I'm Captain Jaime Hughes. And yes, its spelled J-A-I-M-E . I've been fishing the Susquehanna River and local waterways since I was a little girl in the 80's. I boat fish, I bank fish, I ice fish, I fly fish, I FISH! After many years of personal fishing and bass tournament fishing, I started a bank fishing club in 2009. That was when I learned my true TRUE passion was helping people fish. The smiles are awesome. The memories, priceless. Which all lead to what we know now as BreakLine Charters which was established in 2011. I started for hire on the Susquehanna River. Running multi-species. When bass was shut down for a few years, I needed to find a place to continue to earn a living. People knew I knew the Chincoteague fishery very well from my personal adventures. My captains license allowed it, so I got what I needed to be legit to work there for a few years. My catfish clients sure loved holding sharks, founder and more in the same boat they held catfish in! You can see our pics on the Chincoteague page.
CERTIFICATION
I carry the mandatory PA guide permit. Also, not mandatory in PA (other then on Lake Erie) but I also hold a USCG issued MMC OUPV-6 pack Captains License, Near Coastal endorsement. Which also qualifies to serve inland as well as the Great Lakes. I'm currently on my third issuance. Captains licenses are a big commitment and accomplishment to not only acquire, but a huge responsibility to renew and uphold. My experience with earning my Captains and the sea-time to earn my endorsements, although the time away was a challenge and a huge financial commitment, it was all truly priceless. I worked/lived along side a great Captain, CJ, and his wife who became dear friends on Lake Ontario. He passed on since and I miss him dearly. And spent a lot of time offshore with different Captains from DE to NJ from site of land to 70+ miles into the canyons. All of that sometimes days, sometimes weeks, at a time. Whatever life would allow. The real-life experiences had, the weather, the safety, the maintenance, the client interactions and more. All of which are in my heart, mind and as far as strictly credentials go, in those little red books.
So what does that all mean? It means I care A LOT about what I do! So much that I put all of that money time and effort into a credential I don't even need.
I've been in business 14 seasons now. We don't always catch big fish. But I always make client safety and satisfaction my priority on my boat. Yes catching fish is part of that. But you will remember your entire experience, not just your catch. It is my job to make sure everything is wonderful. I will take good care of you and your family and you'll make memories that will last a lifetime.
"Off Season" Jaime
That just means I'm "ON" some where else. I don't take 6 months off. As member of Clam Outdoors Ice Team, I travel some over the winter. Doing demo's and presentations and getting on ice as much as possible. I also work at Mountainside Ski and Sports, 2024 will be my 25th year working in the industry. My focus is boot fitting. I make custom foot beds and do custom work for ski/snowboard boots and athletic/everyday footwear. Stance evaluations. 3-D scanning are just part of my every day, all winter long. Helping people ski/ride/walk better and feel better, from the feet up. Oh and I can get down a slope sort of alright too. On a board or skis, depends on my mood or a lot of times more so, the snow.
My daughter
My biggest life accomplishment though, is being a Mom. This is my daughter Ashleigh with me in these photos. She fished a lot with me over the years, she's a skilled angler and knows her way around the boat. She even mated for me on the bay! But she has moved on to pursue her passion. She is a PSIA Certified Ski Instructor. Great teacher, beautiful skier, also snowboards too. She's at making me proud every day at Pitt majoring in marketing with a minor in communications.
BreakLine Kids! It's the aspect of my job that is my favorite and it does't even earn a paycheck. Everything BreakLine Kids has always and will always be free. From fishing on the Mad Catter to the classroom to little derbies at the lake. From day one BreakLine has been focused towards kids. In 2023 I added the "BreakLine Kids Zone" at shows. Totally free nautical craft, activity and game station. I also still do classes, camps and help with earning badges. I won't ever stop. I truly love my BreakLine kids.