Back seat etiquette.

[TOXIC]

Seriously?  You're not in a tournament and you are arguing with someone on "rules" of fishing.....?  If I were you, 
I'd invite him up on the front deck!!  There is a certain amount of skill required to keep someone in the back of the boat positioned based on what they are throwing.  As a guide, this is BURNED into my routine, for some of my fishing friends it is not second nature so, they may unintentionally back boat me when we are fishing certain situations and I am on the back deck. Or they may be on the TM too heavy for me to fish my technique.   Tournaments are a different game entirely.  Back boater is not to cast in front of the console(s).  Period.  And if the boater knowingly "front ends" you, I would have a pleasant conversation with him and tell him if it continues, you will refuse to sign their weigh slip or file a protest at weigh in.  That is for professionally run tournaments.  If it is a club deal, I'd approach it differently.  If it's just 2 friends, it shouldn't be an issue, so you can do this like we did this weekend.  HAVE FUN!!

 

 

[scaleface]

I want them to cast in front and go out of the way to give the back seater lanes  to cast . Its a lot better then having them cast behind the boat and getting snagged . 

 

 

[mllrtm79]

I work backseat almost all of the time. Both of my usual boaters don't worry about center line so much as crossing them up. I am also quick to jump up front if I need to if there is a fish boated or my boater is re-tying. We work together, even on tournaments like this past Sunday when we were competing against each other. Is it frustrating sometimes when you get blocked from a good piece of cover? No doubt. But are there other quadrants to fish other than that one 99% of the time. Sometimes though, you just have to wait a minute to get an angle. (or learn a different way to get a lure under something) 

[Yakalong]

I don't fish tournaments but I fish out of the back of my buddies boat and he fishes out of the back of mine. We both try to put the other in a good position to fish. We just pay attention to where the front of the boat has cast. I want him to catch fish and when I'm in the back he wants me to catch fish, so we work it out. 

[gim]

On ‎6‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 6:11 PM, RoLo said:

Only then will he be awakened to the long list of boat-owner expenses & captain liabilities 

 

Haha this is so true.  Likely a RUDE awakening too

For those that say the solution is to have both people on the front deck, that can result in a bigger problem because I have taken treble hooks to the back of the head when casting in close proximity.

Most of my regular fishing partners don't have their own boat so they're usually pretty respectful and grateful just to get invited on a regular basis.  As a guest in someone else's boat, they already know the rules (as they should).  If your in someone else's car or house, you usually abide by their rules too.  Similar concept in a boat.

[buzzed bait]

if with a friend or my dad, we're just casting and having a good time.  the guy in the front is getting the cleanest water still, but the guy in the back can cast wherever he wants too.

now if it were a tournament and i didn't know the boater, i'd be fishing to about that halfway mark, especially if you're fishing slow right beside the boat.  if you don't like it, get your own boat i guess!

[Ratherbfishing]

Having never fished a tournament, I'm sure I've cast ahead of the "console" on numerous occasions but seldom past the guy in the front and seldom to the point where hinders him or to beat him to a new spot.  I feel like I am a guest on their boat and hence, just have to accept that the guy in front will have first dibs.  On the OTHER HAND, the guy in front has to contend with wind and other distractions and I feel like being in the back has its own advantages anyway.  Regardless, I just suck it up and count myself lucky to be out fishing at all.

 

Usually if I'm in the front of the boat...well, I haven't had that many idiots on my boat so I can't say how I'd respond.  I guess I'd begin with a gentle request that they back off their casts some-explaining the "thou shalt nots."  If THAT didn't work, I'd be a little more firm and position the boat "differently."  If that STILL didn't get the idea across, I'd head back to the ramp and leave them there.  But with friends where the number of fish caught (by whom) didn't matter, thankfully I've never really been confronted with this.

[Pro Logcatcher]

If there are two people in the boat, we switch off spots so we each get a chance to cover new water.

[scaleface]

 The OP  said it was mostly fun fishing not tourney . Even if it is a low scale tourney such as a club event , that is still fun fishing and I impose no such rules on the back seater .

 

Ive had two handicapped men win from the backseat of my boat because they were allowed and encouraged  to make high percentage cast not just cleanup .

[Mike L]

I only fish in local club or charity tournaments if not fishing in one of the national circuit's (Opens, BFL, Bass Nations, TBF etc.

90% of the time I don't know my boater, but it doesn't matter as there are certain things that are universally known and expected. (of course there are exceptions and those are known and expected as well)

 

I do not cast past the wheel unless there's a freak gust of wind, he's re-tying, grabbing a sandwhich, working on a backlash etc. but NEVER without asking first. 

 

My "clean water" is on both sides and rear, and knew that going in and accept it as such. Sometimes when struggling, I've had boaters ask if I wanted to come up to the front deck but always refuse.

 

The only time when I really regret being a co angler is when he wants to flip weed lines all day and he's clipping along with the trolling motor on high..If he's any good, which most of those guys are, it can make for a tough day but I still have water. I just have to make better decisions and focus a lot more. 

 

Does he have an advantage? Sure, but it doesn't necessarily mean I'm at a disadvantage.

 If I or any tournament co angler feels that way he should stay home and play golf. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[jhoffman]

Most circuits, you cant allow the coangler to take the front deck under any circumstances other than emergency and they must not fish doing so. If you do, you both can be DQ'd .

 

Ive never had a bad coangler, but I try to ensure they have a good day. I have had times where boat issues got us both a zero and Ive had times the coangler just WRECKS fish behind me.

[sully420]

Have one friend that likes being on the back of the boat because he understands that boat control is an art and that there is plenty of clean water i cant fish on a pass. My other friend is a mess i cant even take him to fish docks because he hits them all the time casts into trees and the bank. Then constantly wants to move and fish for pike and walleye witch i cant stand. Always wants to go to a lake 2hrs away or the busy lake on a holiday. But i like the guy so i deal with it