Changes

Nick Clayton

Nick Clayton

Fishing Is Neat
Forum Supporter
Hey all,

It's been an interesting handful of months for me, with a bunch of personal and family stuff to deal with, but also some pretty major changes in my fishing/working life.

As most likely already know, I am no longer working for ARSC. Unfortunately that came to an end near the end of this last tuna season. I have nothing bad to say about ARSC, but some things came to a head and a change was needed.

Luckily that change was waiting right there for me, I just had to take that first step.

Shortly after coming home I was contacted by the owner of a charter boat that I know well, and after a bit of time to work out all the details, I'm excited to announce that my Westport fishing career will continue.

Starting this spring I will be running charter trips onboard the Reel Electric through Mutineer Charters. Im not looking to spam the forum with a bunch of advertisements, so I'll leave it at that for now. I will say that anyone interested in fly fishing for albacore with me will be welcome to book trips as the owner is fully open and embracing to the fly fishing community. There's still plenty of smaller details to be worked out, as this is a lot of change both on my end and theirs, but the important stuff is all set.

This is an incredible opportunity for me and I feel an excitement that I haven't felt in a number of years. I feel I was becoming a bit jaded or stagnant where I was l, I'm not sure. But I feel quite refreshed and am so looking forward to the season. Mutineer is an excellent outfit, lead and owned by Rhett Webber, Captain/owner of the Slammer and one of the most well known and respected captains on the Washington coast. The Reel Electric will be the only six pack boat in their operation, and as such I am going to be incredibly busy. The host itself is a massive upgrade over what I've been running the last 7 years. Bigger, faster, more comfortable, better electronics, a stand up head....it's such a sweet boat.

I have fished off this hull before, but I have never fly fished off one. Still, I feel in many ways it will be a superior fly fishing platform. The full walk around pilot house itself sure provides a lot of extra fishing room.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to this opportunity, but if I'm being honest I'm also a bit nervous. This will be my first season where I am not associated with ARSC and will instead be totally on my own in that sense. It's exciting, but a bit nerve wracking. Obviously I'll still work with those guys on the water on a daily basis, so not much will change in that regard, but the concept of being completely out of the ARSC umbrella is both exciting and scary.

Anyway, just wanted to provide an update as several have texted and asked about next season. If I'm advertising too much by all means edit or remove this. That's not at all my intention. Just wanted to provide an update on what I've got going on.

Many thanks to those of you who have reached out over the past few months. Hasn't been an easy period of my life, and I very much appreciate those who have checked in, even if I don't express it.
 
Congrats. We didn't get to meet on the trip I did in 2024 - I think you had COVID. Will have to try to fix that in the next year or 2.

This new boat looks like an upgrade for sure. Anyone needs someone to fill a trip, let me know. I didn't think I would do another albacore trip after the '24 trip, but if I combine it with other fisheries up there, the drive won't be such an issue. Sooooo looking forward to retirement!
 
Good for you, Nick. Some times it takes a major reset to get the juices flowing again.
 
Good news Nick. Glad to hear it.
 
Nick,

Congratulations!! Any change to the mechanism of provision is scary for the provider, but it seems evident that your success is an extension of yourself, not your employer.

I understand that you don't view yourself as the pioneer of the coolest new fishery of the past 25 years, but I hope you do understand that I and many others view you as such. If I'm going tuna fishing, there's literally nobody else on the planet that's gonna captain that boat. You're the man, regardless of who the check gets sent to.

Glad you're in the game because you are the game.
 
Good on you Nick. Glad things worked out.
Congrats on the new wheelhouse.
That’s nervous energy and anticipation you’re encountering due to a big decision and the change it involved. No big thing, just dealing with people, running the vessel, and embracing the ocean like always. Would love to try that side of the country for tuna for comparisons sake but the distance may be an issue.
 
Nick, That's great to hear! I'm also really glad you're going well.
 
SurfnFish said:
Congrats, Nick, that's a lotta boat for a six pack, your customers are going to get more elbow room than on most boats running under any license.
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It really is a fantastic boat. It will be a big upgrade in many areas. I've always been a glass guy when it comes to the ocean, and overall I still stand by that, but I've also always said that as far as aluminum goes Coldwater is as good as it gets. I've fished off a few of them now and they are such a fantastic hull.

I'm excited for the extra fishing room the walk around brings, a rear steering station will make controlling the boat while drifting for bottom fish will be much easier, there are some cool electronic upgrades including night vision which will allow me to head out a bit earlier and not be so rushed at the end of the day with fuel dock hours....there is just a lot of ways this boat is a big jump up from what I've been running.

And you're definitely right...extra elbow room on any vessel is never a bad thing!
 
Glad to hear you're up and running on a sweet looking new rig! Now, about that Mexico trip I texted you about.... ;)
 
Nick Clayton said:
It really is a fantastic boat. It will be a big upgrade in many areas. I've always been a glass guy when it comes to the ocean, and overall I still stand by that, but I've also always said that as far as aluminum goes Coldwater is as good as it gets. I've fished off a few of them now and they are such a fantastic hull.

I'm excited for the extra fishing room the walk around brings, a rear steering station will make controlling the boat while drifting for bottom fish will be much easier, there are some cool electronic upgrades including night vision which will allow me to head out a bit earlier and not be so rushed at the end of the day with fuel dock hours....there is just a lot of ways this boat is a big jump up from what I've been running.

And you're definitely right...extra elbow room on any vessel is never a bad thing!
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Hull design is everything regardless of material, just as beam and draft in the salt.
Can imagine the fuel bill with 700 HP of outboards. Likely 18 knots or so cruising on calmer days which is quite the clip for a boat that size.
The 65' x 18' steel Monk I was contracted on was licensed for 36, and full house rock cod trips were usually a zoo, especially when blue sharks moved in and got tangled up in a half dozen lines tipped with three gang shrimp flies and lead balls. or chrome bars. A cross draw sheath knife was the only prevention from embedded hooks for my deckhands and I when untangling the mess
'hey, you on the other side of the boat, didn't I tell you to give me slack and quit cranking line in'... muttering swear words under breath
 
SurfnFish said:
Hull design is everything regardless of material, just as beam and draft in the salt.
Can imagine the fuel bill with 700 HP of outboards. Likely 18 knots or so cruising on calmer days which is quite the clip for a boat that size.
The 65' x 18' steel Monk I was contracted on was licensed for 36, and full house rock cod trips were usually a zoo, especially when blue sharks moved in and got tangled up in a half dozen lines tipped with three gang shrimp flies and lead balls. or chrome bars. A cross draw sheath knife was the only prevention from embedded hooks for my deckhands and I when untangling the mess
'hey, you on the other side of the boat, didn't I tell you to give me slack and quit cranking line in'... muttering swear words under breath
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This boat will make an easy cruise of 30 kts on a flat ocean :).

Of course the days where any ocean boat can make that kind of speed up here are few and far between. What's far more valuable is a boat that can make a relatively comfortable 20-24 knots on the much more average 4-6' swell with a bit of breeze tbat we deal with so often.

For a single day albacore charter speed is everything. When needing to go 40+ nautical miles one way most days, many days much further, then there is just a huge difference between , 16-18 knots and 20-24. Any capable boat can make the trip on a flat ocean, but unfortunately those days aren't super common and if you want to get in a high volume of charter trips then a boat capable of getting it done on those average to worse days is far more valuable than a flat water screamer.

Boats are awesome. They just might be my favorite thing ever. Besides fishing of course ;)
 
Nick Clayton said:
This boat will make an easy cruise of 30 kts on a flat ocean :).


Boats are awesome. They just might be my favorite thing ever. Besides fishing of course ;)
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damn, that is moving.
Was a co-skipper (2 required on trips over 24 hrs) on overnight albie trips aboard the 85' Chubasco leased out of San Diego, a solid glass/stainless mesh hull that could sleep 28, powered by twin turbo 8V71's with a cruising speed of 12 knots, navigation on board was Loran C, radar that tapped out at 24 miles.
After two back to back poor seasons we ran the boat back to San Diego and handed in the keys, and at 28 with my son arriving I parked my license and went into building engineering, wanting more options going forward.
Never lost my love for either the salt or boats to this day, however, and owned trailer or docked salt boats for decades.
 
Thats a great boat to be running Nick, Coldwater boats are bad ass for sure. The lodge in Sitka I worked at had 1 of the first in AK back in 2006, the full walk around is so convenient, not to mention the big dance floor!

Look out tuna, Nick is coming for ya
 
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