Hey Guys- A good friend of mine will be a backseater in a reasonably competitive tournament in a few days. As of this moment he doesn't even know who his Boater will be. The lake is relatively large for the Northeast and the field will be well over 100 anglers.
If he was going to be in your boat for this event, what would you suggest he do to insure this is a productive activity for both he and the Boater?
He has no areas of his own basically because his time on this water has been limited this year to one tournament and no practice.
Any tips would be appreciated.

I would tell him to pray he gets a good partner that is on fish and learn from whomever he gets. Avoid "Dock talk" and ask his partner at registration what type of areas he will be fishing. Most new partners will not share anything but generic answers at registration. Be very sure anything he does tell you you keep to yourself and not announce to all your buddies where he is fishing and what he is doing. Also Do not go back to his spots the following day, spots are good for a day but if you learn something it will give you a lifetime of spots!!!

I do not fish from the back of the boat that often. If he does not have fish, and is not familiar with the area, than he must go to his boaters area. It would be wise to find out the types of areas they will be fishing, before the day starts, so the non-boater can rig his rods to fit those conditions, based on past experiences at other lakes with similiar areas. Once on the water, if the boater is catching bass, than the non-boater should switch to a similiar bait. For example, if the boater is catching bass on a 6' purple, worm, than the non boater should go to a 4' purple worm, possibly with more bulk to it, like a Zipper worm. Use something similiar to the boater because it is working, but you still have to use something "different" that will get strikes from the bass that did not hit the boaters lure. If the boater is fishing a spinnerbait, than down size to a smaller one, change the blade colors, change the skirt color slightly, or throw a wide wobble crankbait. Things of that nature. If the boater is not catching fish, than throw something completely different till you get a strike, and then fine tune the pattern. And by all means, if your friend wants to do well in the tournament, DO NOT give the boater the same bait you are using! He will have the bait that works, and will have first shot at the bass, leaving none for the non-boater. I see this happen all too often.
Tim Carini
Pro Staff

Hey Tim how much attention to you pay to "Dock Talk" and do you like fishing in crowds?

Dan & Tim- This is the type of advice you can't get from just any guy who fishes. I will pass along the information (and keep some of this same stuff in my notebook for my own future reference.)
Also, I will urge my friend to become a Member of BassinUSA. With tips like this, he probably will go for it.
Thanks again. JoeM

Dock Talk/Fishing in Crowds.
Dan,
as far as dock talk is concerned, I ignore it and run away from it at all cost. Anyone who is really on fish, will not be telling anyone about it. During practice, I formulate a game plan and stick to it, regardless of the wieghts people are supposedly catching. however, after a tournament, I will listen to how people said they caught their fish, as it is usually alittle more accurate after the event, and may help me for next time. As far as fishing in crowds, I try to avoid it and find fish other will overlook. But if I have fish in an area, and other boats are present, I will force myself to fish in a crowd.

Tim- That being said, how do you answer before a T when someone asks if you've located fish and what type of area you were fishing? Do you give them the classical "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies" or do you provide only generic type answers?
JoeM

Joe,
When talking with my partner before a tournament, I will give him VERY general information on how I plan to fish the next day, due to the fact I do not want him telling his fishing partners the pattern I am fishing. Once he is on the boat that morning, and I have him captive, I will give him a more detailed description of what I plan to do for the day. At a competitive level, every ounce counts. Any information he gives his buddy could help his buddy catch one more bass, inturn, knocking me further down in the standings.
Tim Carini
Pro Staff

Tim- At the NYS Fed Club Team Event at St. Lawrence River 3 years ago that's exactly what my partner did with me. Only it had nothing to do with where. He said so many guys saw where he caught his bass, he couldn't hide it. But he would not tell me the type of bait or specifically the color until I was as you said, a captive. But he did play fair. On board, he said he was throwing dark melon pepper Tender Tubes in water over 55 ft. and that I could use as many as I need. Good thing, because later I tried other close colors and the bass wouldn't touch them. I never fished and caught freshwater fish that deep (58 ft.) before or since.
And I couldn't have communicated anything to my Team Members if I wanted to. JoeM