Tournament do’s and don’ts Part 1

When tournament fishing there are a lot of questions about what are the boater/co-angler do’s and don’ts. This is what is known as athlete etiquette. If you are fairly new to the sport of tournament bass fishing you might have a lot more questions than a seasoned co-angler. I find that the most popular questions are gas money, casting etiquette and tackle. Over the next few weeks, I will share my own experiences with you all and hopefully help you answer some of these tough questions.

This week, I will share with you what I feel the top two questions that co-anglers have or should know before tournament day.

Tackle

The first thing you should know is how much tackle should be brought on a boat. But how much tackle and gear for one tournament is too much? Some tournament organizations have now come to a conclusion and made it a rule on how much tackle a co-angler is allowed to bring (I encourage you to always check the tournament rules first). Yes, today’s boats that are used for tournament fishing have gotten bigger and are often designed to be more passenger friendly. This doesn’t mean that the co-angler should bring a massive amount of rod’s and tackle on the boat.

Personally, I usually bring from 6 to 8 rods that will allow me to diversify the amount of lures I will use throughout the day. I tend to have 3 worm rods, 2 crank or rattle trap, 2 top water, and 1 for flipping. My current tackle bag of choice is a Browning Front Loader Tackle Bag. This bag allows me to carry a vast amount of lures and extras. I always carry a rain suit for those rainy Florida days. Basically, that is all the tackle I carry for my tournament days.

Gas Money

While not an official rule in tournament fishing, gas money for the boater is always appreciated. When a boater enters a tournament, he or she takes on the responsibilities that go with it. That being said, in tournament fishing very few boaters will not ask for a specific amount. Sometimes if they know that the they are not in need of it they will not even take the money at all. But it has been somewhat of a tradition between boaters and co-anglers for many years now.

I tend to try to give an amount that always fits my budget. I also take into consideration the amount of travel that a boater does. For me, it is easier to just ask the boater how much he would like. He is in the drivers seat and knows how much gas he is going to consume for where we are going. Sometimes I try to provide a little more if I know that I am in a good place in the tournament to catch a decent check. Normally the minimum for me would be $40-$50. I know not all co-anglers can give that amount.

With that being said, what is a right amount that should be given to a boater? Some say $20 bucks and a coke but this is a question that there is no right answer for. My advice: Try to ask the boater the day before you go out. Right after the pairings is always a good time. If you leave before determining the amount you may forget. From experience, it has happened to the best of us.

Next week, I will discuss two other very diverse topics: Casting and Fairness.

Do you have a topic you would like to have discussed? Do you have any other questions? Please let us now. We would love to hear what questions you, the co-angler, has about tournament fishing.