Advise For A Co-Angler Who Owns A Boat And A Crap Load Of Gear.

["BRB"]

Ok this year is the frist year a fished the BFL. And I thought I would fish it as a co-angler for at lest the first year probably first couple of years. Mainly because their held on lakes I never fish and I'm still new to the tournament fishing. I own a bass boat were a normally have 12 rods set up and just a ton off tackle. I've read all the articles I could fine on co-angler and I just bring 5 rods and a medium to large tackle bag. Which first tournament I had pack full and next tournament less and even less on the one coming up this weekend. Probably could go to just a medium bag with no problem. But here is the problem I'm running in to. Before I tried to keep my boat as organize as I could. Every lure has its place ever box had a label. Be now I move my tackle back in forth between my boat tackle bag not everything finds its place. And frankly my boat seem to stay a mess these days. Just wanted some tips and advise on how mybe you do it or done it. It just seem I'm caring around tackle putting here putting it there and its slowly getting out of control.

[J Francho]

I have a separate set of gear for my boat and for when I partner up. The only stuff that goes back and forth are rods and a few tools.

["BRB"]

I thought about that. And sounds like a good ideal. I might look in to doing that. And that means I get to go buy more stuff!!! Sweet!!!

[cajun_flipper]

Co angler can be very rewarding in the form of education...and very frustrating if you have a guy who doesn't care if you catch fish or not....simply put....bad boat positioning. You also have to deal with the fact that you are playing catch up all day if he is a fast fisher. I'd focus on having a good variety of spinner baits, crank baits, and top waters and limit my soft plastics to the necessities in order to save weight and room. Rods...shouldn't need more than 4 really. One spinner bait/topwater, one crank bait/topwater, one weightless soft plastic, and one jig/worm rod. That should cover most of the bases.

I don't know what sort of tackle boxes you're using, but I use the soft sided bags that carry the clear boxes. If you are running that kind of set up with your normal stuff, you might be able to save some $$$ by just buying the bag and transferring the clear boxes that you need. I keep mine organized by color types rather than by lure type like most people. That way if I am facing clear water, I reach in and grab my clear water boxes which contain all the lures I need for clear water. Same goes for stained, muddy, etc. Just one way to look at it.

Granted, take my advice with a grain or two of salt. I've only been co-angler a couple of times before I got out of tournament fishing altogether...so I'm no expert.

[tomustang]

I double up the tackle i use most, got a bit unorganized when I kept switching things out.

[aumdb487]

I'm in a similar situation as you. I have my own boat and fish from it when I can but I'm also doing BFL this year. The method to my madness on organization has been kind of two fold. My co-angler bag holds 7 3600 size boxes and two small boxes. I have a clearwater crankbait box, dirty water crankbait box, a spinnerbait/chatterbait box, a jig box, senko box, lipless crankbait box, and a top water/jerkbait box. Two small boxes are one terminal tackle (hooks, weights, etc..) and finesse jig heads. These boxes are subset of my entire tackle, I basically took all my cranks and said which are the best (i.e. most useful) and put them in the two boxes by color. Then I did the same for spinner/chatterbaits, jigs, senkos, lipless, top water, and jerk baits. My leftover tackle is still organized and in it's place in the boat. When I get ready to fish from my boat I just grab my bag since it's my "good stuff" and throw it in the boat. Now I will reevaluate what actually goes to the tournament and I might switch out a box from the boat to bag depending on time of year and what I'm expecting to throw.

[aumdb487]

how are you doing in the BFL's this year?

["BRB"]

I'm not doing so hot I got 30th in the first and got a big goose egg on the last tournament. But next one is on my home lake and I got high hopes for this one I believe I can get a couple of on topwater first thing anywhere we go!

How about you?

[ChiCityBasser]

Fishing the BFL's as a Co for the first time myself with my first event being next weekend and had to go through both my big bags to organize my small bag for the events based on how the lake has been fishing from reports I have been reading. Fishing out of the Illini division and good luck to you guys as well.

[aumdb487]

That's kind of funny. I started my season off EXACTLY like you. 30th in the first and zero in the second. Third I came in 9th and Fourth I was 38 ( lost two fish that would have put me in the money). I'm currently sitting in 37th overall with just the super regional to fish in September. But as long as I can maintain my position I will make the regional.

Good luck on the home lake.

["BRB"]

That great I be tickle pink with a 9th place finish! I done got high hope for this tournament I have pre-fishing this week not for spots just to see what there biting on I been a lot of new spot a been able to catch fish almost ever were I go! I know what I'm know what I'm going to used in about ever different type scenario. So I'm felling great I believe I can catch them shallow deep or in between I can't wait!

[aumdb487]

Good luck...