Fish Spotting

[jspilot]

Wondering if any pilots out there are fish spotters for half the year aournd the Gulf Coast. I'm curious how the job and pay is. thanks for all the input.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

I've heard of it being done up in AK, I think they use cubs and cessnas on floats/amphibs.

 

[vclean]

I would have trouble staying awake.

 

[DAS at 10/250]

A lot of fish spotting out of SE Texas and Louisiana.

No other info though, sorry.

 

[PadFull'oTrim]

weren't the fish spotters in TX Louisiana grounded by the gov't last year?

 

[DAS at 10/250]

I don't know about that. Maybe, though.

 

[willi7]

Sleep

If you think flying around in a cessna, low the water in poor weather with six other airplanes doing the same thing, all around you sleepy work, you have a tough job....

 

[CL60]

careful

Did some spotting years ago. It is a tough job and the pay is all over the place. We usually lost at least one pilot every season due to inexperience, wx, badly maintained airplanes, etc... Flying low and slow over the water 50 or 80 miles out in a zig-zag pattern all day is just asking for an accellerated stall. Most of the pilots lost were newbies.

There is also much competition among the fleets. Had another spotter point a pistol at me when we both began an orbit on the same fish.

We were paid by the pound too... and there is no way for you to verify that from the air. Bottom line is, unless you're a professional fisherman and really want to do this... there are plenty of better flying jobs out there.

Good luck,

 

[jspilot]

CL60,
That was a great description of the job. Thanks a lot for your response.
Jspilot

Also, thanks for all the other responses!!