CO ANGLER ETIQUETE

[scott lewis]

Tell me what you think

None of the following would have affected whether i finished in the money or not.

just thought i would share this as a learning exp.



Fished a tourny on saturday (first time in a draw tournament as a boater).

I have fished this club as a none boater. (and did my homework on how to act as a non-boater)

I drew a guy that could not stop talking which was ok, i can tune that out , but this is where it got frustrating.

I have to say this kid was probaly 18 but should have known better.

we were fishing canals and docks. I had a swing and miss on the popper i was fishing, next thing i know before the splash has settled down he is casting over my right shoulder to the rings in the water. He did this probaly five times before I said anything. I guess i should have said something the first time. The last straw was when i found a bedding fish (which would have filled my limit)

I was working the fish then al of a sudden his lure splashes right on top of the Ms. largemouths head.

I am pretty easy going and was trying to be a fair as possible by giving him good water to fish. After the bed incident I was so P.O.ed

It was a good day anyway but could have been more pleasant if Knuckle head would have shown a little coutesy.

I want to put togather some "co-angler guidelines" for the director to hand out at registration.

any suggestions or stories.

thanks

scott lewis

 

[Staci Matheis]

Knowing me, I woulda shrugged off the first incident as just something that happens..... But when lack of consideration continued, I would have told him in No Uncertain Terms where I stood - I'd rather have him pissed at me than me pissed at him.....



me!

 

[Texas Transplant]

Don't think that you will likely correct this problem by handing out guidelines. There are plenty, already out there.



When fishing the SC Federation this year (first time), the co-angler guidelines are spelled out pretty clearly, but not from a techniques or 'which water can I fish' perspective. One of the hard and fast rules is that the non-boater (backseater) has 4 hours on the front of the boat with control of the trolling motor. Most of the 'boaters' just nod their head and proceed on with no real knowledge or awareness of those rules. Even when they are announced during pairing. In short, most boaters consider it to even be taboo to ask for the front of the boat.



For me, being a backseater around 50% of the time in the last two years, try and behave correctly. If you are fishing an area, I get it after you are through with it. If you are sight fishing, there is no way I'm casting to an area that you are working. The only exception is if you are re-tying or otherwise occupied for a period of time doing something other than fishing.



In our local club tournaments, we certainly have individual rankings and performance, but for the tournament, it is team based for plaques and congratulations.



Some co-anglers get 'boated' badly by some boaters, and therefore consider almost anything fair. Some co-anglers consider that if they are paying a fee to the boater to fish with them, they should get equal treatment, or better.



In short, bad manners are bad manners - no matter which end of the boat you are in. I've fished with good friends before as a co-angler/non-boater and know going in that I'm in for a long day because they prefer a type of fishing that is not always productive, or a style that I like.



As a boater, on occasion, I have let the co-angler dictate too much where/what we are doing. I've also had it where the co-angler can't or didn't have any useful suggestions.



I think that the bottom line is this. If you are a boater, and the co-angler/non-boater is fishing 'your water', then you need to say something immediately. If you let it go on (something that I've done also), then you shouldn't be surprised when it costs you a fish.



Tex

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Scott, it is understood and VERY bad ediquette to cast to the boater's raised fish. And on beds as well. My co-angler last year did that on a 4 lber and had he landed it, I would have thrown him in! LOL He missed, I threw back again and didn't. Also, a co-angler should not bring so much tackle as to clutter up the boat. And MY biggest peave, is when I am ready to go, it's NOW! Time is money in tourneys. I usually say something like, "One more cast and we're outta here." This leaves them time to retrieve the bait, get their PFD on and sit down, cause I still have to stow the TM, tie down my rods and get the motor started (sure only takes me two minutes, but they should only take 1 minute), but they are still casting when I sitting down and crankin the motor giving them the "sit down before I leave you here look"! LOL Little common sense goes a long way.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

not to get long winded, a co-angler should first help prepare the boat for launch, should know how to back a trailer(i fish with one who does not) should be aware of the amount of tackle he brings on board, should not have to move thier tackle to move around in boat, keep an eye on the livewells and assist in the health of your catch! should be trained in net handling, should help with practice, to get to know the water, and the proper pattern before tourny day! should help wipe the boat down after the day, help with getting the boat ready to trailer, should offer financial support, i generally furnish all expences , partner pays entry fees. any more i forgot or other imput, just chime in! kb

 

[Jim B]

For me it depends on the situation. I fish a lot of club stuff and we do some blind draws. In a club situation i dont care what the non boater does. im out there to have fun and nothing more. its not a high stakes tournament swo theres no need to take it super serious. Sure i like to win but if i loose my 20 bucks so be it. My only thing is i want to make sure we both catch fish and have a good time because thats what its all about. I also wont take a penny of gas money from someone in my club, these guys are my friends and any time money is involved that changes. Everybody in my club is the same way, we are competitive but not to the point where its a problem. everybody wants everybody to catch fish and learn, were all about seeing what we can bring to the scales as a group not indivudial accolades. Ive gone as far as giving up spots and giving away baits to someone who is struggling in my club, and more then once it has cost me wins, but in my mind thats ok because its all about fun in my club.



Now if it was a state final or a money tournament that would be a different story. I have been on both ends of the stick with bad non boaters as well as bad boaters. For me i have never really had a bad non boater form a fishing standpoint because i give them every chance to catch fish and dont backboat them. I think its a two way street. When i show them that im not going to prevent them from catching fish they give me the same respect, i have never once had to say to someone " hey stop casting over my shoulder" or the like. the only problem i have had is with guys not respecting my boat, stuff like ashes on my rug really pi** me off, i did have to tell a guy once that if he spit another drop of chew on my rug i was going to make him lick it off but normally its not an issue. i do lay down some ground rules at the ramp.



i have also been a non boater and drawn guys that will just back boat someone all day and make the day hell because they dont think the non boater deserves any respect and they dont get any in return.

 

[Michael Snow]

I don't think there's any "hard and fast" etiquette. I think DISCUSSION is what's important. For instance, I (as a boater) threw to my non-boater's miss. I never thought it was wrong. He missed it, and was away from the strike zone and was changing rods. I didn't get the fish, nor did he. However, I read that it was poor "etiquette". My last tourney, after I missed a spinnerbait fish, I told my boater to hit it. After that, I explained that if I miss one, to go after it. I only own the fish that I land.



The other problem is netting fish. He had a rubber net (which I have one of too, just never had to use it), and they don't act ANYTHING like the nylon ones. LOTS of drag in the water. Also, don't try to net a fish from the tail forward, always net head-first... at least that's how I do it.



If you discuss what is and isn't acceptable, you lose the bad feelings that come from a different set of expectations.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Mike, WHY do you net from the head first. That allows the fish to see the net and they really fight hard once they see it. Coming from behind also lessens the chance of the net catching hanging hooks (crankbaits or jerkbaits with more than one treble) and pulling the bait free.

 

[gone bye bye]

From the front or behind it doesnt matter....just get em in the friggin net!



Guys and gals you need to remember that MOST non boaters are newbies to the sport. You can do ALOT for them by explaining to them (in a nice manner Rob!) the do's and dont's in a draw tourney. Teach them and you will learn something yourself.



Mini

 

[Texas Transplant]

If you net from the tail, they are more prone to feel the net, and then push off. I've always heard, and practiced when possible, to net them from the head first.



Tex

 

[gone bye bye]

Really does it matter? Head first or tail first, just get that thing in the net, the boat and the livewell. I have a net that extends to 12 feet for those jumpers near the boat. On more than one occasion I have caught fish that threw the hook on a jump before they landed back in the water.



Mini

 

[Jim B]

Mini,

where does one get such a net?

 

[gone bye bye]

Inquiring minds always want to know...lol



I made it from a push pole and a BPS net. The octogon style push pole with duck feet. I found a net in the store that would match up to it and viola.....it has been the talk of the local circuits here for a while....even had one guy want to take a picture of it. lol



Mini

 

[Steven Atwell]

I like to net from directly under the fish, regardless of which way his head is pointed, since sometimes you can't viably control that. So I dip it really low and scoop straight up.