water for more than 30 seconds (i always have water in a live well for fish that need a breath before getting a scale or camera out) and your not going to keep it to eat, you'll hear my "you just brain damage that bass lecture".
I would hope hear an offer of money to repair anything you tear up.

I do have a few rules for a guest on my boat:

1. Don't catch more than me, if you do I will cut your line.
2. Speak only when spoken to. I don't want to hear your stories, and don't even think about offering me advice.
3. You can only cast straight back, over the motor.
4. Light my cigarettes, I'm not putting down my rod to light a smoke. As my guest, that's your job.
5. No complaining, this is obviously covered by rule #2 but I thought it important enough to have its own rule.

Hahaha same

All these responses are great, I got a dollar to a nickel the guys that say they don't care about anything as far as how they treat their boats are not driving a 60 -70 K dollar boat, if they were then they have more money than sense. I do have one boat that I treat that way, we call her stumpy, aluminum tunnel with a jet drive, she is my get down to business boat.