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JUNIOR MATES PROGRAM
The Organizational Meeting for the 2008 BHCFA Junior Mate Training Program will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 19, 2008.
Registration Night will be held at the Museum of New Jersey Maritime History, Dock Road at West Avenue, Beach Haven, NJ. The Museum Phone Number is 609-492-0202. Parking is available on the east side of the Museum or on the street where marked.
Call Capt. John at 609-290-3349 for details about the BHCFA Junior Mate Training Program.
Reasons to Join
- Learn to be a better fisherman! Learn hands-on techniques! Taught
by the leading charter boat professionals.
- Learn to be a better boater including navigation, boat handling,
maintenance, weather, safety, first aid, and all of the other skills
that will make you more valuable on the water.
- Learn all of the other skills that increase your value as a crewmember
on charter, party, and private fishing boats.
- Become proficient in all of the skills and meet all of the qualifications
and you can be offered a paid mate’s position in the Beach Haven
Charter Association charter fleet. This is the best summer job you
can imagine!
- A scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior with at least
a “B” average who has proven him/herself as a top quality
Junior Mate.
- Your membership in the BHCFA Junior Mate program lets you stand
apart from the crowd. All Junior Mates receive BHCFA tee shirts each
season and annual membership as Junior Anglers in the International
Game Fish Association (IGFA) as part of their BHCFA Junior Mate Program
participation.
Download the Junior
Mate Associate Membership Application here.

Training Schedule - Every Thursday evening from
late June into August.
Program Cost - $25 plus cost of U.S. Coast Guard approved random drug test program including the "pre-employment" test. All Junior Mates must be enrolled in a random drug test program and have had their "pre-employment" tests prior to being allowed on any BHCFA Member Captain's boat. See information in Training Night 1 below regarding the random drug test program almost all BHCFA Captains use.
Junior Mate applicants should reach their 13th birthday or older by this coming August 1. Interested applicants who will not be 13 by August 1, 2008 should look forward to joining the program when they reach the year when they will turn 13 by August 1.
This is a serious charter boat crew-training program. We expect all Junior Mates who enroll to participate and learn more about the sport they love ... fishing. It is not a recreational program per se. Only qualified candidates will receive their Charter Boat Mate Certification.
Junior Mates only earn pay when their assigned BHCFA Member Captain decides the Junior Mate has earned pay. The dedication of time and effort is what the Junior Mate invests to learn the trade.
Parents are welcome to attend the Thursday night Training Meetings.
- June 19, 2008 - As many BHCFA Captains as possible.
Drop off point - Marine History Museum
Session A - Registration - Capt. Lindsay Fuller, Capt. Bob Gerkens,
and as many others as possible. Junior Mate applicant must complete
the Associate Member Application Form. Parent must sign the
Blanket Permission Form and cover cost of "pre-employment" drug
test and membership in drug test program required by the U.S. Coast
Guard. Costs vary depending on the boats the Junior Mate is assigned
to for training, minimum 2 boats per season. The drug program that
most BHCFA Captains use can be found at
www.apcadrugtesting.com, the American Professional Captains
Association. Tell them that you are applying as a BHCFA Junior Mate
and that the agreed fee is $25. The normal fee is $60 so make sure you
tell them about our special deal for our Junior Mates. APCA will
instruct you as to what drug test center to go to.
Session B - Marine Fisheries Biology/Management. - Nathan Figley
Assign 3 knots for homework. The knot instructions can be found at www.animatedknots.com or you can link to this site from the Fishing Resources Page of the BHCFA website at www.BHCFA.com. Dropper loop, Clinch, Figure 8 plus one knot of your choice for extra credit are your homework. You will be tested on these knots during the next meeting.
Pick up point - Marine History Museum.
- June 26, 2008 - Capt. Lindsay Fuller & Capt. Adam Nowalsky
Drop off point - Marine History Museum
Session A - Knots, knot testing
Knot test on prior week's homework.
Visiting mate takes 15 minutes.
Session B - Inshore rigging and rig making
Assign 3 knots for homework. See the BHCFA website Fishing Resources for the link to the Knot Tying website. Uni-knot, Albright, End Loop plus one knot of your choice for extra credit are your homework. You will be tested on these knots during the next meeting.
Pick up point - Marine History Museum.
- July 3, 2008 - Capt. Adam Nowalsky & Capt. Fran Verdi
Drop off point - Marine History Museum
Session A - Boating safety
Knot test on prior week's knot homework.
Visiting mate takes 15 minutes.
Session B - Ropes and lines.
Assign rope knots and hitches for homework. See the BHCFA website Fishing Resources for the link to the Knot Tying website. Bowline, Clove hitch, Cleating, Flaking. You will be tested on these knots and hitches during the next meeting.
Pick up point - Marine History Museum.
- July 10, 2008 - John Koegler, Carl Sheppard, George Finck
Drop off point - Morrison's Marine behind Star Fish
Session A - Boat maintenance
Knot test on prior week's knot homework.
Visiting mate takes 15 minutes.
Session B - Tackle maintenance
Homework - Review ALL knots, wraps, and hitches already assigned. See the BHCFA website Fishing Resources for the link to the Knot Tying website. You will be tested on a random three knots or wraps during the next meeting.
Pick up point - Marine History Museum.
- July 17, 2008 John Kuhlin, MD, Bob Gerkens
Drop up point - Marine History Museum.
Session A - Basic General First Aid - No CPR
Knot test on prior week's knot homework.
Visiting mate takes 15 minutes.
Session B - Basic General First Aid - No CPR
Homework - Review ALL knots and wraps already assigned. You will be tested on a random three knots or wraps during the next meeting.
Pick up point - Marine History Museum.
- July 24, 2008 - Capt. Fran Verdi, Capt. Carl Sheppard, Capt. George Finck, Capt. John Koegler
Drop off point - Morrison's Marine behind Star Fish
Session A - Fish Cleaning, filleting, bagging - Morrison's Marina
Knot test on prior week's knot homework.
Visiting mate takes 15 minutes.
Session B - Baits, Net gaff handling, Caring for catch. Practice your knots, wraps, and hitches. See the BHCFA website Fishing Resources for the link to the Knot Tying website. You will be tested on a random three knots or wraps during the next meeting.
Pick up point - Morrison's Marine behind Star Fish
- Wednesday, July 30 & Thursday, July 31, 2008
NJ Boater Safety Course - Capt. Bill Tallman
This is a 2-day course running from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. each day!
Drop off & Pick up point - Marine History Museum.
- August 7, 2008 - Capt. Adam Nowalsky, Capt. George Finck, Capt. Fran Verdi
Drop off - Marine History Museum.
Session A - Wind, Waves & Weather
Knot test on prior week's knot homework.
Visiting mate takes 15 minutes.
Session B - End of Program review. Practice your knots, wraps, and hitches. See the BHCFA website Fishing Resources for the link to the Knot Tying website. You will be tested on a random three knots or wraps during the next meeting.
Pick up point - Marine History Museum.
- August 14, 2008 Junior Mate fishing trip - Capt. Carl Sheppard, Capt. Fran Verdi, Capt. Adam Nowalsky
To qualify, Junior Mate must have attended at least 5 Thursday night sessions through July 24, 2008 and at least 3 show ups at assigned Captains' boats for OJT. Learning the assigned knots, wraps, and hitches is also a requirement. Each qualified Junior Mate may bring their driver on the trip too. Pizza and soda back at the dock. All BHCFA Captains are invited as well.
- 10. August 14, 2008 - As many BHCFA Captains as possible.
You will be tested on a random three knots or wraps during the next meeting. Be ready to show off what you have learned.
Graduation.
Junior Mate Program Blanket Permission Form
Click
here to Download the Blanket Permission Form in PDF
Format.
Download Acrobat to view/print Application and Blanket Permission Form Here
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