I have just joined my first club. I was wondering from those of you that have been in a club for atleast 5 years or more and have had success in your tournaments, would it really benefit me to be a nonboater for the first year or do I run a risk of wasted tournies in the back with someone that doesn't know what they are doing? What have you experienced?

As a nonboater, here is what I learned:

1. Where to launch your boat and how to get to the ramp.

2. Information about various bodies of water from guys who fish those waters.

3. Baits and techniques to be successful.

4. Boat handling techniques in various situations.

5. Bring a map of the lake or river and circle the spots you fish for future information.

I was a nonboater for a year and I learned a lot from the boaters.  I even took notes during the fishing tournaments so I could use them in the future.

I have found that listening and watching is a lot better than talking and experimenting.

As a nonboater, here is what I learned:

1. Where to launch your boat and how to get to the ramp.

2. Information about various bodies of water from guys who fish those waters.

3. Baits and techniques to be successful.

4. Boat handling techniques in various situations.

5. Bring a map of the lake or river and circle the spots you fish for future information.

I was a nonboater for a year and I learned a lot from the boaters. I even took notes during the fishing tournaments so I could use them in the future.

I have found that listening and watching is a lot better than talking and experimenting.

I'm guessing it will be a 50/50 shot that you will actually learn something from a club guy.  You will find a lot of great stick fishing the clubs but you will also run into the guys that really are just there for fun and have no clue what they are doing.

I also would highly disregard #5 listed above.  That is a horrible way to find fish, it's somebody elses location and you SHOULD NOT fish his location EVER.  Find your own fish by putting in the work that they most likely did to find that spot.   Hours and hours of being on the lake and you will find your own fish.

The answer to your question depends a lot on the purpose of the club.  My club prides itself on being a "learning club".  All pairings are done based on a draw for boaters and non-boaters.  We even have rules that say, under certain circumstances, a boater can be drawn out of his boat (but only once in a year).  We also have rules against fishing with the same partner more than once in a year.  Now are there some sphincter muscles in the club that are hard to fish behind, sure.  But overall, the non-boater is not at a "major" disadvantage.  In fact 4 of the top ten this last year were non-boaters.

It also depends on how familiar you are with the lakes and how comfortable you are in handling the boat knowing that your buddy in the back is fishing to win also.  I joined the club after I got my first boat, but have fished as a non-boater for club tournaments with only one exception (when we needed a boat to make the pairings come out right).  I am currently having big motor problems, but if I get them worked out by the start of the season, I plan to fish as a boater for the first time this year.  Mostly because I now know the lakes on the schedule and want to really see if there is an advantage at the front.

Don't be afraid to fish from the back - but do be aware that your club philosophy can make a difference.

I DON'T AGREE WITH #5 EITHER...NO BOATER WANTS TO SEE HIS CO-ANGLER MARKING HIS SPOT ON A MAP.....MIGHT PISSSS > HIM OFF A BIT AND THEN HE WILL FRONT END YOU THE REST OF THE DAY.  

YOU CAN TAKE MENTAL NOTE...SO WHEN YOU DO GO FISH THAT LAKE...IT IS A PLACE TO GO.  IF YOU SEE HIM AT AN EVENT YOU ARE FISHING AT...I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND GOING THERE.  IT IS OK TO GO THERE WHEN HE IS NOT AROUND....AND IF HE SAYS IT'S OK...WHEN HE IS.  OTHER THAN THAT...FISHING ETIQUET...ALWAYS COMES FIRST

Sorry guys, I misspoke, sort of like Joe McKnight saying he talked with Reggie Bush before deciding to attend USC.

I meant to mark your map at home, not on the boat while fishing.

I see no problem fishing the locations other fish when they are not fishing them.

In fact, it seems everyone knows the spots anyway and you will find them out soon enough.

I know a guy who has a "secret" creek he fishes in tournaments and he makes the nonboater swear not to tell anyone.  However, most of the guys in his bass club know the creek but don't go to it as it is just too far away.

I hate to say it, but there are very few secrets in bass fishing.

Most of the lakes where we fish are public property - that means nobody "owns" any portion of the that lake and nobody is entitled to exclusive rights to any portion of it.  If you fish with me and we find a spot where we hammer 'em and the next time you beat me to that spot - good for you.  You still have to catch 'em.  If I see you set up in 30 feet of water and hold there for an hour, you can bet that I will move in sometime after you leave to see what the attraction is and I may visit that spot the next time as well.  Ettiquete on the water has to do with crowding, not fishing where the fish are or have been.

Most of the lakes where we fish are public property - that means nobody "owns" any portion of the that lake and nobody is entitled to exclusive rights to any portion of it. If you fish with me and we find a spot where we hammer 'em and the next time you beat me to that spot - good for you. You still have to catch 'em. If I see you set up in 30 feet of water and hold there for an hour, you can bet that I will move in sometime after you leave to see what the attraction is and I may visit that spot the next time as well. Ettiquete on the water has to do with crowding, not fishing where the fish are or have been.

You really don't understand and I hope I never draw you as a non-boater.

Each club is different but in the club I belong to splits the day in half.  The non-boater has the right to half the day in control.  He can run the trolling motor and fish his locations.  There are alot of very good anglers that fish club tournaments.  There are also alot of very good anglers that fish as non-boaters aswell.  In all the club tournaments I fished there was not one time I didn't fish from the front of the boat as a non-boater (if the boat size would hold 2 anglers in front).  You can fish a couple of tournament as a non-boater and if you don't like it you can switch to being a boater.  There are alot of boaters in my club that a hope to draw and there are non-boaters that I would like to fish with also.  There are some better then others but thats just the way it goes.  I fish my club tournaments as a non-boater because I can just fish.

Most of the lakes where we fish are public property - that means nobody "owns" any portion of the that lake and nobody is entitled to exclusive rights to any portion of it. If you fish with me and we find a spot where we hammer 'em and the next time you beat me to that spot - good for you. You still have to catch 'em. If I see you set up in 30 feet of water and hold there for an hour, you can bet that I will move in sometime after you leave to see what the attraction is and I may visit that spot the next time as well. Ettiquete on the water has to do with crowding, not fishing where the fish are or have been.

You really don't understand and I hope I never draw you as a non-boater.

I'm not taking sides on this one. ;D ;D ;D

I do believe that this topic has a very fine line.

1. If you prefish together or find the spot together both of you the right to the spot.

2. If one of you shows the other one the spot only the person who found the stop has the right to the spot.

3.  If your non-boater shows you a spot that his boater fished the day before you shouldn't have rights to the water.

4.  If your fishing a spot and another boat sees you leave that spot  they have  a right to fish that water after you leave.

This is just a couple of situations!!!

Around this neck of the woods, if you even THINK you have a secret spot, you can betcher butt that at least 100 other guys have the same one 8-)

I have fished as a non-boater for three years in a National Trail's local weekend series, and for me it's been an incredible learning experience. At that level, you fish with the best anglers in your region, and if you accept your role for what it is and do not expect to have control of the fishing locations, you will get a lot out of it. There will be times that you're frustrated, but you have to take the good draws with the bad. Also, if you stick with it, you can win $ and advance to regional and naional events (I made it to the Nationals this year as a non-boater, based primarily on very good draws in the last few events).

Not to mention you will meet a great network of guys who are willing to help you (if you hit it off in the boat and don't cast over their shoulder all day). I feel like I've gotten a masters degree in tournament fishing in the past three years.

I feel I can compete cast for cast with most of the boaters in our area, but where I cannot compete is in pre-fishing and practice time. I have a full time job, and I cannot pre-fish enough to compete. Therefore I fish as a co-angler.

It really depends on your expectations. If you're fairly new to fishing or your area lakes and cannot devote time to scouting, then you should start as a non-boater. The only exception to this would be if you are a control-freak type, who has to be in charge. In that case, go boater, but do not expect much in the way of results (depending upon the strength of the competition).

As far as the club setting goes, it depends on the club, and what it's mission is. If it's a low-key club that is set up for everyone to truly share info, and for each member to learn, then going as a boater would be ok. If you're fishing the club just to compete and "beat" the other guys, then you really need to figure out the level of competition and whether you can compete with their experience and time they have to pre-fish.

Guys- it's about ethics-

Most people know the right thing to do when you learn a spot that someone else has found pre-fishing.

The guy who brought you there does not own the water, but if he has another tournament on that lake next week, you should probably respect that and leave it alone.

If it doesn't feel right in your gut to fish that spot, then it's probably not the thing to do.

If you develop a decent relationship in the boat with the guy for 8 hours, just ask him- "hey do you mind if I fish here some?" Most guys won't care unless they have a tournament upcoming, and they'll probably respect you more for asking. If they know you have a boat, and the spot is really good, they probably expect you to come back there.

The other huge thing is to not tell all your buddies where the spot is. If he's willing to share it with you, he probably doesn't want you to tell 10 other fishermen.

Another big part of it is that it should be a two way street. If you're willing to mark your map with "his" holes, then you should be willing to give him a couple of your spots too. That's fair. If you're not willing to show him your stuff, then you should not go back to his.

If you use common sense and let sportsmanship be your guide, you will (and SHOULD) do the right thing.

Cabelas10 I do understand and you probably won't draw me as a partner -- If we were fishing multiple day tournaments and switching partners after each day then I can see you point and I would not give away where you are likely to fish that next day.  But the kind of tournaments that I fish are one-day events and we usually only fish a particular lake once a year.  Some of the guys in my club have the attitude that "this is my spot, we caught fish here, so you can never bring anybody back here".  I call bovine stuff.  When we are prefishing I will tell you what worked and what didn't last year and the same for next year as well.  Furthermore, most of the lakes we fish are small enough that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where you caught them hawgs.  I will not crowd you out of a spot, but I will durn sure check it out if you leave and I think that there may still be some fish there.  If we start putting up "no trespassing" signs eventually there won't be any lake left.  And btw, just cause you and I caught 'em there last year, last month or last week doesn't mean they will be there today.

This is a good topic, but i'm sure you will get mixed emotions as a outcome. I decided to rookie out my first season as a boater in local tourny's. It comes down to the reason you want to fish competitively. I prefered boater due to several reasons. I didn't want anyone saying I placed due to someone else, it was on my own experience and patience if i placed in the money. I do like to maintain control also. I had the time to pre-fish tourny's and try to pattern the fish, as a non-boater you may not have this option, you must rely on the boater. I do not trust the ethics of other boaters (this statement does not include all but some), i have heard the horror stories, they are their for themselves, not for the non-boater, which i understand. I have been in clubs that every lure & technique is a big secret and never shared amongst members, I call b.s. on this. Even though i am not a pro-fisherman, i will share my knowledge with whomever asks. I am always aware of the non-boaters and give opportunity for them to have position on and off throughout the day, i will always net for non-boater (if allowed) I have even shared tackle. I have also had non-boaters that I would have prefered to kick off the boat and let them float back to the dock, but did not of course. I have had several non-boaters weigh in better then me also, it does not upset me. I do believe a bit of luck is involved. I will not allow the non-boater to switch positions with me, period! The first time i did let this it cost me a prop and they did not offer to help replace it. But I will do my best to give him position on and off throughout the tourny.

I do agree with one of the common statements in this topic, if you do not know how to launch or ramp a boat, learn it! It is the best thing a non-boater could do for the boater.

If i had to do it all over again, i would join my first year as a boater!