Back Seat Experiences

[Ktho]

I wouldn't hire a guide that backseated me and fished the whole time, that's bush league might as well just pay for gas and forget the tip. They're still on the front deck running the pedal and keeping their eye on everything but there's plenty of room on a 21' front deck for a guide and an angler. I've gone a handful of times and haven't seen that but I also talk about that sort of thing prior to booking. 

 

As far as back seat goes imo there's 2 ways about it. 1. You're getting 'back seated' and the guy on the peddle is fishing what he wants to, not caring about your positioning, and you're just along for the ride. 2. The guy up front cares and works to position the both of you on fish and at a speed that lets you still fish. #1 sucks and its super easy to get negative and in a bad mindset. #2 is just fun fishing with friends and you're giving each other space.

[TnRiver46]

17 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

What kind of guide fishes the front of the boat? 

One that doesn’t make the client drive the boat 

[txchaser]

It's not hard at all to fish right next to the guide, as long as they aren't fishing. Some days are tough and the guide is trying to pattern all day though, so they should be fishing. 

 

If I'm in the back on a guided trip I have no hesitation whatsover about casting anywhere I can reach, that helps too. I just say where I'm about to launch "on your left" or whatever so there's no oops moments. 

 

For me, being really clear about what I'm there for has helped a bunch.

 

Baccarac they run it from the back, but that's a different game altogether anyway. 

 

And with all that, some days it'll backfire anyway - I had a guide put me in the front of the boat to be able to fish a weedline thoroughly while we spot locked, and he moved to the back and threw a wacky rig behind us in water we just drove through... and caught a 9.9, I think on the first cast. 

[Micaiah Lindquist]

I didn't realize being on the front or back deck was that big of deal. I've done most my fishing out of canoes, kayaks, and jon boats. I've fished 3-4 people in a 14' plenty of times and don't have any issues with people tangling and I think it usually comes down to skill more than who's positioned where. When you're on a kayak or canoe in the wind, you learn a lot about how to successfully fish with far less than optional positioning. I guess that's the reason it hasn't been much of an issue for me the few times I have fished out of a bass boat.

[gim]

57 minutes ago, Micaiah Lindquist said:

I've fished 3-4 people in a 14'

What kind of 14 foot boat can safely accommodate 4 people?  I've got a 17.5 foot boat and the max persons according to the USCG plate is 3 people.

[scaleface]

I took a young cousin and were set up  on a point . I tell him to cast this direction , thats where the bass are . Dont cast behind us. Its 40 foot deep and nothing  there . So  he proceeds to cast out in open water and catches a 4 lb bass, largest of the day . So I gave no more pointers the rest of the day and at least out fished him badly numbers wise.

[Junger]

If I'm hiring a guide, I'd expect a remote trolling motor and I would be fishing up front, or if no remote the guide was up front controlling the trolling motor but not fishing and focusing 100% on my experience. That would including making sure my technique and presentation were right, looking for signs of fish such as beds, grass, sunken structure/wood, rigging up another rod for a different presentation, thinking about the next spot, etc. Can a guide do all that and fish at the same time, maybe....but why even do it if the guide is (or should be) focused on the client experience.

 

Now, I often tell my guides to fish some spots if I'm going to take a break, or I want them to show me their technique, but if they fish without my permission, I'll ask them to stop. But that's often alleviated up front when I talk to them when booking.

 

I'm really not sure why guides don't have a trolling motor with a remote and spotlock nowadays anyways. They are many options in various budgets and it's an investment into the guiding experience of your clients.

[Jar11591]

6 minutes ago, Junger said:

Now, I often tell my guides to fish some spots if I'm going to take a break, or I want them to show me their technique, but if they fish without my permission, I'll ask them to stop. But that's often alleviated up front when I talk to them when booking.

Yeah I’ve heard stories of bass guides fishing while their clients fish as well. That always blows my mind. I’ve only been on one guided bass trip in the states, and the guy never even touched a fishing rod. This is the way. If my guide all of a sudden started fishing for the same fish I was paying him to get me on, I’d let them know the only money I’m paying him would be half the cost of gas. If we’re gonna be fishing like buddies in a boat, I’m not paying guided prices. 

[ATA]

On 4/1/2023 at 7:00 PM, thediscochef said:

Curious to know what your back seat experiences are like. I am traditionally the back seat on my guided trips - guide up front, buddy in the middle, me in the back. Without fail, on four consecutive trips, I've had a rough day and moaned n groaned all morning while watching everyone else catch fish. Then, within the last hour or two - sometimes as little as 15 minutes left on a full day, so 3:45pm - I hook the biggest fish of the trip. Make everyone gasp, and go home with a great photo and on at least one occasion a PB. So, frustrating all day and then bragging rights. I can handle that of course, but there's times it gets hard to remember that I finish strong. wHaT dOeS iT mEaN?!?!?!?1

 

Also what's your back seat experience like?

Honestly I like the back seat. I have guide and since I am paying for all day alone, My guide which is my friend as well just sitting and play with his phone all day and I always get tired to operate the boat and trolling motor LOL I know I am so lazy but that is me. So I always let him operate the boat for every couple hours. I want to be back there and only worry about catching bass ?

[geo g]

As a back seater I usually choose something totally different then what the guy up front is doing.  I will continue until one of us start catching.  Then changes may be done depending on how we feel.

[TnRiver46]

On 4/19/2023 at 1:47 PM, Junger said:

If I'm hiring a guide, I'd expect a remote trolling motor and I would be fishing up front, or if no remote the guide was up front controlling the trolling motor but not fishing and focusing 100% on my experience. That would including making sure my technique and presentation were right, looking for signs of fish such as beds, grass, sunken structure/wood, rigging up another rod for a different presentation, thinking about the next spot, etc. Can a guide do all that and fish at the same time, maybe....but why even do it if the guide is (or should be) focused on the client experience.

 

Now, I often tell my guides to fish some spots if I'm going to take a break, or I want them to show me their technique, but if they fish without my permission, I'll ask them to stop. But that's often alleviated up front when I talk to them when booking.

 

I'm really not sure why guides don't have a trolling motor with a remote and spotlock nowadays anyways. They are many options in various budgets and it's an investment into the guiding experience of your clients.

 The problem you run into there is people stumbling  falling into the water when you hit the power on the remote. Heck I’ve had buddies on the back deck say “hey warn me when you go to turn that thing on”

[Junger]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

 The problem you run into there is people stumbling  falling into the water when you hit the power on the remote. Heck I’ve had buddies on the back deck say “hey warn me when you go to turn that thing on”

 

Oh yeah I jolt my kids on my boat cuz they love it, max power 10 and turn the TM full left or right. But when I'm with my 84 year old dad, it's on power 2-3 and it doesn't jolt the boat at all. On an Ultrex, I actually prefer to use the remote with my dad because it powers up the TM blade gradually. The foot pedal is instant power, and depending on soft or hard the foot pedal is indexed (how easy it is to push up or down), if I'm on a higher speed a soft pedal will jolt the boat a lot more often and I prefer using the remote.

[KSanford33]

My back seat experiences have rarely been great. I'm 6'0", so depending how big the girl was, it's usually pretty cramped back there.

 

 

Oh... you mean the back seat in a boat...? Oh, well this is awkward... ?

[thediscochef]

12 hours ago, KSanford33 said:

My back seat experiences have rarely been great. I'm 6'0", so depending how big the girl was, it's usually pretty cramped back there.

 

 

Oh... you mean the back seat in a boat...? Oh, well this is awkward... ?

Oh man I really walked right into that one

[Yakalong]

I fished with my brother for years out of his boat, still do. He would always position the boat (whenever possible) for both of us to fish. Since I got my boat its the same regardless of who is behind me. We are both there to fish and have a good time.

[geo g]

On 4/2/2023 at 1:07 AM, thediscochef said:

The four times have all been bluebird skies lol its more or less getting third crack at all the fish in that situation...but making the best of it

When I was a backseater I watched the area the front guy targeted and then  I pick areas that are yards from his targets.  I never threw where he has already hit.  I never threw the same baits the front guy used unless he started picking up quality fish, then I made a change.  There is lots of water, and no one can hit it all on one pass. That leaves a backseater fresh water to hit, if you pay attention to what's going on around you.