Two Questions

[Lasher]

1. When worm/jig fishing, Do you place your index finger on the line to help feel the bite?  I get mixed info about this.

 

2. Do you fish two anglers out of the front of the boat.  I have seen this on tv and some friends have told me they do this, but I have never done it.  What is the advantage?

[run23]

i'll bite. 

 

1. sometimes i'll hold the line with my index finger of my free hand, but generally speaking i'm much more of a line watcher. IMO the line will give you more feedback anyway...at least in this context. 

 

2. i don't own a boat so if i'm on board, i'm on the back getting sloppy seconds. 

[tbone1993]

1. I will touch the line but sometimes i just watch it and wait to feel the bite on my rod.

2. If you have a big boat sure but if its small have someone fish in the back

[Big Jon]

1. I just watch the line.

2. I don't have a boat either, but it seems like I have only seen one person off of either end of the boat.

[J Francho]

1.  Yes sometimes, though it's not something I consciously think about.

 

2.  My boat is nearly 22' long and has a huge front deck.  No issues.  My old 18' had enough room for two up front, but only for pitching.

[SudburyBasser]

1. Almost never. I find it uncomfortable to have my finger out on the line when I worm/jig -- which is when I use a spinning reel.

 

2. My brother-in-law -- the boat guy -- doesn't have a bass boat (it's a pleasure craft) so we couldn't have two guys upfront even if we wanted to.

[rippin-lips]

1. Sometimes but not normally.

2. My boat is only 15' so no but I always take the back anyways when fishing with a friend. I still catch more then them.

[Long Mike]

1.  Never. I watch the line and I can feel the bite in my hand.

 

2.  I have an 18 footer.  Like Francho, my front deck is large enough for two people, but only for pitching.

[OkeechobeeAngler]

Never hold the line. 

 

Share if circumstances permit. 

[flyfisher]

I am a line watcher myself and two people up front just makes it so you can both fish the same structure at the same time but i fish from a kayak so what do i know

[Hooked_On_Bass]

1: Nope.

2: Occasionally. It depends on the techniques we're using, the location we're fishing and boat position. Sometimes it's advantageous to have another angler casting very near or at the same target I am.

[K_Mac]

1. No

 

2. Depends on the boat and the bait. On my boat 2 works for pitching, but it is a little cramped. On my friends Z9 we almost always both fish off the front deck when working slower baits. One big advantage is you don't have to pay as much attention to boat position. If you are both working from the front and the back swings out, it is less of a problem. With reaction baits it is less of an issue, but still works better with both on the front deck unless you are working off-shore structure that allows for a bigger target zone.

[flippin and pitchin]

I do not hold the line. My rods do not have a fore-grip and I can place a finger on the blank if I choose to. Tungsten and FC line, and quality blanks have made feeling what's goig on much easier than 30 plus years ago.

My buddy has a good size boat and I have room to fish up front but prefer the back deck when we use his boat. My boat has ample room and if he wants up front he's welcome. Working tight quarters is about the only time we double up.

[Traveler2586]

1. No

 

2. Depends on the boat and the bait. On my boat 2 works for pitching, but it is a little cramped. On my friends Z9 we almost always both fish off the front deck when working slower baits. One big advantage is you don't have to pay as much attention to boat position. If you are both working from the front and the back swings out, it is less of a problem. With reaction baits it is less of an issue, but still works better with both on the front deck unless you are working off-shore structure that allows for a bigger target zone.

X2

 

It also depends on who your with, it takes time to get accustom to a partner and learn to dance the dance.  You both need to be in sync with each other and both be able to use different casting techniques as the situation calls for.  When in the grove you both get equal access to the same water.

[K_Mac]

I could not agree more Traveler. I fish with guys who could not fish with another guy from the front deck, no matter how big. Some fishermen just don't have the skills and focus to do it. As you say, when both know what needs to be done and how to do it, you can cover the water much more efficiently. 

[BassinB]

1. yes when I'm pitching/flipping

 

2. yes, but only in a tournament when boat position is crucial (and it is team format obviously)

[lmoore]

When you see it on tv, it's often because the camera guy is in the back of the boat.

[joetomlee]

1. I just watch my line, I used to hold a finger lightly against it but didn't find it very helpful in the long run.

 

2. I've got a 20 ft boat, never had anyone fish up front with me, seems kind of silly.

[Darren.]

I can answer #1, but not #2 as I kayak fish.

 

On baitcasters, the way I grip the rod and reel I usually let the rod tell me, and/or I line watch. Sometimes I subconsciously wrap my index finger around the front of the BC, just below the line and feel it that way... but it isn't something I do (like Hank Parker does) to feel strikes.

 

Spinning gear is always line watching/rod feeling.

[Bluebasser86]

#1 Yes, I keep my finger on the line and watch the line both.

 

#2 Very rarely. The only real reason to have both guys in the front is if I'm trying to parallel a bank. 

[WRB]

Jig and worm fishing with bait casting I ALWAYS run the line coming out of the reel under the tip of my thumb and over the tip of my index finger and watch the line like a hawk. Everyone that said no must never fish at night or they are missing about 75% of the jig strikes.

Since I almost always fish in my own boat, the only time anyone gets in the front is when I ask them to take over the trolling motor while I am looking for something or re rigging. If I am teaching someone a specific presentation I let them up front so I can watch them closely or point out fish.

Tournament anglers that bed fish often are both up front looking for fish and double teaming bed fish.

Tom

[paul25]

flippin and pitchin has it right go with FC line and tungsten weights and a good sensitive rod you will never need to hold your line.  

IMO if you have the room fish two if not someone is in the back. 

[Sam]

1. When worm/jig fishing, Do you place your index finger on the line to help feel the bite?  I get mixed info about this.

 

2. Do you fish two anglers out of the front of the boat.  I have seen this on tv and some friends have told me they do this, but I have never done it.  What is the advantage?

 

Other for moving baits I always have a finger on the line to help feel the bite.

 

By fishing out of the front of the boat each individual has an equal chance of finding the bass first.

 

Fishing out of the back of the boat can limit your target area and the person in the front of the boat has an opportunity to hit the most favorable spots first.

[Traveler2586]

Other for moving baits I always have a finger on the line to help feel the bite.

 

By fishing out of the front of the boat each individual has an equal chance of finding the bass first.

 

Fishing out of the back of the boat can limit your target area and the person in the front of the boat has an opportunity to hit the most favorable spots first.

X2, also it's easer to talk with your partner; when he/she is on the stern there's usually not much chatting.

Two on the bow can just be more fun; some times there can be some friendly bumping/pushing to be the first to cast on a good looking spot.  (maybe this is why I don't currently have a steady partner)

The poor guy on the stern gets the leftovers.

[Lasher]

Thanks for your responses.  Interesting data from your answers.

 

Question #1 When worm/jig fishing, Do you place your index finger on the line to help feel the bite?

 

8 people replied No

6 people replied sometimes

4 people replied yes

 

Rod and Reel set up, personal preference, and technique all seem to factor in.  I will try it both ways and just decide for myself, but I do think touching the line has helped me feel the bite in the past, and is something i will probably keep doing, maybe a nice new setup down the road will change my habits.

 

Question #2  Do you fish two anglers out of the front of the boat?

 

Most responded with depends on the boat and the technique.  This is the smart answer and my boater has a 17 foot Triton so I don't think we need to mess with it.  If I'm ever on a large boat and bed fishing, I would like to try moving to the front with the boater to try it out.