Fish 2 up front on 18' Fiberglass boat

[BassnChris]

Anyone fish 2 on the front deck of a fiberglass bass boat?

Too cramped or plenty of space?

 

Thanks

Chris

[gim]

I don't have a fiberglass boat but I have a 17'8" aluminum bass boat.  I prefer not to have anyone on the front deck with me when I'm casting.  The close proximity creates unnecessary risk when slinging lures.

 

I see on TV quite a bit with 2 anglers on the front deck together so I'm sure it can be done.  But with a back deck or the rest of the boat to use, why would you even risk it?

 

Disclaimer: I've taken a crank bait in the head.  The hooks were lodged in and required a trip to the ER to have them removed.  Its a standing joke now that my "Father caught me" that day but when it happened it was no joke.

[WRB]

Depends on the deck layout.

Tom

[jbsoonerfan]

I have a single console TR-186 (18'6") and I wouldn't fish 2 out of the front unless I had the power poles down and we were pitching to the same structure and I couldn't position the boat any other direction. The only time I have ran in to this situation was fishing a brushpile in a creek. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it. That being said, I have fished out of 21' boats before and I wouldn't want to fish 2 on the front deck. 

[J Francho]

Depends on the boat and what you're fishing.

[InfantryMP]

I have a Triton TR-17. I try to only have about 2 rods or so on the deck especially with someone else. I have two Lowrance units upfront. 

 

It is do-able. The key is to be offset from each other side to side. If you are an over head caster, this works out great. If you cast side arm it can be tricky sometimes. 

 

[BassnChris]

I would be fishing 3 out of the boat....1 on back and 2 up front.

Not all of the time...but regularly.

 

Thanks for the responses.

[Junger]

Possible on most boats if one can cast left handed, and both cast overhead or 3/4 and watch the back cast so you don't snag eachother.

[K1500]

I have a 20 foot bay boat with a big front deck. It can be done but it can also be dicey, it just depends on the anglers, what they are fishing, etc. 

[Catt]

Do all the time ?

 

Both anglers have to understand, one cast first & then the other. It's only done when boat positioning causes one angler be be front ended.

 

Before Spot-Lock we anchored on offshore structure, on windy days we anchored up wind & both anglers stood on the back deck.

[Way north bass guy]

I had a 17’ Triton and fished team tournaments with my cousin for several years out of it. He’s 6’3” and about 280lbs, built like a pro wrestler. We always fished together up front, never had any issues at all with it. I think if your both aware of what’s going on, it’s not an issue. I often fish the front deck of my 19’ deep-v with my 11 year old, and we don’t have any issues either. I’m actually more concerned when there’s someone at the rear deck on a smaller bassboat, with the wrong angled cast, your lure can be right in their face. If you’re both standing right beside each other, it spaces your baits a bit further from your faces if your angles are correct. 

[TnRiver46]

35 minutes ago, Way north bass guy said:

I had a 17’ Triton and fished team tournaments with my cousin for several years out of it. He’s 6’3” and about 280lbs, built like a pro wrestler. We always fished together up front, never had any issues at all with it. I think if your both aware of what’s going on, it’s not an issue. I often fish the front deck of my 19’ deep-v with my 11 year old, and we don’t have any issues either. I’m actually more concerned when there’s someone at the rear deck on a smaller bassboat, with the wrong angled cast, your lure can be right in their face. If you’re both standing right beside each other, it spaces your baits a bit further from your faces if your angles are correct. 

I bet you didn’t have any issues in the post game parking lot rumbles either with him on your team !

[Bluebasser86]

I do in my boat, but it's a single console so if I'm heading the right direction it's pretty easy to fish 3, and I've even done 4 before.

[Deephaven]

When I had my 521 it was my preferred way to fish. Would allow me to position the boat so my buddy was on fish too.  That front deck is bigger, in particular with a single console but it can be done.  On my 18' bass boat with dual consoles it was tough mostly due to where to put the rods you weren't throwing.  

[Way2slow]

Did it many times with my old 285 Pro I had and do it with my Renegade 20 dual console with no problems.  It's for short periods when in a situation when the back seat guy is hampered or cut off like when chasing schooling fish and you are constantly chasing them and having to make long cast to them.

[Catt]

I'm not understanding what difference a dual console makes?

 

I agree with @Way north bass guy some guys I want em standing next me so I can Gibbs's slap em!

[Dwight Hottle]

I fish with a buddy out of a 18' ranger. We both fish out of the bow shoulder to shoulder & it works pretty well. The guy running the trolling motor gets preference as to left or right side positioning. If casting to a weed line edge you have to alternate unless one guy can regularly outcast the other to stagger the retrieves. Standing next to one another prevents back cast problems & hitting the other guys rod with yours.   

[Way2slow]

The only problem I've ever had with a dual console is when casting something like a Carolina rig with a long leader or a popping cork with a long leader on 7 1/2' or 8' rods.  When you whip it back to make one of extra long  cast straight off the bow, the lure can catch the windshield.   When two people are on the front deck it makes you have to shorten your back swing or think about where the opening is and pay attention to what the other person is doing so you both don't come back at the same time. 

That's also why I would never own a fish and ski or a boat with a full windshield.  

[J Francho]

45 minutes ago, Catt said:

I'm not understanding what difference a dual console makes?

Not too sure either, other than moving back and forth to the cockpit?  There's more than enough room for two on my old DC Bullet.  That is a 21'10" hull, so it doesn't really help the OP.