Co-Angler Strategies/Organization

[UmairF]

Been co-angling for a couple years in my local club. Got to meet/fish with a bunch of great guys and learned a lot. Not a stranger to fishing behind people and co-angler etiquette. What are some strategies depending on the situation you guys use during tournaments in the following?

- Docks
- Weedlines
- Open water behind FFS

I’d call myself a dynamic angler. I think I adapt pretty well to the situation I’m given. One thing that hurt me last season was bringing too many options of the same presentation. (Ex. Too many colors/styles of the same presentation, too many “backup baits”). Going to focus on keeping it more simple this year. Looking for more of a methodical response to approaching these situations from your guys’ experience.

Anything “sneaky” you guys do to be more efficient on the water? Always looking at more ways to get as many casts in a day as I can.

Also, curious as to how you guys select rods/organize tackle into a compact package. I don’t like bringing more than 5-6 rods TOPS and end up catching most of my fish on maybe 2-3 of those rods anyways lol.

I’ve been loving the Plano 3600 Guide Series bag with the magnetic top. So easy for me to have things ready to go and leave sitting out to dry since it won’t fall off. Usually bring 3 tackle boxes:

- Terminal
- Jigs (bladed jigs and swim jigs in here as well. Will stuff a few spinnerbaits if needed here too.)
- Hard bait box (topwaters, trebles, etc.)

Hardest thing for me to organize last year was my soft plastics. Stuffed my dropshot/ned rig plastics into a roboworm bag, bunch of senkos into a GYB senko bag, and craw trailers/flipping baits into a small bag. This could also be another reason why I felt the need to bring so many options for soft plastics… I can still fit another 3600 size tackle box along with the existing 3 and just organize my soft plastics into there as well instead of the multiple bags but want to hear your thoughts too.

 

[bottom_dollar]

Docks- 3/16ths shakeyhead with a worm of your choice if you can’t skip it under the dock let it soak in the deeper water in between the docks. Maybe a neko rig if real shallow and your boater is moving fast.

 

Weedlines- 1/8th Texas rig swim worm. 
 

open water FFS- drop shot or deep diving jerkbait. When you get the net for your  partner, flip the bail and lay your rod down by the motor, there’s usually one or two with the one boater hooked. 

All the organization stuff sounds good, the lighter and more simple the better. I also hand over my gas money as soon as I step foot in the boat. 

[Bankbeater]

For docks and weedlines, look up ahead and figure out where you are going to pitch before you get there.  Don't worry about if the boater has already fished that spot, and if the boater has fished the same spot try hitting it from a different angle.