Qualities of a good partner are the same as a good wife---uh, almost.

[Jigger]

What qualities are YOU looking for in a good fishing partner, tournament or just fun fishing?? Personally, I'm looking for the same qualities as my wife possesses, TO A POINT. I'm a type A personality and I certainly don't need someone as stubborn and agressive as me in the boat. I've got a really great wife that compliments my personality and I've got a really great tournament partner whose strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. So, what are you looking for in a fishing partner. Do you agree with me that two type A personalities are not a good match----or not???

[Fishbear]

my fishing partners are all pretty much like me, easy going, likes a good joke, does not drink or smoke in the boat.

That being said, I am a big plastics fisherman,, I fish slow and really work an area. My main fishing partner, is a power fisherman, he wants to run and gun, with spinnerbaits and cranks.... So we compliment each other, and if one technique is not working, the other is not afraid to speak up and say "hey stupid" we need to do something different.

[zooker]

in partners i tend to fish fast and through which means lots of cast to the same area before movin on.. my ideal partner would be a soft plastics or a jig chunker..

i fished as a non boater in a club for two years. in that club i found only ONE person even remotly close to my ideal choice..

zooker

[Bob Smith]

I generally have three partners at any given time (only one wife! Thank God! If my partners were like my wife and I had three of them I would go crazy!).
Certain guys are a better fit on different lakes, different seasons and different techniques. I've got one guy that is really comfortable when there is a "keep the boat moving and chunk n wind" technique is called for. I got a nother partner that is absolutely perfect when the bite calls for slow and methodical presentations. Then I have one that is sort of the middle of the road (that would be Chris who came to G-ville with me).
I find that if you are versatile, and I try very hard to be, you need to be able to adjust from one fishing scenario to another. A good partner is someone who has to be in sync with you at any given time. In fact they need to be almost like you, when it comes time to produce in a tournament. The worst thing you could have is two polar opposites in the boat when the bite calls for a specific technique, because one guy is going to enjoy it and the other will struggle if that technique is not something he is comfortable with.
If you ever find that partner that is perfectly comfortable with you no matter what you do then hang on to them. Otherwise, don't be afraid to tell your partners that you like a particular thing they do and enjoy fishing with them when that bite is the ticket. Honesty will usually win out.

[CarpMan]

Nobody can get along with me while fishin’ on my boat, don’t know why. . I usually get about half way across the lake before they begin telling me they are pros or semi pros, that’s when I tell them to get off and start swimming. They tell me I’m a mean sum beech to fish with… I have taken partners out and just come back with their rods, reels and all their tackle bags, must have ten or twelve dozen extra tackle bags stuffed full of expensive stuff and a bunch of rods and reels.. PM me if any one is interested in fishin’ this Sat. I will be hitting’ the lake at 7Am, bring 4 or 5 of your best rods and reels and plenty of good tackle, cause I’m going to put you on some hawgs. .I don’t have too many fishin’ partners, but I have a chit house full of good fishing tackle. Do any body want to buy some nice tackle?? PM me if you do…BTW, Polly has the same attitude but I’m not too hard on her, I just tie her to the boat and troll around the lily pads until her temper cools just to let her know who’s is in control.

[zooker]

thats the biggest load of bull i even heard form ya carpy.and you certainly unload the bull..

zooker

[CarpMan]

Thanks Zook, Polly says I’m full of it too, although she is a good fishin’ partner. When the fishing’ is slow for us she has the urge to take her bikini top off, and I believe that distracts the other tourney fisherman, and it also gives us the edge to win more than our share of tournaments. who knows what what that red head she is gonna try next. lol Carpy

[bassnman30]

Awwww, Zook.
Tri-County Bassmasters has many different variables of anglers. You fished with me and I would like to know what you thought. Good, bad, indifferent.
I like to fish different ways, I check with my partners as to what they want to do, normally. I check to see if I'm going to fast, how deep should I be,am I going too slow, what should I be doing ? Help me out.

[bamabassman]

carpy ...... as long as YOU never take off your top, everything will be just fine, hahahahhahahahahaha.

[zooker]

Originally Posted by bassnman30

Awwww, Zook.
Tri-County Bassmasters has many different variables of anglers. You fished with me and I would like to know what you thought. Good, bad, indifferent.
I like to fish different ways, I check with my partners as to what they want to do, normally. I check to see if I'm going to fast, how deep should I be,am I going too slow, what should I be doing ? Help me out.

well bassnman since your just begging for an anwser i'll tell ya -honestly-remember you asked for it..

ya fish way too fast per conditions, get very tight to the bank,-this is NOT a good thing in a lake with 6+ feet of visability-you need to learn "milk runs" not the mindless helter skelter running all over the lake.adding rythum and flow to your chain of spots. this in it self will save you alot of gas. don't get me wrong your one of the best anglers i have ever seen from the back of the boat. but as for being up front you with out a dout need more practice.
ya need to focus more on where your going, how your going to get there. ya already know WHAT to do when ya get there..

lets us not even get in to what ya did to gary when i fished with you-that was the most reckless bunch of crap i have EVER seen come from a veteran tournament angler.

think i am the bad guy here? fine.. but ask don he'll tell ya the same thing i just did.

zooker

[bothomas]

c'mon zook, don't church it up.... tell us what you really think.

This is my first year fishing tournaments and I'm the one in the front of the boat. What I try to remember is both of us get to fish our spots and tech's equally. At my spots I dictate how the boat is positioned and advise what to throw. At my partners spot I will always ask where he would like the boat, how fast to fish, etc. I've been lucky so far, my partners and I usually are thinking pretty much the same thing on depth, lures, etc. and we just fish our spots equally. Some tech's I'm better at than others but I really am comfortable fishing slow or power fishing. I just want that bite! I'll do whatever to get it.

[MississippiBoy]

As somebody who has back-seated with Bo, although not in a any kind of tournament or competition, I know how considerate he is of his co-angler. He never forgot about me, and I almost always had a good shot at where I wanted to throw.
I only had to cast over his line once or twice to get him to figure out how I wanted the boat positioned...

[bothomas]

then why the heck did you go and post that pic of the 10" fish I took off the hook for ya and tell everyone I caught it!! lol

[Lancer6]

Being boatless bank trash for several years has taught me much re this topic.
I've been privileged to fish with a few fellows who go out of their way to accomodate a partner; A few (any is too many) who are either so unable to "multi-task" or are so unskilled with a trollmotor that fishing with them is a nightmare of frustration; A few who are so paranoid about someone catching even one more bass than they that the back seat guy is deliberately screwed; and some that welcome gentle reminders when things get tough for the back-seater.
Unless there is a rule that precludes it, such as occurs in some tournaments, the ideal situation is one where partners take turns on the TM. After all, we're supposed to BE partners and partners SHARE.
If one partner, even if he's the non-boater, has better knowledge of the water and/or the tactics appropriate thereto, the "team" will enjoy better success of THAT person is on the TM, so long as he/she treats the other with due courtesy and consideration..
One of my "regulars" is one year into serious bassing. When we are on "my" water he prefers that I run the TM for the day, spelling me if I get pooped or need to perform serious tackle maintenance. I work hard to afford him every advantage since my competitive spirit decrees that I fish against myself and the bass, not my partner. In doing this I'm trying to mentor him in the right way to be the front-desk guy. If successful I'll have no problem enjoying being the back-seater in his boat in later times.
On only ONE occasion has someone said "It's MY boat, so be grateful you're even here." I've not fished with that clown in maybe three years and, after two are three such events, when he called to ask me along again (he can't find bass on his own,) I politely refused and told him why.
I wonder if he ever got the message.
If the boat owner has frequent backlash issues, breaks off a lot, or suffers other distractions, he is morally obligated to turn the TM over to his partner, in my opinion. It's not fair for the backseat guy to stare at the target from 500 yds away as the boat drifts while the other reties or roots through tons of tackle. I've actually had one guy tell me "Look, why should YOU get to fish when I'm having difficulties? Ha! He only did that once.
There are times when I miss the old days of boat possessing, but with a considerate and personable partner I recover quickly.
So far as speed is concerned I'll just say this: I've fished with "Run 'n Gun" guys. There are circumstances when it's the right choice. I can clarify that if asked. However, one of the greatest failures and faults of many bassers is that they do not fish their water thoroughly AND properly as regards lures and tactics.
I believe that every basser should have to fish from a *belly-boat on a periodic basis and thus have the lesson hammered home or reinforced. In all honesty I can say that during my belly-boat days I was a more successful basser, if one looks at the averages. I learned to fish THOROUGHLY and it paid off.
Now that I've grown my own built-in belly-boat, though, those days are most likely over.
Finally...IF you ARE a good and considerate TM operator, teach your backseater to also be. It will pay off for BOTH of you and others he may fish with in the future.

Rule One...Be safe. Rule Two...Be considerate.

Lancer6

*Not recommended in 'gator or cottonmouth country or in areas exposed to idiots in boats.