Advice for New Co-Anglers Entering a BFL

Here is some advice for new co anglers.
I have seen a lot of people asking questions this year and hope this helps a new co-angler before their first tournament.
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[@PCAPastorTrav]

That’s some wisdom. I’m fishing my first BFL in two days. Super helpful.

[@PhantomFishing]

How’d it go??

[@PCAPastorTrav]

@@PhantomFishing It was a great time. My boater was super chill. Unfortunately the weather was also super chill. Half of the co-anglers had empty bags and about a third of the boaters. I placed 40 out of about 180. Missed a check by 5 places/11 oz. pretty encouraging! Thank you for asking!

[@hotrod539]

Just starting out as a none boater this information was awesome thanks so much very very helpful

[@PhantomFishing]

+fishing rods spot glad it helped. Here is a playlist of all my co angling videos. kzbin.info/aero/PL1CxekpzV2MksJfK8VcvGDtYqhtlYOCTT

[@nireland84]

Well done! The only thing I might add is asking your boater the night before if he needs/ wants you to bring anything. I always ask about grabbing a bag of ice for them to keep drinks/ food cool and for fish care in the hot months. I haven't had many take me up on the offer but I always try to be as helpful as possible.

[@mikelepori707]

Great video! good info for people wanting to fish as a co angler. You nailed it with this video. One thing people don't realize is that the fishing community is very small....everyone knows each other so if you don't show respect, its easy to get a bad name out there. Hopefully people really take to heart what you said here.

[@volscdking]

Awesome video man. A lot of great info. Gives me a good idea of what to expect.

[@PhantomFishing]

BigOrangeBasser Good Luck. 1 fish at a time.

[@brewcrewfishing]

Great informative video for co-anglers that may be a little tentative entering a BFL. I've met some really great co-anglers fishing the BFL.

[@PhantomFishing]

+Chris Brewton Thanks. I have met some great people.

[@hogmouthfishingcharters4546]

Just signed back in to watch your video and the volume works good now great video.

[@troyjohnson8248]

wish all .CA was like you.. good brother.. keep up the positive messages and bass wishes!!!

[@charlieharavitch9472]

for 2018 on lake Oneida NY I did even catch a fish until 10 min before we went in it was 9 once off from the biggest bass

[@AnglerMarv]

Thank you Sir! That was very informative. 👊🏾

[@PhantomFishing]

+CoAnglerMarv Thank you. I hope it helps.

[@TeamRipNLips]

Great video man.

[@PhantomFishing]

Thanks.

[@brodrickrobertson3459]

Great video! Thanks man

[@justfish5205]

One of the biggest pet peeves for me is when people step on the seats. Otherwise make yourself at home on the boat and lets have a great time fishing.

[@paulthomason8375]

that's what I was thinking to thanks for answering

[@AndrewGarnerAdventures]

Respect!

[@adamhaakenson4779]

Great video. I have a a couple questions. When you practice fish do you practice with a boater or do you bring your own boat and practice? Also at weigh in time how does that work? Does someone come to you with a bag or do you need your own? Does the boat stay in the water during weigh in or do you pull it out first then weigh in?

[@PhantomFishing]

+Adam Haakenson Great questions. 1. I practice both ways but as a co-angler I am mainly trying to find colors they are reacting to most. You really want to hook fish but find where they are and what they want to eat. 2. In the BFL they will announce if it is trailered weigh-in or not. If it is then you can pull the boat out first. If not then you will pull up on the bank, weigh the fish, and then trailer. You must stay together (within eye sight). FLW supplies bags to borrow and you go get bags, take your fish up, then stay together until you are both weighed. Even if one of you dont have fish you stay together and sign a sheet of paper saying that they did not cheat in any way.

[@jfoutdoor5161]

really good info, I had no idea about the facebook link page.

[@PhantomFishing]

Joey Jarmuszkiewicz, i'm not sure why i can't reply to you but here is your answer. The partners are drawn randomly for the tournament but you should sign up with one just to keep the field even to guarantee you into the tournament. Odds are you will not fish with the one you sign up with.

[@zzzzz111ish]

MR SHAKY HEAD whats the website you would go to for all of the info for being a co-angler and where to sign up? Is the website different for every state or same across the country? Also, Since im asking these questions, would it be better for me to fish tournaments before I try co-angling or is co-angling a good place for me to start? Thank you very much, love the videos.

[@PhantomFishing]

Dylan Royer Hey Dylan. Thanks for watching. Go to flwfishing.com and you will see towards the top on the right side a spot that says become a member. Remember to do the $45 competitor membership. Have you ever fished a tournament before?

[@zzzzz111ish]

no and thats why I was wanting advise from someone who has lots of experience. My friend and I are both looking into joining or starting a club, but we're both inexperienced and I was hoping you could tell me what would be the best way to start fishing tournaments.

[@PhantomFishing]

Dylan Royer First off, I think it is great that you want to fish tournaments and you will learn from experience. I am not sure of your abilities as in casting ex.. If you don't feel like you are very good at casting and all that then I would suggest you and your buddy just getting your fundamentals down first. On the other hand if you feel like you got that down then I totally think you would be fine starting as a co-angler. You will learn a ton from really good fisherman. The only issue I could see is that I would not want you to get frustrated if you have a few bad outings. Sometimes these tournaments are tough and you don't catch a lot if anything at all. If you can go into them with a good outlook and don't expect anything to come from them than a learning experience, everything will fall into place and you will do fine. This year is winding down as far as the BFL so you might want to just find a local buddy tournament or just fish as much as you can and get your gear ready for next season just so you can get a full season in. I can mail you a license holder with a free membership for FLW. It is not the competitor one but it will at least get you the on-line magazine until you sign up for the tournaments.

[@zzzzz111ish]

That'd be awesome, I would really appreciate that. As far as my skill level, I would like to believe that I'm at the level where I could fish a tournament as a co-angler. This past year I've gotten my bait-casting abilities up tremendously and have really been trying to gain my confidence with any kind of conditions, water types and lures of course. Fishing is fun no matter what for me and just being out on the water is enough for me, catching fish is just extra, but I really want to learn more than anything. Fishing is my passion and getting better at what I love is the most important thing to me, which is why I watch your videos and others as well.

[@lamontgray6015]

I want to get on the tournament scene im from Minnesota i have a boat but it doesn't have a livewell but i herad allot bad things bout the co angler situation

[@PhantomFishing]

Its not too bad. jump on in and give it a shot.

[@lamontgray6015]

Phantom Fishing you Dont have to do every tournament do you

[@outdoorswithwaynek7966]

Great tips can you make money and how much. Thank you for the video

[@PhantomFishing]

Make money in the tournaments?

[@mr.edmiston6725]

What's a guarantee boater?

[@PhantomFishing]

Thetugis myDrug A guaranteed boater is a boater you sign up with to keep the field even. Doing this guarantees that the both of you will fish in the tournament. You will not necessarily fish with them do to it being a random computer draw.

[@dcline27]

NO BANNANAS!!!

[@PhantomFishing]

For Sure!

[@derekwilliams8942]

I would give the boater at least 50 guys boats are not cheap insurance for boat gas maintenance etc it's respectful ya know

[@PhantomFishing]

+sherry Williams Different situations call for different amounts but something should be offered.

[@newenglandbass]

Whats considered "early" when signing up?

[@PhantomFishing]

New England Bass early would be whenever registration opens. I usually try to sign up for all 5 at once but if money doesn't allow for that then atleast a couple months before the tourney. It also depends on the division you fish. Some division never have enough co anglers and some will have 30 that don't get in.

[@corey.g3373]

If you do sign up and don't get in are you getting your money back?

[@thegreatfishingadventure2594]

I subbed brother! This sounds like a whole bunch of stuff just to catch some fish, but I guess it's the way tourneys work. Question: If you sign up and pay the co angler fee and don't get in, do you get refunded that money?

[@PhantomFishing]

The Great Fishing Adventure yes or you can just apply it to a different tournament.

[@MrCastaneda1216]

why do you say that both people need to reel at the same speed when using different lures.. Im new to this and very curious.

[@PhantomFishing]

+J C It's not so much reel at the same speed but fish at the same speed. Say if the boater has the trolling motor moving and he is fishing a crankbait quickly then you would not want to use a worm that you are wanting to drag slowly. I hope this helps. Thanks

[@paulthomason8375]

Phantom Fishing I have a question if u had a boat what would do try coangler then boater

[@PhantomFishing]

Paul Thomason are you asking if I would be a boater if I had a boat.

[@paulthomason8375]

Phantom Fishing I'm asking I'm not real good at bass fishing like I want I have a boat .do u think I should do go as a boater or coangler

[@PhantomFishing]

Paul Thomason I would do whatever you are comfortable with. The benefit of being a co angler is if you are trying to learn techniques or don't know the body of water well then you will learn greatly from them. In your situation I think it would be best to learn behind someone and once you feel comfortable move to the front.

[@Mbtharp1]

Where are you located? I heard you say that you're fishing the Illini division. I'm planning on fishing the ones on shelbyville this year and maybe one down on rend just to get my feet wet with tournament fishing.

[@PhantomFishing]

+Central Illinois Angling I live in Edwardsville. About 30 min from St.Louis. I will be fishing all 5 this year.

[@Mbtharp1]

+Phantom Fishing That's cool! It's good to see other people making fishing videos in Illinois, I feel like everyone in the state is slacking lol. I'll be posting videos regularly and I just subscribed to you so I'll keep my eyes peeled for any new videos you post 👍

[@PhantomFishing]

Thanks a lot. I just got back on my feet from 2 surgeries so I have also been slacking. Not the best time of year but i will be trying to post as much as possible. Thanks for the sub.

[@izatt82]

Not to far from me.

[@joeyjarmuszkiewicz6751]

Hey awesome video! One question though, are the co-anglers supposed to find their own boater or is it a random draw at the pre-tournament meeting?

[@linuxlifer]

Random question, and maybe a dumb one, when you are a co-angler, are you guys essentially on a team or are you guys technically competing against each other?

[@PhantomFishing]

Brad Bunnett That's a great question, not dumb at all. The boater is against the other boaters and the co-anglers are against each other. You are not on a team nor against each other. The fish that you each catch counts for your personal weight and you must keep them separate.

[@linuxlifer]

MR SHAKY HEAD Ohh very interesting. Thanks for the answer!

[@PhantomFishing]

Brad Bunnett No problem. The tournaments are tough because there are a lot of great anglers but the reward is you learn a ton about fishing and the places you fish. You also meet great friends.

[@angleratlarge6787]

Some boaters treat co-anglers like sh...t! My friend got paired with a boater that expected him to net his fish but would not net his fish? The boater also was a runner and gunner all day and had absolutely no respect for him as a co-angler and the timing of him casting etc. The boater also did not want or accept any advice about the Lake? If a boater like that expects some co-angler to pay him anything or help him with gas he is nuts!

[@PhantomFishing]

+Angler Atlarge honestly I wouldn’t bet his if he doesn’t net mine. The casting thing is on the co. We have to keep up and time our casts accordingly to the speed of the boater. If he is too selfish to take advice then there is nothing the co can do but put his head down and fish. It’s unfair sometimes as a co but you have to adapt and fish. I’m hoping to have a good draw this weekend.

[@MKultra209]

Although there are fees and expenses as a co, it is still an opportunity to be able to fish any tourney on a stranger's boat. That being said, I just bought my own Ranger Comanche and I definitely will treat co's as how I wanted to be treated. But, I would not want any careless, rude or entitled people on my 60k boat I worked hard for.

[@mrscarface6438]

mark congrats on your new boat ,hope its all you expect it to be

[@beavisbrowne3497]

Why would anyone want to be a co?

[@PhantomFishing]

Lots of reasons. Don’t know the body of water well enough to navigate safely. Want to learn skills and techniques. Don’t have the time to dedicate to practice. Don’t have the money to buy or maintain a suitable rig. Also, I’m sure there are some that just don’t feel comfortable making the decisions on the water and just want to fish in a competitive environment. To advance through tournament fishing you have to make the jump to the boater side but each angler has different priorities or goals.

[@beavisbrowne3497]

@@PhantomFishing good reasons, thank you sir

[@hogmouthfishingcharters4546]

Where is the volume man?

[@PhantomFishing]

Hog Mouth hey thanks. This was one of my first line of videos and I used songs I wasn't supposed to so when I removed them it must have messed it up. I will edit it and try to get it going for tomorrow. Check out my newer videos for cos. Thanks

[@rcrawford1030]

How do you get signed up or get started?

[@PhantomFishing]

First off where do you live? You will want to go to flw online and get a Competitor membership. That will allow you to compete but also get you the magazine and stuff. Then you should be able to punch in where you live and it will tell you the closest tournament to you.

[@rcrawford1030]

I live in Arkansas; thank you for the information. Great channel!!

[@areddfishing7473]

what about getting snagged? should you just keep you mouth shut and break off? or be like hey im snagged sorry can we try and pop it off?

[@PhantomFishing]

Really depends on your boater and the situation. If it was just a typical cast and you are moving slow then most of them will tell you they'll get it when you start pulling. If it is a cast into really shallow water or a far (back cast) you might just want to break it off. If you are moving quickly and it would save time or disturb a productive area then just break it.