Tips for a Co-Angler

[vatech]

So I'm interested in hearing some tips for a Co-Angler to win a tournament. A lot of information out there focusses on proper etiquette when on another person's boat but not many articles focus on strategies for a Co-Angler to WIN.

I would love to hear some tips from some experienced co-anglers or even some boaters who can share stories about particularly talented co-anglers and what they did well.

If you were to write a bass book on being a successful co-angler, what five chapters would you center your book around?

[vatech]

I've only fished two tournaments thus far as a co-angler but I've learned a lot that I wish someone had shared with me before I started. In no particular order, here are some of my tips:

-TALK TALK TALK to your boater pairing before the tournament. Get a feel for how your boater is going to be fishing, the type of structure he's targeting, the speed they'll be fishing, their general game plan, etc. This will help you decide what to tie on THE NIGHT BEFORE. My first tournament, I did not even think of talking to my boater beforehand about what he had planned, figuring I would tie stuff on while on the water. Tournaments move to fast to tie all your baits on while you're out there. By the time you get something tied on, it's probable your boater is already ready to move on.

-Bring 5-6 rods. You're going to be fishing with a variety of different anglers who all fish with completely different speeds and styles. You want to be ready for anything. I think it's also important to have at least one "all around all purpose" rod incase you completely backlash a technique specific combo and need a quick fix/replacement.

-Get a Bac Rac!! This thing is sick for comfortably holding 4 combos for quick changes. It can be really difficult pulling tangling rods out of the normal storage for a co-angler. Be careful with rod tips hanging off the side of the boat!

-Cover your tremble hook baits. Not just thinking about protecting the boat here. Not having your gear tangle up saves you valuable time on the water.

-This is not a knock against boaters, just a reality of the situation, but boaters are not going to care THAT much about you. Yes, many are EXTREMELY helpful and give great tips and will even manuever the boat for you to get a lure back. However, for the most part, the majority of boaters are in it to win it. Your boater might have a fish on and be screaming at you to grab the net, he's not thinking about you potentially dropping your valuable gear over the boat. Don't get intimidated by the situation. Stay aware of where your boater is moving the boat. If you have loose gear around, they might inadvertently push the boat into tree limbs or other brush that could knock your gear over edge. If you have rod tips hanging off the side of the boat, make sure they're not getting crushed.

[ChazfromVA]

I fished non-boater for a few years and heres what i learned :

ALWAYS watch the guy up front. I always watched where each of his casts landed and i tried to avoid that. I picked apart just about everything the guy in front gave me. Reality is he cant hit evrything and normally he is gonna make flips and pitches to the "primo" looking spots. In the back you need to hit everything and be thorough.. the fish will come!

ALSO i always tried to to do something diffeerent than the guy up front.. i never liked the idea of throwing the same bait back to back. I felt like throwing something different( even something slight like a color change) was going to increase my chances for a bite and a win.

Hopefully that helps.

Good luck and Tight Lines!

-Chaz-

[b.Lee]

Fishing as a co-angler is tough sometimes, but if you use it to your advantage it can pay off.   

First off it depends what type of boater you have. I have had boaters that just keep trolling, or sit on a sport for 10 minutes and leave. Or one that never leave a spot and troll around in a circle.

I personally like to pick apart of place. This is because you get to make equal casts and also a pitch your boater made up front, you can pitch to as you pass by, and maybe pick up a bass he missed. 

Another things I have heard of people winning tournaments off of is dragging baits behind the boat.  Brush Hogs, crankbaits, jigs. So that could be a strategy as well.

[Matt Fly]

There are some great Co angler, sometimes titled Co boater threads buried in this section.

    

[Koop]

If the boater is power fishing I will usually throw a jig or some slower more finesse presentation to pick up what the boater misses.  If he goes to docks is when it gets hard... I will usually throw a spinner or crank or something in any spaces between docks or where ever I can.  Sometimes throwing a crank horizontal to the docks and bang it up against the posts will work.  There is a lot you can do if the boater is power fishing if you use a finesse presentation... unless it starts REALLY working for you and they switch up to a finesse presentation  >

[Md]

If possible, research how(techniques) tournaments in the past were won at that particular fishery at around the same date you are fishing it. Read up on as many years back as possible, including pros and co's. Also read up on the rest of the top ten, or someone who might have brought in a huge sack one day. You'd be amazed on what you can pick up. Some guys have loose lips!

[nightstick911]

I've fished as a co-angler for about 5-6 years and I've won a few tourneys from the back of the boat.

My advice is to pick a lure you have confidence in and never let yourself get discouraged from fishing in the back. as long as your not fishing behind KVD I'm sure your boater is missing fish and if you keep your head in the game you can catch them.

also look at being a co-angler as an advantage. you don't have to worry about boat control at all, you're free to move around in the back and make casts to all kinds of targets that the boater may miss.

[Jacob Robinson]

What i always did when i fished as a co-angler is finesse. Most guys i rode with would be power fishing. Thats my strong point but i knew it wouldnt work more than likely.

Another thing, dont tell your boater where you got bit or anything. I fished a BFL one time and i lost a few fish and as soon as i reeled up to make another cast, the boater threw his bait in the exact same place. He did this a few times. Its good though, ive learned how to treat co-anglers.

[b.Lee]

What i always did when i fished as a co-angler is finesse. Most guys i rode with would be power fishing. Thats my strong point but i knew it wouldnt work more than likely.

Another thing, dont tell your boater where you got bit or anything. I fished a BFL one time and i lost a few fish and as soon as i reeled up to make another cast, the boater threw his bait in the exact same place. He did this a few times. Its good though, ive learned how to treat co-anglers.

Haha, that's not right

[dmac14]

Just fish your strengths, I went out one day with a boater and he was set on burning spinnerbaits along weed edges. At the time spinnerbaits were not my strength so I decided just to flip the weeds all day, after about an hour my co angle had his limit and I had one fish, I just stuck with flipping and by the end of the day I had caught over 10 2 pounders and ended the day with 13 pounds and beat my boater by two pounds. So just stick with what your strength is and just fish it like you want to.

[roadwarrior]

Troll a Rage Tail Lizard or Eeliminator on a C-rig.

You won't be in the way and will probably outfish

the boater!

Note: Use as much weight as necessary to maintain

bottom contact.

8-)

[Koop]

Troll a Rage Tail Lizard or Eeliminator on a C-rig.

You won't be in the way and will probably outfish

the boater!

Note: Use as much weight as necessary to maintain

bottom contact.

8-)

I'd check to make sure it is allowed before doing this, most tournaments do not allow trolling.

[roadwarrior]

Not "trolling" with the big motor. Trolling as in

dragging the C-rig while your boater is casting.

Another term that might be more PC: drifting.

8-)

[b.Lee]

I agree with RW, which is sort of the point I was trying to make above.

[pat_walker_fishing]

If the boater is power fishing I will usually throw a jig or some slower more finesse presentation to pick up what the boater misses. If he goes to docks is when it gets hard... I will usually throw a spinner or crank or something in any spaces between docks or where ever I can. Sometimes throwing a crank horizontal to the docks and bang it up against the posts will work. There is a lot you can do if the boater is power fishing if you use a finesse presentation... unless it starts REALLY working for you and they switch up to a finesse presentation >

that about sums it up for me.....boaters will miss fish. Just stay confident in what your throwing, your not competing with him but the other non boaters....so frontenders get a pattern in there head and no matter what they wont change.....i remember onetime my boater had found some big fish on the beds, well cool weather pulled them off,but he still was pitching to those beds.....i was casting a mini c-rig out in deeper water and i won! Had he not been blocking me i woulda been doing the same as him....and fishing over the fish..completely missing it