Heartland?

[getfished]

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.

This thread has produced some interesting comments. I appreciate them all. I had a couple experiences that really caught my attention that i wanted to share. My uncle who lives in Springfield has fished the Rock since the 50's or whenever it was opened. He knows it like the back of his hand. He is responsible for teaching me through his actions many ethics as they relate to fishing. I remember going in the boat more than once on a long boat ride to a certain spot to fish. Upon arriving there sometimes would be another boat already in the area. If the location my uncle desired to was large enough he would fish there. He never approached another boat within approx. 100 yards. and he always went down the bank in a direction pointing away from the other boat. He never followed another boat down the bank and he never fished down the bank towards another boat. If he couldn't fish under these terms he would simply turn the boat around and go find another place. I realize this might be a bit hard to do today on some lakes but you get the idea. To this day I am very hesitant to get very close to another boat.

The other experience was just the other day and I was floored when I saw it. I was watching Ultimate Match Fishing. It was Arron Martin and another guy from the FLW. They were running to Aaron's fishing location and when they arrived there was a local fishing the spot already. After a minute or two of discussion these competitors decided it was OK to ask the local if they could come in the area and fish, including the camera boat because they wanted to continue filming their show. On the TV screen you couldn't hear an audible response from the local but the camera showed him throw his arms up in the air. Apparently that gesture and anything he may have said was interpreted as permission to enter so they did. I could not believe they had the gall to ask for that concession from the local. I also couldn't believe they would show that on TV. This is not a good example of sportsmanship ie; asking for permission to enter an area that is already being fished by a local simply because they were filming a show. An appropriate example to portray would have been for Aaron to simply say that this is unfortunate and as a result we will need to leave this location to the local and continue elsewhere. Nowadays many people are just determined not to be thwarted in their objective.

One of the guys I fish with grew up in a large city and I think this has an effect on how people see things and make choices. One time we were fishing a tournament and we made a small run about 5 miles to fish a point. When we arrived a local...... not a tourney competitor, was sitting out in about 30-35 ft. of water fishing the radius of the point. My partner had it in his head that these fish were in about 15-20 ft. of water. He wants to go inside this guy and fish the point. We had a mild disagreement and I relented but I went to the back deck. My partner went to the front deck and proceeded to fish. It was very uncomfortable for me. As this continued on for a bit my partner began to expand his route on the point and the local began to ease away more and more all the time and I continued to feel real crummy about the whole deal. I never looked at the local for my shame wouldn't allow it and at the same time when my partner was ready to move on he never even flinched. He was definitely raised different than I was. We were in my boat and I silently vowed that never again would I stand for that.

GETFISHED !!!

[JDH_MOangler]

This is good stuff guys. I was a first timer Sunday as far as fishing Pro-Am’s go and like I said earlier in this thread I have no complaints even though my boater and me both blanked. I went into it with no expectations other than learning and getting some tourney experience and I feel like I accomplished both.

I do have a question for the Pro’s/Boaters though. If after a few hours of no bites and fishing how the boater wants to fish would it be considered bad etiquette to suggest trying something different? Not necessarily a different spot but maybe changing the way you’re fishing where you’re at. Looking back I just feel like there were other things we could’ve tried as opposed to staying with the original plan all day long and coming up empty.

[getfished]

This is good stuff guys. I was a first timer Sunday as far as fishing Pro-Am’s go and like I said earlier in this thread I have no complaints even though my boater and me both blanked. I went into it with no expectations other than learning and getting some tourney experience and I feel like I accomplished both.

I do have a question for the Pro’s/Boaters though. If after a few hours of no bites and fishing how the boater wants to fish would it be considered bad etiquette to suggest trying something different? Not necessarily a different spot but maybe changing the way you’re fishing where you’re at. Looking back I just feel like there were other things we could’ve tried as opposed to staying with the original plan all day long and coming up empty.

I think you kind of have to play it by ear. Some Pros are humble and intelligent enough to be open to these other perspectives. Others aren't. If you do this I suggest a very tactful delicate approach. Many times you can implement something different on your own and trust me, if it works the Pro will usually wake up so to speak. Aint hindsight great?

GETFISHED !!!

[Donna G]

I agree with getfished about being tactful. There are definitely times when the difference in experience and skill between the front and back isn't much because maybe the pro is new to the front and co-angler is especially skilled and a variety of other reasons. I know one co on CPAA that I've asked several times "What the heck are you doing in the back?" But, he prefers it for himself, just as I do (but at my skill level I DEFINITELY don't have any business on the front lol). However, a majority of the time the pro has likely been tournament fishing longer and maybe with more success than the guy in the back. And besides that's why a lot of us say we like the back - to learn.

That being said it's the pro's boat and he's the one that practiced to find the fish, few though they may be. I would just be very cautious about recommending a different tactic or area so as not to offend. I have had some pros ask if I had anything going when what they are doing has dried up. I've also offered baits that I was catching them on. Sometimes they are accepted and sometimes not. A couple of times a pro has asked for baits when I happened to be catching them better on what I was using.

You have to make your own decision about whether to suggest an alternative. Two things more to keep in mind - it could be a long rest of the day and I have heard some pros complain about amateurs offering advice from the back deck.

Donna G