Education · 1 of 5

The path

There is no school for this. You get to a fishing port and you ask.

1. 1

   High school diploma or the GED (General Educational Development) test

   Grade 12

   Helpful for the rest of your life, but almost no skipper will ask to see it.

2. 2

   Buy a state crew license

   Same day

   Most fishing states sell a crewmember license over the counter or online for a small fee. You need it before you step on board.

3. 3

   Walk the docks

   Days to weeks

   Skippers hire in person, a week or two before the season opens. Being early, sober and willing to work beats every resume.

4. 4

   Your first season as a greenhorn

   One season

   Baiting, coiling, picking fish, cleaning. You learn whether your body and your stomach can take it.

5. 5

   Become crew worth keeping

   2 to 5 years

   After two or three seasons you run gear, fix what breaks and get a bigger share. Some go on to mate, engineer or skipper.