Bob Smith
bob@bassinbobs.com
"BOBS LOCAL RIVER REPORTS"
Local Reports and Fishing Articles
Backseaters
From the front seat of the bass boat you delicately pick apart your chosen cover and amass a nice tournament limit for yourself. Meanwhile, the angler in the back seat is not faring so well. While fishing from the front of the boat it is easy to overlook the guy in the back as you constantly move into"fresh" water.
Why do backseaters generally not do as well as their partners? Sometimes it's the fault of the boater - not being concerned with the fellow angler and not affording them the chance to fish the prime waters. Sometimes it is the backseater's skill level and sometimes it is attitude.
As a boater I personally try as hard as I can to afford my partners every chance to fill their livewell. I know, having fished backseat many times myself, that it is often hard to get good position and fish as well as the frontseater.
This is just my observation regarding some of the pitfalls that affect the rear deck fisherman in bass fishing,
especially tournaments.
Skill is a developed thing. Time on the water can never be replaced by any amount of reading. Often the backseater is a non-boater (does not have a boat), therefore their time on the water is typically considerably less than the boater's.
With less time, the level of proficiency can be much lower resulting in performance less than the frontseater.
The vast majority of anglers I have fished with step into the boat already "knowing" that they can not do as well as their boater partner. This is a bad attitude, and one that can be a killer in tournament competition. Each angler in the boat has the chance to do well, provided of course that you have not drawn out with "one of those" boaters who has no concern for their partner.
About half way through the day you partner becomes quiet.
Has he run out of things to talk about, or is he stewing over not performing well? Ask him/her what the problem is. Often you'll not be given the answer directly, but watch. Is their confidence gone? Are they casting badly or trying to fish the wrong cover?
As boaters in tournaments, and even in recreational fishing, we are usually the ones in "control" of the day's plans.
Make it a 2-way street. Ask for input from your partner regarding what he/she thinks may work. Nobody likes being toted around the lake being told what, where, and how to fish. Communication on the water is every bit as important as it is in any endeavor with more than a single person.
The common reason may non-boaters cite is that they get used water to fish, that the boater has fished all the good places.
In my experience it is not possible, most of the time, for a single angler to fish every bit of cover. Watch where the boater fishes and don't fish the same place. Often the difference of a foot or two can mean a fish. Also, don't be content casting out behind you as the boat moves along. By casting forward
most frontseaters don't mind this if you're not constantly getting their line you are getting some of that "new" water.
Above everything is your attitude. Think you will fish well and to your abilities and you will. Communicate with your partner.
If he/she is messing you up tell them, most of the time they will not even know and quickly work to fix the problem.
By sitting silent, dragging a bait along behind the boat and stewing over your bad performance the backseater can destroy his/her chance to do well.
Remember bass fishing, even tournament fishing, is supposed to be fun. Leave the fun factor intact and you'll do well. Talk on the water about how-to and where-to and why-to and learn from the experience. Backseaters can, and do, do as well as their partners (sometimes better!).
Good Fishing!!
Bob
