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    Am I Crazy.....

    Ok, I think I have lost my mind but I need a sanity check for this. I am a retired Navy Officer (Officer of the Deck Underway – basically driver license for ships) interested in obtaining my Six Pack Captain’s License so I can pursue a career as a Salt Water fly fishing guide. By being a retired ship driving Sailor, some of the time requirements are taken care of by my Active Duty time, so that is a plus. I currently live 3 hours away from the Gulf/Bay, so getting onto the bay to log the 90 days in 3 years for the license might prove problematic. Does anyone know if there is a freshwater version you can get while guiding folks that you can transfer it to salt water license? I am looking at this as a part time gig now that I can turn to when I retire for good in 15 years or so and go live on the coast and be a part time fly fishing guide. Am I incredibly naive in my thoughts thinking I can accomplish this while living so far away from the bay/gulf? Any thoughts or recommendations on how to do this?

    #2
    3 hours ain’t that far, 30 days/year for 3 years seems pretty easy to me. If you want it bad enough you’ll make it happen. Is it a priority to you or not?

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      #3
      No you are not crazy.. We just live in a ridiculously stupid world..

      Comment


        #4
        I hear you, maintaining my hours after moving away from the coast is rough
        And having to do continued education with the school in Houston is frustrating
        As it requires me to temporarily stay in Houston
        It was easier when my father-in-law was alive ( he had his 100 ton licenses) he was ex coast guard officer
        And would help me with changing rules of the road navigation
        Last edited by S-3 Ranch; 04-22-2019, 06:46 AM.

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          #5
          If you can’t get there 30 days per year how will you ever be a successful guide there?

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            #6
            Originally posted by bboswell View Post
            If you can’t get there 30 days per year how will you ever be a successful guide there?


            He’ll be retired then and living on coast, at least I think that is what he said.


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

            Comment


              #7
              OP, I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd start with the TPWD or maybe go to some of the area's bass fishin' clubs and ask around. I've not heard of a requirement for a captain's license for guides in fresh water. And in salt water, the license requirements I think are associated with doing a commercial business (fishing/guiding for hire), on US navigable waters. This condition doesn't exist in most fresh water lakes/rivers, but those where it does, it requires the same license as in salt water... Great lakes for instance or the Mississippi River...

              Good luck with your idea though!! I wish I hadn't let my US Coast Guard license expire!! It was an unlimited license!!

              Comment


                #8
                May depend on how old your kids are and how willing you are to go in marginal weather. I live in Austin and fish POC. I can hit 30 days a year while working full time and having young kids at home if I don't fish freshwater, hunt, etc. I try to make every other weekend and can do it through the summer and fall but winter is tough do to holidays, weather, school stuff. It really has to be a focus for me to hit that many days but completely possible. I actually fished a lot more when I had fishing partner and family encouraging me to go. If the forecast is 18 mph SE and 40% change of tstorms and I need to mow the grass and get the truck's oil changed, I may just sleep in without an extra push.

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                  #9
                  There are many online courses you can take the final exam is in Houston ( this was the case for a couple of us ) but I am sure you will research it
                  Another thing you must do is give up All DRUGS and ALCOHOL

                  Be at least 18 years old.
                  Have a minimum of 360 days boating experience. Ninety of these days must have occurred in the last three years. The Coast Guard calls this recency.
                  Be a U.S. citizen or be able to show lawful admittance to the United States for permanent residence if not a citizen.
                  Pass a physical exam and a drug test.
                  Hold a valid adult CPR and Basic First Aid card.
                  Obtain a Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC card), which includes a background check done by Homeland Security.
                  Pass a USCG-approved OUPV/Six-pack course like the one offered by Mariners Learning System.
                  Although these are the basic minimum requirements, the boating experience for each version of the private boat captain’s license varies slightly.“”

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Im pretty sure you can use fresh water time toward your OUPV if you own a boat.

                    Charlie, TPWD does not require the OUPV but Coast Guard DOES even in fresh water. Coast Guard set up stings on the red river below and on Texoma a few years ago. Booked trips with all the guides and then whacked them for not having the OUPV.

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by GarGuy View Post
                      Im pretty sure you can use fresh water time toward your OUPV if you own a boat.

                      Charlie, TPWD does not require the OUPV but Coast Guard DOES even in fresh water. Coast Guard set up stings on the red river below and on Texoma a few years ago. Booked trips with all the guides and then whacked them for not having the OUPV.
                      Yep, Red River is a US navigable waterway... thus license required for commerce...
                      Just wasn't sure if TPWD got involved in that process or not... I had an unlimited US Coast Guard license for 20 years... never used it so let it expire in 1995... Dumbest thing I ever did that and letting my merchant mariner's document lapse... Ain't about to go through all that again to get it back...

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by SaltwaterSlick View Post
                        Yep, Red River is a US navigable waterway... thus license required for commerce...
                        Just wasn't sure if TPWD got involved in that process or not... I had an unlimited US Coast Guard license for 20 years... never used it so let it expire in 1995... Dumbest thing I ever did that and letting my merchant mariner's document lapse... Ain't about to go through all that again to get it back...
                        Yeah I wont let mine lapse! TPWD wont get involved but if there is an accident involving paying passengers, the Coast Guard will get involved regardless.

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                          #13
                          Well freshwater does count if you spent 90 days on the ocean.

                          Capt. Flynn Smith <thebestofkeywest@hotmail.com>

                          7:34 AM (5 hours ago)

                          to me
                          Inland time does count as long as you have 90 days in the ocean.


                          Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2019 5:16 PM
                          To: capt@thebestofkeywest.com
                          Subject: Six Pack License requirements

                          Captain’s,

                          I am a retired Navy Officer (Officer of the Deck Underway) interested in obtaining my Six Pack Captain’s License so I can pursue a career as a Salt Water fishing guide. I currently live 3 hours away from the Gulf/Bay and I am curios if freshwater experience would qualify for the “on the water” requirement or not for salt water? How do you validate your time on the water via another guide or is there a representative on each body of water that validates your claim?


                          Sincerely,

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Whosure View Post
                            Well freshwater does count if you spent 90 days on the ocean.

                            Capt. Flynn Smith <thebestofkeywest@hotmail.com>

                            7:34 AM (5 hours ago)

                            to me
                            Inland time does count as long as you have 90 days in the ocean.


                            Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2019 5:16 PM
                            To: capt@thebestofkeywest.com
                            Subject: Six Pack License requirements

                            Captain’s,

                            I am a retired Navy Officer (Officer of the Deck Underway) interested in obtaining my Six Pack Captain’s License so I can pursue a career as a Salt Water fishing guide. I currently live 3 hours away from the Gulf/Bay and I am curios if freshwater experience would qualify for the “on the water” requirement or not for salt water? How do you validate your time on the water via another guide or is there a representative on each body of water that validates your claim?


                            Sincerely,
                            Be sure to keep your TWIC updated
                            Days on the water are easily obtainable when you’re apprenticeship is occurring
                            Get your course work going , the rules of the road and chart work can be very difficult

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Yeah I just had to submit a SF-180 to obtain my Transcript of Sea Service from the Navy to indicate if I have more than 360 days on the water as navigation shift worker. I guess we will see how it goes. If it is meant to be it will be. I have my TWIC right now from my job (network guy for petroleum storage and piping company). So, we will see what the Navy gives me for all of my sea time...3 ship tours for 8 years of sea service.

                              Comment

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