Boat Position vs Bass Caught

[260Bass365]

This won't settle a bet, but it might help educate. Early spring, prespawn, beating the bank with Chatterbaits.

 

What would the typical ratio of bass caught: guy on the trolling motor versus guy in the back? We settled on 3:1 but I'd like to your take.

 

[Tennessee Boy]

If they both have the same skill level and the guy in the front is not intentionally trying to “front end” the guy in the back. 
 

1.173:1

[keagbassr]

If the guy in the back of the boat is dumb enough to beat the already beaten banks with the same bait he should get beat 3-1. What he should do is let the guy upfront beat the banks for bucks while he breaks ranks and casts beyond the outside break for a pre-spawn behemoth. Or something like that🙂

[Team9nine]

Both beating the bank, both throwing Chatterbaits? If the front guy is halfway good, he should get him 5:1. If the back guy is sharp, it might be closer to 3:2. So many variables though, so it’s really just guessing.

[WRB]

Lots of variables like are they a team working together, length of bait both could be up front, color of chatterbait etc.

In a team effect the odds are nearly equal.

Back seater is in the back and normal casting practice is don’t cast forward ahead of the front seater who has total control of boat positioning, the back seater odds are low using the same lure/color. The back seater in this situation should change lures to a spinnerbait or square bill crank bait to cover water at the same pace the boat is moving. Back seater may be out fished by the front or out fish the front seater, but definitely up his odds.
Tom

[gim]

22 minutes ago, WRB said:

the back seater odds are low using the same lure/color.

 

Exactly, so don't do it.  Think smarter.

 

Unless of course the only presentation the fish are biting is what the front person is using.  Then you beat it into a pulp until it's dead.

[Captain Phil]

Successful bass fishing from the back of the boat is done differently than when fishing from the front. 

[Bird]

Person up front picks up the active fish. Imo

As mentioned, if in the back don't throw the exact same bait.

[N Florida Mike]

Whem my friend is in front he usually catches 1-2 more than me.

But If Im in back in my home lake  with him, I usually catch more by a large margin.

I think one reason for that is Im more used to fishing out of a jon boat, which is lower and he is more used to fishing out of his bass boat, which is higher. When we go on road trips we always take his boat. If it’s my lake we take my JB.

Another reason is he uses more weight than me in my lake. Those fish have never bit well on fast sinking baits.

Another reason he is bait caster only, and can’t skip baits. 

I use more spinning, and can skip baits with them…

 

[Bankbeater]

Both anglers using the same bait, then the boater is going to be out fishing the co-angler, unless the boater is preoccupied with something else like the wind and waves in harsh conditions.

[gim]

I often out fish whoever I take with in my boat when I go bass fishing.  I have no doubt that the simple fact that active fish see my lure before they see the person's lure who is fishing on my back deck absolutely plays a role in that.  It's my boat though, and I'm running the bow mount, watching my graph, and fighting the wind.

 

Sometimes, whoever is in the back complains that I'm hogging all the fish.  My answer every single time is to switch spots.  They can go ahead and run the bow mount, watch the graph, stay on structure, and fight the wind...all while trying to make accurate casts.

 

The answer I have gotten back 100% of the time so far is "no thanks" after I make the offer.

[gobig]

This question lacks a lot of context. If you haven’t been beat by your coangler you haven’t fished with enough people. So much stock is put into the bait and not the person wielding it.