Here is my list of thing to do as a Nonboater. I'm sure this list is not inconclusive.
1. The boater is the Capt. no matter how much he sucks as a fisherman! YOU DON'T complain or offer suggestions unless you are asked. You wear his arse off from the back out the boat!
2. EveryTime you get hung up, it's a notch against you. Hang ups will happen, but keep them to a minimum. Bring a battery operated line stripper and a roll of extra line to respool when you need to. When you get hungup, get in the habit of breaking it off.
3. Check your gear. Reduce your tackle. Don't bring a giant tackle box to the boat. If you are traveling out of town, bring all you want, but leave it in the hotel room. Bring a space saver tackle bag and aspeed bag with your soft plastics. Also, bring a smaller speed bag that is fairly empty to catch your baits and hooks as you change out through the day. This will reduce having to waste time putting a lure or plastic back in its box. You can also use this bag to carry your snaks to the boat, but after that you it to collect you junk.This will limit your moving back and forth over the seats as you fish. This will also save you time as you fish!
4. BE SELF SUFFICIENT. Have your own flashlight, plyers, knife, and clippers. Tossing the plyers back and forth in the boat is not time efficient and you don't want to be the one that dropped his plyers in the water! There are smaller clippers and scissors and such that you could carry as backups in the event the boater is not as efficient as you. Plus one for you!
5. Max number of rods you carry depends on the size of boat. My suggestion: Crankbait rod, Worm rod and Spinning rod. I usually carry five rods, but those other two rods are spec ops. One for drop shot/wieghtless fluke and the other is a C rig or frog. Types and lengths of rods are you decision. The point here is be selective in your rod purchase as a Nonboater. Think about rods for dual purpose rather than optimum performance.
6. Cold/Wet weather gear. Have it, use it! If you don't have it, you will not only suffer, but no one wants a wet pup on the boat and you just became a distraction. Same thing applies to the red tomatoes in the summertime. Have sunscreen
7. RESPECT THE BOAT: Don't have your stuff sprawled al over. Be ready to get on plain in less than 30 seconds! This is where that empty speed bag will come into play. Bottom line, don't have the boater waiting for you when it's time to move.
8. Communication with the boater: it's easier to communicate with the boater when he has respect for you. Start talking days before a tournament, or the ride to the lake. Don't sleep in the truck on the way there. Start covering the bases. At the end of the day, cover down on the money topic. If you honestly forget about something, some people wil let it slide, but then others begin to compare notes. Protect your reputation by remembering to bring up the money topic!
9. Learn something new everytime on the water. Share that experience with others, formulate a pattern.
10. Have fun and CATCH FISH!
