Casting "over" Someone Defined

[Felix77]

I have heard way too many interpretations of this. Thought I would ask the group what you think it means?

[Dwight Hottle]

Casting over someone is creating possible interference with their ability to retrieve their bait or get a good hook set.  It can also be described as casting into their space. I have a few buddies who will do this to me and I will return the favor. But I would not cast over someone who is not a friend.

[cast_and_destroy]

Yeah pretty much what Dwight said. I find it difficult to fish anywhere close to other people just because some cant really cast...but oh well they gotta learn someway, just not near me haha.

[Felix77]

Casting over someone is creating possible interference with their ability to retrieve their bait or get a good hook set. It can also be described as casting into their space. I have a few buddies who will do this to me and I will return the favor. But I would not cast over someone who is not a friend.

Elaborate on what you mean by casting in their space if you don't mind. Can you give an example?

[roadwarrior]

Sure...

 

My buddy is running the trolling motor up font.

He casts forward with weight. A bit later I cast

over with no weight.

 

No harm, no foul.

[Felix77]

I have always heard it in a negative term. For example casting in front of the boater when he clearly is working a pattern in that direction.

Example: Working the shoreline. The boater is fishing 45 degrees from the front. I get 2nd cast from the back of the boat. He decides to cast right in front of the boat exposing the shoreline angle. If I cast there is that "over" him?

[Goose52]

Elaborate on what you mean by casting in their space if you don't mind. Can you give an example?

 

If another angler was in a spot first, I consider all the water that they can reach with a long cast to be theirs (their space). Same with me, all the water I can reach on a long cast is mine. Obviously, those two spaces may have to be somewhat altered if I'm working in a narrow space - say I'm working one bank, and another angler is working the opposite bank.  Or, if fishing from the bank, and there are lots of anglers, then the "space" gets compressed. 

 

If I 'm working a shoreline or other cover/structure and proceeding in a certain direction, the water ahead of me is mine - another angler shouldn't come in right in front of me and cut me off.  They can work behind me, or go quite a ways ahead of me. The distance ahead of me that is acceptable for them to cut in is of course open to different views between them and me...

 

Edit - Felix - you posted while I was typing. I can't give any examples for two people in a boat as I always fish alone...

[Bluebasser86]

In a tournament the generally accepted practice if you're in the back of the boat is to pretend there's a line through the middle of the boat to the shoreline and not to cast past that line. This is only in draw tournaments when you get paired with someone you don't know. If it's a buddy tournament what RW described is just fine with me. The problem is when the guy in the front is fishing a slow moving bait and the guy in the back casts over his line with a fast moving bait and makes it impossible for him to finish his retrieve properly. 

[Mike L]

In a tournament the generally accepted practice if you're in the back of the boat is to pretend there's a line through the middle of the boat to the shoreline and not to cast past that line. This is only in draw tournaments when you get paired with someone you don't know. If it's a buddy tournament what RW described is just fine with me. The problem is when the guy in the front is fishing a slow moving bait and the guy in the back casts over his line with a fast moving bait and makes it impossible for him to finish his retrieve properly. 

 

As a tournament co angler, in my opinion Blue said it best...That imaginary line runs across the bost where the boater steps up on the deck.

 

Everything in front and both sides of that line is his,

Everything in back and both sides of that line is mine.

 

Unless he runs the boat in reverse, thats why it's much tougher from back there, especially if your boater knows what he's doing.

 

At the TBF Florida State Team Qualifier, my boater on the 2nd day invited me up front...I almost hugged him!!

 

 

Mike

[Dwight Hottle]

When I fish with South Fla, aka Robert we sometimes both fish in the bow while he runs the trolling motor. I only fish between 6 & 12 leaving him 12: 01 to 5:59 or I fish the left side while he fishes the right side. We are fishing shoulder to shoulder. The idea is not to cross the the other guys line or the space he needs for an overhead hook set.

[SirSnookalot]

It doesn't happen in freshwater with me, but it happens all the time at the ocean.  On a jettie there can be quite a few people, some are just unaware of what they are doing and others don't care, I pretty much take it with a grain of salt.  On the beach I don't like to be crowded, either I'm casting parallel to the shore or I have fish on that I have to run down.  Couple of years ago this guy used fish real close to me, several times before I landed a nice fish he was casting over me to see if he could catch one too.  This happened quite a few times until I blew up at him, glad to say he moved back to Tennessee.  The sad part was this man is in the fishing hall of fame as a striper expert, he should have known better.  

[Sam]

Felix, if someone is targeting a specific target or area to place their bait there is an unwritten law that you do not interfere with his presentation.

 

"Back boating" is a term that means the individual in the front of the boat positions the boat so he has the best angle and chance to catch a bass while blocking the individual in the back of the boat.

 

A guy in the front can also throw at a 90* angle to stop the guy in the back of the boat from fishing over his line and therefore limiting the guy in the "back of the boat" to a very small and unproductive area.

 

A lot of guys want to fish with a professional bass fisherman. It can be fun and a learning experience but in a tournament the pros will "back boat" you in a heartbeat.

 

When considering your query the answer is that if one individual throws his bait over the line or into the area where a second individual is fishing it is considered "casting over a line" and is frowned upon in bass fishing as an unsportsmanship act. 

 

However, if the front boater throws in another direction or stops to retie, hunt for another bait, get something to eat or drink, etc. and their line is no longer in the water you have the right to cast where he was fishing or would have been fishing had he not stopped.

 

Getting " back boated" when fishing as a nonboater is a normal occurrence and is to be expected. How you retaliate is up to you.

 

Having the guy being back boated throw his line across or into the same area where the boater's line is located is usually not done and if it is there can be negative feelings between the two guys in the boat.

[slonezp]

It doesn't happen in freshwater with me, but it happens all the time at the ocean.  On a jettie there can be quite a few people, some are just unaware of what they are doing and others don't care, I pretty much take it with a grain of salt.  On the beach I don't like to be crowded, either I'm casting parallel to the shore or I have fish on that I have to run down.  Couple of years ago this guy used fish real close to me, several times before I landed a nice fish he was casting over me to see if he could catch one too.  This happened quite a few times until I blew up at him, glad to say he moved back to Tennessee.  The sad part was this man is in the fishing hall of fame as a striper expert, he should have known better.  

Similar to the salmon run up here. Guys lined up almost shoulder to shoulder casting directly in front of themselves. Years ago it used to be a more pleasant experience. Somebody hooks into a king and yells "fish on!" Everyone reels in their lines so as no to get tangled. It doesn't work like that anymore. Nowadays people will cast into your space and when your fish tangles their lines, they are upset.   

[indianabasshunter]

As a tournament co angler, in my opinion Blue said it best...That imaginary line runs across the bost where the boater steps up on the deck.

 

Everything in front and both sides of that line is his,

Everything in back and both sides of that line is mine.

 

Unless he runs the boat in reverse, thats why it's much tougher from back there, especially if your boater knows what he's doing.

 

At the TBF Florida State Team Qualifier, my boater on the 2nd day invited me up front...I almost hugged him!!

 

 

Mike

The way Mike described it is exactly how I interpret it. It can get ugly if your partner doesn't understand this. 

[Nice_Bass]

Somewhat ironic that "backboated" is seemingly an accepted practice

Casting over in that situation is not an accepted practice.

In my opinion a person that is back boating another would be the "un-sportsman" like behavior.

Reason #243 that I have no urge to ever be fishing on the back of a pros boat unless it was a friend.

 

I also never have, never would backboat someone.  I find that the line down the middle works for all parties, and I always personally enjoy seeing the angler on the back of the boat catching fish as well even if not a team trail...

[Felix77]

So far in my experiences fishing tournaments I have had zero issues with my boaters. I patiently watch where they are casting and try to fish where they aren't. On a few occasions we end up casting to a similar spot and I reel back right away.

Its a confusing topic because so much of it depends on plain and simple communication and respect. This topic is an interesting read.

[stk]

I am pretty new to bass fishing and I have never fished anything remotely close to a tournament and my question is what is the purpose of the co-angler?  Is he/she typically a friend of yours or do they match you up with someone random?  Is the co-angler supposed to help you out?  I don't mean to hijack your thread Felix but I am not sure what the co-angler/guy on the back of the boat is to be doing. 

 

Thanks!

[Mike L]

STK

The co angler, or backseater, or non boater whatever they are called in the particular region you live, is the fisherman who fishes on another man's boat, either in a tournament or with a friend.

In a tournamnet there is allways a meeting of all entrants the day or night before a tounament where the boaters will draw a number which becomes his take off position in the morning and weigh in order at the end of the day.

 

After all boaters have drawn the "co anglers" will draw. Matching numbers are paired for the day.

The owner of the boat, peculiar enough called the "boater", controls where you fish in a particular outing.

He controls the trolling motor to fish his selected waters.

 

He fishes from the front deck, you from the rear.

His live well is behind his seat, your's behind you.

His rods are stored in the boat's locker and placed on the deck, your's are laid along side your seat next to the gunnell.

His tackle is stored in the boat storage bins, your's in the bag you bring.

 

It's his boat, his money invested...You are along for the ride either competeing directly against him or other "co angler's" in a separate division if it's that type of tounament. [usually]

 

If fishing in a tounament where money is the prize, you really have no say in where in the lake you fish, unless it is in written into the tournament rules.

Some boaters will ask where you would like to go, some will ask if you want to fish from his area on the front deck, and even other's will invite you to stand along side them. Totally depends on him.

 

It is customary and expected that the co angler contributes to the fuel costs. The amount is either in the tournament rules, or agreed upon between the two of you prior to take off.

 

There is much more... I hope I answered your question.

 

 

 

 

Mike

[SirSnookalot]

I've fished from boats all my life since childhood, in my younger days fishing with my dad there was never an issue of casting over, he really wanted me to catch the fish.  Once I was on my own I didn't always fish with my dad, I took friends along and these were fun outings, again casting over no issue.  If I invited you that means you have to supply nothing but your presence, if I didn't want you with me no invitation would have been given. 

I don't fish tournaments but if I did my feelings are the same, let's have some fun.  More than willing to fish where a co angler wants to, I want that person to enjoy themselves too.  If there was fear of being casted over and not enjoying myself I wouldn't have made room in the boat in the first place.

[Bluebasser86]

Somewhat ironic that "backboated" is seemingly an accepted practice

Casting over in that situation is not an accepted practice.

In my opinion a person that is back boating another would be the "un-sportsman" like behavior.

Reason #243 that I have no urge to ever be fishing on the back of a pros boat unless it was a friend.

 

I also never have, never would backboat someone.  I find that the line down the middle works for all parties, and I always personally enjoy seeing the angler on the back of the boat catching fish as well even if not a team trail...

Most tournament circuits have a grieving process you can go through if someone does back boat you. I had a guy to it to me badly at Table Rock a few years ago. He was paralleling the dropoffs near the shoreline leaving me with very little room, if I was casting towards shore. I put a shakyhead on and scratched out the only keeper put in the boat that day It was extremely tough fishing that day and I even managed to cash a check with that one keeper for the nonboater side. 

[Felix77]

Sometimes backboating is nothing more than the boater getting caught in the moment IMO.  Being on a boat for 8 hours with a stranger you will know if they are going to be tough to deal with pretty early on.  One of my tournaments last year I was "back boated" a few times when the boater got to particular spots which produced to him in practice.  He would tell me something like "Oooh,  this is where I landed that GIANT in practice".  As he worked his way there he was very, very quiet and more focused than he was just prior.  LIttle did he know it but he nosed his boat to the structure leaving me no shot.  I found something else nearby and caught a good keeper.  Coincidentally his "GIANT" wasn't there.  He was great the entire day just got too caught up in the moment.

 

I keep 2 simple rules in mind from the back of the boat.

 

1 - Be considerate.  Treat this boat as if it were your own.

2 - Fish your water.  You have more water than you think if you only get out of your head that if you were in front you would do better.

3 - Be creative.  Sometimes you need to do unusual things to get your lure in high percentage places.  Take the risks.  You will be rewarded.  Just be ready to clip your line in a pinch if you are hung.  LOL

[BadContrakt]

I fish exclusively with my "good friends" and we cast over each other all the time. I find that 99 time out of 100 our lures won't even get close to one another. If I see fish activity in the pads right up next to the bow of the boat where I fish, and my buddy is fishing from the back... I don't mind if he casts up to where I'm fishing. I'm here to have a good time and catch some fish. I don't care about someone casting where I'm casting or catching a fish in my zone.

 

The above rule applies to all forms of fishing. Fun fishing. Friendly sport fishing. Bragging rights fishing with the guys. Tourney fishing.

 

Now if my buddy took me out fishing on HIS boat with his dad or something... I would steer clear of his dad's casting area and try to stick to my own zone until I'm more comfortable with his dad as a person and as a fisherman.

 

When I have people on my boat there's only one rule; first one to catch a keeper gets a dollar from everyone else on the boat. It's just a fun little thing that I'll probably do on every boat I have for my whole life.