Co-Angler/ Back seat etiquette

[Cbump]

On 1/16/2021 at 6:41 AM, Captain Phil said:

In the bass clubs where I was a member, the co-angler had control of the boat for 1/2 of the day. 

That’s crazy to me. No rando would be controlling my boat lol

[Cbump]

On 1/14/2023 at 10:17 PM, ol'crickety said:

When I fish out of a canoe with a partner, he's always in the bow and I'm always in the stern because I know where the bass are and the stern steers. I've never felt disadvantaged casting from the back. 

Take this advice. Make your boater get in the back. 

[gimruis]

2 hours ago, Cbump said:

That’s crazy to me. No rando would be controlling my boat

That seems quite odd to me too.  I'm sure there are plenty of co-anglers who feel comfortable doing so, but I'm also sure there are plenty who don't.

 

I am not a tournament angler, but quite often someone like my Father, brother, or one of my friends will fish with me.  Sometimes I get the "I'm always fishing used waters" excuse from them after I start catching fish.  I always offer to let them take over up front.  Of course that means they are required to control the bow mount, watch the graphs, etc.  When they realize how much work that is, they always back off or decline and the conversation ends pretty quick.

[Swamp Girl]

@gimruis As I shared one other time, being up front in a canoe doesn't let my partners outfish me. I catch more fish 99% of the time from the stern and not just more fish, but bigger fish. 

[gimruis]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

@gimruis As I shared one other time, being up front in a canoe doesn't let my partners outfish me. I catch more fish 99% of the time from the stern and not just more fish, but bigger fish. 

A canoe is quite a bit different than from a boat, especially since the person in the back of the canoe is the individual that steers it.

[Swamp Girl]

6 minutes ago, gimruis said:

A canoe is quite a bit different than from a boat, especially since the person in the back of the canoe is the individual that steers it.

 

That's true up to a point, but when we paddle into a bay, I'm not backing into the bay. The bow leads. I negate the bowman's advantage with accurate casting. 

[gimruis]

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

I negate the bowman's advantage with accurate casting

Lol I don't know who you take with when you're fishing, but perhaps part of that is a result of the person up front not being "accurate."  Certainly there is an element of precision here, depending on the location.

[Swamp Girl]

45 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Lol I don't know who you take with when you're fishing, but perhaps part of that is a result of the person up front not being "accurate."  Certainly there is an element of precision here, depending on the location.

 

I prefer blind men in the bow. 

 

Speaking of casting, why do so many bass anglers skip cast? What's the advantage? I've never done it, but I'll be trying it for sure this spring.

[gimruis]

2 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Speaking of casting, why do so many bass anglers skip cast? What's the advantage? I've never done it, but I'll be trying it for sure this spring.

Docks.  In the heat of summer, bass seek out cooler conditions in the shade, whether that be in thick weeds, lily pads, deeper water, or under docks.

 

The only way to get a lure presented properly to a bass that is under a dock sometimes is to skip something underneath.  Certain lures skip better than others too.

[Swamp Girl]

Thanks for replying, gimruis, but I see anglers skip casting into reeds too. Maybe they're less likely to snag a reed if they keep the lure low and fast.

[GaryH]

34 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Thanks for replying, gimruis, but I see anglers skip casting into reeds too. Maybe they're less likely to snag a reed if they keep the lure low and fast.

Docks, low hanging branches. I think you’ll have fun with skipping once you get the hang of it. Which I don’t think it will take you long. 

[gimruis]

42 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

but I see anglers skip casting into reeds too

I got nothing for you on that one.  I don't skip-cast unless I need to.

 

6 minutes ago, GaryH said:

Which I don’t think it will take you long. 

Could be a little tougher learning curve from a canoe though.  Not sure if @ol'crickety stands up in hers, but sitting down would be a difficult feat to skip-cast in a canoe.

[MN Fisher]

47 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Could be a little tougher learning curve from a canoe though.  Not sure if @ol'crickety stands up in hers, but sitting down would be a difficult feat to skip-cast in a canoe.

Trying to skip-cast while seated in a canoe is a steep learning curve. Thankfully my canoe had the outriggers so I could stand up when I needed to skip-cast from it.

 

Skipping into reeds??? I got nuttin'.

 

Under docks, under boat lifts, under over-hanging branches...ya, all those are reasons to skip-cast.

[Logan S]

This thread is/was about a fairly specific situation - Boaters and Co-Anglers fishing in a tournament together.  2 people in a canoe is (or people just out fishing together in general in any boat) is an apples vs oranges comparison.  

 

Skipping into reeds is effective because the line angle stays low and doesn't end over over top of a reed/stalk...When you go to move your bait it stays in the water instead of having to come loop up over top of a reed that your line is laying on top of from an overhead or normal cast.  

[Cbump]

On 2/23/2023 at 8:40 AM, Logan S said:

This thread is/was about a fairly specific situation - Boaters and Co-Anglers fishing in a tournament together.  2 people in a canoe is (or people just out fishing together in general in any boat) is an apples vs oranges comparison.  

Are you sure? I was thinking being a co in a tournament with a stranger is totally the same thing as two friends in a canoe. Lol

Sarcasm btw

[lunkerboss923]

If he is on a pattern, go fish right beside him and throw in his lane. 

[Susky River Rat]

On 2/17/2023 at 11:40 AM, gimruis said:

That seems quite odd to me too.  I'm sure there are plenty of co-anglers who feel comfortable doing so, but I'm also sure there are plenty who don't.

 

I am not a tournament angler, but quite often someone like my Father, brother, or one of my friends will fish with me.  Sometimes I get the "I'm always fishing used waters" excuse from them after I start catching fish.  I always offer to let them take over up front.  Of course that means they are required to control the bow mount, watch the graphs, etc.  When they realize how much work that is, they always back off or decline and the conversation ends pretty quick.

every time I let someone who I have fished with often take the bow they quickly give it back.  They usually say something to the effect “ I don’t know how you do this all and still fish. It’s easy on a lake with no wind. Add wind or go to the river where there is current and rocks is a game changer. 
 

Do any of you who become the co angler but, own a boat get bored so to speak being the co angler? I haven’t done it in a tournament setting. Anytime I hope I’m a buddy’s boat which is rare. It’s nice at first but, then I end up feeling like I have to much free time.

[Cbump]

I hate being on someone else’s boat. It’s just not fun to me. 

[gimruis]

2 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

I don’t know how you do this all and still fish.

No sh**.  Until they actually try it for themselves, its nothing but an empty complaint.  Anyone can stand or sit on the back deck and cast.

 

Years ago, I did a fair amount of walleye fishing on big water with my Grandfather.  We did a lot of back trolling using lindy rigs in tillers (easier to control than a console).  That was extremely difficult for the person in the back.  They had to operate a sizable outboard backwards into the waves, watch the graphs, and fish.  And re-bait or re-tie when necessary, and net fish.  It was like doing 5 things at once with only two hands.  He became extremely efficient at it.  When I tried to do it, it was a train wreck.

10 minutes ago, Cbump said:

I hate being on someone else’s boat. It’s just not fun to me. 

 

I don't normally get the chance to fish out of someone else's boat.  Maybe 2-3 times/season.  I jump on it every chance I get, because that means I don't have to haul my boat to the lake or burn up my gas.  I can just show up, sit in the back, kick up my feet, and fish.

 

I think that's the reason my Father enjoys fishing with me so much.  He can do exactly that without being the captain or hauling his boat.  He did that so many times when I was younger and I didn't have my own boat, so now the roles are reversed.