What fishing etiquette should both anglers follow when in the same boat and fishing an individual tournament?

Are you friends or strangers? Discuss the boat rules before you go out so there are no misconceptions such as don't front end the guy in the back. The person in the back should not cast over the person in the front. If you're the passenger then just ask the boat owner the do's and don't while in his boat. He'll be happy to explain them. Don't wait until one of you screws up and harsh words get said. Just my opinion.

We're friends but we're not fishing as a team, we fish individually (he doesn't have a boat)

Don't hit the other guy with a Bait or rod be mindful where you swing your rod when casting.dont leave your baits hanging off your rod with 10 ft of line out

Help land the others fish.

If your the boater, don't front end the back-seater. This is really hard to do if you are flipping docks or reeds but even in open water make sure your back-seater has good water to fish.

If you are the back-seater, don't cast forward of the cockpit. Either way talk this over with your boating partner.

If you are a back-seater do not bring too much gear. There is limited space in a boat so you bringing 20 rods is about 15 too many in my opinion. Also cull your tackle down. If you can talk to the boater before to get an idea what type of fishing you probably be doing. If your going to be fishing mostly shallow water, don't bring two boxes of deep diving crankbaits! Same with soft plastics, limit what you bring. If you have 20 different colors of Baby Brush Hogs but you really only throw three, just bring those three and not 3 bags of each.

If you are the back-seater ask the boater about boat rules. I really don't like people to smoke on my boat. I had some burn holes in my passenger seat on my old boat from a careless smoker and hence the rule. Now I will let someone smoke in my boat but I warn them to be very careful. Luckily most of my normal partners do not smoke.

Don't step on the seats! Don't track mud/dirt on the boat! Keep trash picked up, along with your gear!

Before you get in boat lay out expectations for the day. Do you, the boater, get to pick all the spots or do you share. Will you divide the day in half you pick spots in morning and he in afternoon or visa versa. Do you split all winnings equally? This right here is where the friendship gets tested if one wins and the other does not without expectations set up front. Do you get to run troll motor all day or will you share. Etc ......

This time of year get offshore and find structure both can fish equally. Humps points creek channels.....go have fun.

Are you the boater or the co?

Just go fishing, if either angler really doesn't know how to treat another person on the water then maybe that person shouldn't be in the boat.

Sorry for the honesty but, in my opinion, you are making it too complicated. I do not fish with a lot of people, by choice. But, the ones I have fished with in their boat and vice versa in my boat, we've never had to lay down rules. Each man just fishes and respects the other's boat, equipment and water.

Do not hook him in the ear with a crankbait or hit him in head with a 1/4 ounce dropshot weight. Beyond that idk but that is a good starting point.

I agree with Bush Hog and Allen Bass Fisher.

Back when I fished tournaments a lot, even the individual tourneys we agreed to split the winnings. it makes for a funner experience if both of you are on the same team. There are a lot of situations where the captain needs to hold the boat so the guy in the back can be in the right position. Many times if I were just fishing for pleasure I would leave casts for my buddy in the back. say your trolling along and there is an isolated stump. If I took the last good cast I would often leave those kinds of casts for my buddy. ITs just funner being on the same team.

Don't leave fishing line clippings in their boat. It gets into the hull and gets sucked into the bilge pump. Throw all your pieces of line you trim away. Keep your trash picked up and your gear managed neatly. I've had guys that totally trash my boat up and by the end of the day their [censored] is stolled all over my boat. I hate that. Help keep a clean and orderly boat. You will be appreciated. And don't step in the seats.

I think it makes more sense to agree to split any winnings 50/50. it is very hard to be fair to the back seat if you are running the trolling motor all day. also, it keeps the arguments down about when to go weigh in (for example, one guy catches a good under and wants to leave, but the other wants to stay on the school that you are on). I think it makes the day more fun since you plan together and root for each other.

from my point of view, I would not agree to fish the back seat in an individual (big bass or stringer) tournament, because I feel that I would be at a disadvantage all day.

Why split winnings. If the guy in the back doesn't catch any fish why be rewarded. Do what they do in BASS split time with the front of the boat. Flip a coin to see who goes first.

To each his own. Its just more fun to me to fish as a team. Split expenses and split winnings. Next time out it may be the other guy who catches them all in your boat. It all evens out.