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Posts: 45
Location: Appleton, Wi | How many of you fish from the back of the boat like myself and do not catch fish. This weekend my son (muskieE) and I fished together and like a good Dad I always give him the front and let him control the trolling motor (less complaining that the boat is not in the correct spot). The problem is he caught 3 fish all on suckers to my zero. Now the suckers are only about 5- 7 feet apart. Whats going on??? Anybody else have this kind of luck???  |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Whenever I use my boat (Tiller), I'm always in the back. It matters when I have the bow moving forward along an edge or break, but there's been alot of times where the lure from the front acted as an attractor to mine in the back and I've scored.....so, for me it's 50/50. Besides that, If I'm being Captain, I consider it a success for me if my partner scores a fish.
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| I journaled this for three seasons in the 80's. 51/49 front to back on fish caught. 49/51 on size. (Canada only) |
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Posts: 440
| I do what I can to stay in the front of the boat. Looking back, I think I have crowded a few people off the trolling motor in their own boat. Kind of funny looking back. The last couple years I have made some effort not to be so pushy. I really haven't notice catch rates being different front to back. Some days when the bite is ON the guy in front will rack up a few extras due to being first thru the area. Most days the guy in the back gets a average change, provided the boat is positioned correctly. |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | To fish effectively out of the back of the boat you have to fish a bit smarter. There are several ways to catch fish that those in the front of the boat are missing.
First thing to consider is lure choice. If you fish behind someone change up the bait. If your partner is throwing a bucktail, throw a topwater, if he is throwing a glide bait think about throwing a crankbait, etc. Give them a different option and you may pick up fish that he missed.
One of the most important things to watch when fishing in the back of the boat is cast placement. Make sure you are covering different water than your partner did on his last cast. Watch where his cast lands so you can plan your next cast in clean water.
In the case of fishing suckers, mix up the depths. If he is running a sucker at the five foot level, sink yours down a couple extra feet looking for a fish from the depths.
If you follow these rules when fishing out of the back of the boat you should up the #'s you catch and will probably find some hot patterns you were missing before. |
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Posts: 333
Location: menasha wi 54952 | All great points guys!!! In my boat sucker fish are considered "Bonus" fish and we take turns that way everyone gets to cross their eyes sooner or later. You could also try adding a teaser such as a balloon or ribbon to the tail of the sucker and see if it makes a difference.
If all else fails just tell Eric to quit hoggin' all the fish!!!! Whose boat is it anyway?!! 
MR |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I love fishing out of the back of the boat, you get to pick apart all the missed water that the guy in the front missed. You can also back cast, change angles, cast parallel down weed lines, drop offs, or shore lines.
I have always done really well out of the back of the boat, and in my opinion, being in the back is awesome and you are no where near at disadvantage to the guy in the front.
I really don't think it matters, just simply go fishing and have fun. |
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Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | The only rule is there are no rules!
The front, the back, the only place that matters is being in the boat. Everyone that fishes with me gets the front of my Tuffy Esox Magnum. Last year once I fished from the front of my own boat for the first time in at least 5 years, because I was by myself. As long as the person controlling the boat position pays attention, both ends of the boat should get representative action. It is possible that the person in the back can be cut off from much of the supposed "un-fished water" if the boat control is not thought out. While considering that last comment, on lakes like Pewaukee on a busy weekend, where do you go to get "un-fished water"? Unless the boat is sitting still or barely moving, there is always water around the boat that hasn't been fished by the other occupants of the boat.
The only rule is there are no rules! Just keep casting! |
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Posts: 224
Location: Madison | There's a flip side to the coin.
As someone who usually fishes out of the front of the boat, it's important to keep your partner in mind. I don't try to cast to every single good-looking spot - I leave plenty of places for my partner to cast to.
So it's not always casting to water your partner "missed" as much as it is casting to water your partner left for you. Cover the water as a team.
-d
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Posts: 2089
| Is it a team effort.I run the boat from the bow but give the person in back plenty of "fresh" water to fish.Even in clear water where the fishes strike zone is much bigger and casts need to be further apart.Up on the Woods,for example, if you've fished it for awhile, you know EXACTLY the cast to make.You KNOW the spot.Give 'em away.Watch the look on your partner's face when Shamu makes an appearance.Therein lies the hidden challenge.I can catch fish.I want to put them on fish.Go out with a beginner and catch fish all day.That'll get 'em fired up about the sport.I want to catch 1/2 the muskies in the lake, and my partner to catch the other half.I get a thrill out of every muskie, whether I catch it or my partner does.I get a bigger thrill out of positioning the boat, reading the water, weather etc..May go to the back of the boat next year.Another challenge.I like fishing as much as I like catching. Steve |
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Posts: 305
Location: Illinois | It seems to change from year to year . Some year the back guy is on fire. I have no explanation. This year the sucker bite has been good. However, I am working the boat from the front with my sucker towards the front. It has been the back sucker that has been taken almost every time. Some years it is just the opposite.The main difference in casting is that when I am working the boat I spend more time on the motor, depth, speed, angle, partners angle and a little less time fishing. When I was constantly working the back of the boat I only worried about technique. Frankly I think my fishing skills suffer on days like Saturday that make working the boat a chore. I enjoy both and doin't think there is much of a diffrence in the long run. hj |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | It sure is nice to sit back and just fire away without having to be running the electric all the time. Gives you more time to switch rods or change up the lures too.
I love the points made about leaving some good water for your "friend" in the back of the boat. If you can't have fun with someone else in the boat you should fish alone. |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | My brother likes working my trolling motor when in my boat. I have caught multiple musky while in the back.. every once in a while this bothers him(me catching fish from the back) he makes me work the trolling motor.. then I go catch them from the front... So for me I don't think it matters.. |
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Posts: 20223
Location: oswego, il | If I am on more virgin water with dumb fish, let my lure be the first one. If I am fishing pressured water I don't want to be bothered controlling the boat. I can fish erratic baits more effectively not having to controll the boat. Being in the back, I can backcast, cast out over deep water, make casts at different angles that the person in front may not be able to do. I think being in back is a bonus, especially when it's windy. |
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Posts: 2361
| You guys can ALWAYS fish out of the back of my boat. Just discussing this with a passenger in my boat yesterday and repeated the DJohnson ratios as I remember them, "The first guy catches 50% of the fish, the second guy catches 50% of the fish and the third guy, catches 10% of the fish." |
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Posts: 723
| I fish with a guy that is pretty greedy when it comes to boat control, he knows how to find fish usually but will pepper an area completely before moving the boat so I or others can't fish it. Even when it comes to trolling he'll run his side of the boat next to the structure that we are fishing repeatedly, the last 2 times we trolled not once did my boards or downrod run the structure, and usually he's the one catching. Not always though. There have been days when I have outfished him,rare though. And when this does happen he says " I probably just woke em up for ya. Nice guy.
I usually am constantly bait washing trying to find something that will give me an edge but tends to be more frustrating than it's worth. |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | firstsixfeet - 11/2/2004 5:59 AM
"The first guy catches 50% of the fish, the second guy catches 50% of the fish and the third guy, catches 10% of the fish."
he he.. hey firstsixfeet is there a chance you will let me in on this secrete lake that has 110% of the Muskies in it?
sorry, couldn't pass it up. |
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| I have had most of my luck fishing the back of the boat so now i prefer that. |
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Posts: 32888
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Cast placement is everything. The guy in the front can work the water to a froth and leave nothing unfished, or can place his casts in a wider pattern leaving water the angler in the back 'fills in'. I do that all the time, and Sue still kicks my butt from the back deck. |
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Posts: 7048
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Out of necessity (no front locator) I fish from the back of the boat. I actually PREFER to fish out of the back! The guy in front fishes ONLY at an angle ahead of where we're going....then i have the whole area NOT ahead of the boat. I find I get to cover more water, even if its not "fresh water". The guy in front usually throws someting faster compared to what I throw. I THINK I do better overall than whoever I fish with....which is saying VERY LITTLE. |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | For years I fished out of the back of my tiller boats. Since switching to a consol with a cable control trolling motor I am on the front deck now. I would guess 50/50 as mentioned earlier and I conquer with Norm's post and Jonesi and Worrall.... Cast placement, bait choice and working together are all key elements to success.
Hey E..... be nicer to your Pa and give him the front if he has more confidence and enjoy the fact that you are able to spend good times with your Dad. It's the friendship and time together that matters most... So quite whinning and respect your elders...hehe  |
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Posts: 172
| Ranger Bob
Jim Saric wrote an article not to long ago about the first bait through a zone gets hit more often. The article was about trolling but I would guess this would apply with suckers. If I were you, I would try a planner board on your sucker from the back and spread the zone. I know this works for Steve Herbeck and he says he can get the bait in places he could not get to if he was trolling. |
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Posts: 1245
Location: Madtown, WI | I fish from both the front and the back depending on who's in the boat. Lisa likes the butt seat so I fish out of the back then most of the time.
The only time I see the back as a disadvantage is when the fish are really moving...especially in Canadian type lakes. In this case first bait through usually gets wacked...have seen this happen. Of course I have seen it when they aren't really moving where i think the first bait was the wake up call and the second or third bait caught them!!!
Cory |
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