Guidelines for fishing from the back of the boat

When you're fishing out of the back of someone else's boat, you need to be prepared. First, remember it is not your boat! Treat the boater and the boat like you would like you and your property to be treated. I doubt that you would want anyone abusing your property so why should you abuse anyone else’s including their boat?

I recommend talking with the boater ahead of time if possible so you can get some basic information including costs, boater’s style, fishing tactics, etc. Each boater has his or her own way of doing things and understanding the do's and don’ts ahead of time will reduce or eliminate potentially awkward situations, and will usually help make things go more smoothly. Be efficient and travel as light as possible, if you prepare correctly you and your partner can have a great day on the water.

What should you bring?

Streamlining your tackle and equipment is extremely important. After all, you don’t have an entire boat to stow everything.

Rods and Reels: Most non-boaters bring anywhere from 2-6 rods. The location that and type of fishing that you will be doing (e.g. Carolina Rigging or Top Water) will help dictate your choices. Consider bringing rods that can be used for multiple purposes (e.g. a 6’6” medium heavy ST. CROIX ROD®). Have your rods rigged and ready to go before you meet your partner for the day. Use lure covers, especially on anything with a treble hook. If you put a hook into the seat of the boat your boater is not going to be happy and you could end up replacing a seat in a boat that you do not own.

Tackle: Set up a tackle bag or box for tournaments. It doesn't make much sense dragging around a ton of baits that you haven’t used in ages. The tackle box or bag should hold several plastic boxes worth of tackle. One box will have your hooks, sinkers, swivels, weights, etc. Use another box for plastics in several colors and sizes that are your confidence baits. Do the same with hard baits, such as Jerk baits, Spinnerbaits, Top waters, etc. I have a bag with a front pocket which I use for culling rings, pliers, and a small scale. I carry several other related items such as a bottle of live well chemicals like CATCH AND RELEASE® or PLEASE RELEASE ME®. Talk to the boater so you have a good idea of what you will use and what you won't before you leave for the tournament.

Other items: I always carry another bag with my rain gear, my life jacket, any extra clothing, hand warmers or gloves (if necessary), sunscreen, Blistex and a few other things like a handful of paper towels. Dress for the conditions, but always err on the side of caution. If the air is seventy degrees and the water is fifty-one degrees, it’s not going to feel like seventy-one when the boat is running down the lake. In fact, it might not even feel as warm as fifty-one. It’s not the boater’s responsibility to bring an extra life jacket. Always bring your own life jacket that fits properly. It’s also the co-anglers or non-boater’s responsibility to bring their own food and beverages.

Talk with the boater about things like food and drinks and where to store it. Most boats have built in coolers. I usually offer to bring a bag or two of ice or an extra sandwich. Often the boaters will appreciate the gesture but it’s a good idea to check as some boaters do not eat or use the coolers in the boat. If the boat does not have a built in cooler that you can use, you will need to bring a small cooler. I use a soft sided cooler as it’s lightweight and can be folded so it does not take up much space. I freeze and bring at least one bottle of water during the summer as it keeps the food and drinks cool.

What should you do before the tournament?

As I mentioned in the beginning, communication is key. If at all possible I suggest having a pre-tournament conversation will include discussing the following:

Costs – Be sure that you understand what your responsibilities are for sharing expenses. It's not your boat so you do not need to pay for the boat payments, but you should pay your fair share. If the tournament format requires you to split expenses, then you should take lodging, entry fees (for team tournaments), the fuel to and from the launch site for the tow vehicle, launch fees, and fuel and oil for the boat for the day into account.

Lodging: If you are traveling to and from the tournament together the cost of lodging is are often a shared expense between the boater and non-boater and they should split the fees for the lodging for the time the boater and non-boater spend together.

Fuel: Discuss how much the fuel and oil for the day is going to cost. A conservative estimate for the tow vehicle is approximately 10mpg in a truck but 6-8mpg if towing with a camper or motor home. The boat will be approximately 5-6mpg on the water. It’s a rough estimate but will give you some sense of how much fuel gets used throughout the day. Find out how far the boater plans to go. If he/she is planning on “running and gunning” then they may use more gas. The same is true if they are making a long run. One of the easiest ways I have found is for the boater to start with a full tank in the truck and the boat and to refill both at the end of the trip. By doing this, we both know how much gas was used and you can ask the boater how much you should kick in towards the oil.

At the end of the day give the boater what you owe them. It’s not ok to pay the boater some other time or withhold your share because you did not get along or you did not catch fish. At the end of the day, I try to give the boater what I think is half the days cost or a little extra. If he/she feels I have contributed too much then they can always give me some money back and in some cases they do.

Fishing discussion (prior to the tournament):

Discuss things like netting the fish, trolling motor operation, running live wells, culling the fish, etc. Find out how far the boater is planning on traveling. Not only will this affect the amount of gas that will be used but if I know we have a twenty or thirty minute run first thing I might want to put on an extra sweatshirt or a pair of gloves. If I am catching fish, I like to use CATCH AND RELEASE® during the tournament but will always check with a boater first as some boaters are very particular about what goes into their live wells. If you are unsure of how to run the live well, ask the boater to show you ahead of time so he/she does not have to stop fishing during the tournament to get a live well running for you.

Find out what types of structure the boater plans of fishing and fishing styles so you can prepare your rods in advance. You don’t need to know exactly where the boater plans to go but having know whether you will be “fast fishing” and throwing a spinnerbait or a crankbait or “slow fishing” and throwing a worm and whether you will be fishing heavy cover or deep or shallow water ahead of time will help you pare down your tackle and get your rods prepped. Find out whether the boater wants you to net his fish?

Advance preparation also includes obtaining the appropriate fishing licenses. In some cases tournament waters require multiple fishing licenses for different states and/or countries. Find out what you will need and get those licenses in advance. If you are unsure, I recommend purchasing the additional license anyway as it’s better to have it and not need it than to wish you had it. I fished a tournament on Lake Amistad and my boater was relieved to learn that I had purchased a fishing license for Mexico as that is where she was planning on fishing.

If you are a smoker, please do not assume that it is ok for you to light up. Ask the boater first if it’s ok. Virtually all boaters would prefer not having ashes or burns in their carpet.

If you are not lodging together, set up a time a convenient meeting place where you can leave your vehicle ahead of time. Meeting at the ramp on the day of the tournament is not always the most convenient place, particularly with large tournaments. Make sure you arrive at the meeting place on time! The boater has plenty to worry about aside from where you are. Exchange cell phone or contact numbers if advance so you can contact one another in the event of an emergency.

The day of the tournament:

When you arrive at the ramp, offer to help the boater remove the boat cover, straps, and check the drain plug. Clean your shoes off before getting in the boat! Load and stow all your gear where the boat owner has made room for you. Most boaters will leave the back compartment on the passenger’s side of the boat open for the co-angler to use. Strap down and/or anything you don’t want to blow out. Your stuff is your responsibility.

Ask if you can help back the boat in. If you don’t know how to back up a boat/trailer, ask someone to teach you – just not during a tournament. If you do help launch the boat watch for the boater’s hand signals as they know when the boat is in the right position for unloading. Find out where the boater wants to pick you up. Park the rig and get back down to the boat right away, unless you are helping another boater launch their boat.

Once you are in the boat:

Don’t step on the seats as it could cause them to tear. Most boats have a step in the middle – use it!

If you use scents or dipping die, use extreme care! If you spill a bottle of chartreuse, you might be buying a new carpet for the boat. If you use dips or sprays, apply them over the side of side of the boat, preferably with the wind at your back so it blows away from the boat. This way it does not drip all over the boat and gunk up the gel coat. The boater should not have to wash and wax his or her boat because you slopped stuff all over it. You should be responsible for damages incurred due to your negligence.

During the tournament:

When the boater stops the big motor and heads to the front of the boat, do not start casting until you have discussed the plan of attack. If we are going to be bank fishing I will ask the boater which direction he/she is planning on fishing so I do not cast where she/he was planning to go. Do not cast past a 45 degree angle towards the front of the boat. This is a big “no-no”. Keep on eye on where the boater is fishing and try to target spots that have not been fished yet.

Generally when a boater says “let’s move” they are ready to go. Ideally the boater will give you some notice that you are going to be moving and he/she will be firing up the big motor (e.g. “this will be our last cast on this spot” or “five more minutes and we are moving”). When this happens, stow your gear and get ready to move – quickly! I try to keep my gear organized so I can get ready to go in a minimal amount of time. Try not to spread stuff out all over the back of the boat as it will increase the amount of time it will take for you to get ready to go.

Give yourself enough time at the end of the day to get everything stowed and get back to weigh-in safely. Try to come to an agreeable time to stop fishing. Once you get back to the dock check your fish to make sure they are alive. If you have a problem with any fish talk to the boater immediately as she/he may be able leave the boat in the lake so that fresh water can circulate through the live wells.

When you go to weigh in your fish, go with the boater to get your weigh-in bags. If you did not catch any fish, notify the tournament director.

Offer to get the truck and trailer when the boater decides to load the boat. Do not remove your life jacket until you are on land – accidents can happen at the dock or the ramp. Watch for signals from the boater when you back the trailer into the water. Wait until he/she is ready and waves you forward before you park the rig.

After the tournament:

Give the boater your share of the costs. Pick up your mess; remove all trash, discarded plastics, etc.

Be respectful of the fishing locations that the boater takes you to. Do not share or discuss them with others. Do not assume you can go back there the next day or even next week. That is another big “no-no”.

I’m sure there are things that I have overlooked here but if you and your boater discuss and come to agreement on these things ahead of time your tournament experience will be a better one. Have fun and good luck!