As a tournament angler, I must sometimes fish from the back of the boat. It is not my fault! So what does that mean? First, we always hear how to be a good co angler, what to do to make the boater like you, what to bring, how much tackle, how many rods, etc, etc. Even how much money we need to donate.
Well I want to stick up for the non boater’s rights! How many times, when we are forced to fish in the rear, are we subject to the whims of the boater? Go where he wants, fish as fast as he wants, we are even forced to throw our lures in the direction he dictates. Sometimes we can’t even put our drinks in the cooler, or put any tackle in a compartment, everything must stay on top and in danger of being tossed over board. I lost a 120.00 Bogagrip that way!
Well, I’ve come up with some suggestions for the boater to better understand what it’s like to be subject to your lack of consideration. First and foremost, leave a compartment open for the non-boater. This will secure some of the valuable gear we bring. Take out the center seat. We do not want to walk all over the seats in order to get to the back of the boat. If you do not want us to step on the seats, put a towel or mat on the center seat. Remember that we cannot bring all the things we want, so SHARE!!! If you both find a lure that seems to be working, and I don’t have it, help me out.
I have been in the back of boats, where the boater does not even ask if I am ready to move to the next spot. C’mon man we are in this together. Don’t slam the trolling motor into the water if your having a bad day, or start making unnecessary noises that effect our fishing. Even if you are having a great day and the non boater can’t catch a cold, share some info. It makes for a real long day if both of you are not catching fish.
The biggest thing a boater can do, is put your self in the back once in a while. Some rules forbid the non boater to operate the boat during tournaments, so do it during practice sometimes, try to remember what it was like when you had to fish from the back. Give us a break.
