Heck you don't even let him in the back of your boat

100%

He is a diva when it comes to comfort and all that mess. Gotta have cushioned seats. Gotta have a good riding boat. Gotta have snacks. He is extremely needy.

WAWI would be correct on that!

I stand in the front of the boat looking over his shoulder and asking where are we going next! 😎

...mix in some "is that your bait?, I can't see your bait" and "where we going next" and he may kick the whole setup into the lake.!

...(oh and don't forget to spill your coffee on the boat carpet)

I think Co anglers is only part of the reason numbers are down. I think the above statement about being a waste of time, just tells u COs don't understand the role.

its a great way to learn and get guided around on that day. I understand its tough when they are using FFS, i think it would be nice if boaters would share there screen on the console so the COs could watch. I know i'd love to have a few sessions with those that know how to do it better than me. If your better than most boaters i never understand why your fishing from the back seat.

To many view it as a tournament and true competition, its never been that. I have won as a BFL Co angler and that would not even be in my top 10 memories.

Back when I first started fishing back in the 90's being a co angler to learn was exactly what I did. I already had a boat but wasn't an experienced fisherman and spent a few years as a co angler in trails like the Anglers Choice Pro Ams and Redman.Through those years I got to fish with people like Gary Yamamotto, Jeff Reynolds, Lendell Martin Jr., Richard Draper, Bill Hudspeth and Jerry Dolzeal. When I fished with Dolzeal he was in 2nd place at Toledo Bend and my only concern was to not get into his way and do anything that might interfere with him. After a while he noticed I wasn't fishing and jumped all over me and told me to get to fishing and that I wouldn't bother him at all. I still took it easy because I found myself watching a master at flipping Cypress Trees and went away from that tournament with a ton of knowledge that helped me in my own fishing when I would get back home and in my boat fishing the Century Bass Club and Federation events.
Even with taking this approach I managed to cash a few checks and one year ended up in 13th place in the Co Angler standings. I just remember that it was the way the majority of co anglers approached the tournaments and don't really remember hearing many horror stories of anyone being upset about not getting put on fish or being treated badly by boaters.

Unless you're fishing a tournament you know will be won punching grass or somehow other than with a livescope, a co angler is a fool to sign up anymore. I travelled with some Opens pros and fished all the Central Opens for 3 or 4 years some time back and had a great time, but the first tournament when scoping became a big thing was the end of that. After that I jumped in one Toyota to help link a friend in and watched my pros scope, on Rayburn, for 20 hours. That was enough of that. I guess if you want to learn you can sit back and watch your pro, but I don't think they want to answer a hundred questions and teach their co how to fish when they're in tournament mode. In a way, it sucks for both sides because co angler payouts were definitely helping bump up the pros purse but I can't think of a way to keep co's from getting front ended with current rule formats, and the pro isn't responsible for putting their co on fish.

Great back in the day, not so much now. FFS has jacked the CO, no doubt about it. Last year on Toledo, the leading Co was up I think 12-13# going to day three. The top Co is with the top boater, who had a BIG lead. The boater I think came in with 25-28# sack the last day, the Co zeroed and ended up in third I think. The boater was FFS all day. The Co, who in my mind is a really good young stick, never had a chance. He had been whackin the fish and then zero. Bottom line is, you know what you are signing up for, but it still sux. I used to enjoy Toyota series co-angler, but will not go when FFS is going to be in play. You draw a young gun now a days, it's FFS all day.

Anyone notice the co-angler big fish on days 1 and 2 of the Rayburn Toyota Series?

12-15 on day one, 9-15 on day two.

Bet those were some PO’d boaters!

This way of thinking is correct. I use to say this back in 2010 COs thinking they are there to make money and compete will be the end of Co anglers as we know it.

Heck getting Front ended has been a conversation for multiple decades.

Give it a little while and they will develop scopes for the backseat as well.

I think if I was a co I would prefer to remain with the same boater for the duration of the event. If it sucks it sucks, if it’s great it’s great.

I’d probably just go home if it were certain people.

Kind of like a $500 pull of a slot machine. If I drew a douche, I’d get on my way.