That ain't a White Perch.

How much time has your friend spent running the front of the boat. Boat control isn't a skill that most people are born with. Seems to me a better approach might be to keep fishing from his boat and let him develop his skills as a boater.

Partners don’t have to tell me that I suck, I already know it!

During my time here in Okie land I have fished with several boaters. Guys I work with ,etc. They all claim to be big time fisherman and tournament guys, blah,blah,blah. I never fished with any of them twice. When one asked me why I told him point blank that I had gone with him to LEARN how to boat fish seeing as I didn't own a boat. Acted like he was doing me a favor. And that is why I don't even bother asking anyone to go with them. Most are over impressed with themselves, it's more an old boys club around here. Reminds me of a high school clique and I'm way past that kind of silly bullsh**. So before I retire I will buy myself a boat and not bother anyone by asking to go fishing. Much easier to not deal with the ego's and pettiness I've seen around here in Oklahoma with some bass fisherman.

The one guy I would go fishing with again lives in Texas....Hopalong...:) So he will be welcome to come down to Florida anytime and fish with me....and I'll buy the steaks and beer...:)

Show up at the launch ramp wearing a king-sized life vest, and flare pistols strapped on each hip.

I'm not sure your guy is the problem, every suggestion made has been rejected by you with an excuse about why you are right. Your way is not the only way to fish, if you tried to adapt to his way and fish methods compatible with his style you might learn some new things yourself. Its funny because there are some very good fisherman that cover alot of water and do very well.

I have fished with guys that make every effort to keep their backseat boater in fishable water, that is then best scenario. I have also had trouble with partners that could not stand that they were being outfished...the saddest part was we were tournament partners and the end sack is the only result that mattered. It is their boat and they get to be in charge of the way it gets positioned and fished. If you don't like it then don't go.

Most people that fish with me are just happy to have someone else running the trolling motor. If someone in the back seat starts telling me how to run my boat they probably wont get another invite.

Be happy you got someone to fish with... its fishing... let me repeat that.. IT IS FISHING... Let that sink in. Relax and stop being so arrogant...

Just smile real big and ask, "are you going to front end me all day"? If he's a real friend, he will laugh, and put you on fish. Or maybe just bring a big anchor and threaten to throw it out the back when you see a spot you want him to slow down.

You got the idea! He rarely uses his boat (for some reason) and rarely fishes with someone aboard - no one from our 300 member club fishes with him. Our catch rate is far lower from his 18' Alumacraft with a 50hp motor than my 12' Jon boat with only a trolling motor.

He is not Kevin VanDam when it comes to power fishing. "Anyone can fish fast, but can they do it efficiently?" I fished bass tournaments for 5 years, found out how to power fish learned from more experienced partners and what lures and presentations to use to accomplish that. My guy is not proficient using a wide variety of lures and only fishes with small jigs and plastics. Small jigs can not cover water efficiently when not targeting areas in cover, over cover, in deep water nor over structure - which requires monitoring the sonar ever so often. I sold my bass boat this year deciding I preferred, at my age, slowing down and getting to know even better the 8+ local waters I've fished for over 30 years.

In spring we caught over 100 fish on two outings from my boat as compared to 35 fish on the last outing in the same lake from his boat. (He is reluctant to take his boat out of storage early in the year.) In fact all trips on my boat on 3 different lakes until recently ended up with us catching over 50 fish per angler with the best day of 196 fish caught between the two of us. Key was finding fish and stopping to maximize catches when large groups or schools of fish were found shallow or in open water over deeper bottoms. Even fishing open water over bottom structure requires covering as much water as possible with many casts around the boat, with the boat stopping every 50' or so.

Guess some of you just can't get it whereas others know exactly what I'm trying to get across.

When the two of you go out, what fish are you targeting? (Bass, crappie, etc.). It sounds very much like you are targeting ‘whatever will bite’ and your partner might be more interested in looking for something specific or maybe of better quality.

He prefers panfish. I want to see what bites my modified lures or those I design myself regardless the species. When I fish by myself I take gear for bass and gear for panfish; fishing with him I go light so as not to have to fight big fish caught in heavy cover. He is good using light lures having learned a thing or two from me since last year. Too bad boat control wasn't one of them. We might go fishing again this Fri (but only from my boat from now on). Together we up the odds 2x of finding fish and discovering patterns. (Besides, he does bring some nice snacks along to munch on between fish!)

For a guy asking for advise, you sure do seem to have a lot of answers.

WWRRD?

What lake? I like catching those kind of white perch.