I'm in the back of the boat and have been my whole life. I fish in my local bass club in 9 tournaments a year and looking at doing some bigger co angler tournaments depending on my budget and time. Any suggestions for getting started in the co angler game?

Try state level tournaments ...

 

In New York for example there is the NY Bass Federation tournaments.

 

You can also venture into the ABA ( or BFL (http://www.flwoutdoors.com/bassfishing/bfl/).

 

It boils down to money and time.  The opportunities are out there.

 

Good luck and send me an autograph when you win your first check.  

I've always thought that the BFL was ok for co-anglers.  You are only fishing against other co-anglers.  Other than the slightly higher entry fees, all you other expenses are the same.  You are going to eat the same, probably stay in the same level of lodgings, probably give the same amount of money to your boater for gas.  Gas for traveling might get a little higher.

 

The BFL has the carrot of if you do good, you get to go to a regional at the end of the year for a chance at the All American and if you don't do so good, you still get one more chance going to the Wild Card regional for a chance at the All American.

 

Plan on fishing the full season.  There are myriads of posts here and there about how to prepare/behave as a co-angler, no need to rehash them here.

hit dat BFL i enjoyed it last year going to try to squeeze a few in this year to get familiar with unknown waters.