I am a recent contributor to bass resource but I have read a lot of articles on some of the affiliated websites discussing co-angler etiquette and that is fine but I want to present all of you boat owners with a challenge. Now, just so you have some background on me; I am a boat owner and I am aware of the burdens of owning a boat.
I have also fished as a co-angler in the past and found it to be a natural and "right thing" to do, to offer some money to the boater for gas expenses or whatever they desire to spend that money on. Well, after the latest post on another site I found myself to disagree with the so called etiquette of a co-angler. Personally, I think it doesn't exist! Common courtesies and ethics to come into play but I do not believe that you or anyone is bound by such a thing just because you fish out of the boat with someone else. Money offered at the end of the day for one thing is the biggest load I have ever heard of and I used to pay!
So you want to know what made me change my mind? I will tell you this; if you are planning on buying a boat and taking on the responsibility of being a boat owner, then you better be prepared to float that bill by yourself because at the end of the day, that co-angler did not beg you to buy that $50K bass boat. That is your problem and yours alone. It is not fair you say? Well, you were going to be taking that boat to the lake with or without someone else pitching in. Now, if there is a mutual agreement arranged ahead of time then that is understandable but do not get caught having expectations of your co-angler throwing you a piece of hat little bit they may have. Co-anglres are typically co-anglers because they do not want the burden of a boat right away.
Not to mention, who wants to offer anyone anything after they have been left out to fish "no mans" land all day?! I am sorry but I have no sympathy for the guy that doesn't get money from me or anyone else in the game...Should I share some of my winnings too if I win as a co-angler? Hmm? So you want to talk about it like its shop talk and that is fine but if that is where your head is then you are in the wrong sport.
Basically, I think that we take too much away from what this sport is all about by paying attention to all the nitty gritty and it is time for a wake up slap to the face, If you want to buy a boat go ahead and expect to take on that responsibility all by yourself because the title co-angler does not sound anything thing like co-signer. By the way, if you were counting on that little bit of money to help you through he day, maybe you should not have bought the boat to begin with. Now that I have made some of you mad and other left scratching your head I want to ask you how you would treat taking a kid fishing? I know, it is a little different but only a little. The concept is the same really.....no different at all. It is about getting out there and getting an education in the outdoors. Fishing may have its expenses and we as responsible anglers must be aware of the responsibilities that we endure.
