dave Posted February 23, 2015 Posted February 23, 2015 Since I got out of the USAF 28 years ago, I've been fortunate to work with people I enjoy being with and have made life long friends. I started a couple of years ago working (and it is a lot of work) with a good friend as a fishing guide. Worked hard, got my USCG Captain's license and spent a lot of money gearing up. That good friend is now one of my best friends and I have a blast on the weekends from March through October. Sometimes I don't believe it is real...I get paid to take people fishing. Do you know what the difference is between a professional tournament fisherman and a professional fishing guide? A professional fishing guide always collects a check. 1 Quote
plumworm Posted February 23, 2015 Posted February 23, 2015 And you get paid + tip to fish. I have spent a whole chunk of money over the past 20 years with a guide. My biggest complaint is, instead of teaching, most/many of the my guides would rather just fish at my expense. Out of 20+ guides I have hired over the years, 3 maybe 4 have had my best interest at heart. That is really hard to take. Decided last year, that $700 bucks later I was done, done, done. I don't mind a guide fishing, but when I get "back boated" because of the wind and the guide catches fish and I don't even have a chance to cast? I'm on my way to Guntersville in March for 2 weeks, and for the first time in 20+ years of fishing trips my buddy and I said "skrew it" We may not figure it out, but that $700 bucks for 2 days of paying someone else to fish will buy a whole lot of sippin whiskey and gas. If I wanted to spend the time, I would outline many bad experiences on Guntersville, Toho, Big "O", Table rock, Rayburn, and KY. Lake. Ya, you get a check, but not mine anymore. Not speaking to you Kicker, just my mistake/ luck with guides. Quote
papajoe222 Posted February 23, 2015 Posted February 23, 2015 I drove a party bus for four years after I'd retired. The things I saw and sometimes participated in made even this old fart's cheeks turn red. I remember one 30th birthday party that I had to pull off the road because my eyes were glued to the show going on in my mirror. Quote
dave Posted February 23, 2015 Posted February 23, 2015 And you get paid + tip to fish. I have spent a whole chunk of money over the past 20 years with a guide. My biggest complaint is, instead of teaching, most/many of the my guides would rather just fish at my expense. Out of 20+ guides I have hired over the years, 3 maybe 4 have had my best interest at heart. That is really hard to take. Decided last year, that $700 bucks later I was done, done, done. I don't mind a guide fishing, but when I get "back boated" because of the wind and the guide catches fish and I don't even have a chance to cast? I'm on my way to Guntersville in March for 2 weeks, and for the first time in 20+ years of fishing trips my buddy and I said "skrew it" We may not figure it out, but that $700 bucks for 2 days of paying someone else to fish will buy a whole lot of sippin whiskey and gas. If I wanted to spend the time, I would outline many bad experiences on Guntersville, Toho, Big "O", Table rock, Rayburn, and KY. Lake. Ya, you get a check, but not mine anymore. Not speaking to you Kicker, just my mistake/ luck with guides. We both run boats with a Minn Kota remote control. We stand in the middle of the boat and operate the trolling motor. Partners switch off and front to back as they see fit. But, I hear you. Lot's of stories just like yours. Quote
Super User DogBone_384 Posted February 23, 2015 Super User Posted February 23, 2015 I drove a party bus for four years after I'd retired. The things I saw and sometimes participated in made even this old fart's cheeks turn red. I remember one 30th birthday party that I had to pull off the road because my eyes were glued to the show going on in my mirror. OH CRAP! You drove my bachelor party .... didn't you !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Quote
papajoe222 Posted February 23, 2015 Posted February 23, 2015 Yea, I caught the Yankees vs. Red Sox game the next day too. Quote
ward131 Posted March 2, 2015 Posted March 2, 2015 7 years in the United States Coast Guard, operated boats and told ppl what to do. Nothing like taking the old 44 out and playing in 12 foot waves. Bos'nMates rule, lol. A jay back me up on this. Downside broke my back and had to retire early. 21 years USCG, Driving small boats over large waves on a huge Ocean. Downside busted up vertebrae. 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted March 2, 2015 Super User Posted March 2, 2015 7 years in the United States Coast Guard, operated boats and told ppl what to do. Nothing like taking the old 44 out and playing in 12 foot waves. Bos'nMates rule, lol. A jay back me up on this. Downside broke my back and had to retire early. You know you're right Boats - We called the 44 "The Men's Boat" - you weren't going any where fast but you knew you could get there . . . and more importantly, get back. 28 years worth but I managed to avoid major injury though the threat was very real & always there. A-Jay 1 Quote
Cameron211 Posted March 2, 2015 Posted March 2, 2015 I work at Wal-Mart distribution center now... what makes it fun? I only work sat-mon and get tues-fri off. More time for fishing!!!!! Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted March 4, 2015 Super User Posted March 4, 2015 One of my first jobs was repossessing vacuum cleaners and sewing machines, both interesting and dangerous. That was not the highlight of the job, the owner of the business had a 39' sailboat called the Eurphoria.. Part of the job was sailing the day races on Lake St Clair with a few over night races plus 2 Mackinaw races yearly. Wednesday was practice day or working on the boat. When it came to the Mac races Howard my co worker and best friend and I sailed the boat from Detroit to Chicago or Pt. Huron and back home home when the race was finished, stopping at many ports, partying for several weeks. The boat was only used for races Howard and I had the use of the boat whenever we wanted. Lee, the owner, also had a 360 fuel injected split roof stingray and 64' Excalibur, we could use those cars at will too. 1 Quote
VtSmallmouth Posted March 5, 2015 Posted March 5, 2015 Drilling and blasting. Still do it but it's a blast! (Pun intended) my posistion is the driller, I run a 25000 lb rock drill all day, dirty loud job but a lot of fun. Plus I get to watch stuff blow up everyday haha Quote
Super User RoLo Posted March 16, 2015 Super User Posted March 16, 2015 Back in the 50s while still in high school, my mechanical drawing teacher offered me $2 / hour to scrape wallpaper from 3 rooms in his house. It was a super offer that I simply couldn't refuse Roger Quote
Thornback Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 At age 16 setting pins in a bowling alley for 10 cents a game. I would man 2 alleys on league night and could make a total of $3. That was back when pins were set by hand with a mechanical device. The next morning all my muscles would be sore. Also no air conditioning and no breaks. If you wanted a cold drink you had to shout for the boss to bring you one. And he charged you 10 cents for it. Man I loved that job Quote
Super User SoFlaBassAddict Posted March 16, 2015 Super User Posted March 16, 2015 Getting to wear my bdu's to work when I was on active duty in the Army. Had to be the best job ever. The pay sucked, but d**n was it ever fun...mostly. The good times far outweighed the bad. Now, it's the job I have. I'd do it for free. Getting to design and build special events booths from scratch really is enjoyable. Plus I get to sound like Tim Taylor whenever I get a new tool into the shop. It drives the ladies crazy I tell ya..... 1 Quote
Rivmage Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 When I was 9 years old during the summer I stayed with my grandparents for a few weeks. My grandpa was retired but owned a little machine shop and would work small projects. We went there a few times a week. He gave me small odd jobs, sanding rusty machines, sweeping the floor, counting parts he made, etc. I was able to use a drill press, sanding belt. I miss him... It was one of the best summers I can remember. Scott Quote
Thornback Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 When I was 9 years old during the summer I stayed with my grandparents for a few weeks. My grandpa was retired but owned a little machine shop and would work small projects. We went there a few times a week. He gave me small odd jobs, sanding rusty machines, sweeping the floor, counting parts he made, etc. I was able to use a drill press, sanding belt. I miss him... It was one of the best summers I can remember. Scott You trying to make a grown man cry Quote
Super User bigbill Posted March 16, 2015 Super User Posted March 16, 2015 Lead Engineering Tech in a R&D test lab. I was in charge of the floor. It was like having my own company providing a service to the engineers in product development, life testing new products and accident investigations. My last 20years of working was fun. All my heavy machine tool building experiences were used in the lab. I had a blast. I build machine tools that weighed 200,000lbs. In the test lab the motors we tested weighed 30,000lbs. They thought it was a big deal with moving them. Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted March 17, 2015 Super User Posted March 17, 2015 At age 16 setting pins in a bowling alley for 10 cents a game. I would man 2 alleys on league night and could make a total of $3. That was back when pins were set by hand with a mechanical device. The next morning all my muscles would be sore. Also no air conditioning and no breaks. If you wanted a cold drink you had to shout for the boss to bring you one. And he charged you 10 cents for it. Man I loved that job How many times did you get hit by a pin(s)? I remember those days. I never did it, but I remember the pin boy would step on a lever, raising posts on the alley. The pins had a hole bored in the bottom so they could be set on those posts. I think you had a high seat between the two alleys, so you could work two alleys at a time. Quote
Thornback Posted March 17, 2015 Posted March 17, 2015 Our mechanical device was positioned over the alley and had slots to place the pins. Then we would push down on a bar to move the holder to the floor of the alley, the device would set the pins and would spring back up out of the way. I never got hit by a pin but I remember this one huge guy would throw a hard ball and one night a pin flew out the back door of the building. I did get a mashed finger several times when picking up the ball and trying to set it in the return grove. Quote
matuka Posted March 18, 2015 Posted March 18, 2015 Delivering pizzas when I was sixteen. Then even more fun was driving an ambulance in SF in college. Quote
Basseditor Posted March 18, 2015 Posted March 18, 2015 I haven't worked in 30 years. I show up and help put together an outdoor magazine and I get a check every month. 1 Quote
Thornback Posted March 18, 2015 Posted March 18, 2015 My very best job of all time is the one I have held for the past 20 years. I arise each morning when I want, I retire each night when I want, I do what pleases me in between those times, I also have checks being deposited in my banking account -- four checks per month. I started planning for this job when I was 18-years-old. What a country. Quote
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