Heartland?

[techo]

I too fished the AM side of Heartland for exactly one year. I learned a great deal from each Pro, but would never do that again! I would rather fish with a friend out of my little Skeeter and lose, than fish the AM side again. The cost is almost the same anyway by the time you figure out the chipping in on gas and entry fee.

I have had an excellent and enjoyable time in every AIA tourney I have fished as a buddy. Of course I fish for fun, not for money.

[dtrs5kprs]

Please don't think I am targeting Heartland. Hear these issues with the other circuit too.

[techo]

Please don't think I am targeting Heartland. Hear these issues with the other circuit too.

Same story here. Heartland is a great bunch of folks. I just would rather fish the buddy side.

[Sam]

I don't fish tournaments. In fact it's often a bad experience when one of those glitter-boat, wrap-around sunglassed, patches-on-the jacket yahoos comes near me on the lake because of their actions and attitude.

Don't get me wrong - I'm sure 9 out of 10 tournament pros are nice guys and respect others on the lake. But a minority of them aren't, and you know it. I wouldn't fish the amateur side of a pro-am tournament because I wouldn't take a chance on having to spend all day in a boat with one of them.

Some of the stories here about the way guys were treated bear out what I'm saying.

[Donna G]

Fishing as co ain't for everyone, but I love it. Haven't fished Heartland, but been a regular on Central Pro-Am last two years and qualified for the championship both years. Fished BFL a time or two, also. Granted, I'm in a unique position and it works well for me because I travel with hubby and he fishes pro side. You're right, not all pros are created equal, but I've had a blast and learned so much. I'm with getfished, sometimes what you learn is what NOT to do. They put their drawers on the same way we do. Wait, I mean the same way YOU do. I'm sure I'm much more ladylike in that respect. lol

dtrs5kprs, your buddy John is right. You won't step in the boat with a nicer pro or person than Mike Webb. He gets a lot of respect from me, particularly for what he does with his organization K.A.S.T - Kids Are Special Too.

I write a column in CPAA's Fishin' Magazine. In a recent issue I discussed how treating my pro with respect had been a valuable tool for me. I did it in a humorous way and it was a hit with both pros and co-anglers. Apparently it was right on. One excerpt from the column is what has helped me keep the back of the boat in perspective. "Sometimes the only reward is knowing that you did the right thing (treating the pro with respect). You can try your best and still get a Hateful Hank on the front deck, but that's life. People are people everywhere -- on the front deck or the back, at work or on the street. I've drawn anglers that I felt sure were going to be grouches, yet turned out to be truly pleasant and professional...There's no measuring all I've learned from the pros I've fished with -- either through observation or deliberate instruction. What a bounty! I truly believe I have been blessed because I practiced old-fashioned manners, gave respect and applied the Golden Rule."

I've been lucky. Whadda wanna bet now that I've posted this my next pro will be the one from hell? Oh, well. Can't win 'em all. I do agree with whoever said they'd rather fish with their buddy. My favorite fishing partner is ALWAYS going to be Champ188.

Donna G

[Champ188]

I can only speak for myself and not other pros, but I personally enjoy having a co-angler in the boat with me. Not only have I made some good friends over the past few years fishing Central Pro-Am tournaments, but I have learned some things from my back-deck partners. And I enjoy sharing what I've been fortunate to learn about our sport.

As for how I treat my co-anglers, my history speaks for itself. CPAA doesn't keep records on such, but my co-anglers have one heck of a batting average when it comes to cashing checks. In fact, a couple of years back at Bull Shoals when CPAA pro-ams were still two-day events, the co-angler winner and runnerup each fished one day with me. And if I recall correctly, both outfished me.

Last spring on Table Rock, I "jackpotted" the BFL tournament and drew out with Jeremy Rasnick, a member on this site. Fishing was somewhat tough but we had a great time getting to know each other and at day's end, we both cashed a check. Jeremy will attest that I shared lures with him and I did so in part because he showed respect for my boat, my water and was just a pure joy to fish with. Don't get me wrong ... he is a fierce competitor and a talented fisherman, but he realized that he was competing not with me but with his fellow co-anglers.

On the other hand, I once had a co-angler who first thing in the morning, when it was foggy and I couldn't run to my fish just yet, suggested a fishing spot near takeoff. Upon arriving there, I noticed Dave Barker fishing on the other side of a treeline. Fortunately, before I made a cast, I put 2+2 together and realized this guy had fished with Dave the previous day. When I asked him if they'd fished that spot, my co-angler said yes, we caught them good here. Clearly, any pro-am circuit prohibits co-anglers from sharing spots with partners on subsequent days.

That was only the beginning of the problems with this guy. He showed up hung over and shortly after taking me to Dave's spot had to visit the restroom, meaning I had to drive him back to Ahoy's, then sit on the ramp for half an hour while he took care of business. When we finally did get to my fish up the river, he complained constantly that he couldn't cast because I was handicapping him. Mind you, the lake was terribly flooded and I was having to work the boat way back into the woods to get bit. For a while, I even saved this guy spots to throw to and pointed them out to him, but eventually I got enough of his bellyaching and stopped trying to help him. Even then, I did not intentionally place the boat where he couldn't cast.

I only know of one pro on the CPAA circuit who seems to consistently have problems with his co-anglers. To my knowledge, the rest of us enjoy having company in the boat and are more than willing to help them catch fish. I would gladly pay $100 plus fuel for the chance to spend a day with some of my pro competitors, PLUS have a chance to win a nice check at the end of the day. No, it's not for everyone. For some, hiring a guide is a better way to go if you are looking to learn. Table Rock is blessed with an abundance of top-notch guides including the moderator of this site, Bill Babler. Other great guides frequent our forum as well.

Bottom line ... co-angler vs. pro issues often begin before the fishing trip. If a co-angler will take a positive attitude into the day and talk openly with his pro before the actual fishing begins, he has every reason to expect a positive experience.

[techo]

All of the Pros I fished with were great. One had the last name French and we laughed all day! Fished with Dave McCormack (not sure on spelling) and learned I need to work that reel a little better and work on casting. I learned something from everyone. Sometimes I am a little slow at figuring out what the lake, weather and bass are trying to tell me and it is good to have an interpeter around.

My Grandpa used to say if you plant corn and tend it, you harvest corn in the fall. I think he borrowed that saying from Shakespeare. You reap what you sow or something similar.

I highly suspect there isn't a person in the World that could hang around Donna or Champ long and not be smiling and visiting. I believe Donna will never draw a bad partner because she plants courtesy, respect and love for fellow fisher people and tends it with care.

With all of that in mind.....I would rather fish with my best friend all day, than Kevin Van Dam.

[Champ188]

Agreed there, Techo. I'm lucky to have a great partner in Donna and greatly prefer her company over anyone else. Don't tell her I said so, though. She "back-ends" me enough as it is.

[Hogfan]

dtrs5kprs, your buddy John is right. You won't step in the boat with a nicer pro or person than Mike Webb. He gets a lot of respect from me, particularly for what he does with his organization K.A.S.T - Kids Are Special Too.

You guys are right about Mr. Webb. I have never spoke to him other than in passing at a weigh-in or at the ramp, but he seems to be a good guy from what I've seen.

Last fall on Truman, the day before the Heartland championship, we watched him tow two older gentlemen across the lake and them proceeded to help them guide their boat on the trailer and make sure everything was secure before he left. They had some major problems and couldn't get anything to work. I know that most all of us would have done the same thing, but Mike was so encouraging and almost seemed happy to be helping.

Then this summer my buddy and I were fishing a tournament on Table Rock and when we got to our first spot there was a boat sitting on it. We couldn't tell who it was from where we started fishing but the closer we got we could see it was Mike. Without hesitating he yelled from 200+ yards away and told us to come on in and fish that he wasn't in a tournment and was only out there for fun.

Stand up guy for sure!

[Donna G]

All of the Pros I fished with were great. One had the last name French and we laughed all day! Fished with Dave McCormack (not sure on spelling) and learned I need to work that reel a little better and work on casting. I learned something from everyone. Sometimes I am a little slow at figuring out what the lake, weather and bass are trying to tell me and it is good to have an interpeter around.

My Grandpa used to say if you plant corn and tend it, you harvest corn in the fall. I think he borrowed that saying from Shakespeare. You reap what you sow or something similar.

I highly suspect there isn't a person in the World that could hang around Donna or Champ long and not be smiling and visiting. I believe Donna will never draw a bad partner because she plants courtesy, respect and love for fellow fisher people and tends it with care.

With all of that in mind.....I would rather fish with my best friend all day, than Kevin Van Dam.

Aw, Techo. You and Champ make me blush! Thanks for the kind words.