Personally there are several down sides to the captains license the first being it will raise you insurance cost and reduce the chances of talking your way out of a ticket. The second is it will turn a sport you love into a job where you will have to smile and be nice to people who don't care about you. A good part of being a captain is being able to keep everyone happy. As mentioned the best way to make a small fortune fishing is to start with a large fortune.