Succeeding as a Co-Angler

Author: Dean Taylor

Getting into the world of tournament bass fishing typically means paying your dues as a co-angler. The co-angler position comes with its own unique set of challenges as much of the days decisions are out of your hands and tailored more towards the preferences of your boater. Although this experience can initially be difficult and intimidating, the situation can offer new anglers incredible opportunities in terms of experience and can even lead to tournament success if handled properly. These 3 tips will hopefully help you make the most of your co-angler experience and will make your day on the water much more enjoyable.

Respect and Communication

Respect and communication are perhaps the most important aspects of having a successful and enjoyable day on the water. It is always important to remember that you are the guest in your anglers boat and that they are acquiring much more risk by having you in their boat for the day. For this reason, it is always important to treat your anglers boat as if it is your own, that includes not stepping on seats, cleaning up any spills, and not leaving used baits or garbage when you leave for the day. In terms of communication, talking to your angler prior to the tournament date can be very beneficial, allowing you to coordinate baits, rides, and building somewhat of a relationship before you hit the water. It is also often a good idea to discuss expectations for gas money and offering coffee or anything else that will thank them for having you in their boat

Open mindedness

Having an open mind is huge when fishing as a co-angler as many of the days decisions are out of your hands. This means keeping an open mind to both how and what you will be fishing for the day, as well as being willing to adapt to what may be working on that particular day. Often times, especially in team events, your angler will be more than willing to share what has been working with him and will often be receptive to what is working for you as well. Stubbornness in this regard can be very frustrating for anyone you are fishing with and can greatly hinder your success on the water. This can include the willingness to pick up finesse gear when you prepared to fish reaction baits or vis versa, stubbornness does not get you very far, especially in fishing, and will greatly reduce the knowledge you gain and the success you will have on the water. 

Limit what you bring

Rods

Rods often take up a substantial amount of space on the boat, especially when the majority of the boats rod storage will be occupied by your angler. For this reason, number of rods should always be discussed with your angler prior to the tournament to ensure there is room for all of your gear. This communication will also allow you to better prepare the rods that you will be using for the day before you get to the water. Most anglers will typically have room for 4-6 rods depending on their boat, allowing for rods to be set up for multiple applications such as finesse, jerkbait, topwater, and flipping.

Tackle

Tackle is another difficult thing to pack when fishing as a co-angler, as there is often very limited room in the boat for much of your gear. In order to save space, I often limit myself to 4 boxes, a small terminal box, jerkbaits, crankbaits, and a "favourites box". Favourites boxes are a mix of all kinds of baits that are go-to's on the water, especially when things are getting slow. I often fill this box with spinnerbaits, topwater baits, chatterbaits, and anything else that I never hit the water without. In terms of soft plastics, it is often helpful to organize them in ziplock bags to make them easier to locate, although many of these bags often end up stuffed in pant and coat pockets once the day is underway, only to be found in every one of your pant pockets for the rest of the summer (personal experience). 

Food

Food is something that is often forgot about when packing and preparing for a tournament, however it can have a major impact on your day, especially in multi-day events. I, like many anglers, often forget to eat and drink while on the water in fear of missing the bite of the day while distracted, a situation in which all of us have found ourselves in. For this reason, I often bring quick and convenient snacks such as protein bars, fruit, and beef jerky to keep energy high while sacrificing the least amount of time with your line in the water. In terms of drinks, water is my number one choice and is extremely important especially on hot and sunny days to avoid dehydration.

Although this article and many others may initial make the co-angler position seem difficult and awkward, the experience can be very rewarding in terms of its building of relationships and gaining of experience. The position can also be extremely rewarding in terms of tournament success as nearly all clubs have awards for the co-angler of the year and can often lead to qualifications into much larger tournaments in both the BASS and the FLW. Although they do happen, negative experiences with anglers in tournament fishing are rare, as many anglers are willing to share knowledge, accept advice, and simply enjoy their experience on the water.