TOURNEY TIpS
E ba T ck I s q ea U t ETTE
Chris Ricci puts a wrap on it, PRESS PLAY:
By Chris Ricci
F
or the many years I’ve fished from the back
deck, I have never experienced a bad day of
tournament fishing. I would like to share and
pass on to you the reasons I feel I’ve made each day I’ve fished on the back deck an enjoyable one.
I’m going to attempt to apply these tips to fishing
a Pro Am tournament, which is a SHARED weight
format with Pro’s and Co’s fishing as a team, and to
a NON-SHARED format, such as the FLW where the
Pro and Co have to catch their own fish.
Many times I hear from Pro’s about how some of
my fellow co-anglers conduct themselves from the back of the boat. This particular action is probably the most serious infraction a co-angler can make -- casting over the Pro’s line. Not only does this cause
OTHER HElpFUl TIpS
In BOTH formats, when the Pro is casting over his
right shoulder and you’re fishing over the starboard
side, lower your rod tip to keep your rod and line out
of the way of his back cast. Before you cast, make sure you know where his line
is in the water. Never cast over his line, unless he tells you to do so. Ask the Pro to give you a minute or two “heads up”
before he decides to make a move, so you can get
your gear organized and your life vest on. In both formats, as soon as you stop, stay seated
until your Pro is on the front deck. Allow him to
make the first cast and then proceed to fish. In a NON-SHARED format, if your Pro gets a blow up or a bite, do not cast on his fish. Reel up, if you are in
his vicinity. A lot of times, I won’t even cast until he has the opportunity to cast back and try to catch that
fish. By following these couple of steps, it keeps your Pro calm and in rhythm and not worrying about you
trying to catch his fish. 9 out of 10 times, if it happens to you, the Pro will give you ample time as well. Keep the conversation to a minimum. In a SHARED format, tell the Pro when you get bit and what type of bite it was. In BOTH formats, walk softly on the deck – don’t make any unnecessary loud noises, like banging a
lid closed or dropping a bottle of water to the deck. Maybe it won’t have a direct effect on the fish, but
it is disconcerting. And, last but not least, always give your Pro some gas money.
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