Non-Boater advice!

[mattrd]

I plan on fishing a few weekend tournaments this summer as a non-boater. For you guys that have fished as one or had one in the boat with you; what advice do you have? How many rods should a person have? How much tackle? What should you have rigged up? What kind of other things should you bring along? Obviously I know to help pay for gas, etc., but what kind of other things should a person know to make it an enjoyable day on the water for both people involved.

[LegattoAD]

I saw an article on another site with all sorts of info. I'll PM you the link.

Or not... It won't come up. Can you PM me instead and I'll send it in a reply or something. Would just post the link, but I've gotten a wrist smack for that in the past.

[TR21HP]

mattrd,

If you know who your partner is going to be ahead of time and you usually do get together with him or her and talk about what they expect. Maybe you even meet ahead of time and prefish . I've been on both sides co angler and boater and it depends on the boater. They should tell you what you should bring or are they having you use their equipment. They will know ahead of time what type of presentation they are going to use and you can play off that as well. mainly it's just communication between you and your partner.

[Craigums]

Communication is key, I also learned last year that if a fish blows up on one of there top water baits and they swing and miss don't throw your bait in the swirl lol.

I usually try to limit my rods to 3 or 4 if I feel I REALLY need that many. And one carry on tackle bag. Basically if you cant carry it in one trip you have to much stuff.

[bryguy247]

Last year I fished as a Co-Angler in the weekend series. At the weekend series you find out who your boater will be the night before the event.

here are some of the things I have learned and figured out. I bring everything that I have for fishing Bass in my car. 8 rods and reels, tupperware containers full of baits, line, lures, etc. That way I don't get there and go oops,,, I forgot that.

Once I have gotten paired with my boater, I pick his brain on what type of waters we will be fishing (slop, trees, rocks, shallow, deep). I will also ask him what baits he was having luck with. Some will tell you, and for some reason, some won't. But once you have a good idea of how you will be fishing you can start narrowing down your tackle.

I will usually only bring 4 rod and reels, a 12x12x14 inch tackle bag, life jacket, and something to drink and eat. The boater does not have to supply anything for you, but the back of the boat.

Some boaters will tell you that you can bring as much as you want to trip over, and others may say to go as lite as you can. You will have a pretty good idea what to bring after you talk to your boater.

Just apreciate the oppertunity to fish with them, and help them if they need it ( loading and unloading the boat, netting fish if they ask you to)

It is a lot of fun!

[Basscat]

Like bryguy247 said, I'd bring 4 or 5 rods, a reasonable sized tackle box, a life jacket, and something to eat or drink. If the other guys misses a fish, don't cast into that spot unless he tells you to try, or he casts somewhere else. Draw an imaginary line from the center of the boat outward, and don't cast ahead of that line. You may be asked to back the boater in to the lake and park his truck, and also back in for him to load, so being able to do that is helpful. Lastly, be ready to move spots at a moments notice. My first tourney as a non-boater, I had stuff spread out all over the back deck, when the other guy yanked out the trolling motor without warning, and hopped behind the wheel to move spots. He then had to wait for me to pick up my stuff.

[Sproguy]

Matt,

I have fished a lot of tournaments from the front of the boat and the best advice I can give you is bring a good attitude! I have had more than one co that has prefished and caught fish and when I explained that we would be doing something different from how he caught his fish the attitude when WAY south in a hurry. Not saying all my ideas/plans work out but from the front the thing I hate the most is negative statements from the back.

I unlike others do welcome advice (I don't know everything!) but hate "Why are we doing this, we need to be doing this!" statements. See if your boater has a plan, let him work his plan, if things are going south at 11 or 12, than maybe suggest something, do your best not to be forceful. I will ask for advice at times, we all have had days that went south and turned out terrible but I have also had lots of days where I heard things like, "I would have never fished here" from the back.

Bring a great attitude and limit the amount of tackle you bring! LOL

I have had co's that bring 1,000's of plastics. Bring 15 to 20 of each size or shape you need, you don't need 250 Green Pumpkin Senko's. If you burn through them chances are very high I have some to help you out.

Have a great time! We all aren't Elite guys but if you draw the right guy on the right day you can learn a lot!

Good luck this summer!

[Cecil]

Bring $20-$40 for gas money to give to the pro as well. He spent A LOT more than that the week for practice. Even if you only run a couple miles on tournament day, know that he probably ran all over the lake or river to find that spot.

[mattrd]

Thanks for all the advice so far guys! I really appreciate it! So I should bring my own life vest? How about my own measuring board/cullying gear? Again thanks guys!

[Cecil]

I would bring it just in case. May not need it, but I would bring it, especially culling gear, you will need your own for sure.

[bryguy247]

All the boaters have a measuring board that I am sure they are willing to share. I would bring my own culling stuff. Yes, bring your own life vest.

SproGuy, great info from the boater side of things.

Who's fishing in the First MN/WI weekend series event coming up next weekend out of Lacrosse?

[TB Basser]

Mattrd,

I have fished many tournaments in my younger days as a AM/Co angler.

Silverado(when it was 100 plus boats) Gander Mountain and Everstart/Strens.

Had great time at every one with exception of one because of a local pro.

I would bring all my stuff in the back of my truck and them ask what we

would be doing at the meeting the night before. Some guys are really tight lipped because they don't know you or who you might know. Most will

give you a general idea before hand.4 rods was the most I ever took with

me and a bag small enough to fit in the rear storage. Bring your own lunch

and beverage and bring your own vest. As far as fishing, imagine a line from console to console across the boat and don't cast in front of it unless offered by the pro. It's funny how the most established pro's are so much more open and willing to share information and the new younger guys are tight lipped. Always be ready at a moments notice to be ready to run. Most guys will give you a heads up, like last cast ,so you can get you rod put away and life vest on before they pull the trolling motor but not all.

I always offer to pay for gas. Just have fun and enjoy yourself. Lots to learn.

[Wayne Ek]

I don't know if this will help and the article is an older one

An Economical Taste Of Tournament Fishing

By Wayne Ek

Field staffing for two marketing groups allows me to work at a number of fishing/hunting and boating shows during the year. Surprisingly, one of the most commonly asked questions is about getting started in tournament fishing. I get the feeling that there are a substantial number of anglers that fish for both bass and walleyes on a recreational level, but wonder what it would be like to fish a tournament for their favorite species. I fish a number of different tournament series so I know that tournament fishing can become very time consuming and quite expensive. But, there is a simple way to get a “little taste of tournament fishing” to see if you like it, to satisfy your curiosity and still keep the time commitment and out-of-pocket-costs to a minimum.

When someone says “tournament fishing “ I usually think they are referring to bass or walleye tournaments, which make up the bulk of the tournaments here in the upper Midwest. All of the tournaments I fish are for bass, so the information in this article is generally related to bass fishing tournaments. No matter which species of fish the tournament is for, the formats will generally be similar. There are a number of different tournament formats, but the ones that give the first time Amateur angler the best taste of tournament fishing at the lowest cost is the Pro/Am format. This format matches a Pro angler with an Amateur angler. As the Amateur angler you don’t need to take time off work to pre-fish. You don’t need a boat, trailer or tow vehicle. On some circuits you don’t have to pay entry fees for the whole circuit, just the one tournament you have elected to fish. The Amateur angler really has to do nothing more than pay his/her entry fee and show up at the pre-tournament meeting to meet his/her Pro partner.

Most Pro/Am tournaments use one of three formats for weighing the fish.

§ The first format is called a shared weight format. With this format the Pro and the Amateur are fishing as a team. They will both benefit from any fish caught, no matter which angler catches the fish.

§ The second format is called a modified shared weight format. This format is structured so the Amateur angler gets to add the weight of their fish to that of the fish caught by the Pro angler. This then becomes the Amateur anglers total weight for the tournament day. With this format the Pro angler derives no benefit from any fish his Amateur partner catches during the tournament.

§ The third format is called the non-shared weight format. In this system the Pro angler weighs up to 5 fish for his/her total weight. The Amateur angler can weigh up to 5 fish for their total weight. Neither party benefits from the fish caught by their partner.

Personally, I feel that the non-shared or modified shared weight tournaments are not a good place for a novice angler to experience tournament fishing for the first time. From my experience and in speaking with other Pro and Amateur anglers these types of formats can be more competitive for the Amateur angler than the basic shared weight format. This can cause a novice angler undue stress or tension. Leaving them with a bad first impression of what tournament fishing is really like. On a non-shared weight tournament the Pro angler may feel they do not have the time to explain fishing patterns, structure or techniques to their Amateur partners, leaving the Amateur angler to their own devices. This can really be frustrating to a novice tournament angler who is hoping to catch some fish or learn a new technique. I do, however, think that these formats are an excellent place for the experienced angler to test their skills and build on their tournament knowledge. Also, by fishing tournaments with these formats an experienced Amateur angler can develop the confidence to move over to the Pro side of a tournament series.

Of the three formats, the shared weight format will generally be less stressful for the novice angler. This format can at times feel more like a guided fishing trip than a large tournament. During a shared weight tournament the Pro angler has everything to gain by helping his novice amateur partner catch fish and understand the techniques they will be using to do so. With a shared weight tournament the Pro will usually be more than willing to take time away from fishing to explain to their Amateur partner which bait to use or how to use a certain type of bait.

The biggest costs will be the tournament entry fee. In the upper Midwest I think you will be hard pressed to find a Pro/Am tournament that has an amateur entry fee over $250.00, most are in the $200.00 range. When you think about it, that’s a bargain. I run a fishing guide business during the soft-water months (summer) and our fee for 1or 2 anglers is $300.00 for an 8-hour trip. So for less money than you would pay a fishing guide (hopefully I’m not going to lose business here) you get to fish with a Pro angler, usually in a top of the line boat and if you place high enough in the standings you will cash a check. Even if you do not cash a check (win prize money) some tournaments offer just-out-of-the-money prizes or various door prizes.

There are some other costs associated with tournament fishing. On most Pro/Am tournaments the tournament director will encourage the Amateur anglers to contribute to the cost of boat gas, usually $25 to $30. There can be hotel and meal costs, but with so many tournaments in the upper Midwest you should be able to find a tournament close to your home, allowing you to avoid the cost of hotels and meals.

For parents who have a child (over 16 years old) who is showing a strong interest in fishing, see if they want to experience tournament fishing. This could be a great gift from you and a great experience for them. This is also a great gift for a senior who just doesn’t get out fishing as much as they wish they could.

Another great thing about a shared weight tournament is that you will not have to bring a boatload of gear. Most of my Amateur partners bring 2 or 3 rods and a small tackle pack. Trust me on this one… If your fishing a shared-weight tournament your Pro partner will let you know what he wants you to use and generally will have more than enough equipment for both of you. The other things you will need to bring are:

§ A life vest (PFD)

§ Lunch and something to drink

§ Sunglasses

§ Rain gear

§ A warm coat for early spring or late summer tournaments

Here in the upper Midwest I’m aware of 3 major Pro/Am tournament series to choose from. Some are shared weight and others are non-shared weight formats. They are:

§ BassMasters Weekend Series (now run by American Bass Anglers)

§ FLW, Bass Fishing League (BFL)

§ Silverado

All of these series are well run professional tournaments, which cater to both the Pro and Amateur angler. If you want “ a little taste of tournament fishing” with some fun thrown in, along with a little adrenaline rush, not to mention the possibility of cashing a prize check, give one of the Pro/Am tournament series a try.

As always, stay safe and we hope to see you on the water.

Wayne Ek is a fishing guide, tournament angler and writer living in Alexandria, Minnesota. For more information you can contact him at

www.agapefishingguides.com

[Bass Whacker]

I've been fishing as a non boater for 4 years now and the best thing i can say find out how your going to be fishing the night before if they are willing to share that info, and come up with a plan to fish the same water effectively but with a different presentation than the guy up front when ever possible. I think this is the best way to pick up the fish he leaves behind so if hes flipping docks try a crank bait or spinner bait around those same docks. The best is when they are fishing deep structure slowly with a jig or something, that will alot of times get the fish active, and if you start deep cranking that same piece of structure you can fill your limit very fast which can be a tough thing to do from the back of the boat. This has paid off big for me over the last couple years.

Also keep the guys boat very clean make sure no weeds land in his boat and try not to leave tackle trays out or bags of plastics. Most boaters are very picky about their boats its almost like its thier kid. And lastly listen close these guys will give you lots of advice during the day out, and ask questions most of the guys will love to explain whats going on and why.

[riverrat63]

mattrd, you fishing next weekend down in lacross,i have fishet as a non boater for 5 years in the bfl and the weekend series bring 5 rods all your bass tackle i always use some thing diff then what the guy in the front of the boat on less he is crushing them so u never no what you will need, and food not a big meal just something to eat fast and if your fishing the river bring swim jigs senkos and jigs, and every thing else the other guys said good luck mayb i will see you in lacross,

[Sproguy]

Bryguy,

I will be there. I fear the weather we are going to end up getting, but I will be there with bells on! Spring has been far to nice and we haven't had a spring cool down. April 25th will most likely end up being 40 degrees with a nice north wind at 25mph! LOL

Lets hope for the best!

[bryguy247]

I was just thinking the same thing about the weather last night. Oh and heck, it wouldn't be right if it didn't rain, like at last years lacrosse event.....

I am hoping for the best too.

[mattrd]

No I'm not going to be in Lacrosse. I'm fishing a club tourny in IA tomorrow. This is the first one I've ever done. We get paired with the boater in the morning, so I was just trying to think of what to all rig up for rods. I will probably have 4 rods, 3 baitcasters and 1 spinning reel. The forecast for tomorrow sounds decent, a little chilly in the morning but atleast the wind isn't supposed to be to bad. Again thanks for all the great info guys!